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E*TRADE vs Interactive Brokers
Broker Name
E*TRADE
Interactive Brokers
Broker Overview
Broker Type (e.g., Market Maker, ECN/STP)
Both ECN and STP broker
Market maker
Years of Existence / Established Year
1982
1993
Customer Base / Number of Accounts
5.2 million client accounts
3.12M
Regulation & Security
Regulations (governing bodies)
FRS, FINRA, SIPC, SEC, NFA, FDIC
SEC, FINRA, NYSE, FCA, FINMA, CFTC, MAS, SFC, CBI, IIROC, JFSA, MiFiD
Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)
Investor App and #1 Web Trading Platform for 2024, Benzinga's 2023 Global Fintech Awards
Best Online Broker for Advanced Traders in 2024, Professional Trading 2024, #1 Best Online Broker in 2023, Best for Advanced Traders, Best Online Broker in 2024, Best Stock Broker for International Trading
Security Measures
SIPC
SIPC
SSL Encryption / 2FA
Yes
Yes
Segregated Funds
Yes
Yes
Negative Balance Protection
Yes
Yes
Trading Instruments/Products Offered
Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)
Over 50,000 offerings, including US Treasury trades
150 Markets including Forecast and event contracts, Spot currencies,US spot Gold, Hedge funds
Currency Pairs
No
Yes
Commodities
No
No
Indices
No
No
Cryptocurrencies
No
Yes
CFDs
No
No
ETFs
Yes
Yes
Stocks
Yes
Yes
Options
Yes
Yes
Futures
Yes
Yes
Bonds
Yes
Yes
Mutual Funds
Yes
Yes
Fractional Shares
Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)
No
No
Precious Metals
No
Yes
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
No
No
Equities
No
No
Trading Platforms & Technology
Trading Platform Availability
Yes
Yes
MT4
No
No
MT5
No
No
cTrader
No
No
Social Trading
No
Copy Trading
No
Yes
Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)
Power Etrade web, Power Etrade app
IBKR global Trader, Client Portal, Desktop, Mobile, Trader workstation, APIs, Forecast Trader, IMPACT
Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)
Yes
Yes
Account Types & Conditions
Account Types (Retail, Pro, VIP, etc.)
Brokerage, Retirement, Core portfolio, Managed portfolio, Small business retirement , bank
Individual, Joint, Trust, IRA and UGMA/UTMA Accounts, Non-Professional Advisor Accounts, Family Office Accounts, Small Business Accounts, Advisor Accounts, Money Manager Accounts, Broker & FCM Accounts, Proprietary Trading Group Accounts, Hedge Fund & Mutual Fund Accounts, Compliance Officers, Administrators, Institutional Hedge Fund Investors
Demo Account (Yes/No)
Yes
Yes
Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)
No
Yes
Minimum Deposit
$0
$0
Leverage Available
No
10:1 to 50:1
Trade Limit (maximum per trade)
Depends on assets class
EUR 5,000,000
Commission (per account type)
$0
Best Suited For (e.g., beginners, experienced traders)
Beginners to experienced traders
Beginner to advanced traders
Deposit & Withdrawal Options
Deposit Methods
Transfer money, Wire transfer, Transfer an account, Deposit a check ,Direct Deposit
ACH transfer, Link a new bank account, Bank wire, Transfer from wise balance, Scan a check , Mail a check, SEPA
Withdrawal Methods
E-wallets, check, Wire transfer
ACH, Check, Direct debit, Transfer to wise balance, Canadian ETF transfer, SEPA
Other E-Wallets Supported
Electronic transfer
No
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
Traders' Academy (Online Courses), IBKR Webinars, Market Insights and Analysis, Trader's University (Video Tutorials), IBKR Quant Blog (Quantitative Trading), Customer Education (Trading Guides)
Fees & Commissions
Trading-Related Fees
Stocks, options, mutual funds, ETFs- $0, Bonds- $1, FINRA trading activity fee- $0.000166
IBKR Lite: Commission-free U.S. stocks, ETFs, and specific mutual funds, IBKR Pro: $0.005 per share, minimum $1 per trade
Spread (typical, fixed, variable)
NA
Fixed spread
Per Lot Fees
NA
NA
Options Contract Fees
$0.65
$0.65/contract
Futures Contract Fees
$1.50
$0.85
Markup Fees on Spread
NA
$1.50
Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees
NA
NA
Maximum Leverage
No
50:1
Non-Trading Fees
Dormant Fees
$0
$0
Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)
NA
NA
Advisory Fees
0.30%
It depends up on the account type
Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)
NA
over $10 million free
Statement or Document Fee
$2
NA
Account Opening Fee
NA
$0
Account Maintenance Fee
$15/ month
$0
Deposit Fee
$0
$0
Currency Conversion Fee
Direct trade-$0.005 per share, Broker assisted trader- $25
$0.03
Withdrawal Fee
Check return - $25, Electronic return -$25
$10 outgoing wire transfer fee
Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits
Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals
Yes
Yes
Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)
Yes
Yes
Trading Hours
Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)
Sunday 5 p.m. CT to Friday 4 p.m. CT
9:30 AM - 4:00 PM ET, Monday through Friday Overnight trading hours: 8:00 PM ET - 3:50 AM ET, Sunday through Friday
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]
Phone: 1 (888) 919-0022, E-mail: [email protected], Live chat
Support Languages
1
33
Additional Information
Headquarters Location
Arlington, Virginia, United States Buyenlarge, Getty
Greenwich, Connecticut
Complaints (for crypto brokers)
No
No
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