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Trading 212 vs TD Direct Investing : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)

Broker Name

Trading 212

Trading 212

VS
TD Direct Investing

TD Direct Investing

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Broker Overview

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

STP broker

None

Years of Existence / Established Year

2003

1984

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

3 million- lifetime funded account

17 M


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Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FCA, CySEC, ASIC, FSC

CIPF, CIRO

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

No major awards listed

No major awards listed

Security Measures

ICF

CIPF

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

Yes

Yes


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Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

13,000+ Global stocks and ETFs

Fixed income investments, GICs

Currency Pairs

Yes

No

Commodities

Yes

No

Indices

Yes

No

Cryptocurrencies

Yes

Yes

CFDs

Yes

No

ETFs

Yes

Yes

Stocks

Yes

Yes

Options

No

Yes

Futures

No

No

Bonds

No

Yes

Mutual Funds

No

Yes

Fractional Shares

Yes

No

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

No

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

No

MT5

No

No

cTrader

No

No

Social Trading

Yes

No

Copy Trading

Yes

No

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

Trading 212 web and mobile trading platform

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

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Yes


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Account Types & Conditions

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

Invest, CFD, Stock ISA, and cash ISA

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

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

No

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

No

No

Minimum Deposit

£1, €1, $1

$0

Leverage Available

1:30

No

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on the assets class

Depends on asset types

Commission (per account type)

$0

NA

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

Beginners to experienced traders

Beginners and experienced traders


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Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

Bank transfer, Instant bank transfer, Card payments, Online banking PL, Carte Bleue, Blik, Direct e-banking, e-wallets

Direct bank account, Check

Withdrawal Methods

Bank transfer, Instant bank transfer, Card payments, Online banking PL, Carte Bleue, Blik, Direct e-banking, e-wallets

SWIP, Wire payment

Other E-Wallets Supported

Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, iDEAL

No


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Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

No

Yes

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

Trading Academy, Market News and Analysis, Webinars, Video Tutorial, Trading Guides and eBooks

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


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Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

FX fees- 0.5%

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

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Variable

NA

Per Lot Fees

NA

NA

Options Contract Fees

NA

$9.99 + $1.25 per contract

Futures Contract Fees

NA

NA

Markup Fees on Spread

NA

NA

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

NA

NA

Maximum Leverage

1:30

No


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Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$0

NA

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

$0

NA

Advisory Fees

NA

NA

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

Yes

NA

Statement or Document Fee

NA

$2-$5

Account Opening Fee

NA

Applicable, Depends on account types

Account Maintenance Fee

$0

$25 per quarter

Deposit Fee

0.70%

$17.50 U.S

Currency Conversion Fee

0.15%

2.50%

Withdrawal Fee

$0

$30-$100


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Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

No

Yes


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Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

pre-market session from 04:00 - 09:30 ET, regular trading from 09:30 - 16:00 ET, after-hours session from 16:00 - 20:00 ET

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)


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Customer Support

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

24/7

Monday to Friday, 7 am to 10 pm ET

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

Live chat, E-mail- [email protected] Phone- +447385762101

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

Support Languages

18+

4


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Additional Information

Headquarters Location

Aldermary House, 10-15 Queen Street, London, EC4N 1TX.

66 Wellington Street West, Toronto, ON M5K 1A2

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 Trading 212 maintains low trading fees with no minimum deposit, TD Direct Investing includes some charges for premium features and certain asset trades, making Trading 212 the better option for budget-focused traders.
Trading 212 makes starting out easy with a simple application, especially for retail clients. TD Direct Investing platform, while requiring more effort to join, allows experienced traders to customize their accounts from the start.
Trading 212 excels in real-time trade execution with minimal latency, whereas TD Direct Investing complements its execution with strong analytical modules and educational support within the platform.
If you're after professional-grade platforms, Trading 212 may be ideal. For casual investors, TD Direct Investing offers a low-barrier entry.