E*TRADE vs Trading 212 : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)

Broker Name

E*TRADE

Trading 212

Broker Overview

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

Both ECN and STP broker

STP broker

Years of Existence / Established Year

1982

2003

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

5.2 million client accounts

3 million- lifetime funded account

Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FRS, FINRA, SIPC, SEC, NFA, FDIC

FCA, CySEC, ASIC, FSC

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

ICF

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

13,000+ Global stocks and ETFs

Currency Pairs

Yes

Commodities

Yes

Indices

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

Yes

CFDs

Yes

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)

Yes

Equities

Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

MT4

MT5

cTrader

Social Trading

Yes

Copy Trading

Yes

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

Power Etrade web, Power Etrade app

Trading 212 web and mobile trading 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

Invest, CFD, Stock ISA, and cash ISA

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

Minimum Deposit

£1, €1, $1

Leverage Available

1:30

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on assets class

Depends on the assets class

Commission (per account type)

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

Beginners to experienced traders

Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

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

Bank transfer, Instant bank transfer, Card payments, Online banking PL, Carte Bleue, Blik, Direct e-banking, e-wallets

Withdrawal Methods

E-wallets, check, Wire transfer

Bank transfer, Instant bank transfer, Card payments, Online banking PL, Carte Bleue, Blik, Direct e-banking, e-wallets

Other E-Wallets Supported

Electronic transfer

Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, iDEAL

Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

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

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

Trading Academy, Market News and Analysis, Webinars, Video Tutorial, Trading Guides and eBooks

Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

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

FX fees- 0.5%

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Variable

Per Lot Fees

Options Contract Fees

$0.65

Futures Contract Fees

$1.50

Markup Fees on Spread

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

Maximum Leverage

1:30

Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

Advisory Fees

0.30%

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

Yes

Statement or Document Fee

Account Opening Fee

Account Maintenance Fee

$15/ month

Deposit Fee

0.70%

Currency Conversion Fee

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

0.15%

Withdrawal Fee

Check return - $25, Electronic return -$25

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 session from 04:00 - 09:30 ET, regular trading from 09:30 - 16:00 ET, after-hours session from 16:00 - 20:00 ET

Customer Support

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

8 AM - 8 PM ET on weekdays

24/7

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, E-mail- [email protected] Phone- +447385762101

Support Languages

18+

Additional Information

Headquarters Location

Arlington, Virginia, United States Buyenlarge, Getty

Aldermary House, 10-15 Queen Street, London, EC4N 1TX.

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, Trading 212 includes some charges for premium features and certain asset trades, making E*TRADE the better option for budget-focused traders.

The account creation flow at E*TRADE is modern and app-driven, making it seamless for new users. Trading 212, however, leans toward traditional processes with forms and verifications that take more time.

While E*TRADE focuses on mobile-first design and clean user experience, Trading 212 includes features like in-depth charting, integrated news feeds, and strong desktop performance.

E*TRADE caters to serious traders who value advanced features, whereas Trading 212 appeals to beginners due to its user-friendly platform.

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