The best alternatives to Zacks Trade are
- TradeStation - US stockbroker
- Firstrade - US discount broker
- tastytrade - US options and stockbroker
- Interactive Brokers - International broker providing all asset classes
Let's see in a bit more detail how the Zacks Trade alternatives compare to Zacks Trade and each other:
| Zacks Trade | TradeStation | Firstrade | tastytrade | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 4.4 stars | 4.7 stars | 4.5 stars | 4.7 stars | 4.9 stars |
| Fees score | 4.0 stars | 4.1 stars | 4.4 stars | 4.2 stars | 4.5 stars |
| Account opening score | 2.5 stars | 5.0 stars | 4.2 stars | 5.0 stars | 3.2 stars |
| Deposit and withdrawal score | 3.5 stars | 2.2 stars | 2.2 stars | 1.9 stars | 3.0 stars |
| Web platform score | 3.8 stars | 3.8 stars | 4.3 stars | 3.4 stars | 3.8 stars |
| Markets and products score | 3.8 stars | 3.2 stars | 3.2 stars | 3.3 stars | 5.0 stars |
| Visit broker | Visit broker | Visit broker | Visit broker |
Why are these brokers considered good alternatives to Zacks Trade? There are many areas based on which Zacks Trade can be compared with others. When we say a given online broker is a good alternative to Zacks Trade 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.
Zacks Trade 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:
- Zacks Trade is recommended for traders and investors looking for comprehensive research tools, a wide product selection and low fees
- TradeStation is recommended for traders focusing on us markets and buy-and-hold investing
- Firstrade is recommended for beginners and investors looking for zero-commission trading, focusing on the us market
- 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
Important factors of finding Zacks Trade 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 Zacks Trade 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. Zacks Trade is one of the cheaper brokers, so if this is an important consideration for you, make sure you pick a similarly low-cost Zacks Trade 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 Zacks Trade, the account opening is slower than average, so if you consider this important some Zacks Trade alternatives can be a good choice.
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 Zacks Trade, 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 Zacks Trade alternative is a must.
Now let's dive into the details of how Zacks Trade and its alternatives perform in the most important areas!
Zacks Trade alternatives
TradeStation
TradeStation is a US stockbroker founded in 1982. It is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). Clients are eligible for up to $500,000 investor protection per account (including cash up to $250,000).
TradeStation is considered safe because it has a long track record; transparently discloses its financials; and its parent company, the Monex Group, is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Recommended for traders focusing on us markets and buy-and-hold investing
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
• Great web and mobile trading platform
|
• Inconvenient deposit and withdrawal
|
|
• Low trading fees
|
• No forex trading
|
|
• High-quality research and education tools
|
• Mediocre customer service
|
Fees
TradeStation has low trading fees, and you can choose from multiple fee structures. On the negative side, there's an inactivity fee and only ACH is free for withdrawals.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
• Low trading fees
|
• Inactivity fee
|
|
• Low stock and ETF fees / Free stock trading
|
• WIthdrawal fee for bank wire transfers
|
|
• Free ACH withdrawals
|
|
| TradeStation | Zacks Trade | |
|---|---|---|
| Apple benchmark fee | $0.3 | $2.3 |
| Vodafone benchmark fee | - | $27.9 |
| EURUSD benchmark fee | - | - |
Includes spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
Position sizes: $2k for stocks and $20k for FX
Account opening
TradeStation account opening is fully digital, user-friendly and fast. There are many account types, but USD is the only available base currency (except for futures accounts).
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
• Fast
|
None |
|
• Fully digital
|
|
|
• User-friendly
|
|
| TradeStation | Zacks Trade | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Time to open account | 1 day | >3 days |
If you are interested more in TradeStation minimum deposit, this overview will help you.
Deposit and withdrawal
TradeStation's deposit and withdrawal functions are somewhat limited, as you can use only bank transfer; while the fee for wire transfer withdrawals is high.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
• No deposit fee
|
• Credit/Debit card not available
|
|
• Deposit/withdrawal in cryptocurrencies
|
• High fee for wire withdrawal
|
|
• ACH withdrawal is free
|
|
| TradeStation | Zacks Trade | |
|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No |
| Electronic wallets | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 |
Web trading platform
TradeStation has a nice-looking, user-friendly web trading platform with a safe login process.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
• Clear fee report
|
None |
|
• Two-step (safer) login
|
|
|
• Good search function
|
|
| TradeStation | Zacks Trade | |
|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | 3.8 stars | 3.8 stars |
| Mobile platform score | 4.8 stars | 3.5 stars |
| Desktop platform score | 2.3 stars | 3.8 stars |
Learn more about TradeStation's web trading platform in the detailed TradeStation review.
Markets and products
TradeStation grants access to a wide variety of US products, but its non-US market coverage is poor. Also, forex and CFDs are not available.
| TradeStation | Zacks Trade | |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | No | No |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | Yes | No |
| CFDs | No | No |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes |
Verdict
TradeStation is a great US broker.
The web and mobile platforms are very user-friendly, with many great functions. TradeStation also charges low stock and ETF trading fees. On top of that, its education materials are well-structured and high quality.
On the other hand, deposit and withdrawal functions are not that convenient, as you can only use bank transfers. Among other negatives, there is no forex trading, and customer service has room for improvement.
As there is no minimum deposit, feel free to try TradeStation if you prefer trading on US markets.
| TradeStation | |
|---|---|
| Summary | TradeStation is a US stockbroker regulated by FINRA, a top-tier US regulatory body. |
| Fees score | 4.1 stars |
| Recommended for | Traders focusing on US markets and buy-and-hold investing |
Zacks Trade alternatives
Firstrade
Firstrade is a US discount stockbroker regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). The company was founded in 1985 under the name First Flushing Securities.
Firstrade is considered safe because it has a long track record and is overseen by top-tier regulators.
Recommended for beginners and investors looking for zero-commission trading, focusing on the us market
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
• Free stock, ETF, fund and options trading
|
• No credit/debit cards and electronic wallets for money transfer
|
|
• Solid research tools
|
• You can trade only on US markets
|
|
• Quality educational tools
|
• No live chat or 24/7 availability
|
Fees
Firstrade has low fees. It offers free stock, ETF, funds, and options trading with low non-trading fees. However, margin rates are high.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
• Low trading fees
|
• High margin rates
|
|
• Low non-trading fees
|
|
|
• Free stock, ETF, fund and options trading
|
|
| Firstrade | Zacks Trade | |
|---|---|---|
| Apple benchmark fee | $0.3 | $2.3 |
| Vodafone benchmark fee | - | $27.9 |
| EURUSD benchmark fee | - | - |
Includes spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
Position sizes: $2k for stocks and $20k for FX
Account opening
Account opening is fully digital and user-friendly, and is open to some international customers as well. On the flip side, the process was slow for us, taking almost 3 business days.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
• Fully digital
|
• Slow account verification
|
|
• No minimum deposit
|
|
|
• Low minimum deposit
|
|
| Firstrade | Zacks Trade | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Time to open account | 1-3 days | >3 days |
If you are interested more in Firstrade minimum deposit, this overview will help you.
Deposit and withdrawal
We liked Firstrade's user-friendly deposit and withdrawal process. There is no deposit fee and transferring money is easy. At the same time, there is still room for improvement: you can use only bank transfers and a high fee is charged for wire transfer withdrawals.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
• No deposit fee
|
• Credit/Debit card not available
|
|
• User-friendly
|
• Only one account base currency
|
|
|
• High outgoing wire transfer fee
|
| Firstrade | Zacks Trade | |
|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No |
| Electronic wallets | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 |
Web trading platform
Firstrade's web platform has a straightforward design, making it easy to use even for beginners. On the negative side, it lacks a two-step login and the customizability of the main sections is quite limited.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
• User-friendly
|
• No two-step (safer) login
|
|
• Clear fee report
|
|
|
• Good search function
|
|
| Firstrade | Zacks Trade | |
|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | 4.3 stars | 3.8 stars |
| Mobile platform score | 3.8 stars | 3.5 stars |
| Desktop platform score | - | 3.8 stars |
Learn more about Firstrade's web trading platform in the detailed Firstrade review.
Markets and products
Firstrade offers a good variety of asset classes, from stocks to options. However, the products cover only the US market and you cannot trade futures or forex.
| Firstrade | Zacks Trade | |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | No | No |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | No | No |
| CFDs | No | No |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes |
Verdict
Firstrade is one of the biggest discount US stockbrokers and it is regulated by top-tier regulators.
Firstrade offers free stock, ETF, mutual funds and options trading. It doesn't charge inactivity and account fees, and there are lots of quality research and educational tools you can use.
Their services have some drawbacks, though. Firstrade doesn't accept credit/debit cards and electronic wallets for money transfer. The product portfolio covers only the US market. Customer service is only available 24/5 and you can't contact them via live chat.
As it has low fees and no inactivity fee is charged, feel free to try Firstrade.
| Firstrade | |
|---|---|
| Summary | Firstrade is a US discount broker regulated by the top-tier SEC and FINRA. |
| Fees score | 4.4 stars |
| Recommended for | Beginners and investors looking for zero-commission trading, focusing on the US market |
Zacks Trade alternatives
tastytrade
tastytrade is a young, up-and-coming US broker focusing on options trading. It is regulated by the top-tier Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) for Australian clients.
The people behind tastytrade are the same experts who built the thinkorswim trading platform, now operated by TD Ameritrade. tastytrade is privately owned; it was established in 2017 and is headquartered in Chicago.
Recommended for options and futures traders focusing on us markets
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
• Low trading fees
|
• Limited product selection
|
|
• Great educational materials
|
• Few deposit and withdrawal options
|
|
• Good research tools
|
• No demo account
|
Fees
tastyworks has low trading fees and there is no inactivity fee. On the other hand, you have to pay a high withdrawal fee for wire transfers and margin rates are quite high.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
• No inactivity fee
|
• High margin rates for stock trading
|
|
• Free stock trading
|
• Withdrawal fee for bank (wire) transfers
|
|
• Low options fees
|
|
| tastytrade | Zacks Trade | |
|---|---|---|
| Apple benchmark fee | $0.3 | $2.3 |
| Vodafone benchmark fee | - | $27.9 |
| EURUSD benchmark fee | - | - |
Includes spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
Position sizes: $2k for stocks and $20k for FX
Account opening
tastyworks account opening is user-friendly, fast, fully digital, and involves no minimum deposit.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
• Fast
|
None |
|
• Fully digital
|
|
|
• No minimum deposit
|
|
| tastytrade | Zacks Trade | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Time to open account | 1 day | >3 days |
If you are interested more in tastytrade minimum deposit, this overview will help you.
Deposit and withdrawal
tastyworks's deposit and withdrawal functions are easy to use and there's no deposit fee, but you can use only bank transfer, and withdrawals can be expensive especially for non-US clients.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
• No deposit fee
|
• Credit/Debit card not available
|
|
• User-friendly
|
• High fee for wire withdrawals
|
|
• Free ACH withdrawals in the US
|
|
| tastytrade | Zacks Trade | |
|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No |
| Electronic wallets | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 |
Web trading platform
The tastyworks web platform is great for experienced traders, especially for options trading. However, it takes time to figure out how its functions work, and its customizability is limited.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
• Clear fee report
|
• Limited customizability (for charts, workspace)
|
|
• Price alerts
|
• Not suited for beginners
|
|
• Two-step (safer) authentication for certain functions
|
|
| tastytrade | Zacks Trade | |
|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | 3.4 stars | 3.8 stars |
| Mobile platform score | 4.2 stars | 3.5 stars |
| Desktop platform score | 3.9 stars | 3.8 stars |
Learn more about tastytrade's web trading platform in the detailed tastytrade review.
Markets and products
At tastyworks, you can trade US stocks, ETFs, options and some futures. Other popular asset classes like mutual funds or bonds are missing, as are international assets.
| tastytrade | Zacks Trade | |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | No | No |
| Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds | No | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | Yes | No |
| CFDs | No | No |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes |
Verdict
tastytrade is an excellent broker for options trading, but it is a bit complicated if you want to trade stocks only.
tastytrade's trading fees are low, with free stock and ETF trading fees. Its trading platform is aimed at experienced options traders and can be intimidating for beginners. However, its educational and research tools are great for learning. Deposit and withdrawal processes could be better, and a demo account would also be great for practice purposes.
As there is no minimum deposit, no inactivity fee, or monthly fee, and the account opening process is seamless, you should feel free to try it.
| tastytrade | |
|---|---|
| Summary | tastytrade (formerly tastyworks) is a US options and stockbroker. It is overseen by FINRA, a top-tier regulatory body. |
| Fees score | 4.2 stars |
| Recommended for | Options and futures traders focusing on US markets |
Zacks Trade alternatives
Interactive Brokers
Interactive Brokers, one of the biggest US-based discount brokers, was founded in 1977. The broker is regulated by several financial authorities globally, including top-tier ones like the UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Given that the broker has licenses from multiple top-tier regulators, has a long track record and publicly disclosed financials while being listed on a stock exchange; it all points towards IB being a safe service provider.
Interactive Brokers recently launched a new app for global stock trading:. GlobalTrader is a simple platform where you can trade stocks and ETFs. If you are looking to trade only those two assets, GlobalTrader is the solution for you, since you will not get distracted with the other unnecessary information about other asset classes. In addition, you will have a more convenient time navigating through its simple user interface. It is also easier and quicker to create a GlobalTrader account than to create an Interactive Brokers account. Read our review of IBKR GlobalTrader
In addition, Interactive Brokers also has an app you can use for ESG investing: read our review of IMPACT by Interactive Brokers.
Recommended for traders looking for broad market access and a professional trading environment
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
• Low trading fees
|
• Complicated account opening process
|
|
• Wide range of products
|
• Complex desktop trading platform
|
|
• Many great research tools
|
• Understaffed customer service
|
Fees
Interactive Brokers has low trading fees and the best margin rates in the industry. For US clients, stock and ETF trading is free if they choose the Lite plan.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
• Low trading fees
|
None |
|
• Free stock and ETF trading for US clients
|
|
|
• Low margin rates
|
|
| Interactive Brokers | Zacks Trade | |
|---|---|---|
| Apple benchmark fee | $2.3 | $2.3 |
| Vodafone benchmark fee | $7.6 | $27.9 |
| EURUSD benchmark fee | $14.7 | - |
Includes spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
Position sizes: $2k for stocks and $20k for FX
Account opening
IB's account opening process is fully digital and the required minimum deposit is low. On the negative side, the process is complicated and account verification takes relatively long.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
• Fully digital
|
• Not user-friendly
|
|
• No minimum deposit for most account types
|
|
| Interactive Brokers | Zacks Trade | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Time to open account | 1-3 days | >3 days |
If you are interested more in Interactive Brokers minimum deposit, this overview will help you.
Deposit and withdrawal
Interactive Brokers offers several account base currencies 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
|
|
|
• First withdrawal free each month
|
|
| Interactive Brokers | Zacks Trade | |
|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No |
| Electronic wallets | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 |
Web trading platform
The Interactive Brokers web platform is simple and easy to use, even for beginners, however there are some minor but annoying glitches.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
• User-friendly
|
• User experience could be better
|
|
• Clear fee report
|
|
|
• Two-step (safer) login
|
|
| Interactive Brokers | Zacks Trade | |
|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | 3.8 stars | 3.8 stars |
| Mobile platform score | 3.5 stars | 3.5 stars |
| Desktop platform score | 3.8 stars | 3.8 stars |
Learn more about Interactive Brokers's web trading platform in the detailed Interactive Brokers review.
Markets and products
At Interactive Brokers, you have access to an extremely wide range of markets and all product types are available.
| Interactive Brokers | Zacks Trade | |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | No |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | Yes | No |
| CFDs | Yes | No |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes |
Verdict
Interactive Brokers is one of the biggest US-based lowest spread brokers, regulated by several top-tier regulators globally. We recommend this broker both for advanced traders and for everyday investors who want to have access to many stock markets.
On the plus side, IB offers very low fees, a vast range of markets and products, and diverse research tools.
There are some drawbacks, however. We weren't satisfied with the quality of the customer service and the account opening process is complicated. Unlike the web and mobile platforms, the desktop platform is complex and hard to get a handle on, especially for beginners.
If you have experience navigating complex platforms and enjoy transparent, low-cost trading, Interactive Brokers is a great fit for you.
| Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|
| Summary | Interactive Brokers is a US discount broker. It is listed on a stock exchange and regulated by several authorities, including top-tier ones like the FCA and the SEC. |
| Fees score | 4.5 stars |
| Recommended for | Traders looking for broad market access and a professional trading environment |
Zacks Trade alternatives
Zacks Trade
Zacks Trade is a US-based discount broker and a division of LBMZ Securities. LBMZ Securities was founded in 1978 and is regulated by the top-tier US financial authorities SEC and FINRA.
LBMZ Securities's clearing and execution services are provided through Interactive Brokers, a global stockbroker regulated by many top-tier financial authorities around the world.
If you're familiar with the services of Interactive Brokers, you might notice that many of Zacks Trade's services are the same. To sum up:
- Zacks Trade has its own, different fee structure, product selection, educational tools and customer support. Unlike at Interactive Brokers, trading forex, CFDs and futures is not supported.
- The account opening and deposit/withdrawal processes, trading platforms and research tools are the same as at Interactive Brokers.
Zacks Trade is considered safe because it has a long track record and is overseen by top-tier regulators.
Since Zacks is more expensive than IB, why would anyone favor Zacks over Interactive Brokers? We found two possible reasons:
- Zacks falls under SEC regulation and users have SIPC protection (which insures against the loss of assets up to $500,000 in the case of broker bankruptcy), no matter where they live
- Zacks provides free broker-assisted trading
Recommended for traders and investors looking for comprehensive research tools, a wide product selection and low fees
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
• Low fees
|
• Complex desktop platform and research tools
|
|
• Extensive stock and ETF selection
|
• Slow and complicated account opening
|
|
• Great customer service
|
• No futures and forex
|
Fees
Zacks Trade has generally low trading fees; its stock, ETF and bond trading fees are especially low. However, mutual fund fees are quite high, and there's also an inactivity fee.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
• Low stock and ETF fees / Free stock trading
|
• High fund fees
|
|
• No withdrawal fee
|
• Inactivity fee
|
| Zacks Trade | TradeStation | Firstrade | tastytrade | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US stock | $1.0 | $0.0 | $0.0 | $0.0 | $1.0 |
| UK stock | $13.6 | - | - | - | $3.4 |
Includes spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
Position sizes: $2k
Account opening
Zacks Trade offers fully digital account opening for clients all over the world, and there is no minimum deposit. On the negative side, we found the process slow and hard to navigate.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
• Fully digital
|
• Slow
|
|
• No minimum deposit
|
• Not user-friendly
|
| Zacks Trade | TradeStation | Firstrade | tastytrade | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Time to open account | >3 days | 1 day | 1-3 days | 1 day | 1-3 days |
Learn more about Zacks Trade minimum deposit here.
Deposit and withdrawal
Zacks Trade offers one free withdrawal per month for nearly all base currencies. However, you cannot use credit/debit cards or electronic wallets to deposit or withdraw funds.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
• Free withdrawal
|
• Credit/Debit card not available
|
|
• No deposit fee
|
|
|
• Several account base currencies
|
|
| Zacks Trade | TradeStation | Firstrade | tastytrade | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No | No | No | No |
| Electronic wallets | No | No | No | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Web trading platform
The Zacks Trade web platform is simple and easy to use, even for beginners.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
• User-friendly
|
None |
|
• Clear fee report
|
|
|
• Two-step (safer) login
|
|
| Zacks Trade | TradeStation | Firstrade | tastytrade | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | 3.8 stars | 3.8 stars | 4.3 stars | 3.4 stars | 3.8 stars |
| Mobile platform score | 3.5 stars | 4.8 stars | 3.8 stars | 4.2 stars | 3.5 stars |
| Desktop platform score | 3.8 stars | 2.3 stars | - | 3.9 stars | 3.8 stars |
Learn more about Zacks Trade's web trading platform in the detailed Zacks Trade review.
Markets and products
Zacks Trade offers international stocks, ETFs and bonds, which is fairly unique for a US broker; along with US funds and options. However, you can't trade futures or forex.
| Zacks Trade | TradeStation | Firstrade | tastytrade | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Verdict
Zacks Trade is a great US discount broker. It is a division of LBMZ Securities, which is regulated by the SEC and FINRA. It is an introducing broker of Interactive Brokers, and as such shares many of its features.
On the plus side, Zacks Trade has low fees, outstanding stock and ETF selections and great customer service.
There are some drawbacks though, as its desktop trading platform and research tools may be too complex for some. The account opening is complicated and slow. Unlike Interactive Brokers, Zacks doesn't support trading CFDs, futures or forex.
As Zacks Trade provides a demo account and there's no mandatory minimum deposit, feel free to try it.
| Zacks Trade | |
|---|---|
| Summary | Zacks Trade is a US discount broker that also allows international clients to open an account. Zacks Trade is a division of LBMZ Securities, which is regulated by SEC and FINRA. Customers are protected by the SIPC scheme, up to $500,000 (including a $250,000 limit for cash). |
| Fees score | 4.0 stars |
| Recommended for | Traders and investors looking for comprehensive research tools, a wide product selection and low fees |
Zacks Trade alternatives
Bottom line
Based on our analysis, there are several good alternatives to Zacks Trade. They all offer similar products and target similar customers. Here's a recap of the results in a table.
| Broker | Info | Recommended for |
|---|---|---|
| Zacks Trade | US discount broker | Traders and investors looking for comprehensive research tools, a wide product selection and low fees |
| TradeStation | US stockbroker | Traders focusing on US markets and buy-and-hold investing |
| Firstrade | US discount broker | Beginners and investors looking for zero-commission trading, focusing on the US market |
| tastytrade | US options and stockbroker | Options and futures traders focusing on US markets |
| Interactive Brokers | International broker providing all asset classes | Traders looking for broad market access and a professional trading environment |
Still unsure? Use our broker finder and find the best broker for you or learn more about investing your money.
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