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

Broker Name

E*TRADE

E*TRADE

VS
TD Direct Investing

TD Direct Investing

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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

1984

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

5.2 million client accounts

17 M


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Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FRS, FINRA, SIPC, SEC, NFA, FDIC

CIPF, CIRO

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

CIPF

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

Yes

Yes


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Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

Over 50,000 offerings, including US Treasury trades

Fixed income investments, GICs

Currency Pairs

No

No

Commodities

No

No

Indices

No

No

Cryptocurrencies

No

Yes

CFDs

No

No

ETFs

Yes

Yes

Stocks

Yes

Yes

Options

Yes

Yes

Futures

Yes

No

Bonds

Yes

Yes

Mutual Funds

Yes

Yes

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

No

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

Power Etrade web, Power Etrade app

TD app, web trader, Advanced dashboard, TD active trader

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

Margin account, cash trading account, TFSA, RSP, RESP, RIF, LIRA, LIF, RDSP

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

No

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

No

No

Minimum Deposit

$0

$0

Leverage Available

No

No

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on assets class

Depends on asset types

Commission (per account type)

NA

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

Beginners to experienced traders

Beginners and experienced traders


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Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

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

Direct bank account, Check

Withdrawal Methods

E-wallets, check, Wire transfer

SWIP, Wire payment

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

Learning Centre - Investing Education, Market Insights and Analysis, Webinars, Investing Guides, Video Tutorials, TD Direct Investing Community Forum


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Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

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

Commission -mutual funds- $0 , IPOs, Equities- $7.00- $9.99, Stock - $3- $43, Bonds- $40 + $1.50/1,000

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

NA

NA

Per Lot Fees

NA

NA

Options Contract Fees

$0.65

$9.99 + $1.25 per contract

Futures Contract Fees

$1.50

NA

Markup Fees on Spread

NA

NA

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

NA

NA

Maximum Leverage

No

No


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Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$0

NA

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

NA

NA

Advisory Fees

0.30%

NA

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

NA

NA

Statement or Document Fee

$2

$2-$5

Account Opening Fee

NA

Applicable, Depends on account types

Account Maintenance Fee

$15/ month

$25 per quarter

Deposit Fee

$0

$17.50 U.S

Currency Conversion Fee

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

2.50%

Withdrawal Fee

Check return - $25, Electronic return -$25

$30-$100


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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

Pre-market trading hours (8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. ET) and after-hours trading (4 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET)


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Customer Support

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

8 AM - 8 PM ET on weekdays

Monday to Friday, 7 am to 10 pm 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: 1-800-465-5463, , Book an appointment

Support Languages

1

4


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Additional Information

Headquarters Location

Arlington, Virginia, United States Buyenlarge, Getty

66 Wellington Street West, Toronto, ON M5K 1A2

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.
E*TRADE is known for competitive pricing on basic trades, especially for beginners. However, TD Direct Investing fee structure, though slightly higher, covers a broader range of services, making it more suitable for active traders.
E*TRADE uses a digital-first onboarding approach with clear instructions and fast ID verification. TD Direct Investing goes a step further with manual checks and optional account tiers, ideal for serious professionals.
E*TRADE provides a modern trading experience with its proprietary platform, ideal for technical traders. TD Direct Investing, on the other hand, offers more research tools and is better suited for data-driven investors.
E*TRADE delivers a robust ecosystem for seasoned traders, whereas TD Direct Investing focuses on ease of access and modern usability.