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E*TRADE vs M1 Finance

E*TRADE is an online broker with one of the best user interfaces. How does it compare to M1 Finance? 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 M1 Finance offers automated investing with no commissions or trading fees. M1 lets you select your own investments and their automation will manage it for you. This is great for investors who want a say. The downside is that there are no human advisors. The minimum to start is just $100.

Compare E*TRADE with M1 Finance, side-by-side. Read on for an in-depth look, including ratings, reviews, pros and cons.

 

E*TRADE

M1 Finance

SPECIAL OFFER
Learn more about E*TRADE - Learn More

Read E*TRADE Review

SPECIAL OFFER
Commission Free Stock Trading - Learn More

Read M1 Finance Review

 

Benefits and Features

Stock Trading
$0 per trade
$0
Options Trading
  • $0 per trade + $0.65 per contract
  • $0 per trade + $0.50 per contract if you make 30+ trades a quarter
No
Annual Fee
None
A $3 monthly platform fee will apply to clients with less than $10,000 in M1 assets or without an active M1 Personal Loan.
Cryptocurrency Trading 
Yes
Minimum Deposit$0 for self-directed brokerage accounts; Managed portfolios start at $500 minimum$100 ($500 for IRAs, $5,000 for Trust Account)
Mutual Fund Trading$0 for no-load, no-transaction-fee funds; $19.99 for transaction-fee funds
No
Commission Free ETFs
250+
All U.S. listed ETFs
Phone Support Monday - Friday 9:30 am to 4 pm EST
Live Chat Support 
No
Email Support 
Yes
Human Advisors 
No
Assets Under Management 
$4.5 Billion
Penny Stocks
Check
 
Tax Loss Harvesting No, but offers tax minimization features
Goal Tracker 
No
Automatic Deposits 
Yes
Broker Assisted Trades
$25 + Regular Commission
Included
Good For DIY investing with passive portfolio management
Inactivity Fee
$0
$50 (for accounts with $50 or less and no trading or deposit activity for 90+ days)
Maintenance Fee
$0
$3 monthly platform fee for accounts with less than $10,000 in M1 assets, or without an active M1 Personal Loan
Online Platform 
Yes
iPhone App 
Yes (4.6 stars, 33.3k ratings)
Android App 
Yes (4.5 stars, 15.7k ratings)
BankingChecking account offers no minimum balance requirements, free online bill pay, and unlimited debit card and check transactions. 
Mobile App
Check
Check
Desktop AppPower 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) 
Two-Factor Authentication 
Yes
Futures Trading$1.50 per contract, per side + fees (excluding bitcoin futures) 
Customer Service
800-387-2331
 
Locations 
No
Online Community 
No
Seminars 
No
Trading Platform
Web Trading, Mobile Apps
Web Trading, Mobile Apps
Virtual Trading
Yes
No
Fractional Shares 
Yes
Taxable Accounts 
Yes
401k Plans 
No
IRA Accounts 
Yes
Roth IRA Accounts 
Yes
SEP IRA Accounts 
Yes
Trust Accounts 
Yes
529 Plans 
No
 

CreditDonkey® Reviews

Stock TradingStarStarStarStarEmpty Star
Options TradingStarStarStarStarEmpty Star
BankingStarStarStarEmpty StarEmpty Star
Mobile AppStarStarStarStarStarStarStarStarStarHalf Star
Commissions and FeesStarStarStarHalf StarEmpty Star
Ease of UseStarStarStarStarStarStarStarStarStarHalf Star
Online CommunityStarStarStarStarEmpty Star
ResearchStarStarStarStarEmpty StarStarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty Star
Trading PlatformStarStarStarStarStar
Annual FeeStarStarStarStarStar
Minimum DepositStarStarStarStarStar
Customer ServiceStarStarStarHalf StarEmpty Star
Pros & ConsPros:
  • Expansive set of resources and tools
  • Easy to use website
  • Industry leader
Cons:
  • Trade fees
Pros:
  • Choose your own investments
  • Can invest in individual stocks
  • Morning and afternoon trade windows
Cons:
  • No research
  • No human advisors
  • Platform fee
Bottom LineOnline broker with one of the best user interfaces... Read full reviewCommission-free investing app that allows you to choose your own investments... Read full review

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 11/18/2025.

M1 Finance: Pricing information from published website as of 12/26/2023.

Which is Better: E*TRADE or M1 Finance?

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 research is notable.


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 M1 Finance

M1 Finance Reviews

Is M1 Finance legitimate and safe? Find out the pros, cons, fees, and more. An essential read for beginners interested in M1 Finance.

M1 Finance Alternatives

M1 Finance is a popular app for commission-free investing. But is there a better option for you? Find out in this detailed guide to M1 Finance alternatives.

Which Do You Think is Best?





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CreditDonkey is a personal finance comparison website. We publish data-driven analysis to help you save money & make savvy decisions.

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed on this page are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer.

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