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

Broker Name

E*TRADE

E*TRADE

VS
NinjaTrader

NinjaTrader

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Broker Overview

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

Both ECN and STP broker

ECN/STP

Years of Existence / Established Year

1982

2003

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

5.2 million client accounts

1.5M


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Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FRS, FINRA, SIPC, SEC, NFA, FDIC

CFTC NFA

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

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

Leading Broker in TASC's 2024 Readers' Choice Awards 2024 Great Place to Work Best Brokerage for Trading Futures at Benzinga Global Fintech Awards 2023

Security Measures

SIPC

SIPC & FSCS

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

Yes

No


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Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

Over 50,000 offerings, including US Treasury trades

115+ trading instruments

Currency Pairs

No

No

Commodities

No

Yes

Indices

No

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

No

Yes

CFDs

No

Yes

ETFs

Yes

Yes

Stocks

Yes

Yes

Options

Yes

Yes

Futures

Yes

Yes

Bonds

Yes

Yes

Mutual Funds

Yes

No

Fractional Shares

No

No

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

No

No

Precious Metals

No

Yes

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

No

Yes

Equities

No

Yes


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Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

Yes

MT4

No

No

MT5

No

No

cTrader

No

No

Social Trading

No

No

Copy Trading

No

Yes

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

Power Etrade web, Power Etrade app

Ninjatrader 8

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Yes


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Account Types & Conditions

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

Brokerage, Retirement, Core portfolio, Managed portfolio, Small business retirement , bank

Free Plan Lifetime Plan Monthly Plan

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

No

No

Minimum Deposit

$0

$0

Leverage Available

No

No

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on assets class

Depends on assets type

Commission (per account type)

Free- $0.35 per micro and $1.29 per standard, Monthly- $0.25 per micro and $0.99 per standard, Lifetime- $.09 per micro contract and $0.59 per standard

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

Beginners to experienced traders

Beginners & experienced


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Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

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

ACH Transfer Debit Card Wire Transfer / SEPA By Check

Withdrawal Methods

E-wallets, check, Wire transfer

Bank Transfer

Other E-Wallets Supported

Electronic transfer

No


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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

Video tutorials Learning tools Technical analysis


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Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

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

$.05 to $.25 per contract

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

NA

variable

Per Lot Fees

NA

NA

Options Contract Fees

$0.65

$0.25 per contract (order routing fees)

Futures Contract Fees

$1.50

$0.29 to $.85

Markup Fees on Spread

NA

Variable

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

NA

NA

Maximum Leverage

No

NA


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Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$0

$25 monthly

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

NA

Volume Indicators - $59 Data Fees - $4 per exchange Multi-License broker - $99

Advisory Fees

0.30%

NA

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

NA

$50

Statement or Document Fee

$2

NA

Account Opening Fee

NA

Free Plan - $0 Monthly Plan - $99 Lifetime Plan - $1499

Account Maintenance Fee

$15/ month

NA

Deposit Fee

$0

ACH - Free Domestic Wire Transfer - $30

Currency Conversion Fee

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

1% of currency converted, minimum 10 units of currency sold

Withdrawal Fee

Check return - $25, Electronic return -$25

$0


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Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

Yes

Yes


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Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

Sunday 5 p.m. CT to Friday 4 p.m. CT

Depends on the assets type


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Customer Support

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

8 AM - 8 PM ET on weekdays

24/5

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]

Emergency trade desk: 312.423.2234 General inquiries: 1.800.496.1683 Fax: 312.329.9888 Email: mailto:[email protected] , Live chat

Support Languages

1

1


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Additional Information

Headquarters Location

Arlington, Virginia, United States Buyenlarge, Getty

222 N LaSalle Street Suite 1450, Chicago, IL 60601

Complaints (for crypto brokers)

No

No


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.
E*TRADE is known for competitive pricing on basic trades, especially for beginners. However, NinjaTrader fee structure, though slightly higher, covers a broader range of services, making it more suitable for active traders.
E*TRADE gets you trading faster thanks to its minimal entry barriers. In comparison, NinjaTrader account setup is slower but includes extra layers of financial screening and suitability assessments.
E*TRADE integrates well with algorithmic trading tools and third-party plugins. In contrast, NinjaTrader emphasizes educational content and built-in research features within its platform.
E*TRADE supports complex strategies and asset diversity, while NinjaTrader offers clarity and low-cost access for long-term holders.