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TradeStation Alternatives

Written by
Adam N.
Fact checked by
Updated
Jan 2024
Our top alternative brokers to TradeStation

The best alternatives to TradeStation are

  1. tastytrade - US options and stockbroker
  2. Interactive Brokers - International broker providing all asset classes
  3. TD Ameritrade - US-based stockbroker

Let's see in a bit more detail how the TradeStation alternatives compare to TradeStation and each other:

TradeStation alternatives comparison
Overall score
4.4 stars 4.5 stars 4.9 stars 4.7 stars
Fees score
4.1 stars 4.1 stars 4.3 stars 3.9 stars
Account opening score
5.0 stars 5.0 stars 3.1 stars 4.4 stars
Deposit and withdrawal score
1.4 stars 1.3 stars 3.3 stars 1.6 stars
Web platform score
4.3 stars 3.4 stars 4.3 stars 4.3 stars
Markets and products score
2.6 stars 3.2 stars 5.0 stars 3.8 stars
Visit broker Visit broker Visit broker Visit broker

Why are these brokers considered good alternatives to TradeStation? There are many areas based on which TradeStation can be compared with others. When we say a given online broker is a good alternative to TradeStation 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.

TradeStation 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:

  • TradeStation is recommended for traders focusing on us markets and buy-and-hold investing
  • tastytrade is recommended for options and futures traders focusing on us markets
  • Interactive Brokers is recommended for traders looking for broad market access and a professional trading environment
  • TD Ameritrade is recommended for investors and traders looking for solid research and a well-equipped desktop trading platform

Important factors of finding TradeStation 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 TradeStation 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. TradeStation is one of the cheaper brokers, so if this is an important consideration for you, make sure you pick a similarly low-cost TradeStation alternative.

Account opening. To open an account some brokers require at least €50,000 to be invested, while others don't set a minimum first-time deposit. The time it takes to open your account can be very different as well. At TradeStation this is not a problem as you can have it ready on the same day you registered.

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 TradeStation, 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 TradeStation alternative is a must.


Now let's dive into the details of how TradeStation and its alternatives perform in the most important areas!

tastytrade

Recommended for options and futures traders focusing on US markets

Visit broker

tastytrade vs. TradeStation: Trading fees
US stock
$0.0
$5.0
tastytrade vs. TradeStation: Minimum deposit, time to open an account
Minimum deposit
$0
$0
Time to open account
1 day 1 day

If you are interested more in tastytrade minimum deposit, this overview will help you.

tastytrade vs. TradeStation: Withdrawal options
Bank transfer
Yes Yes
Credit/debit card
No No
Electronic wallets
No No
Withdrawal fee
$0
$35
Web trading platform of tastytrade, a TradeStation alternative
tastytrade vs. TradeStation: Trading platform scores
Web platform score
3.4 stars 4.3 stars
Mobile platform score
4.2 stars 4.8 stars
Desktop platform score
3.9 stars 2.3 stars

Learn more about tastytrade's web trading platform in the detailed tastytrade review.

Visit broker

tastytrade vs. TradeStation: Markets and products
Stocks
Yes
Yes
ETFs
Yes Yes
Forex
No No
Funds
No No
Bonds
No No
Options
Yes Yes
Futures
Yes Yes
CFDs
No No
Crypto
Yes
No

Interactive Brokers

Recommended for traders looking for broad market access and a professional trading environment

Visit broker

Interactive Brokers vs. TradeStation: Trading fees
US stock
$1.0
$5.0
UK stock
$3.8
-
German stock
$3.2
-
Interactive Brokers vs. TradeStation: Minimum deposit, time to open an account
Minimum deposit
$0
$0
Time to open account
1-3 days 1 day

If you are interested more in Interactive Brokers minimum deposit, this overview will help you.

Interactive Brokers vs. TradeStation: Withdrawal options
Bank transfer
Yes Yes
Credit/debit card
No
No
Electronic wallets
No No
Withdrawal fee
$0
$35
Web trading platform of Interactive Brokers, a TradeStation alternative
Interactive Brokers vs. TradeStation: Trading platform scores
Web platform score
4.3 stars 4.3 stars
Mobile platform score
4.3 stars 4.8 stars
Desktop platform score
3.8 stars 2.3 stars

Learn more about Interactive Brokers's web trading platform in the detailed Interactive Brokers review.

Visit broker

Interactive Brokers vs. TradeStation: Markets and products
Stocks
Yes Yes
ETFs
Yes Yes
Forex
Yes No
Funds
Yes No
Bonds
Yes No
Options
Yes Yes
Futures
Yes Yes
CFDs
Yes No
Crypto
Yes
No

TD Ameritrade

Recommended for investors and traders looking for solid research and a well-equipped desktop trading platform

Visit broker

TD Ameritrade vs. TradeStation: Trading fees
US stock
$0.0
$5.0
TD Ameritrade vs. TradeStation: Minimum deposit, time to open an account
Minimum deposit
$0
$0
Time to open account
1-3 days 1 day

If you are interested more in TD Ameritrade minimum deposit, this overview will help you.

TD Ameritrade vs. TradeStation: Withdrawal options
Bank transfer
Yes Yes
Credit/debit card
No No
Electronic wallets
No No
Withdrawal fee
$0
$35
Web trading platform of TD Ameritrade, a TradeStation alternative
TD Ameritrade vs. TradeStation: Trading platform scores
Web platform score
4.3 stars 4.3 stars
Mobile platform score
4.8 stars 4.8 stars
Desktop platform score
4.5 stars 2.3 stars

Learn more about TD Ameritrade's web trading platform in the detailed TD Ameritrade review.

Visit broker

TD Ameritrade vs. TradeStation: Markets and products
Stocks
Yes Yes
ETFs
Yes Yes
Forex
Yes
No
Funds
Yes No
Bonds
Yes No
Options
Yes Yes
Futures
Yes Yes
CFDs
No No
Crypto
Yes
No

TradeStation

Recommended for traders focusing on US markets and buy-and-hold investing

TradeStation alternatives trading fees
US stock
$5.0
$0.0
$1.0
$0.0
TradeStation alternatives minimum deposit and account open times
Minimum deposit
$0
$0
$0
$0
Time to open account
1 day 1 day 1-3 days 1-3 days

Learn more about TradeStation minimum deposit here.

TradeStation and alternatives withdrawal options and fees
Bank transfer
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Credit/debit card
No No No
No
Electronic wallets
No No No No
Withdrawal fee
$35
$0
$0
$0
TradeStation - Web trading platform
TradeStation and alternatives trading platform scores
Web platform score
4.3 stars 3.4 stars 4.3 stars 4.3 stars
Mobile platform score
4.8 stars 4.2 stars 4.3 stars 4.8 stars
Desktop platform score
2.3 stars 3.9 stars 3.8 stars 4.5 stars

Learn more about TradeStation's web trading platform in the detailed TradeStation review.

TradeStation and alternatives markets and products
Stocks
Yes
Yes
Yes Yes
ETFs
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Forex
No No Yes Yes
Funds
No No Yes Yes
Bonds
No
No Yes Yes
Options
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Futures
Yes Yes Yes Yes
CFDs
No No Yes No
Crypto
No
Yes
Yes
Yes

Bottom line

Based on our analysis, there are several good alternatives to TradeStation. They all offer similar products and target similar customers. Here's a recap of the results in a table.

TradeStation alternatives
Broker intro
Recommended for
US stockbroker Traders focusing on US markets and buy-and-hold investing
US options and stockbroker Options and futures traders focusing on US markets
International broker providing all asset classes Traders looking for broad market access and a professional trading environment
US-based stockbroker Investors and traders looking for solid research and a well-equipped desktop trading platform

Still unsure? Use our broker finder and find the best broker for you or learn more about investing your money.

Check out this short video for a behind-the-scenes peek into how our experts personally test and evaluate brokers.

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Author of this article

Adam Nasli

Financial Wizard | Trading • Safety • Market Analysis

I bring extensive financial expertise as one of BrokerChooser's earliest team members. Personally, I tested nearly all 100+ brokers on our site, opening real-money accounts, executing trades, assessing customer services, and providing firsthand assessment. My professional background includes roles in the banking sector and a degree from Central European University, where I teach finance. My passions lies in in-depth research of the financial industry, building trading algorithms, and managing long-term investments.

Everything you find on BrokerChooser is based on reliable data and unbiased information. We combine our 10+ years finance experience with readers feedback. Read more about our methodology.

Our top alternative brokers to TradeStation

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