Firstrade vs Admiral Markets : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)

Broker Name

Firstrade

Admiral Markets

Broker Overview

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

STP broker

STP

Years of Existence / Established Year

1985

2001

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

1Million

Info not available

Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FINRA, SEC

FCA, CySEC, JSC, FSCA, FSA

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

Best Online Brokers, Best for Options Traders award.

No major awards listed

Security Measures

SIPC

FSCS, ICF

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

Yes

Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

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

6900+

Currency Pairs

Yes

Commodities

Yes

Indices

Yes- Through ETFs

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

Yes- Through ETFs

Yes

CFDs

Yes

ETFs

Yes

Stocks

Yes

Options

Yes

Futures

Bonds

Yes

Mutual Funds

Yes

Fractional Shares

Yes

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

Yes

Precious Metals

Yes

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

Yes

Equities

Yes

Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

MT4

Yes

MT5

Yes

cTrader

Social Trading

Copy Trading

Yes

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

Firstrade platform

Admirals proprietary platform

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Account Types & Conditions

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

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

Trade.MT4 Trade.MT5 Invest.MT5 Zero.MT4 Zero.MT5

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

Yes

Minimum Deposit

$25

Leverage Available

1:2 to 1:1000

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on asset class

Varies by instrument

Commission (per account type)

Starts from $0.02/ share

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

Both beginners and experienced traders

Beginners & experienced

Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

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

Visa, MasterCard, bank transfer

Withdrawal Methods

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

Visa, MasterCard, bank transfer

Other E-Wallets Supported

Skrill, Neteller, Crypto

Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Yes

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

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

Forex and CFD webinars Article and video tutorials Traders glossary eBooks

Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

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)

Forex : $1.8 to $3.0 per 0.1 lot, Stock & ETFs: Starts from $ 0.02 per share, Indices : Starts from $ 0.05 to $3.0 per share, Energies: Starts from $1 per lot CFDs on stocks- 6 free trades each day, USD 0.02CFDs on ETFs- USD 0.02

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Typical

Variable

Per Lot Fees

Start $3.00 per 1.0 lots per side

Options Contract Fees

Futures Contract Fees

Markup Fees on Spread

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

Maximum Leverage

1:1000

Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

10 EUR per month

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

Advisory Fees

0.20-0.30%

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

Info not available

Statement or Document Fee

$2-$5

Account Opening Fee

Account Maintenance Fee

Deposit Fee

Currency Conversion Fee

0.30%

Withdrawal Fee

$25-$75

One free withdrawal every month, thereafter 3%

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)

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

Depends on the assets type

Customer Support

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

Monday - Friday,10am - 4pm ET

24-5

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

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

E-mail: [email protected] Phone: +372 6 309 300 Live chat

Support Languages

15+

Additional Information

Headquarters Location

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

Tallinn, Estonia

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 Firstrade maintains low trading fees with no minimum deposit, Admiral Markets includes some charges for premium features and certain asset trades, making Firstrade the better option for budget-focused traders.

Account approval at Firstrade is usually completed within hours, often with automated ID checks. Admiral Markets might take longer due to manual reviews, but provides in-depth onboarding support along the way.

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

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

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