While ETRADE may not have the cheapest trades, the broker provides an easy-to-use website, a high quality mobile experience, and excellent research that will satisfy both casual and active investors.

Likes

Mobile apps remain industry leading; Google Chrome browser plugin is an innovative and clean trading experience; Online Portfolio Advisor is a foundation for seamless asset allocation; ETRADE 360 customizable dashboard.

ETRADE Pro platform requires 30 trades per quarter or $250,000 in assets for access; $9.99 trades pricier than most; ETRADE Pro lacks depth in charting and options capabilities.

ETRADE Review

Once known for its talking baby commercials, ETRADE has been working hard to evolve as a brand and speak to its current and target customers. The customers ETRADE targets are known as Type E*: investors who are confident, independent, yet willing to ask for help when they need it.

With this customer image in mind, ETRADE executes extremely well overall. ETRADE may not be the least expensive on the block, but the company continues to innovate with new tools and experiences for clients.

Commissions & Fees

While competitive with its other full-service broker competitors, such as TD Ameritrade, Fidelity, and Charles Schwab, ETRADE is not an ideal choice for investors seeking discounted commissions. In the broker space, though, most often what you pay for is what you get, and ETRADE’s well-rounded offering offsets its higher rates.

Regular stock trades are $9.99, with options trades costing $9.99, plus $.75 per contract. All trades are flat rate commissions, meaning there are no gimmicks to watch out for, and hyperactive traders can get their rate as low as $6.99 if they make 1,500-plus trades per quarter.

ETRADE does stand out from its competitors with its mutual fund commissions, which run at $19.99 per trade. Charles Schwab, Fidelity, and TD Ameritrade charge $76.00, $49.95, and $49.99, respectively. As far as total selection is concerned, the broker offers just under 8,000 to choose from.

Lastly, I found that ETRADE has a reputable offering of commission-free ETFs, an offering that has become increasingly popular industry wide in the past few years. While the broker does not quite match Charles Schwab’s 150-plus commission-free ETFs offering, there are still 106, which is second highest in the industry.

ETRADE TD Ameritrade Fidelity Charles Schwab Scottrade

Stock Trade Fee (flat) $9.99 $9.99 $7.95 $8.95 $7.00