TradeStation Global review summary
There’s no need to worry about safety when trading with TradeStation Global, as your cash and assets will be held by IBKR, one of the world’s biggest and oldest online brokerages. Both TradeStation International and IBKR are overseen by top-notch regulators including the UK’s FCA.
You can't open an account at TradeStation Global if you live in United States. See the best alternative available in your country.
TradeStation Global pros and cons
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
• Low stock and ETF fees | • Only bank transfer allowed for deposit and withdrawal |
• Wide range of products | • Complicated account opening |
• Fast customer service | • Limited education materials |
TradeStation Global main highlights
🗺️ Country of regulation | UK |
💰 Trading fees class | Low |
💰 Inactivity fee charged | No |
💰 Withdrawal fee amount | $0 |
💰 Minimum deposit | $0 |
🕖 Time to open an account | 1 day |
💳 Deposit with bank card | Not available |
👛 Depositing with electronic wallet | Not available |
💱 Number of base currencies supported | 23 |
🎮 Demo account provided | Yes |
🛍️ Products offered | Stock, ETF, Forex, Fund, Bond, Options, Futures, CFD, Crypto, Warrants |
TradeStation Global review
Fees
TradeStation Global has low trading fees, especially for stocks and ETFs. There's no inactivity fee and the first withdrawal each month is free. However, mutual fund fees are high.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
• Low trading fees | • High fund fees |
• Low non-trading fees |
Assets | Fee level | Fee terms |
---|---|---|
US stock | Low | $0.01 per share, min. $1.5 |
EURUSD | Low | 0.6 bps*trade value; min $2 per trade |
Mutual fund | High | $25 per trade |
Inactivity fee | Low | No inactivity fee |
How we ranked fees
We ranked TradeStation Global's fee levels as low, average or high based on how they compare to those of all reviewed brokers.
First, let's go over some basic terms related to broker fees. What you need to keep an eye on are trading fees and non-trading fees.
- Trading fees occur when you trade. These can be commissions, spreads, financing rates and conversion fees.
- Non-trading fees include charges not directly related to trading, like withdrawal fees or inactivity fees.
In the sections below, you will find the most relevant fees of TradeStation Global for each asset class. For example, in the case of stock investing the most important fees are commissions.
We also compared TradeStation Global's fees with those of two similar brokers we selected, Saxo Bank and Swissquote. This selection is based on objective factors such as products offered, client profile, fee structure, etc. See a more detailed rundown of TradeStation Global alternatives.
To have a clear overview of TradeStation Global, let's start with the trading fees.
TradeStation Global trading fees
TradeStation Global trading fees are low.
Stock fees and ETF fees
TradeStation Global has generally low stock and ETF commissions.
TradeStation Global | Saxo Bank | Swissquote | |
---|---|---|---|
US stock | $1.5 | $10.0 | $25.0 |
UK stock | $2.0 | $9.0 | $28.3 |
German stock | $2.4 | $9.9 | $29.7 |
TradeStation Global charges fees mostly as a percentage of the traded volume. For US and Canadian stocks, however, the commission is based on the number of shares traded.
Market | Commission | Minimum |
---|---|---|
North America | ||
US | $0.01 / share | $1.5 |
Canada | CAD 0.012 / share | CAD 1.5 |
Europe | ||
UK | 0.12% of the trade value | £1.8 |
Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal | 0.12% of the trade value | €1.8 |
Switzerland | 0.12% of the trade value | CHF 2.25 |
Austria | 0.12% of the trade value | €6 |
Norway, Sweden | 0.075% of the trade value | NOK/SEK 15 |
Asia-Pacific | ||
Australia | 0.12% of the trade value | AUD 7.5 |
Hong Kong | 0.12% of the trade value | HKD 20 |
Japan | 0.75% of the trade value | JPY 120 |
Singapore | 0.12% of the trade value | SGD 3.75 |
India | 0.18% of the trade value | No minimum |
If you prefer stock trading on a margin, you should check TradeStation Global's margin rates.
Trading on margin basically means that you borrow money from your broker and can purchase more shares than you could with just the available cash in your account. You have to pay interest on this borrowed money – the interest rate is called the margin rate. It can account for a significant portion of your trading costs.
TradeStation Global margin rates are high.
TradeStation Global | Saxo Bank | Swissquote | |
---|---|---|---|
USD margin rate | 8.3% | - | 7.3% |
GBP margin rate | 7.5% | - | 6.4% |
EUR margin rate | 5.8% | - | 4.9% |
Forex fees
TradeStation Global forex fees are low.
To get a clear picture of forex fees, we calculated a forex benchmark fee for major currency pairs. This catch-all benchmark includes commissions, spreads and financing costs for all brokers.
TradeStation Global | Saxo Bank | Swissquote | |
---|---|---|---|
EURUSD benchmark fee | $14.7 | $14.6 | $15.0 |
GBPUSD benchmark fee | $10.7 | $8.8 | $9.9 |
AUDUSD benchmark fee | $8.4 | $10.0 | $11.5 |
EURCHF benchmark fee | $4.7 | $1.4 | $1.4 |
EURGBP benchmark fee | $12.6 | $12.0 | $11.4 |
The forex fees are comprised of commissions, which are calculated as 0.006% of the trade volume, with a minimum charge of $2.
Fund fees
TradeStation Global's fund fees are high. We calculated the fees for US mutual funds.
TradeStation Global | Saxo Bank | Swissquote | |
---|---|---|---|
Mutual fund | $25.0 | $0.0 | $9.0 |
Bond fees
TradeStation Global has generally low bond fees.
TradeStation Global | Saxo Bank | Swissquote | |
---|---|---|---|
US Treasury bond | $7.5 | $79.2 | $75.0 |
EU government bond | $15.0 | $79.2 | $49.5 |
The bond commissions are volume-tiered, with a minimum fee.
Commission | Minimum | |
---|---|---|
US corporate | 0.15% of trade value | $1.5 |
US Treasury | 0.03% of trade value | $7.5 |
US Municipal | 0.15% of trade value | No minimum |
EU bonds | 0.15% of trade value | €3 |
Options fees
TradeStation Global's options fees are high versus the overall market, but still much lower than what Saxo or Swissquote charges.
TradeStation Global | Saxo Bank | Swissquote | |
---|---|---|---|
US stock index options | $15.0 | $30.0 | $19.9 |
UK stock index options | $17.0 | $28.3 | - |
German stock index options | $14.9 | $39.6 | $9.9 |
Futures fees
TradeStation Global futures fees are low.
TradeStation Global | Saxo Bank | Swissquote | |
---|---|---|---|
US micro e-mini stock index futures | $5.0 | $40.0 | $19.9 |
UK stock index futures | $10.7 | $33.9 | - |
German e-mini stock index futures | $13.4 | $39.6 | $9.9 |
The options fees are volume-based, i.e. based on the number of contracts.
Market | Commission | Minimum |
---|---|---|
North America - all options | ||
US Smart routed | $1.50 / contract | No minimum |
US Direct routed | $2.00 / contract | No minimum |
Canada | CAD 1.90 / contract | No minimum |
Mexico (AMXL) | MXN 50.00 / contract | No minimum |
European stock options | ||
EUR denominated | €1.50 / contract | No minimum |
GBP denominated | £1.50 / contract | No minimum |
CHF denominated | CHF 1.50 / contract | No minimum |
SEK denominated | 0.525% of trade value + external fees | SEK 15 |
Asia-Pacific - index options | ||
Australia | Stock options: AUD 3.00 / contract Stock index options: AUD 0.45 / contract |
No minimum |
Hong Kong | Stock options: 0.30% of the option value (+ HKD 3.00 per contract exchange fee) Stock index options: HKD 45.00 / contract |
HKD 25.00 minimum for stock options No minimum for stock index options |
India | Stock options: INR 45.00 per board lot Stock index options: INR 22.50 per board lot |
No minimum |
Japan | Stock options: JPY 135.00 / contract N225 index options: 0.018% of the option value |
No minimum for stock options JPY 150.00 minimum for stock index options |
Singapore | SGD-denominated stock options: SGD 7.50 / contract NIFTY: $4.25 / contract |
No minimum |
South Korea | 0.30% of the option value | KRW 1,500 |
Futures fees
TradeStation Global's futures fees are low.
TradeStation Global | Saxo Bank | Swissquote | |
---|---|---|---|
US micro e-mini stock index futures | $5.0 | $40.0 | $19.9 |
UK stock index futures | $10.7 | $33.9 | - |
German e-mini stock index futures | $13.4 | $39.6 | $9.9 |
Similarly to options, you pay commissions based on the number of contracts you trade.
Futures | Commission |
---|---|
North America | |
US | $1.7 / contract |
US micro e-mini | $0.50 / contract |
Global FX e-mini | $0.75 / contract |
Canada | $1.35 / contract |
Europe | |
USD denominated | $1.55 / contract |
EUR denominated | €1.35 / contract |
GBP denominated | £0.95 / contract |
CAD denominated | CAD 1.85 / contract |
CHF denominated | CHF 2.10 / contract |
SEK denominated | SEK 15 / contract |
NOK denominated | NOK 15 / contract |
Asia-Pacific | |
Australia (SPI Minis) | AUD 1.10 / contract |
India | 0.018 % of trade volume* |
Japan (NKVI, N225, N225M Fut)** | JPY 420/42 / contract |
AUD denominated | AUD 5.30 / contract |
HKD denominated | HKD 12.75 / contract |
SGD denominated | SGD 3.35 / contract |
CNH denominated | CNH 8.25 / contract |
*Extra fees, like securities transaction tax, exchange charges, and service tax may be charged.
**Japanese futures fees differ for each stock index. In the table, we included the prices of the NKVI and N225 indices.
CFD fees
TradeStation Global has average CFD trading fees.
To have a clear understanding of CFD fees we calculated a CFD benchmark fee for the selected products. This catch-all benchmark includes commissions, spreads and financing costs for all brokers.
TradeStation Global | Saxo Bank | Swissquote | |
---|---|---|---|
S&P 500 index CFD fee | $4.3 | $3.1 | $10.2 |
Europe 50 index CFD fee | $5.1 | $3.0 | $6.1 |
Apple CFD fee | $5.3 | $23.1 | - |
Vodafone CFD fee | $12.7 | $21.1 | - |
We calculated with 20:1 leverage for stock index CFDs and 5:1 leverage for single stock CFDs.
TradeStation Global's stock and stock index CFD fee calculations are commission-based and have a set minimum.
CFDs | Commission | Minimum |
---|---|---|
Stock CFDs | ||
US share CFDs | $0.007 per share | $1.50 |
European share CFDs (EUR denominated) | 0.075% | €4.50 |
UK share CFDs (GBP denominated) | 0.075% | £4.50 |
CHF denominated | 0.075% | CHF 4.50 |
DKK/NOK denominated | 0.075% | DKK/NOK 60.00 |
CZK denominated | 0.3% per trade fee | CZK 90.00 |
Australian share CFDs | 0.075% | AUD 7.50 |
Hong Kong Share CFDs | 0.075% | HKD 18.00 |
Japanese Share CFDs | 0.045% | JPY 150.00 |
Singapore | 0.17% | SGD 3.75 |
Stock index CFDs | ||
US 500 / US 30 index CFD | 0.0075% | $1.50 |
US 100 index CFD | 0.015% | $1.50 |
UK 100 index CFD | 0.0075% | £1.50 |
EUR 50 index CFD | 0.0015% | €1.50 |
GER 30 index CFD | 0.0075% | €1.50 |
France 40, Spain 35, Netherland 25, Switzerland 20 | 0.015% | €1.50 |
Japan 225 index CFD | 0.015% | JPY 60.00 |
Hong Kong 50 | 0.015% | HKD 15.00 |
Australia 200 | 0.015% | AUD 1.50 |
Forex CFD | 0.6 basis points * trade value | $3.00 |
Non-trading fees
TradeStation Global has low non-trading fees. There is no account, inactivity or deposit fee. The first withdrawal each month is free, but subsequent withdrawals have a fee.
TradeStation Global | Saxo Bank | Swissquote | |
---|---|---|---|
Account fee | No | No | No |
Inactivity fee | No | Yes | No |
Deposit fee | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $10 |
TradeStation Global review
Account opening
TradeStation Global's account opening is fully digital and fast, but the process is complicated, and there's a high $1,000 minimum deposit required in order to use TSG's own desktop platform.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
• Fast | • $1,000 minimum deposit required for desktop platform |
• Fully digital | • Not user-friendly |
Can you open an account?
TradeStation Global is available in many countries globally. However, some notable countries where TSG is not available are the US, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan. After Brexit, TSG can't accept new clients from the EU and the EEA. Existing EU clients were migrated to IB Ireland's platform.
What is the minimum deposit at TradeStation Global?
There is no minimum deposit required in order to use TradeStation Global's web-based Client Portal or the Interactive Brokers desktop platform. The broker requires $0 minimum deposit, however, in order to trade on TradeStation Global's own desktop platform, the broker requires $1000, which is higher than at many other brokers.which is higher than at many other brokers.
Account types
You can choose from many account types, including individual and corporate accounts.
The account types offered include IRA and UGMA/UTA account types. This is quite confusing, because such account types would only be available to US residents, who cannot use TradeStation Global.
How to open your account
The account opening process is fully digital but complicated. After your online registration, the account verification took a day, which is fast.
First, you have to go through a 5-step registration process which takes roughly an hour. We did not experience any bugs, but the steps can be quite complicated for less-experienced traders.
The steps of registration are the following:
- Register your email, then create a username and password.
- Fill out the form with your personal details, then choose a base currency for your account.
- Complete the survey on your trading expertise.
- Accept the general disclosures.
- Verify your identity with your passport / personal ID card / driver's license and your residency with a bank statement / utility bill / driver's license / credit card statement.
After the successful registration, you can access the Interactive Brokers platforms. TradeStation's own desktop trading platform software will only unlock after a successful deposit of at least $1,000. We think it would be better if a client could test the TradeStation platform with a demo option, without a deposit.

Our best alternatives to TradeStation Global are:
The highest ranking competitors are:
TradeStation Global review
Deposit and withdrawal
TradeStation Global offers many account base currency options and one free withdrawal per month. The main drawback is that you can only use bank transfer.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
• No deposit fee | • Credit/Debit card not available |
• Several account base currencies | |
• No charge for the first withdrawal each month. |
Account base currencies
TradeStation Global provides a lot of account base currencies, which is great if you trade with assets in various different currencies.
Australian Dollar | British Pound | Canadian Dollar | Chinese Yuan |
Czech Koruna | Danish Krone | Euro | Hong Kong Dollar |
Hungarian Forint | Israeli Shekel | Japanese Yen | Mexican Peso |
New Zealand Dollar | Norwegian Krone | Polish Zloty | Russian Rouble |
Singapore Dollar | South African Rand | Swedish Krona | Swiss Franc |
US Dollar | INR (only in India) | Korean Won |
Compared to its competitors, you can see that TradeStation Global's selection is similar to that of Saxo Bank ad Swissquote.
TradeStation Global | Saxo Bank | Swissquote | |
---|---|---|---|
Number of base currencies | 23 | 26 | 22 |
This selection is average compared to competing brokers.
Why does this matter? For two reasons. If you fund your trading account in the same currency as your bank account or you trade assets in the same currency as your trading account base currency, you don't have to pay a conversion fee.
A convenient way to save on currency conversion fees is by opening a multi-currency bank account at a digital bank. These usually offer bank accounts in several currencies with great currency exchange rates, as well as free or cheap international bank transfers. Opening an account only takes a few minutes on your phone.
Deposit fees and options
TradeStation Global charges no fees for deposits. However, deposit options are limited, as neither credit/debit cards nor electronic wallets can be used.
TradeStation Global | Saxo Bank | Swissquote | |
---|---|---|---|
Bank transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Credit/debit card | No | Yes | Yes |
Electronic wallets | No | No | No |
The deposit process is as follows: first, you have to submit a request through 'Account Management', after which you can initiate a transaction through your bank.
A bank transfer can take several business days, while payment with a credit/debit card is instant. For us, a bank transfer took a few hours only.
You can only deposit money from accounts that are in your name.
TradeStation Global withdrawal fees and options
The first withdrawal each month is free of charge. All additional withdrawals have a fee.
Similar to deposits, you can only use a bank transfer for withdrawing funds.
TradeStation Global | Saxo Bank | Swissquote | |
---|---|---|---|
Bank transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Credit/debit card | No | No | No |
Electronic wallets | No | No | No |
Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $10 |
The fee for additional withdrawals after the first free one depends on the currency and the type of bank transfer method you use for withdrawal.
Withdrawal currency | Wire | BACS/GIRO/ACH/EFT/SEPA |
---|---|---|
USD | 10 | 1 |
EUR | 8 | 1 |
GBP | 7 | 1 |
CAD | 12 | 2 |
CNH | 60 | 7 |
HKD | 95 | 8 |
NZD, SGD | 15 | 1 |
AUD | 15 | N/A |
CHF | 11 | N/A |
CZK | 300 | N/A |
DKK | 30 | N/A |
HUF | 6,000 | N/A |
ILS | 30 | N/A |
JPY | 1,600 | N/A |
NOK, SEK | 50 | N/A |
MXN | 100 | N/A |
PLN | 40 | N/A |
RUB | 330 | N/A |
TRY | 120 | N/A |
ZAR | 200 | N/A |
How long does it take to withdraw money from TradeStation Global? In our test, the bank transfer withdrawal took 1 business day. You can only withdraw money to accounts in your name.
How do you withdraw money from TradeStation Global?
- First, log in to the Client Portal then click on 'Transfer & Pay' and 'Transfer funds'.
- Select the account you want to use for the transaction.
- At the top of the page, click on the 'Withdraw Funds' tab.
- Select the currency of your withdrawal, then the withdrawal method.
- Fill out the required information.
- Submit your withdrawal request.
- You can see the status of your request in 'View Transaction History'.
TradeStation Global review
Web trading platform
You can use your TradeStation Global account to log in to the Interactive Brokers web trading platform. The TSG Client Portal is simple and easy to use even for beginners.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
• User-friendly | • User experience could be better |
• Clear fee report | |
• Two-step (safer) login |
Trading platform | Score | Available |
---|---|---|
Web | 3.8 stars | Yes |
Mobile | 3.5 stars | Yes |
Desktop | 3.3 stars | Yes |
You can choose between two web trading platforms: the Client Portal and Webtrader. In this review, we tested the Client Portal, since it is more user-friendly and easier to use than Webtrader.
The Client Portal is available in multiple languages: Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Slovakian, Spanish and Traditional Chinese.
Look and feel
The Client Portal platform is particularly user-friendly and intuitive. It is easy to find every feature even if you're a beginner trader.
However, from time to time, there are some annoying technical glitches. For example, if you have a large number of positions, there are often problems displaying them in sorted order (e.g. from A to Z) while you are scrolling.

Login and security
For the 2 factor authorization, use the IBKR Mobile Authentication (IB Key), which requires a fingerprint or PIN, depending on the hardware capabilities of your phone. Until the IB key is set up, you will receive an SMS message each time you log in.
Search functions
The search function is easy to use and works well.
All you have to do is type in the name of the asset you are looking for, and you can see a list of exchanges and products. The search field is on the right side in the top menu bar.

Placing orders
Client Portal offers many order types:
- Limit
- Market
- Stop
- Stop Limit
- Limit-on-Close
- Market-on-Close
- Trailing Stop
- Trailing Stop Limit
To get a better understanding of these terms, read this overview of order types.
You can also use a lot of order time limits:
- Day
- Good-til-Canceled (GTC)
- Immediate or Cancel
- Market-on-Open
- Limit-on-Open

Alerts and notifications
You can set price alerts using the bell icon.
Portfolio and fee reports
Portfolio and fee reports are transparent. The portfolio tab gives a clear overview of your performance, including historical profit/loss balance and the fees you paid.
TradeStation Global review
Mobile trading platform
You can use Interactive Brokers's IBKR Mobile as a mobile trading platform. It has a lot of functions and a useful chatbot, but its user interface could be better.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
• Two-step (safer) login | • Minor technical glitches |
• Good variety of order types | |
• Price alerts |
IBKR Mobile is available both for iOS and Android. In this review, we tested it on Android.
The number of available languages is almost the same as at the web trading platform, only Slovakian is not supported.
Look and feel
The mobile trading app is much like the web platform. Its overall look and user-friendliness lag behind competitors' mobile platforms.
There are some annoying glitches. For example, when we received a bulletin in our inbox informing us of margin requirement changes, we could see half of the text and could not resize the window or scroll.

Login and security
You can use a two-step login, which is safer than a simple login. Furthermore, if your device has a fingerprint sensor, you can also use biometric authentication for convenience.
Search functions
The search function works well, just like at the web trading platform. You can access the search button easily from any menu.
When you type in the asset you are looking for, the app lists all asset types. For example, if you search for Apple, you can choose between Apple stock, futures, options, warrants, as well as CFDs.

After you have selected the product are you interested in, you will be greeted by an information and trading window, which shows:
- Asset market information
- An interactive chart with technical indicators
- Related news
- Some fundamental data
- Summary of the latest analyst report
- The buy and sell buttons that transfer you to the order panel.
Placing Orders
IBKR Mobile has the same order types as the web trading platform.

Alerts
You can set price alerts using the bell icon.
Special feature – Chatbot
The most innovative and exciting function within the app is the chatbot, called IBot. You can use the chatbot to execute or close an order, or to get basic info quickly.

The chatbot understands basic commands, such as “apple price” or “buy 1 apple share”. In addition, you can also search for company fundamentals, like dividend yields or PE ratios. Some of the functions, like displaying a chart, are also available via the chatbot.

TradeStation Global review
Desktop trading platform
TradeStation Global's desktop trading platform is more suited for advanced traders. It's highly customizable and offers many order types, but it's not user-friendly and installation is complicated.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
• Clear fee report | • Not user-friendly |
• Good customizability (for charts, workspace) | • Poor search function |
• Good variety of order types | • Overly complicated installation |
TradeStation Global provides two desktop trading platforms:
- TradeStation's own desktop platform
- Interactive Brokers's Trader Workstation (TWS).
In this review, we tested TradeStation's own platform, which is only available in English. TradeStation Global users can only use TradeStation 9.5 while regular TradeStation users can use the new 10th edition. For this review, we tested the older version.
Installation
After you completed the depositing process successfully, you will get an email that includes the desktop platform credentials and a brief guide on how to install TradeStation. During our test, it took a day for us to receive our credentials after the deposit.
The steps of installation:
- Download IBKR's Trader Workstation.
- Log in to Trader Workstation using the Secure Login System, a two-step authentication.
- Open 'Global Configuration', then click on 'API Settings'.
- Apply a specific set of settings including special ports.
- Click on 'Apply', then exit TWS. Relaunch TWS, leave it running in the background, then launch TradeStation and use the credentials from the email TradeStation sent you.
The whole setup process was overly complicated and not user-friendly. We think that an everyday user would find this method difficult and time-consuming.
Look and feel
TradeStation Global's desktop trading platform suits daily traders and professional traders. It is easy to customize and offers a wide range of tools.
If you are a first-timer or long-term investor, you will likely struggle to use its features. It is not intuitive and has an outdated design.

Login and security
Similarly to the web trading platform, you can set a two-step login. Before you launch TradeStation, you have to open IBKR's Trader Workstation first, which requires SMS authentication.
Search functions
The search function is hard to use, as each tab uses a different search feature.

Placing orders
TradeStation Global scores very highly on placing orders. There are a lot of order types, including very sophisticated ones:
- Limit
- Market
- Stop Limit
- Stop Market
Advanced order types are available for certain products. These include Order Sends Over (OSO) or One-Cancels-the-Other (OCO). You can find these settings at the top of the window, in the toolbar next to 'Symbol'.
It's also a great feature that you can select the order routing, i.e. whether you choose the best execution or select the exchange you want to place your order on.
There are many order time limits you can use:
- Good-'til-Cancelled (GTC)
- Good-'til-Day (GTD)
- Immediate or Cancel (IOC)
- Fill or Kill (FOK)
- At-the-Open (OPG)

Alerts and notifications
You can set alerts and notifications on the desktop trading platform, you just have to right-click on the chart on your Workstation.
Portfolio and fee reports
Due to its old and complex design, we could not find any way to download, access or print our fee reports or account statements. It is much easier to find this information on the Client Portal.
TradeStation Global review
Markets and products
With TradeStation Global, you can access the same range of product types and exchanges as at Interactive Brokers. This selection is one of the widest among online brokers.
With TradeStation Global, you are trading through Interactive Brokers's trading services, which is a great thing as IB offers one of the widest range of available markets and products among online brokers.
This selection is great compared to competing brokers. Both Saxo Bank and Swissquote offer fewer stock markets to trade on.
TradeStation Global | Saxo Bank | Swissquote | |
---|---|---|---|
Stocks | Yes | Yes | Yes |
ETFs | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Forex | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Funds | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Bonds | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Options | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Futures | Yes | Yes | Yes |
CFDs | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Crypto | Yes | Yes | Yes |
TradeStation Global has a wide selection of product types, from stocks to cryptos, with an exceptional range of ETFs and bonds. Also, there are a few more exotic products available, like warrants and structured products. Only their CFD and FX pair selection lacks behind competitors like Saxo Bank.
Stocks and ETFs
TradeStation Global grants you access to more stock markets than its competitors, including notable exchanges like the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE). Smaller exchanges like the Polish or Mexican markets are also available.
Other than stocks, you can choose from more than 13,000 ETFs. This is well above what most competitors offer.
TradeStation Global | Saxo Bank | Swissquote | |
---|---|---|---|
Stock markets (#) | 83 | 50 | 60 |
ETFs (#) | 13,000 | 6,400 | 20,000 |
Forex
The FX pair selection at TradeStation Global is vast, with more than 100 pairs available, however, Saxo offers more pairs to trade.
TradeStation Global | Saxo Bank | Swissquote | |
---|---|---|---|
Currency pairs (#) | 105 | 190 | 80 |
This selection is average compared to competing brokers.
Funds
Through TradeStation Global, you can access more than 400 fund providers, including big names like BlackRock. This selection is wider than at most competitors.
TradeStation Global | Saxo Bank | Swissquote | |
---|---|---|---|
Fund providers (#) | 400 | 17 | 340 |
This selection is great compared to competing brokers. Both Saxo Bank and Swissquote make fewer fund providers available.
Bonds
TradeStation Global has access to an exceptionally wide range of bonds. This includes both government and corporate bonds, but excludes municipal bonds: the latter is only available for US residents. The bond selection is broader than at competitor brokers.
TradeStation Global | Saxo Bank | Swissquote | |
---|---|---|---|
Bonds (#) | 1,065,000 | 4,500 | 53,400 |
This selection is great compared to competing brokers. Both Saxo Bank and Swissquote list fewer bonds.
Options
The range of options markets is also extremely good. Bigger and smaller markets are all included, like the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) and the Mexican Derivates Exchange (MEXDER).
TradeStation Global | Saxo Bank | Swissquote | |
---|---|---|---|
Options markets (#) | 34 | 20 | 6 |
This selection is great compared to competing brokers. Both Saxo Bank and Swissquote offer fewer option markets to trade on.
Futures
Through TradeStation Global, you can access a vast selection of futures products and markets. Both major and minor markets are available.
TradeStation Global | Saxo Bank | Swissquote | |
---|---|---|---|
Futures markets (#) | 32 | 28 | 6 |
This selection is great compared to competing brokers. Both Saxo Bank and Swissquote offer fewer futures markets to trade on.
CFDs
Disclaimer: CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 64% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Compared to competitors, TradeStation Global has an average range of CFDs.
TradeStation Global | Saxo Bank | Swissquote | |
---|---|---|---|
Stock index CFDs (#) | 13 | 20 | 26 |
Stock CFDs (#) | 7,100 | 7,800 | 300 |
ETF CFDs (#) | - | 1,100 | - |
Commodity CFDs (#) | - | 20 | 12 |
Bond CFDs (#) | - | 8 | 3 |
Futures CFDs (#) | - | - | - |
Cryptos
At TradeStation Global, you can trade with Bitcoin and Ethereum ETNs and Bitcoin Futures, just as at IB:
- Bitcoin and Ethereum ETNs are traded on the Stockholm Stock Exchange and the US OTC (Pink) markets
- Bitcoin Indices are available on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), and on the CME Group and Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE)
- Bitcoin futures are available on the CME Group and Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE)
If you want to know more about crypto investing, we recommend our crypto blogpost.
TradeStation Global | Saxo Bank | Swissquote | |
---|---|---|---|
Cryptos (#) | 4 | 3 | 35 |
This selection is average compared to competing brokers.
Note that the FCA has banned the sale of crypto-derivatives to UK retail consumers since 6 January 2021.
TradeStation Global review
Research
TradeStation Global's research tools are advanced, with good charting capabilities and many technical tools. However, fundamental data is limited and user-friendliness could be better.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
• Good interactive chart | • Limited fundamental data |
• Trading ideas | |
• Good set of analytical tools |
Research can be done both on the Interactive Brokers and the TradeStation platform. In this review, we tested TradeStation's research tools.
Trading ideas
If you would like to use trading ideas, we recommend using the Interactive Brokers web or desktop trading platforms.
On the IBKR platform, you will have access to recommendations provided by third parties. These research tools are mostly free, but there are some you have to pay for. Several prominent news sources, like Thomson Reuters, Morningstar and Dow Jones, are available for free.
Fundamental data
The range of fundamental data available is limited and very hard to find due to the complexity of the platform. For example, we were able to find some information (such as foundation date and P/E ratio), but not other types of data that TradeStation Global support said is also available on the platform. For a smoother experience and more in-depth research, we recommend you use Interactive Brokers's tools, which are also available for TradeStation Global clients.
Charting
The charting features are great: you can use over 170 technical indicators. Also, there are extra features like chart saving.
On the negative side, charting is mainly suited for more advanced users. The UI is not user-friendly and some functions are hard to master. Simpler features like zoom work differently than other platforms we tested.

Charts are not available for every product. You have to buy certain data packages to be able to see movements.
News feed
The news feed is made up of news snippets, which are imported from various news sites. They are not written by TradeStation.
Look for 'Product categorization' for additional news. One drawback is that in some cases we could not find news results for major companies like Exxon Mobil or Google.
Other research tools you will enjoy
TradeStation has a great watchlist system called RadarScreen. You can customize it in almost endless ways, with more than 300 data points and checking charts.
EasyLanguage is a great programming tool to customize or create your own technical tools, such as indicators.

TradeStation Global review
Customer service
TradeStation Global's phone and email services are great, but it is not 24/7. We missed a live chat feature.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
• Phone support | • No live chat |
• Fast response time | • No 24/7 support |
• Relevant answers |
TradeStation Global has its own customer service center to handle inquiries. When we tested, response time was much faster at TSG compared to Interactive Brokers's own customer service.
You can reach TradeStation Global via:
- phone
- submitting a ticket on the website
During our most recent check, phone support seemed to be overwhelmed with requests. When we called, sometimes we could not reach a representative at all, although when we did, it only took 2-3 minutes. When the waiting time was over 5 minutes, we were able to leave a message.
Email support is super fast. There were times when we received an answer within 30 minutes. Also, in one case, in response to a question we sent in an email, we received a phone call answer from a representative personally, who offered to help us with any further inquiries. The answers were helpful, and most of the time relevant for us.
TradeStation Global has also implemented a ticket support system for clients to help with their accounts, and they aim to reply to all tickets within one day.
On the negative side, we missed 24/7 availability and a live chat option.

TradeStation Global review
Education
TradeStation Global has a limited range of educational content. Only a handful of videos and the demo account for Trader Workstation are available.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
• Trading platform tutorial | • No educational videos |
At TradeStation Global, not much educational content is available. You can check out a few quick tips for the desktop platform, like advanced charting tutorials and past webinars.
If you use the Trader Workstation platform, you can create a demo account as well.

The is only a small range of videos available. We think the best way to learn is through a demo account, or by a step-by-step tutorial on any trading platform. We missed these features at TradeStation Global.
TradeStation Global review
Safety
TradeStation Global acts an introducing broker of Interactive Brokers (IB), meaning that your assets and cash are held by IB. Interactive Brokers is regulated by the UK's top-tier FCA, it is listed on a stock exchange, and discloses its financials transparently.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
• Majority of clients belong to a top-tier financial authority | • Does not hold a banking license |
• High level of investor protection |
Is TradeStation Global regulated?
TradeStation Global is a combined product offered by Interactive Brokers and TradeStation International. Both Interactive Brokers and TradeStation International are regulated by the UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Is TradeStation Global safe?
To be certain if a brokerage is safe, we highly advise that you check two facts: how you are protected if something goes wrong and what the background of the broker is.
How you are protected
TradeStation Global is an introducing broker of Interactive Brokers UK (IBUK). This means that your cash and assets are held with IBUK.
IBUK is regulated and authorized by the UK's FCA. The protection amount also depends on what you are trading with:
- If you trade with forex, CFDs, non-US stock index options or futures, you are protected by the FCA, up to £85,000.
- If you trade with stocks, bonds, funds or US stock index options, you are protected by the US investor protection, i.e. $500,000, with a cash limit of $250,000.
Background
TradeStation Global was launched in 2018 as a combined product of Interactive Brokers and TradeStation International. See the review summary at the top of this page for details on what services you get from IB and TradeStation.
- TradeStation International is based in the UK and was established in 2004, while TradeStation itself was founded in 1982.
- Interactive Brokers: Provides the brokerage service and is active since 1978.
Both companies have been around for 30+ years, which means they have made it through multiple economic downturns. This is a good sign for their safety.
Note that TradeStation Global no longer accepts new clients from the EU.
Existing EU clients of TradeStation Global were migrated from Interactive Brokers UK (IBUK) to Interactive Brokers Ireland Limited (IBIE) in January 2021 and are subject to the following fees:
- trading fees: the fee schedule of Interactive Brokers Ireland will apply, not TradeStation Global's fees
- a monthly subscription fee of $15 from March 2021 unless they opt out but that would mean they no longer have access to TradeStation's own desktop platform and are subject to Interactive Brokers's inactivity fees.
TradeStation Global review
Bottom line
TradeStation Global has low stock/ETF fees, provides access to a lot of products and markets and has great customer support. The TradeStation Global desktop platform has great charting tools, plenty of indicators, highly customizable watchlists (Radar Screen) and a great programming tool (EasyLanguage).
On the other hand, the deposit and withdrawal process is not user-friendly and you can use only bank transfer. The account opening is complicated, and for full account verification to use the TSG desktop trading platform, a minimum deposit of $1,000 is required.
If you want access to IB's product range and an account with a slightly different fee structure, feel free to try TradeStation Global.
TradeStation Global review
FAQ
We recommend TradeStation Global for traders and investors looking for low fees and a wide selection of products.
Below you can find links to all aspects of TradeStation Global in this comprehensive collection.
Lower fees, lower costs?
We detailed this in our TradeStation Global fees article.
What about the minimum deposit?
Our ultimate guide to the TradeStation Global minimum deposit is updated regularly.
How to start your TradeStation Global account?
Look no further than our evaluation of the TradeStation Global account opening.
How's their trading app?
Here's our expert view after checking the TradeStation Global trading app.
Is the quality of customer service satisfactory?
All you need to know about the TradeStation Global customer service.
Legit or scam?
Is TradeStation Global legit features all the key aspects you need to look at to see if a broker is safe and legit.
Free or premium? Or both?
A glance at actual costs and whether TradeStation Global is really free.
Is this broker good for beginners?
We checked it in Is TradeStation Global good for beginners.
Should you buy your silver bullets on TradeStation Global?
Research for silver bugs in the Silver buy on TradeStation Global guide
I want to trade options, are they available at TradeStation Global?
We explored the topic in Can you trade options on TradeStation Global?
What is the minimum account balance at TradeStation Global?
Check out the current account balance requirements at TradeStation Global in our What is the minimum account balance at TradeStation Global article.
Looking for commission and fees data for TradeStation Global?
We collected them in TradeStation Global commission and fees.
How do you withdraw money from TradeStation Global?
We tested it and collected the options and costs in How to withdraw money on TradeStation Global.