ChoiceTrade vs Empower - BrokerCue
BrokerCue

Select your country to see eligible brokers

Account eligibility and broker availability depend on your country of residence. Setting this now allows us to hide brokers that do not accept clients from your country.

Broker Comparison

ChoiceTrade vs Empower

Compare ChoiceTrade and Empower side by side: fees, regulation, platforms.

ChoiceTrade

ChoiceTrade

Active US stock and options traders

ChoiceTrade is a US broker-dealer offering commission-free stocks and ETFs, options trading, and advanced pla…

VS
Empower

Empower

High-balance hybrid advisory clients

Empower is a US hybrid robo-advisor combining automated portfolio management with access to human financial a…

Head-to-head comparison

ChoiceTrade vs Empower
Feature ChoiceTrade Empower
Minimum deposit - -
Stock trading fee $0 commission for listed US exchange stocks; OTC stocks charged per trade Commission-free trading on investment accounts
Regulators SEC, FINRA, SIPC SEC, FINRA, SIPC
Best for Active US stock and options traders High-balance hybrid advisory clients
Markets & account
Stocks
ETFs
Bonds
-
Options
-
Margin
-
Demo Account
-
Funds
-
Ready Made Portfolios
-
Investment Plans
-
Money Market Funds
-

Pros & cons

ChoiceTrade

ChoiceTrade

Pros

  • No commission on listed US stock and ETF trades
  • Free $100,000 virtual demo account
  • Direct Pro platform powered by DAS Trader for advanced charting and order routing
  • Long operating history since 2000
  • SIPC protection up to $500,000
  • ChoiceTrade Elite platform fee waived with $30,000+ account balance

Cons

  • Inactivity fee of $55 per quarter for low-activity individual/joint accounts
  • Paid platform subscriptions required for advanced tools
  • No forex, crypto, commodities, or futures trading
  • ACH withdrawal fee of $5 (max 3 per month); domestic wire $35; international wire $60
  • Limited funding methods - primarily bank transfer and ACH
  • Limited educational resources compared to larger brokers
  • Cash-settled options (SPX, OEX, RUT, VIX) carry an additional $0.75 per-contract surcharge
Empower

Empower

Pros

  • Comprehensive free financial dashboard with net worth, retirement planner and fee analyzer
  • Hybrid model gives access to human advisors alongside automated portfolio management
  • Tax-loss harvesting and tax location strategy included in advisory fee
  • Tiered fees decrease as assets grow, reaching 0.49% above $10 million
  • Client assets held at established independent custodians with SIPC protection
  • High-yield cash account with FDIC insurance up to $5 million
  • Dedicated advisors and estate planning access at higher asset tiers
  • Commission-free trading on investment accounts

Cons

  • $100,000 minimum investment required to access any managed advisory services
  • Advisory fee of 0.89% on the first $1 million is high relative to robo-only competitors
  • No direct-to-consumer trading platform for active self-directed trading
  • No demo account available
  • No support for forex, CFDs, futures or options trading
  • Tax and estate planning features restricted to higher asset tiers
  • Free tools may prompt upsells for users approaching the $100,000 threshold
ChoiceTrade

ChoiceTrade

ChoiceTrade is a US broker-dealer offering commission-free stocks and ETFs, options trading, and advanced platforms including a DAS Trader-powered Direct Pro for active traders.

Visit ChoiceTrade Read review

Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply.

Empower

Empower

Empower is a US hybrid robo-advisor combining automated portfolio management with access to human financial advisors, built on the foundation of Personal Capital.

Visit Empower Read review

Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply.

Not the right match?

Line up any two brokers side by side, or browse the full list to find your next platform.

Compare another broker Browse all brokers