E*TRADE vs Merrill Edge

E*TRADE is an online broker with one of the best user interfaces. How does it compare to Merrill Edge? 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 Merrill Edge (a subsidiary of Bank of America) offers stock trades at $2.95 standard fee per trade and options trading at $0 + $0.65 per contract. BofA customers can get 30 free trades a month if balance requirements are met. There is no account minimum, no maintenance fee, and no inactivity fee.

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

	E*TRADE	Merrill Edge
	SPECIAL OFFER Get $200 Cash Credit - Learn More Read E*TRADE Review	SPECIAL OFFER Get $150 with New Merrill Edge Account - Learn More Read Merrill Edge Review
	Benefits and Features
Stock Trading	$0 per trade	$6.95 per trade
Options Trading	$0 per trade + $0.65 per contract $0 per trade + $0.50 per contract if you make 30+ trades a quarter	$6.95 + $0.75 per contract
Minimum Deposit	$500 for brokerage accounts No account minimum for retirement accounts	$0
Mutual Fund Trading	$0 for no-load, no-transaction-fee funds $19.99 for transaction-fee funds	$0 for no load, no-transaction-fee funds ($39.95 short-term redemption fee if the fund is held less than 90 days) $19.95 for no load, transaction-fee funds
Commission Free ETFs	250+ including ETFs from WisdomTree, Global X Funds, and db-X Deutsche Bank	None
Penny Stocks
Broker Assisted Trades	$25 + Regular Commission	$29.95
Customer Service	800-387-2331	24/7
Inactivity Fee	$0	None
Maintenance Fee	$0	$0
Banking	Checking account offers no minimum balance requirements, free online bill pay, and unlimited debit card and check transactions.	Through Bank of America
Mobile App		Yes
Desktop App	E*TRADE Pro (requires you execute at least 30 trades during a calendar quarter or maintain brokerage account balance of at least $250,000)	Yes
Forex Trading		No
Futures Trading	$1.50 per contract, per side + fees (excluding bitcoin futures)	No
Locations	30	More than 2,100 Bank of America locations
Online Community	ETrade Community lets you exchange trading and investing ideas with other ETrade customers.	No
Seminars	Live events and educational seminars at local branches.	Yes
Virtual Trading		No
	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: No account minimums Current Bank of America customers experience seamless account integration Robust research opportunities Cons: Platform is not friendly for frequent traders who execute quick trades No commission-free ETFs available Market research reports can be hard for beginners to understand
Bottom Line	Online broker with one of the best user interfaces... Read full review	Affordable online broker with robust research options for small to mid-size investors... Read full review
	Get $200 Cash Credit Get $300 Cash Credit Get $600 Cash Credit	Get $150 with New Merrill Edge Account Get $225 with New Merrill Edge Account Get $375 with New Merrill Edge Account
What Others View		Ally Invest
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 11/18/2019. Merrill Edge: Pricing information from published websites as of 11/11/2019.

Which is Better: E*TRADE or Merrill Edge?

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

In short: E*TRADE's ease of use is outstanding. Merrill Edge's stock trading, banking, and research are impressive.

Articles on E*TRADE

ETrade Reviews
E*TRADE is a highly well-known name, but does that mean it's that much better than its competitors? Read our in-depth review and see how it compares.
• E*TRADE vs TD Ameritrade
• E*TRADE vs Fidelity
• E*TRADE vs Vanguard

Articles on Merrill Edge

Merrill Edge
If you are looking for excellent customer service, competitive pricing, and robust investment options, you may have found what you are looking for in Merrill Edge.
• Merrill Edge vs Charles Schwab
• Merrill Edge vs Ally Invest
• Merrill Edge vs Wealthfront

Which Do You Think is Best?

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