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

Broker Name

E*TRADE

Merrill Edge

Broker Overview

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

Both ECN and STP broker

ECN broker

Years of Existence / Established Year

1982

2010

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

5.2 million client accounts

3.5+ Million Clients

Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FRS, FINRA, SIPC, SEC, NFA, FDIC

SEC, FINRA

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

Investor App and #1 Web Trading Platform for 2024, Benzinga's 2023 Global Fintech Awards

Kiplinger 2023 Annual Broker Review, StockBrokers.com 2024 Annual Broker Review

Security Measures

SIPC

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

CDs, Fixed income

Currency Pairs

Commodities

Indices

Cryptocurrencies

CFDs

ETFs

Yes

Stocks

Yes

Options

Yes

Futures

Yes

Bonds

Yes

Mutual Funds

Yes

Fractional Shares

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

Precious Metals

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

Equities

Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

MT4

MT5

cTrader

Social Trading

Copy Trading

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

Power Etrade web, Power Etrade app

Merrill Edge MarketPro (proprietary), Merrill Edge Self-Directed platform (web-based), Mobile app (Merrill Edge)

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

Individual, Joint, Custodial, Trust, and Retirement (IRA), 529 plans

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

Minimum Deposit

Leverage Available

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on assets class

Depends on asset class

Commission (per account type)

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

Beginners to experienced traders

Beginners to intermediate traders

Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

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

ACH transfer, wire transfer, check deposit, transfers from Bank of America

Withdrawal Methods

E-wallets, check, Wire transfer

ACH transfer, wire transfer, check deposit, transfers from Bank of America

Other E-Wallets Supported

Electronic transfer

Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Yes

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

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

Investing Education, Retirement Planning, Market Insights, Webinars and Online Seminars, Investment Guides and Tools

Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

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

Commission- $0 stock and ETFs, broker-assisted trade- $29.95 or $29.95 * + $0.65 per contract

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Per Lot Fees

Options Contract Fees

$0.65

$0.65 per contact

Futures Contract Fees

$1.50

Markup Fees on Spread

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

Maximum Leverage

Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

Advisory Fees

0.30%

0.85%

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

Yes

Statement or Document Fee

Account Opening Fee

Account Maintenance Fee

$15/ month

Deposit Fee

Currency Conversion Fee

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

Varies for ADRs

Withdrawal Fee

Check return - $25, Electronic return -$25

Wire transfer fee-$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 trading: 7:00 AM to 9:30 AM ET, Regular trading hours: 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM ET, After-hours trading: 4:01 PM to 8:00 PM 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]

Phone: 888.637.3343, Schedule an appointment

Support Languages

Additional Information

Headquarters Location

Arlington, Virginia, United States Buyenlarge, Getty

Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

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

E*TRADE uses a digital-first onboarding approach with clear instructions and fast ID verification. Merrill Edge goes a step further with manual checks and optional account tiers, ideal for serious professionals.

E*TRADE platform is great for fast-paced day trading, especially with features like one-click trading. Merrill Edge platform, by comparison, is built for strategy testing and long-term portfolio management.

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

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