Zacks Trade review
Updated September 28, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
Zacks Trade is a US broker built for experienced traders and day traders who want options and margin, charging a stock trade fee of $1 and a minimum deposit of $250 on its IRA account. The catch is the $15 inactivity fee for anyone whose account sits idle.
Key facts
- Best for
- Experienced US traders who want options, margin and an IRA.
- Minimum deposit
- $250 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Stock trade fee
- $1 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Inactivity fee
- $15 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Markets
- Stocks, ETFs, Options, Bonds, 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)
- Margin rate
- 8.83% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Options contract fee
- $1 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Platforms
- Zacks Trade Pro, Client Portal, Zacks Trade app (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Account types
- IRA (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- LBMZ Securities Inc. (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- United States (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Founded
- 2013 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Email, Chat, Phone (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Features
- Mobile app, Options
- Pricing model
- Low fees
- Audience
- Experienced traders, Day traders
- Official website
- zackstrade.com
Apps and profiles
- Get the app
- App Store
Pros and cons
Pros
- Simple per-trade pricing: $1 a stock, $1 an options contract, margin at 8.83%.
- FINRA registration under licence 7874, and client holdings sit with SIPC protection.
- Support covers email, chat and phone, so phone and chat are both available.
- Platforms listed are Zacks Trade Pro, Client Portal and Zacks Trade app, with a mobile app and options trading among the features.
Cons
- The $15 inactivity fee sits above the €10 upper quartile among the brokers compared.
- A $250 minimum deposit is well above the €4.64 median on the site.
- Account types cover ira only, which rules out a taxable brokerage account for wider investing.
Who it suits
- Experienced traders and day traders who already know the markets they trade.
- US investors who want an IRA and plan to trade options or use margin.
- Investors who will keep trading, since the inactivity fee applies once an account goes quiet.
Who should look elsewhere
- CFI, which takes a minimum deposit of $0 rather than $250.
- eToro, where a stock trade costs $0 against $1 here.
- Vantage, with a minimum deposit of $5, which suits a smaller starting balance.
Where it sits among rivals
Zacks Trade sits at 174 of 213 brokers on minimum deposit, so the entry level is well outside the middle of the field. The stock trade fee places it 107 of 161, and the inactivity fee 42 of 56. Reasonable to trade, pricier to sit still.
How Zacks Trade compares
8.7 vs 9.0
8.7 vs 9.4
8.7 vs 8.7
MarketScreener
8.7 vs 9.4
8.7 vs 8.7
8.7 vs 9.0
8.7 vs 9.3
8.7 vs 8.7
8.7 vs 8.6
8.7 vs 9.2eToro charges $0 on a stock trade where Zacks Trade charges $1.
8.7 vs 8.7
Kitco
8.7 vs 9.1
8.7 vs 9.0
8.7 vs 9.0Pepperstone
Vaulted
wikifolio.com
Intellectia
Winvest
Libertex International
XM VN
Where Zacks Trade is available
- Available
- United States
- Licence in United States
- FINRA (7874), checked September 26, 2026
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What does it cost to trade stocks and options?+
Stocks cost $1 per trade and options contracts $1, and the account opens at a minimum deposit of $250. Margin runs at 8.83%. Every figure here applies to the IRA account, which is the account type on offer.
Is my money protected and who regulates the broker?+
Zacks Trade is registered with FINRA under licence 7874, and the legal entity behind the brand is LBMZ Securities Inc. Client holdings sit with SIPC protection, which is the scheme covering money in the account rather than the firm's own balance sheet.
Is there an inactivity fee?+
Yes, an inactivity fee of $15 applies to idle accounts, and it ranks 42 of 56 among the brokers compared. That is a real running cost for anyone holding an IRA for years without trading.
Which platforms and apps can I use?+
The platforms listed are Zacks Trade Pro, Client Portal and Zacks Trade app, and the stated features are a mobile app and options trading. Day traders are part of the stated audience, so the app is a core part of the offering rather than an extra add-on.
What account types are on offer?+
One account type only: an IRA. The account types listed are ira, so anyone wanting a taxable brokerage account for wider investing has to look elsewhere. Every fee on this page applies to that IRA account.
Who is the broker built for?+
The stated audience is experienced traders and day traders, so the service assumes knowledge of markets. Support is offered on email, chat and phone. Someone starting out and wanting guidance may find that harder than a more beginner friendly platform.
Can UK and European investors open an account?+
The broker is headquartered in the US and the legal entity is LBMZ Securities Inc., registered with FINRA under licence 7874. Protection runs through SIPC. The account on offer is an IRA, a US retirement wrapper, so readers elsewhere should check eligibility before opening.
Which markets are covered?+
The markets listed are stocks, etfs and options, so bonds and funds sit alongside stocks, ETFs and options. For anyone wanting to gear up, the margin rate is 8.83%. That mix suits investors who trade rather than only hold.
Sources
- brokercheck.finra.org/Firm/Summary/7874 checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Investor protection, Regulators, Licences
- zackstrade.com checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Audience, Features, Pricing model
“A platform designed with active traders in mind”
- zackstrade.com/about-us checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Founded
“Zacks Trade is an online trading brokerage founded in 2013”
- zackstrade.com/commissions-fees checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Inactivity fee, Minimum deposit, Options contract fee, Stock trade fee
“Inactivity fee $15/ month for accounts under $25,000 on Stocks & ETFs account”
- zackstrade.com/contact-us checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Headquarters, Legal entity, Support channels
“101 N Wacker Drive, Floor 15, Chicago, IL 60606”
- zackstrade.com/margin checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Account types, Margin rate, Markets
“limited margin trading privileges in IRAs”
- zackstrade.com/trading-platforms checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Platforms
“Zacks Trade Pro, Client Portal, Zacks Trade app”
Compiled from 7 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Account fee, Retail accounts that lose money.