E*TRADE review

Updated September 28, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026

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Our verdict

E*TRADE suits US investors who want commission-free stock and ETF dealing with a joint or IRA account and a broker that has run since 1982. Costs stay at $0 for stocks, though options at $0.65 and the managed portfolio fee of 0.3% are the parts to watch.

Key facts

Best for
Commission-free stock and ETF buying in a US brokerage account
Minimum deposit
$0 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Stock trade fee
$0 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Account fee
$0 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Markets
Stocks, ETFs, Options, Funds (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Regulators
FINRA (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Investor protection
SIPC up to USD 500,000 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Options contract fee
$0.65 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Account types
IRA, Joint (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Legal entity
E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Headquarters
United States (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Founded
1982 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Support channels
Phone, Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Pricing model
Commission-free
Official website
etrade.com

Robo-advisors

Management fee
0.3% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Minimum investment
$500 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Regulators
FINRA (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Investor protection
SIPC up to USD 500,000 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Account types
IRA, Joint (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Portfolio types
ETF, Crypto, Cash (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Legal entity
E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Headquarters
United States (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Founded
1982 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Support channels
Phone, Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)

Apps and profiles

Elsewhere
WikidataWikipediaXLinkedInTrustpilot

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Stock trades cost $0 and the account fee is $0, so a simple holding pattern is cheap
  • Minimum deposit is $0, so you can start small
  • Joint and IRA account types are available, which suits couples and retirement saving
  • Markets cover stocks, etfs and options, including funds and options in the same account

Cons

  • Options contracts cost $0.65 each, so active options traders pay more
  • The managed portfolio fee is 0.3% against a site median of 0.4%
  • Support runs on phone and help centre only, with no live chat listed
E*TRADE

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Scored 9.2 / 10 by BrokerCue.

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Who it suits

  • US investors building a long-term stock and ETF portfolio without per-trade fees
  • Couples who want a joint account alongside a taxable brokerage account
  • Retirement savers who want an IRA account with commission-free trades inside it

Who should look elsewhere

  • Option scalpers, because $0.65 per contract is the cost that bites
  • Hands-off investors, since the portfolio fee of 0.3% is above the site median
  • Investors outside the US, as US and E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley point to a US setup

What trading costs

Stocks are commission-free: a trade costs $0, and there is no minimum deposit at $0, so you can buy a small position. The account fee is also $0. Where costs appear is options, where a contract costs $0.65. If you hand the portfolio over to a managed account, the management fee is 0.3%.

Who runs it

E*TRADE now operates as E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley, so the brokerage sits inside a US parent rather than standing alone. It is based in the United States and has traded since 1982, which gives it a long record in US retail brokerage. Support runs on phone and help centre, so a phone line and a help centre cover the main questions.

How E*TRADE compares

Frequently asked questions

What does it cost to buy a stock?+

A stock trade costs $0, and the model is commission-free, so there is no ticket charge per order. The account fee is also $0. That makes the everyday cost of buying and holding shares small, with the minimum deposit at $0.

Is there any fee for the account itself?+

The account fee is $0, and the minimum deposit is $0, so opening and holding a brokerage account costs nothing at the entry point. Fees appear further down the line, in managed portfolios and in options trading, rather than in keeping the account open.

What does an options contract cost?+

An options contract costs $0.65. Options are one of the markets you can trade, so a contract that is cheap elsewhere is not cheap here. Anyone trading options regularly should weigh that per-contract charge against the free stock and ETF dealing.

Who is behind E*TRADE?+

The brokerage operates as E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley, which puts it inside a US parent. It is headquartered in the United States and has been in business since 1982. That history is useful context for anyone weighing how established the firm is.

What protection is there on the money?+

Protection is stated as SIPC up to USD 500,000, which describes the coverage listed for the firm. Investors should read what that limit covers for their own account type before assuming every loss is protected, since the figure applies within the stated cap.

Which markets can I trade?+

The markets available are stocks, etfs and options, which covers the main US instruments in one account. Portfolios can hold ETF, crypto and cash holdings alongside. If you need forex, CFDs or futures, the markets list is narrower than some alternatives.

What account types are there?+

Account types include IRA and joint accounts, so retirement saving and shared investing are both covered. The managed side runs at a management fee of 0.3% with a minimum investment of $500 for the managed portfolio.

How do I get help?+

Support runs on phone and help centre, so you have a phone line and a help centre rather than an instant chat window. For a question about a specific trade or account, the phone channel is the more direct of the two.

Sources

Compiled from 6 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.

Not confirmed yet: Inactivity fee, Retail accounts that lose money.

E*TRADE

E*TRADE

Commission-free stock and ETF buying in a US brokerage account

9.2/10See alternatives

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