Merrill Edge vs TradeStation - BrokerCue
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Broker Comparison

Merrill Edge vs TradeStation

Compare Merrill Edge and TradeStation side by side: fees, regulation, platforms.

Merrill Edge

Merrill Edge

Bank of America customers and long-term investors

Merrill Edge is a Bank of America brokerage offering commission-free stocks, ETFs and options, integrated ban…

VS
TradeStation

TradeStation

Active traders using stocks, options and futures

TradeStation offers active trading in stocks, ETFs, options, futures, mutual funds and bonds, with desktop, w…

Head-to-head comparison

Merrill Edge vs TradeStation
Feature Merrill Edge TradeStation
Minimum deposit - -
Stock trading fee $0 per online trade; broker-assisted: $29.95 $0 commissions; sub-dollar/OTC $0.005 per share
Regulators FINRA, SEC SEC, CFTC, FINRA, NFA
Best for Bank of America customers and long-term investors Active traders using stocks, options and futures
Markets & account
Stocks
ETFs
Bonds
Options
Futures
-
Funds
Margin
Money Market Funds
-
Ready Made Portfolios
-
Demo Account
-

Pros & cons

Merrill Edge

Merrill Edge

Pros

  • No commissions on online stock and ETF trades
  • No account minimum and no inactivity fee
  • Integrated with Bank of America banking via single login
  • BofA Rewards program offers banking perks for combined account holders
  • SIPC protection up to $500,000 plus additional Lloyd's of London coverage
  • MarketPro platform for active traders with Level II quotes
  • Extensive research tools and educational resources
  • Merrill Guided Investing robo-advisor available from $1,000

Cons

  • No fractional shares
  • No cryptocurrency trading
  • No futures or forex trading
  • No paper trading or demo account
  • Margin rates are high compared to some competitors
  • Mobile app options trading experience is limited
  • No-transaction-fee mutual fund list is smaller than some competitors
TradeStation

TradeStation

Pros

  • $0 stock and ETF commissions in the pricing table
  • Options fall to $0 per contract above 10,000 monthly contracts
  • Micro futures commissions start at $0.25 per contract, per side
  • FuturesPlus has no platform fees
  • Simulated trading supports paper trading and backtesting
  • API access supports custom multi-asset execution workflows
  • Cash balances over $100,000 can earn 0.15%

Cons

  • $10 monthly inactivity fee unless minimum activity is met
  • Outgoing account transfers cost $125
  • Sending wires cost $25 or $35 depending on account type
  • Mutual fund trades cost $14.95 per transaction
  • Sub-dollar and OTC equity trades cost $0.005 per share
  • FuturesPlus futures trades cost $1.75 per contract, per side
  • Margin positions require a minimum of $2,000
  • Non-brokerage platform access costs $99.99/$199.99 monthly
Merrill Edge

Merrill Edge

Merrill Edge is a Bank of America brokerage offering commission-free stocks, ETFs and options, integrated banking rewards, and a robo-advisor service.

Visit Merrill Edge Read review

Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply.

TradeStation

TradeStation

TradeStation offers active trading in stocks, ETFs, options, futures, mutual funds and bonds, with desktop, web, mobile, FuturesPlus and API tools.

Visit TradeStation Read review

Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply.

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