E*TRADE vs Interactive Brokers

E*TRADE is an online broker with one of the best user interfaces. How does it compare to Interactive Brokers? Read our comparison chart below.

E*TRADE offers stock trades at $0 per trade. There is a $500 minimum deposit, no maintenance fee and no inactivity fee.

While Interactive Brokers offers trades starting at just 0.5 cents per share. It also offers a tiered pricing plan that awards high volume traders with even lower rates. There is a $10,000 opening account minimum ($3,000 for clients 25 and younger). There is a monthly activity fee unless required commission minimums are met.

Compare E*TRADE with Interactive Brokers, side-by-side. Read on for an in-depth look, including ratings, reviews, pros and cons.

	E*TRADE	Interactive Brokers
	SPECIAL OFFER Learn more about ETRADE - Learn More* Read E*TRADE Review	SPECIAL OFFER Referral Program - $200 Bonus - Learn More Read Interactive Brokers Review
	Benefits and Features
Stock Trading	$0 per trade	IBKR Lite: $0 per share (min $0 per order) IBKR Pro - Fixed: $0.0005 per share (min $1.00 per order, max 1.0% of trade value). IBKR Pro - Tiered: Starts at $0.0035 per share for less than 300,000 shares (min $0.35 per order, max 1% of trade value)
Options Trading	$0 per trade + $0.65 per contract $0 per trade + $0.50 per contract if you make 30+ trades a quarter	$0.15-$0.65 per contract ($1 minimum per order)
Minimum Deposit	$0 for self-directed brokerage accounts; Managed portfolios start at $500 minimum	$0
Mutual Fund Trading	$0 for no-load, no-transaction-fee funds; $19.99 for transaction-fee funds	$0 for no-transaction-fee funds. For transaction-fee funds, 3% trade value OR $14.95, per transaction, whichever is less, for transaction-fee funds
Commission Free ETFs	250+	150+
Penny Stocks
Broker Assisted Trades	$25 + Regular Commission	$30
Inactivity Fee	$0	$0
Maintenance Fee	$0	$0
Banking	Checking account offers no minimum balance requirements, free online bill pay, and unlimited debit card and check transactions.	No
Mobile App		Yes
Desktop App	E*TRADE Pro (requires you to execute at least 30 trades during a calendar quarter or maintain brokerage account balance of at least $250,000)	Yes
Forex Trading		Available for qualified customers
Futures Trading	$1.50 per contract, per side + fees (excluding bitcoin futures)	Yes
Customer Service	800-387-2331	United States: Monday-Friday 8am - 10pm ET; Sunday 1pm - 7pm ET (24/7 Weekday service available in other countries)
Locations		No
Online Community		Yes
Seminars		Yes
Virtual Trading	Yes	Yes
	CreditDonkey® Reviews
Stock Trading
Options Trading
Banking
Mobile App
Commissions and Fees
Ease of Use
Online Community
Research
Trading Platform
Mutual Fund Trading
Online Platform
Pros & Cons	Pros: Expansive set of resources and tools Easy to use website Industry leader Cons: Trade fees	Pros: Large number of investments, including options, futures, and forex Customize trading platform Tools and opportunities for research Cons: Platform can be too much for a beginner to understand Complicated pricing structure
Bottom Line	Online broker with one of the best user interfaces... Read full review	Good discount broker for experienced, high volume traders... Read full review
	Learn more about ETRADE ETRADE Account - Up to $4,000 Bonus E*TRADE Account - Up to $2,500 Bonus	Referral Program - $200 Bonus
Blank fields may indicate the information is not available, not applicable, or not known to CreditDonkey. Please visit the product website for details. E*TRADE: Pricing information from published website as of 01/04/2024. Interactive Brokers: Pricing information from published websites as of 10/17/2023.

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Which is Better: E*TRADE or Interactive Brokers?

Still need help deciding which investing is better? Read the in-depth reviews below. You may also be interested in comparing E*TRADE or Robinhood.

In short: E*TRADE's ease of use is outstanding. Interactive Brokers' stock trading, options trading, and banking are notable. In particular, the stock trading and options trading are outstanding.

Articles on E*TRADE

E*TRADE

E*TRADE is a highly well-known name, but does that mean it is better than its competitors? Read our in-depth review and see how it compares.

Articles on Interactive Brokers

Interactive Brokers Review

Interactive Brokers offers a robust trading platform that experienced traders favor due to its competitive fee structure and extensive range of trading options.