The best alternatives to TD Ameritrade are
- E*TRADE - US stockbroker
- Charles Schwab - US discount broker
- Fidelity - US stockbroker
- Merrill Edge - US discount broker
Let's see in a bit more detail how the TD Ameritrade alternatives compare to TD Ameritrade and each other:
Overall score
|
4.7 stars | 4.5 stars | 4.6 stars | 4.7 stars | 4.6 stars |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fees score
|
3.9 stars | 3.8 stars | 3.9 stars | 3.5 stars | 4.2 stars |
Account opening score
|
4.4 stars | 4.4 stars | 5.0 stars | 4.4 stars | 5.0 stars |
Deposit and withdrawal score
|
1.6 stars | 1.6 stars | 1.6 stars | 3.8 stars | 1.6 stars |
Web platform score
|
4.3 stars | 4.5 stars | 4.3 stars | 4.5 stars | 4.3 stars |
Markets and products score
|
3.8 stars | 2.9 stars | 3.1 stars | 3.6 stars | 2.4 stars |
|
Visit broker | Visit broker | Visit broker | Visit broker | Visit broker |
Why are these brokers considered good alternatives to TD Ameritrade? There are many areas based on which TD Ameritrade can be compared with others. When we say a given online broker is a good alternative to TD Ameritrade we mean these brokers are comparable in the following areas:
- The products they offer, meaning you can buy mostly the same things, i.e. stocks, CFDs, options, etc.
- The type of clients they target, i.e. beginners, experienced investors, or day traders.
TD Ameritrade alternatives recommendations
Brokers are different in a number of ways, which means each of them may be suitable for different people. Here's how they compare overall:
- TD Ameritrade is recommended for investors and traders looking for solid research and a well-equipped desktop trading platform
- E*TRADE is recommended for investors and traders looking for solid research and a great mobile trading platform
- Charles Schwab is recommended for investors and traders looking for solid research, low fees and great customer service
- Fidelity is recommended for investors and traders looking for solid research and great trading platforms
- Merrill Edge is recommended for investors and traders looking for low fees, quick account opening and simple platforms
Important factors of finding TD Ameritrade alternatives
So far BrokerChooser has reviewed 101 online brokers in detail, which gives this comparison a solid starting point.
Not only that, but all of these brokers are reviewed using the exact same broker review methodology, which makes everything easily comparable. For each broker, we
- open a live account
- check over 100 criteria, with weighting based on readers' preferences
- refresh data regularly
Whether TD Ameritrade or one of its alternatives is the best choice for you is on the following five broker characteristics that most interest people:
Fees. There are different types of fees that your online brokerage may charge, and both the number and the size of these fees may vary significantly from broker to broker. Both of these aspects can impact your returns and your overall experience. TD Ameritrade is one of the cheaper brokers, so if this is an important consideration for you, make sure you pick a similarly low-cost TD Ameritrade alternative.
Deposit/withdrawal. The number of ways that you can deposit or withdraw money to or from your account matters a lot. For example, while you cannot make a deposit with your credit card at TD Ameritrade, some alternatives might allow you to do that.
Web trading platform. While online brokers are usually available on various platforms like mobile apps, tablet apps or desktop software, most people use them through their web platform in a browser. User-friendly trading platforms that offer many different resources can significantly increase your trading comfort.
Markets and products. A lot of people have specific products they would like to invest in. Knowing whether stocks, forex, mutual funds, and other products are available at the given TD Ameritrade alternative is a must.
Now let's dive into the details of how TD Ameritrade and its alternatives perform in the most important areas!
E*TRADE
Recommended for investors and traders looking for solid research and a great mobile trading platform
US stock
|
$0.0
|
$0.0
|
---|
Minimum deposit
|
$0
|
$0
|
---|---|---|
Time to open account
|
1-3 days | 1-3 days |
If you are interested more in E*TRADE minimum deposit, this overview will help you.
Bank transfer
|
Yes | Yes |
---|---|---|
Credit/debit card
|
No | No |
Electronic wallets
|
No | No |
Withdrawal fee
|
$0
|
$0
|
Web platform score
|
4.5 stars | 4.3 stars |
---|---|---|
Mobile platform score
|
4.5 stars | 4.8 stars |
Desktop platform score
|
- | 4.5 stars |
Learn more about E*TRADE's web trading platform in the detailed E*TRADE review.
Stocks
|
Yes | Yes |
---|---|---|
ETFs
|
Yes | Yes |
Forex
|
No |
Yes
|
Funds
|
Yes | Yes |
Bonds
|
Yes | Yes |
Options
|
Yes | Yes |
Futures
|
Yes | Yes |
CFDs
|
No | No |
Crypto
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Charles Schwab
Recommended for investors and traders looking for solid research, low fees and great customer service
US stock
|
$0.0
|
$0.0
|
---|
Minimum deposit
|
$0
|
$0
|
---|---|---|
Time to open account
|
1 day | 1-3 days |
If you are interested more in Charles Schwab minimum deposit, this overview will help you.
Bank transfer
|
Yes | Yes |
---|---|---|
Credit/debit card
|
No | No |
Electronic wallets
|
No | No |
Withdrawal fee
|
$0
|
$0
|
Web platform score
|
4.3 stars | 4.3 stars |
---|---|---|
Mobile platform score
|
4.2 stars | 4.8 stars |
Desktop platform score
|
4.0 stars | 4.5 stars |
Learn more about Charles Schwab's web trading platform in the detailed Charles Schwab review.
Stocks
|
Yes | Yes |
---|---|---|
ETFs
|
Yes | Yes |
Forex
|
No |
Yes
|
Funds
|
Yes | Yes |
Bonds
|
Yes | Yes |
Options
|
Yes | Yes |
Futures
|
Yes | Yes |
CFDs
|
No | No |
Crypto
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Fidelity
Recommended for investors and traders looking for solid research and great trading platforms
US stock
|
$0.0
|
$0.0
|
---|---|---|
UK stock
|
$11.3
|
-
|
German stock
|
$20.5
|
-
|
Minimum deposit
|
$0
|
$0
|
---|---|---|
Time to open account
|
1-3 days | 1-3 days |
If you are interested more in Fidelity minimum deposit, this overview will help you.
Bank transfer
|
Yes | Yes |
---|---|---|
Credit/debit card
|
No | No |
Electronic wallets
|
Yes | No |
Withdrawal fee
|
$0
|
$0
|
Web platform score
|
4.5 stars | 4.3 stars |
---|---|---|
Mobile platform score
|
5.0 stars | 4.8 stars |
Desktop platform score
|
4.3 stars | 4.5 stars |
Learn more about Fidelity's web trading platform in the detailed Fidelity review.
Stocks
|
Yes | Yes |
---|---|---|
ETFs
|
Yes | Yes |
Forex
|
No |
Yes
|
Funds
|
Yes | Yes |
Bonds
|
Yes | Yes |
Options
|
Yes | Yes |
Futures
|
No | Yes |
CFDs
|
No | No |
Crypto
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Merrill Edge
Recommended for investors and traders looking for low fees, quick account opening and simple platforms
US stock
|
$0.0
|
$0.0
|
---|
Minimum deposit
|
$0
|
$0
|
---|---|---|
Time to open account
|
1 day | 1-3 days |
If you are interested more in Merrill Edge minimum deposit, this overview will help you.
Bank transfer
|
Yes | Yes |
---|---|---|
Credit/debit card
|
No | No |
Electronic wallets
|
No | No |
Withdrawal fee
|
$0
|
$0
|
Web platform score
|
4.3 stars | 4.3 stars |
---|---|---|
Mobile platform score
|
4.8 stars | 4.8 stars |
Desktop platform score
|
4.3 stars | 4.5 stars |
Learn more about Merrill Edge's web trading platform in the detailed Merrill Edge review.
Stocks
|
Yes | Yes |
---|---|---|
ETFs
|
Yes | Yes |
Forex
|
No |
Yes
|
Funds
|
Yes | Yes |
Bonds
|
Yes | Yes |
Options
|
Yes | Yes |
Futures
|
No | Yes |
CFDs
|
No | No |
Crypto
|
No |
Yes
|
TD Ameritrade
Recommended for investors and traders looking for solid research and a well-equipped desktop trading platform
US stock
|
$0.0
|
$0.0
|
$0.0
|
$0.0
|
$0.0
|
---|
Minimum deposit
|
$0
|
$0
|
$0
|
$0
|
$0
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Time to open account
|
1-3 days | 1-3 days | 1 day | 1-3 days | 1 day |
Learn more about TD Ameritrade minimum deposit here.
Bank transfer
|
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Credit/debit card
|
No | No | No | No | No |
Electronic wallets
|
No | No | No | Yes | No |
Withdrawal fee
|
$0
|
$0
|
$0
|
$0
|
$0
|
Web platform score
|
4.3 stars | 4.5 stars | 4.3 stars | 4.5 stars | 4.3 stars |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mobile platform score
|
4.8 stars | 4.5 stars | 4.2 stars | 5.0 stars | 4.8 stars |
Desktop platform score
|
4.5 stars | - | 4.0 stars | 4.3 stars | 4.3 stars |
Learn more about TD Ameritrade's web trading platform in the detailed TD Ameritrade review.
Stocks
|
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
ETFs
|
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Forex
|
Yes
|
No | No | No | No |
Funds
|
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Bonds
|
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Options
|
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Futures
|
Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
CFDs
|
No | No | No | No | No |
Crypto
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No |
Bottom line
Based on our analysis, there are several good alternatives to TD Ameritrade. They all offer similar products and target similar customers. Here's a recap of the results in a table.
Broker intro
|
Recommended for
|
|
---|---|---|
US-based stockbroker | Investors and traders looking for solid research and a well-equipped desktop trading platform | |
US stockbroker | Investors and traders looking for solid research and a great mobile trading platform | |
US discount broker | Investors and traders looking for solid research, low fees and great customer service | |
US stockbroker | Investors and traders looking for solid research and great trading platforms | |
US discount broker | Investors and traders looking for low fees, quick account opening and simple platforms |
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