Updated October 1, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
LANDE vs Merrill Edge
Where LANDE and Merrill Edge differ
| Compare |  LANDE |  Merrill Edge |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | €50 | $0 |
| Account fee | €0 | $0 |
| Regulators | Bank of Latvia | FINRA, SEC |
| Investor protection | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 | SIPC up to USD 500,000 |
| Stock trade fee | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Markets | Not confirmed | Stocks, ETFs, Options, Bonds, Funds |
| Options contract fee | Not confirmed | $0.65 |
| Platforms | Not confirmed | Merrill Edge website, Merrill Edge MarketPro, Merrill mobile app |
| Account types | Not confirmed | IRA, Roth IRA, Joint, Corporate |
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Key differences
- Merrill Edge scores higher overall: 9.5 vs 9.1.
- Regulators: only LANDE offers Bank of Latvia.
- Regulators: only Merrill Edge offers FINRA, SEC.
Our verdict on each
LANDE
LANDE suits investors who want to fund companies directly and can leave their money in place until a loan matures. Entry sits at €50 per loan and the stated target return is 11.2%, while LANDE offers no buyback guarantee, so early access to cash rests on the secondary market.
Merrill Edge
Merrill Edge is a US brokerage that suits investors who want commission-free stock and ETF dealing alongside a brokerage account. Stock trade fees of $0 and an account fee of $0 put it in the cheapest band we rate, though options and managed portfolios carry their own charges.
Score breakdown
| Area | LANDE | Merrill Edge |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.0Investors pay €0 and the platform earns through borrower-side service fees, so no investor charge cuts into the stated return. | 9.3HigherStock trade fee of $0, account fee of $0 and no inactivity charge at $0, with options at $0.65 per contract. |
| Offer | 9.0Loans run from €50, a secondary market lets investors sell loans earlier, and the stated target return is 11.2%. | 9.6Higher |
| Trust | 9.2Supervised by the Bank of Latvia, with money tied to loans that run to their end. | 9.7Higher |
Where these facts come from
LANDE
- lande.finance: 7 facts, checked October 1, 2026
Merrill Edge
- merrilledge.com: 16 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- en.wikipedia.org: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | LANDE | Merrill Edge |
|---|---|---|
| Brokers for beginners | 3 of 88 | 15 of 88 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | LANDE | Merrill Edge |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Not confirmed | Fractional shares, Demo account, Mobile app, Options |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Commission free |
| Audience | Beginners, Experienced | Beginners, Experienced |
| Legal entity | Not confirmed | Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner and Smith Incorporated |
| Headquarters | Latvia | United States |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 1914 |
| Support channels | Not confirmed | Phone, Chat, Help centre, Email |
Robo-advisors
| Fact | LANDE | Merrill Edge |
|---|---|---|
| Management fee | Not confirmed | 0.45% to 0.85% |
| Minimum investment | €50 | $0 to $1,000 |
| Portfolio types | Not confirmed | ETF |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | LANDE | Merrill Edge | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock trade fee | Not confirmed | $0at the median | $0 |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | $0at the median | $0 |
| Options contract fee | Not confirmed | $0.65above the median | $0.59 |
Median across 81 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
LANDE
Pros
- Investors pay €0, and LANDE takes its earning from borrower-side service fees rather than from what investors receive.
- Loans can be bought from €50, an entry point the platform presents as open to newcomers and experienced investors alike.
- A secondary market lets investors sell loans before they reach their end, rather than waiting out every term.
Cons
- Funds stay with a loan until it reaches its end and LANDE offers no buyback guarantee, so the stated 11.2% comes with a wait the reader cannot shorten.
- The 11.2% figure sits on money tied to individual companies, and LANDE's revenue comes from borrower-side service fees, so nothing in that structure cushions a business that pays late.
- The €50 entry point applies to each loan, so spreading money across borrowers takes repeated purchases rather than one outlay.
Merrill Edge
Pros
- Stock trades cost $0 and the account fee is $0, so the everyday cost of holding a brokerage account is minimal
- No inactivity charge at $0, unlike several rivals that bill dormant accounts
- Minimum deposit of $0 means an account can be opened and funded without a large starting balance
Cons
- Options cost $0.65 per contract, so the free stock dealing does not extend to derivatives
- Managed portfolios charge 0.45% to 0.85% in advisory fees, where commission-free dealing applies only to self-directed trading
- Account types are limited to retirement and joint and corporate forms, so it does not cover the wider account range some rivals offer
Who each suits
LANDE
Who it suits
- Investors who want their money to reach companies directly instead of sitting on a deposit.
- Readers starting small, since loans can be bought from €50.
- Investors with a longer horizon who are comfortable waiting for a loan to reach its end.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who needs their money on a fixed date: the cash stays with a loan until it reaches its end and LANDE offers no buyback guarantee.
- Readers who will not look at the company behind a single loan, because the money goes into individual businesses.
Merrill Edge
Who it suits
- US investors who want commission-free stocks and ETFs plus a retirement account in one place
- Long term holders who would rather avoid an inactivity charge of $0 and the account fees some rivals levy
- Beginners and experienced traders who appreciate support across phone, chat and help centre
Who should look elsewhere
- Investors who want forex or crypto, as the market list holds stocks, etfs and options
- Anyone looking for a fully managed portfolio without paying advisory fees of 0.45% to 0.85%
- Readers who want the wider market spread offered by CFI or eToro, where the asset mix runs wider than stocks, etfs and options
Current offers
Merrill Edge
Current offer
First period offer
$0 program fee for 6 months - Merrill Guided Investing: $0 for 6 months
New enrollments, use offer code 6FREE
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | LANDE | Merrill Edge |
|---|---|---|
| United States | No | Yes |
Questions about each
LANDE
What is the smallest amount I can put into a LANDE loan?+
Loans can be bought from €50. That figure applies to each loan, so spreading money across several companies takes repeated purchases. LANDE presents this entry point as the reason beginners and experienced investors can both take part.
Does LANDE charge investors anything?+
Investors pay €0. LANDE says investors carry no hidden fees, and that the platform earns through borrower-side service fees instead, which it says keeps investment terms transparent. A reader comparing platforms can therefore read the loan terms without stripping an investor charge out of them.
Merrill Edge
What does it cost to trade stocks at Merrill Edge?+
Online stock dealing is priced at a stock trade fee of $0, with an account fee of $0 on the brokerage account. The inactivity fee is $0, so a dormant account is not billed. Options trades are charged separately at $0.65 per contract.
Which regulator supervises Merrill Edge?+
Merrill Edge is supervised in the US, and the regulators recorded for it are FINRA and SEC. The legal entity behind the brand is Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner and Smith Incorporated. Securities held in the account fall under the investor protection arrangement stated as SIPC up to USD 500,000.
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