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

Broker Name

Firstrade

Firstrade

VS
Oanda

Oanda

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Broker Overview

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

STP broker

Market maker

Years of Existence / Established Year

1985

1996

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

1Million

50M


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Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FINRA, SEC

CFTC / NFA FCA MAS CIRO ASIC FSA FSC in the BVI

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

Best Online Brokers, Best for Options Traders award.

Broker of the year by TradingView Awards 2023 Most popular broker 3 years in a row in TradingView Awards 2020, 2021, 2022

Security Measures

SIPC

SIPC

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

No

Yes


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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

68+ major currency pairs

Currency Pairs

No

Yes

Commodities

No

Yes

Indices

Yes- Through ETFs

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

Yes- Through ETFs

Yes

CFDs

No

Yes

ETFs

Yes

Yes

Stocks

Yes

Yes

Options

Yes

Yes

Futures

No

Yes

Bonds

Yes

Yes

Mutual Funds

Yes

No

Fractional Shares

Yes

No

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

Yes

No

Precious Metals

No

Yes

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

Yes

No

Equities

No

Yes


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Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

Yes

MT4

No

Yes

MT5

Yes

No

cTrader

No

No

Social Trading

No

No

Copy Trading

No

Yes

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

Firstrade platform

Oanda Mobile and Tablet apps

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Yes


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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

Standard account Corporate account Professional trading account

Demo Account (Yes/No)

No

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

No

Yes

Minimum Deposit

$0

$0

Leverage Available

No

50:1

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on asset class

Varies by instrument

Commission (per account type)

$0

Standard - $50/M Premium - $50/M Premium Plus - $40/M

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

Both beginners and experienced traders

Only experienced


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Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

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

Bank Wire Transfer ACH Debit card

Withdrawal Methods

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

Debit card Bank Wire transfer

Other E-Wallets Supported

No

No


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Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Yes

Yes

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

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

Technical Analysis Premium MetaTrader Tools MT5 comes with inbuilt signal alerts, using latest NLP technology Spreads calculators


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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 starts from 0.0, commission- $30 per 1M

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Typical

Typical

Per Lot Fees

NA

NA

Options Contract Fees

$0

NA

Futures Contract Fees

NA

NA

Markup Fees on Spread

NA

NA

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

NA

NA

Maximum Leverage

No

50:1


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Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$0

10 units of the currency for inactivity atleast 12 months.

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

NA

$0

Advisory Fees

0.20-0.30%

$0

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

NA

Vary on instruments and change on a daily basis

Statement or Document Fee

$2-$5

$0

Account Opening Fee

$0

$0

Account Maintenance Fee

$0

$0

Deposit Fee

$0

$0

Currency Conversion Fee

3%

0.50%

Withdrawal Fee

$25-$75

USD - First withdrawal fee in a calendar month Bank transfer / wire transfer - $20 Debit card - no feeUSD - additional withdrawals in a calendar month Bank transfer / wire transfer - fee + $15 Debit card - $15ACH - No fee


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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)

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

All FX products - Sunday 17:05 - Friday 16:59 Cryptocurrency - 24/7


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Customer Support

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

Monday - Friday,10am - 4pm ET

24x5

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

Email: mailto:[email protected] Monday to Friday - 8:00 to 20:00 CET Poland (+48)799366830 Malta (+356)20345018 Spain (+34)910479707 France (+33)182884361 Germany (+49)6995019607

Support Languages

3

4


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Additional Information

Headquarters Location

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

Dashwood House 64, Old Broad Street London EC2M 1QS

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.
Firstrade stands out for its zero-commission trading model, appealing to cost-conscious investors. In contrast, Oanda offers more comprehensive services with slightly higher fees, especially for advanced tools and asset classes.
If speed and simplicity matter to you, Firstrade delivers a streamlined account setup. In contrast, Oanda includes more documentation and KYC checks, which can delay access but ensures strong compliance.
Firstrade platform is great for fast-paced day trading, especially with features like one-click trading. Oanda platform, by comparison, is built for strategy testing and long-term portfolio management.
For market veterans, Firstrade brings the tools they need. New investors might find Oanda more approachable and cost-effective.