Firstrade vs Markets.com - BrokerCue
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Broker Comparison

Firstrade vs Markets.com

Compare Firstrade and Markets.com side by side: fees, regulation, platforms.

Firstrade

Firstrade

Cost-conscious US stock, ETF and options traders

Firstrade is a US online broker with $0 online trades for stocks, ETFs, options and mutual funds, plus mobile…

VS
Markets.com

Markets.com

CFD and forex traders

Markets.com is a multi-regulated CFD and forex broker offering over 2,200 instruments across forex, shares, i…

Head-to-head comparison

Firstrade vs Markets.com
Feature Firstrade Markets.com
Minimum deposit $0 -
Stock trading fee $0 commission -
Regulators FINRA CySEC, FSCA, ASIC, FSA
Best for Cost-conscious US stock, ETF and options traders CFD and forex traders
Markets & account
Stocks
ETFs
Forex
-
CFDs
-
Crypto
-
Bonds
Options
-
Funds
-
Margin
Investment Plans
-
Demo Account
-
Multi Currency
-

Pros & cons

Firstrade

Firstrade

Pros

  • $0 online trades for stocks, ETFs, options and mutual funds
  • $0 options contract, exercise and assignment fees
  • No deposit minimum and no inactivity fees
  • Overnight trading from 8 PM to 4 AM ET on 1,200+ securities
  • Options Wizard includes 40+ strategies and P&L simulations
  • ACATS transfer fee rebate up to $250 on qualifying transfers
  • Excess protection can raise coverage to $37.5 million per customer

Cons

  • Broker-assisted stock and ETF trades cost $19.95
  • Broker-assisted options cost $19.95+$0.50/contract
  • Mutual fund shares sold within 90 days can cost $19.95
  • Redemptions below $500 can incur a $19.95 fee
  • Primary Market CDs cost $30
  • Overnight trades must use limit orders only
  • ACH transfers require a U.S. financial institution
Markets.com

Markets.com

Pros

  • Regulated by CySEC, FSCA and ASIC
  • No commissions on trades - spread-only pricing
  • No deposit or broker withdrawal fees
  • Proprietary platform plus MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5
  • Over 2,200 tradable instruments across multiple asset classes
  • Free demo account for practice trading
  • Negative balance protection for retail clients

Cons

  • FCA authorisation surrendered in 2025 - UK retail services including spread betting discontinued
  • Inactivity fee of 10 per month triggered after just 90 days
  • Spreads wider than ECN or STP competitors
  • No copy trading or social trading functionality
  • Demo account expires after 90 days of inactivity
  • No cTrader platform
  • No VPS service
Firstrade

Firstrade

Firstrade is a US online broker with $0 online trades for stocks, ETFs, options and mutual funds, plus mobile apps and overnight stock and ETF trading.

Visit Firstrade Read review

Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply.

Markets.com

Markets.com

Markets.com is a multi-regulated CFD and forex broker offering over 2,200 instruments across forex, shares, indices, commodities, ETFs, crypto and bonds via its proprietary platform, MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5.

Visit Markets.com Read review

Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply.

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