E*TRADE vs Sofi Active Investing : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)

Broker Name

E*TRADE

Sofi Active Investing

Broker Overview

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

Both ECN and STP broker

Market maker

Years of Existence / Established Year

1982

2019

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

5.2 million client accounts

6.2+ Million

Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FRS, FINRA, SIPC, SEC, NFA, FDIC

SEC, FINRA

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

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

No major awards listed

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

IPO, IRA, Shares

Currency Pairs

Commodities

Indices

Cryptocurrencies

Yes

CFDs

ETFs

Yes

Stocks

Yes

Options

Yes

Futures

Yes

Bonds

Yes

Mutual Funds

Yes

Fractional Shares

Yes

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

Precious Metals

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

Equities

Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

MT4

MT5

cTrader

Social Trading

Copy Trading

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

Power Etrade web, Power Etrade app

Mobile and Web app

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

Individual brokerage, IRA (Traditional, Roth, SEP)

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

Minimum Deposit

Leverage Available

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on assets class

Account Equity < $25,000: No Day Trades

Commission (per account type)

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

Beginners to experienced traders

Passive investors

Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

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

Bank transfers (ACH), direct deposit from linked bank accounts

Withdrawal Methods

E-wallets, check, Wire transfer

ACH transfer back to linked bank accounts

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

Learn (Investing Education), Market Insights and Analysis, Webinars, Investing Guides, Financial Planning Tools, Sofi Insights (Market News)

Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

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

Stocks, ETFs-$0,Commission -$0

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Per Lot Fees

Options Contract Fees

$0.65

$0- $5

Futures Contract Fees

$1.50

Markup Fees on Spread

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

Maximum Leverage

Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$25

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

Advisory Fees

0.30%

Depending on assets type, Professional charges- 1% , annual advisory fees as low as 0.25%

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

Statement or Document Fee

$5 paper statement fee

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

Outgoing ACAT transfers $100

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

Depends on the instrument offer

Customer Support

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

8 AM - 8 PM ET on weekdays

Monday - Friday 5am-5pm PT

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]

Live chat, Phone: 855-456-7634, Virtual assistant

Support Languages

Additional Information

Headquarters Location

Arlington, Virginia, United States Buyenlarge, Getty

San Francisco, California.

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.

While E*TRADE maintains low trading fees with no minimum deposit, Sofi Active Investing includes some charges for premium features and certain asset trades, making E*TRADE the better option for budget-focused traders.

E*TRADE uses a digital-first onboarding approach with clear instructions and fast ID verification. Sofi Active Investing goes a step further with manual checks and optional account tiers, ideal for serious professionals.

While E*TRADE focuses on mobile-first design and clean user experience, Sofi Active Investing includes features like in-depth charting, integrated news feeds, and strong desktop performance.

Advanced users will enjoy E*TRADE capabilities, but Sofi Active Investing remains a favorite for its streamlined and beginner-centric approach.

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