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E*TRADE vs Cobra Trading : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)

Broker Name

E*TRADE

E*TRADE

VS
Cobra Trading

Cobra Trading

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Broker Overview

Broker Type (e.g., Market Maker, ECN/STP)

Both ECN and STP broker

None

Years of Existence / Established Year

1982

2003

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

5.2 million client accounts

Info not available


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Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FRS, FINRA, SIPC, SEC, NFA, FDIC

FINRA NFA

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

Investor App and #1 Web Trading Platform for 2024, Benzinga's 2023 Global Fintech Awards

Cobra Trading the best day trading platform

Security Measures

SIPC

SIPC

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

Yes

No


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Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

Over 50,000 offerings, including US Treasury trades

-

Currency Pairs

No

No

Commodities

No

No

Indices

No

No

Cryptocurrencies

No

No

CFDs

No

No

ETFs

Yes

No

Stocks

Yes

Yes

Options

Yes

Yes

Futures

Yes

Yes with Venom trading

Bonds

Yes

No

Mutual Funds

Yes

No

Fractional Shares

No

No

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

No

No

Precious Metals

No

Yes

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

No

No

Equities

No

Yes


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Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

Yes

MT4

No

No

MT5

No

No

cTrader

No

No

Social Trading

No

No

Copy Trading

No

Yes

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

Power Etrade web, Power Etrade app

DAS Trader Pro Sterling Trader Pro Cobra Trading view integration

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Yes


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Account Types & Conditions

Account Types (Retail, Pro, VIP, etc.)

Brokerage, Retirement, Core portfolio, Managed portfolio, Small business retirement , bank

Joint (JTWROS) Individual Retirement Account - IRA Roth - IRA Corporate LLC Trust Partnership

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

No

Yes

Minimum Deposit

$0

$25,000

Leverage Available

No

4:1

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on assets class

Trade size vary on each asset

Commission (per account type)

$0

Best Suited For (e.g., beginners, experienced traders)

Beginners to experienced traders

Experienced


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Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

Transfer money, Wire transfer, Transfer an account, Deposit a check ,Direct Deposit

Check Wire Account transfer

Withdrawal Methods

E-wallets, check, Wire transfer

Check Wire Account transfer

Other E-Wallets Supported

Electronic transfer

No


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Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

No

Yes

Tools & Educational Resources (tutorials, webinars, market news, etc.)

Educational Resources, Tools, Market News and Insights, Tutorials and Webinars

Advanced order types Basket trading Charting & Multi account management Blogs, Posts & platform videos


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Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

Stocks, options, mutual funds, ETFs- $0, Bonds- $1, FINRA trading activity fee- $0.000166

$0.0015 per share

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

NA

NA

Per Lot Fees

NA

NA

Options Contract Fees

$0.65

$0.30 per contract

Futures Contract Fees

$1.50

NA

Markup Fees on Spread

NA

NA

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

NA

NA

Maximum Leverage

No

4:1


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Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$0

$15

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

NA

$0

Advisory Fees

0.30%

NA

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

NA

NA

Statement or Document Fee

$2

NA

Account Opening Fee

NA

$0

Account Maintenance Fee

$15/ month

$0

Deposit Fee

$0

$0

Currency Conversion Fee

Direct trade-$0.005 per share, Broker assisted trader- $25

NA

Withdrawal Fee

Check return - $25, Electronic return -$25

$0


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Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

Yes

Yes


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Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

Sunday 5 p.m. CT to Friday 4 p.m. CT

4am to 8pm EST


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Customer Support

Support Hours (e.g., 24/7, weekdays only)

8 AM - 8 PM ET on weekdays

Monday-Friday - 7am to 4.30pm Saturday & Sunday - Closed

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

Live chat, FAQ, Phone- 800-387-2331, 800-838-0908, Beneficiary Services: [email protected] General inquiries: [email protected]

Toll free: 877-792-6272 Direct: 972-491-7999 Fax: 972-491-3111 Email: mailto:[email protected] Live Chat

Support Languages

1

1


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Additional Information

Headquarters Location

Arlington, Virginia, United States Buyenlarge, Getty

3008 E. Hebron Pkwy Building 400 Carrolton, TX 75010

Complaints (for crypto brokers)

No

No


At TradingCritique, we don't just list brokers. We test, compare, and simplify your decision-making. Whether you're a beginner or a pro, our data-driven comparisons are built to match your trading style and region. Learn how we Evaluate a broker.
If minimizing trading costs is your top priority, E*TRADE might be more attractive due to its lower commissions. Meanwhile, Cobra Trading justifies its moderate fees with more robust tools and professional-grade features.
If speed and simplicity matter to you, E*TRADE delivers a streamlined account setup. In contrast, Cobra Trading includes more documentation and KYC checks, which can delay access but ensures strong compliance.
E*TRADE integrates well with algorithmic trading tools and third-party plugins. In contrast, Cobra Trading emphasizes educational content and built-in research features within its platform.
For market veterans, E*TRADE brings the tools they need. New investors might find Cobra Trading more approachable and cost-effective.