E*TRADE vs. TD Ameritrade
E*TRADE and TD Ameritrade often top the pile of online brokers, making it tough for investors to decide between the two. You won't pay activity or annual fees at either broker. Both offer commission-free trades of stocks, options and exchange-traded funds and have no opening account minimums.
The differences are in the details, and the decision likely comes down to the type of investor you are. If you're stuck going back and forth between E*TRADE and TD Ameritrade, look over our head-to-head comparison.
E*TRADE at a glance
Account minimum | $0 |
Stock trading costs | $0 |
Options trades | No base commission; $0.65 per contract (volume discount available) |
Account fees (annual, transfer, closing, inactivity) | No annual or inactivity fee. $75 full transfer out fee; $25 partial |
Number of commission-free ETFs | All ETFs trade commission-free. |
Number of no-transaction-fee mutual funds | Over 4,400 |
Tradable securities | • Stocks. • Bonds. • Mutual funds. • ETFs. • Options. • Futures. |
Trading platform | Three platforms available for free to all customers: • E-Trade Web. • Power E-Trade. • E-Trade Pro. |
Mobile app | Two high-performing apps: • E*TRADE Mobile. • Power E*TRADE. Available on iOS and Android. |
Research and data | Free and extensive, with over eight providers available at no cost. |
Customer support options (includes website transparency) | Phone, email and chat support 24/7; 30 local branches |
Promotion | None. |
TD Ameritrade at a glance
Account minimum | $0 |
Stock trading costs | $0 |
Options trades | No base commission; $0.65 per contract. |
Account fees (annual, transfer, closing, inactivity) | No annual or inactivity fee. $75 full transfer; $0 partial transfer. |
Commission-free ETFs | All ETFs trade commission-free. |
Number of no-transaction-fee mutual funds | More than 4,100. |
Tradable securities | • Stocks. • Bonds. • Mutual funds. • ETFs. • Options. • Futures. • Forex. • Foreign ADRs. • IPOs for qualified accounts. |
Trading platform | Two platforms: TD Ameritrade web and thinkorswim (desktop). |
Mobile app | TD Ameritrade mobile web, TD Ameritrade Mobile (iOS only), TDA Mobile Trader (companion to thinkorswim platform). |
Research and data | Free and extensive. |
Customer support options (includes website transparency) | Phone support 24/7; technical phone support Monday - Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern. 364 local branches. Support also available via text, Facebook Messenger, Twitter direct message, Apple Business Chat and Amazon Alexa. |
Promotion | None. |
» Want more options? Compare them with the best online brokers for stock trading
