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

Broker Name

E*TRADE

Firstrade

Broker Overview

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

Both ECN and STP broker

STP broker

Years of Existence / Established Year

1982

1985

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

5.2 million client accounts

1Million

Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FRS, FINRA, SIPC, SEC, NFA, FDIC

FINRA, SEC

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

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

Best Online Brokers, Best for Options Traders award.

Security Measures

SIPC

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

Yes

Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

Over 50,000 offerings, including US Treasury trades

2200+ ETFs including CDs, Treasury bills, Notets and bonds, Primary market CDs, Zeros and strips and more

Currency Pairs

Commodities

Indices

Yes- Through ETFs

Cryptocurrencies

Yes- Through ETFs

CFDs

ETFs

Yes

Stocks

Yes

Options

Yes

Futures

Yes

Bonds

Yes

Mutual Funds

Yes

Fractional Shares

Yes

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

Yes

Precious Metals

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

Yes

Equities

Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

MT4

MT5

Yes

cTrader

Social Trading

Copy Trading

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

Power Etrade web, Power Etrade app

Firstrade platform

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Account Types & Conditions

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

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

Brokerage account- Individual, Joint, Custodial, Retirement- Retirement (Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SEP IRA), Corporate, Trust, International, Education Planning, Business Planning

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

Minimum Deposit

Leverage Available

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on assets class

Depends on asset class

Commission (per account type)

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

Beginners to experienced traders

Both beginners and experienced traders

Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

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

Wire Fund Transfer, Check deposit, Asset transfer, ACH electronic transfer

Withdrawal Methods

E-wallets, check, Wire transfer

Wire Fund Transfer, Check Deposit, Asset transfer, ACH electronic transfer, Withdrawal of sales proceed

Other E-Wallets Supported

Electronic transfer

Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Yes

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

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

Education Center, Investment Education Videos, Option Guide, Margin Guide, Webinars, Tax center, Blogs, Upcoming IPOs

Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

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

Commission for stocks, ETFs, Options, Mutual funds- $0, Fixed income- Treasury Bills, Notes & Bonds, Municipal Bonds, Agency Bonds, Secondary Market CDs, Zeros & Strips- Net yield basis, Primary Market CDs- $30, Broker-Assisted Stock & Options Trades- $19.95 (+$0.50/Contract)

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Typical

Per Lot Fees

Options Contract Fees

$0.65

Futures Contract Fees

$1.50

Markup Fees on Spread

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

Maximum Leverage

Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

Advisory Fees

0.30%

0.20-0.30%

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

Statement or Document Fee

$2-$5

Account Opening Fee

Account Maintenance Fee

$15/ month

Deposit Fee

Currency Conversion Fee

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

Withdrawal Fee

Check return - $25, Electronic return -$25

$25-$75

Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

Yes

Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

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

Pre-Market: 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM ET Regular Market: 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM ET After-Hours: 4:05 PM to 8:00 PM ET

Customer Support

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

8 AM - 8 PM ET on weekdays

Monday - Friday,10am - 4pm ET

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]

Phone: U.S. Toll Free: 1-800-869-8800, Outside the US: 1-718-961-6600, E-mail, FAQ, Fax: 1-718-961-3919

Support Languages

Additional Information

Headquarters Location

Arlington, Virginia, United States Buyenlarge, Getty

30-50 Whitestone Expwy. Ste. A301 Flushing, NY 11354

Complaints (for crypto brokers)

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.

E*TRADE fee structure, though slightly higher, covers a broader range of services, making it more suitable for active traders.

E*TRADE platform, while requiring more effort to join, allows experienced traders to customize their accounts from the start.

E*TRADE platform is great for fast-paced day trading, especially with features like one-click trading. Firstrade platform, by comparison, is built for strategy testing and long-term portfolio management.

If you're after professional-grade platforms, E*TRADE may be ideal. For casual investors, Firstrade offers a low-barrier entry.

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