E*TRADE vs Vanguard

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

E*TRADE offers stock trades at $6.95 per trade and 200+ commission free ETFs. There is a $500 minimum deposit, no maintenance fee and no inactivity fee.

While Vanguard offers low stock trade prices (starting at just $2) for investors with account balances over $500k. For those with smaller balances, it's best for less active traders, as trade prices go up after 25 trades/year. Vanguard offers 125+ no-transaction-fee mutual fees and 55+ commission-free ETFs. There is no minimum deposit and service fees can be waived by signing up for electronic statements.

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

	E*TRADE	Vanguard
	SPECIAL OFFER Get up to 500 Commission-Free Trades - Learn More Read E*TRADE Review	Norton Internet Security 60-day free subscription - Learn More Read Vanguard Review
	Benefits and Features
Stock Trading	$6.95 per trade $4.95 per trade if you make 30+ trades a quarter	Less than $50,000: $7 per trade for the first 25 trades per year, then $20. $50k - $500k: All trades $7. $500k - $1M: All trades $2. $1M - $5M: First 25 trades per year free, then $2. $5M+: First 100 trades per year free, then $2
Options Trading	$6.95 + $0.75 per contract $4.95 + $0.50 per contract if you make 30+ trades a quarter	Less than $500,000: $7 + $1 per contract. $500,000+: $2 + $1 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-transaction-fee funds. For transaction-fee funds: $20 for account balances less than $500,000; $8 for account balances $500,000+
Commission Free ETFs	200+ including ETFs from WisdomTree, Global X Funds, and db-X Deutsche Bank	55+
Penny Stocks
Broker Assisted Trades	$25 + Regular Commission	$25.00
Customer Service	(650) 599-0125	Monday-Friday 8am -10pm ET
Inactivity Fee	$0	$0
Maintenance Fee	$0	$20/year. Waived if account owner signs up for e-delivery service OR have at least $10,000 in Vanguard ETFs and mutual funds
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 execute at least 30 trades during a calendar quarter or maintain brokerage account balance of at least $250,000)	Yes
Forex Trading		Yes
Futures Trading		No
Locations	30	No
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
Pros & Cons	Pros: Expansive set of resources and tools Easy to use website Industry leader Cons: Trade fees	Pros: Large selection of mutual funds and commission-free ETFs Broker assistance is available at no additional cost Easy to use Cons: Commission structure penalizes frequent traders Customer service wait times Commission costs on non-Vanguard investment options
Bottom Line	Online broker with one of the best user interfaces... Read full review	Good choice for ETF and mutual fund investors interested in Vanguard-sponsored investments... Read full review
	Get up to 500 Commission-Free Trades Get $200 and up to 500 Commission-Free Trades Get $300 and Up to 500 Commission-Free Trades
What Others View		Fidelity Charles Schwab Betterment Wealthfront TD Ameritrade
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 03/13/2017 Vanguard: Pricing information from published websites as of 4/16/2018

Which is Better: E*TRADE or Vanguard?

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 stock trading and mobile app are notable. In particular, the mobile app is outstanding.

Articles on E*TRADE

ETrade Review
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 Charles Schwab

Articles on Vanguard

Vanguard Brokerage Review
Vanguard Brokerage may be a full-service broker, but typically long-term investors preferring ETFs and mutual funds see the greatest return on their investment with them.
• Vanguard vs Betterment
• Vanguard vs Wealthfront

Which Do You Think is Best?

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