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

Broker Name

Firstrade

AvaTrade

Broker Overview

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

STP broker

Market maker

Years of Existence / Established Year

1985

2006

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

1Million

4 Million

Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FINRA, SEC

FFAJ, CySEC, ISA, IIROC, ADGM, FSRA, CBI,BVI FSC, FSCA, ASIC

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

Best Online Brokers, Best for Options Traders award.

Best Forex Trading App in Europe- 2024, Best Affiliate program LATAM -2024, Most Trusted Trading Platform -2024, Most Trusted Broker -2024, Top 10 Hot Brand of the year -2024

Security Measures

SIPC

Avaprotect

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

1000+ trading instruments

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

Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

MT4

Yes

MT5

Yes

cTrader

Social Trading

Yes

Copy Trading

Yes

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

Firstrade platform

Ava trade app

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

Retail, standard, and professional

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

Yes

Minimum Deposit

$100

Leverage Available

1:10 to 1:400

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on asset class

Depends on the asset type

Commission (per account type)

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

Both beginners and experienced traders

Beginners to experienced

Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

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

Credit card, debit card, wire transfer, and e-wallets

Withdrawal Methods

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

Credit card, debit card, wire transfer, and e-wallets

Other E-Wallets Supported

Skrill, Neteller, WebMoney,

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

Trading platform tutorials, Trading rules, Webniars, Blogs, Trading online strategies

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)

Spread: 0.9 pips

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Typical

Per Lot Fees

Options Contract Fees

Futures Contract Fees

Markup Fees on Spread

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

Maximum Leverage

1:400

Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$50 inactive for 3 month

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

Advisory Fees

0.20-0.30%

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

Yes

Statement or Document Fee

$2-$5

Account Opening Fee

Account Maintenance Fee

Deposit Fee

Currency Conversion Fee

Withdrawal Fee

$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)

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

Sunday Night (GMT) until Friday night (GMT)

Customer Support

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

Monday - Friday,10am - 4pm ET

24/7

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

Phone: +1 212 9419609, E-mail upon request , Live chat

Support Languages

14+

Additional Information

Headquarters Location

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

Five Lamps Place Amien Street Dublin 1, IE

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, AvaTrade includes some charges for premium features and certain asset trades, making Firstrade the better option for budget-focused traders.

Firstrade gets you trading faster thanks to its minimal entry barriers. In comparison, AvaTrade account setup is slower but includes extra layers of financial screening and suitability assessments.

While Firstrade focuses on mobile-first design and clean user experience, AvaTrade includes features like in-depth charting, integrated news feeds, and strong desktop performance.

Firstrade stands out for active traders with robust tools, while AvaTrade suits investors seeking simplicity and ease of use.

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