TD Direct Investing vs NinjaTrader : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)

Broker Name

TD Direct Investing

NinjaTrader

Broker Overview

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

None

ECN/STP

Years of Existence / Established Year

1984

2003

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

17 M

1.5M

Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

CIPF, CIRO

CFTC NFA

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

No major awards listed

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

CIPF

SIPC & FSCS

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

Yes

Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

Fixed income investments, GICs

115+ trading instruments

Currency Pairs

Commodities

Yes

Indices

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

Yes

CFDs

Yes

ETFs

Yes

Stocks

Yes

Options

Yes

Futures

Yes

Bonds

Yes

Mutual Funds

Yes

Fractional Shares

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

Precious Metals

Yes

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

Yes

Equities

Yes

Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

MT4

MT5

cTrader

Social Trading

Copy Trading

Yes

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

TD app, web trader, Advanced dashboard, TD active trader

Ninjatrader 8

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Account Types & Conditions

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

Margin account, cash trading account, TFSA, RSP, RESP, RIF, LIRA, LIF, RDSP

Free Plan Lifetime Plan Monthly Plan

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

Minimum Deposit

Leverage Available

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on asset types

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 and experienced traders

Beginners & experienced

Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

Direct bank account, Check

ACH Transfer Debit Card Wire Transfer / SEPA By Check

Withdrawal Methods

SWIP, Wire payment

Bank Transfer

Other E-Wallets Supported

Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Yes

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

Learning Centre - Investing Education, Market Insights and Analysis, Webinars, Investing Guides, Video Tutorials, TD Direct Investing Community Forum

Video tutorials Learning tools Technical analysis

Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

Commission -mutual funds- $0 , IPOs, Equities- $7.00- $9.99, Stock - $3- $43, Bonds- $40 + $1.50/1,000

$.05 to $.25 per contract

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

variable

Per Lot Fees

Options Contract Fees

$9.99 + $1.25 per contract

$0.25 per contract (order routing fees)

Futures Contract Fees

$0.29 to $.85

Markup Fees on Spread

Variable

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

Maximum Leverage

Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$25 monthly

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

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

Advisory Fees

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

$50

Statement or Document Fee

$2-$5

Account Opening Fee

Applicable, Depends on account types

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

Account Maintenance Fee

$25 per quarter

Deposit Fee

$17.50 U.S

ACH - Free Domestic Wire Transfer - $30

Currency Conversion Fee

2.50%

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

Withdrawal Fee

$30-$100

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)

Pre-market trading hours (8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. ET) and after-hours trading (4 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET)

Depends on the assets type

Customer Support

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

Monday to Friday, 7 am to 10 pm ET

24/5

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

Phone: 1-800-465-5463, , Book an appointment

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

Support Languages

Additional Information

Headquarters Location

66 Wellington Street West, Toronto, ON M5K 1A2

222 N LaSalle Street Suite 1450, Chicago, IL 60601

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.

Both TD Direct Investing and NinjaTrader offer affordable fee structures, but TD Direct Investing generally edges out with no inactivity fees and lower commissions on standard trades, whereas NinjaTrader shines with bundled research and platform access.

TD Direct Investing 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.

TD Direct Investing excels in real-time trade execution with minimal latency, whereas NinjaTrader complements its execution with strong analytical modules and educational support within the platform.

TD Direct Investing stands out for active traders with robust tools, while NinjaTrader suits investors seeking simplicity and ease of use.

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