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

Broker Name

Firstrade

Firstrade

VS
Swissquote

Swissquote

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Broker Overview

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

STP broker

STP

Years of Existence / Established Year

1985

1996

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

1Million

610,000 accounts


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Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FINRA, SEC

FINMA CySEC FCA, DFSA

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

Best Online Brokers, Best for Options Traders award.

No major awards listed

Security Measures

SIPC

FSCS

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

9000+ Markets including ETNs

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

Yes

Fractional Shares

Yes

Yes

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

Yes

Yes

Precious Metals

No

Yes

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

Yes

Yes

Equities

No

Yes


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Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

Yes

MT4

No

Yes

MT5

Yes

Yes

cTrader

No

No

Social Trading

No

No

Copy Trading

No

Yes

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

Firstrade platform

CFXD Swissquote App

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 Premium Prime Professional

Demo Account (Yes/No)

No

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

No

No

Minimum Deposit

$0

€0

Leverage Available

No

1:100- 1 : 400

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on asset class

Varies by instrument

Commission (per account type)

$0

€0

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

Both beginners and experienced traders

Beginners


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Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

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

Wire Transfer Credit/ Debit cards

Withdrawal Methods

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

Wire Transfer Credit/ Debit cards

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

AI generated sentiment analylsis Portfolio performance chart Recurring orders & Securities lending Stress test tool, ESG feature


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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)

Stocks - 0.1%, ETFs - 0.1%, Options / Futures - 2 Euro per contract, OTC Orders/ Grey market / other markets: 0.50%, minimum 100 currencies, Cryptocurrencies- €25 - 10,000 - 1%, Mutual funds - €24.95 minimum commission

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Typical

Variable

Per Lot Fees

NA

0.00 pips

Options Contract Fees

$0

€0.85 per transaction

Futures Contract Fees

NA

NA

Markup Fees on Spread

NA

NA

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

NA

NA

Maximum Leverage

No

1:400


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Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$0

NA

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

NA

Others- 0.25%Mutual funds - 0.5%

Advisory Fees

0.20-0.30%

€0

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

NA

Yes

Statement or Document Fee

$2-$5

EUWAX Market - 0.1%

Account Opening Fee

$0

€0

Account Maintenance Fee

$0

Quarterly Custody Fees for Cash Asset 0 to 50,000 CHF - 20 CHFAccount fees for precious metal account balances - 0.25%

Deposit Fee

$0

Bank / Post wire transfer - Free Crediting of cheques - 30 CHF Card deposits - 1.9% (Switzerland & Europe)/0% rest

Currency Conversion Fee

3%

UK - 0.5%

Withdrawal Fee

$25-$75

Wire transfer - Payment fees changes based on currency


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Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

Yes

No


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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

Forex Opening Hours: 8:00 - 18:00 CET. Monday to FridayForex dealing desk Opening hours: From 23:00 Sunday to 23:00 Friday CET


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Customer Support

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

Monday - Friday,10am - 4pm ET

8:00 - 22:00 CET Monday to Friday

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: +41 44 825 88 88 Forex: +41 44 825 87 87 E-mail: [email protected] Forex dealing desk: +41 22 999 94 76

Support Languages

3

9+


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Additional Information

Headquarters Location

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

Chemin de la Cretaux 33 P.O. Box 1032 1196 Gland

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.
While Firstrade maintains low trading fees with no minimum deposit, Swissquote includes some charges for premium features and certain asset trades, making Firstrade the better option for budget-focused traders.
If speed and simplicity matter to you, Firstrade delivers a streamlined account setup. In contrast, Swissquote includes more documentation and KYC checks, which can delay access but ensures strong compliance.
Firstrade excels in real-time trade execution with minimal latency, whereas Swissquote complements its execution with strong analytical modules and educational support within the platform.
Firstrade is geared toward frequent trading and analytics, while Swissquote fits those who value simplicity and guided experiences.