E*TRADE Reviews

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About E*TRADE

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E*TRADE is an online broker of investment trading. The company offers investment accounts for individual investors and small businesses in the form of stocks, mutual funds, futures, options, bonds, CDs and prebuilt portfolios. In addition to individual online trading, the company offers portfolio management services for an additional cost.

Pros
  • Educational materials
  • Online platform and mobile app
  • Commission-free options
Cons
  • High broker fees
  • Limited local branches

Featured Reviews

Atlanta, GA
Verified purchase
Outstanding program. Displays various trend forecast graphs - very useful tools for making decisions to buy or sell. It has no commission to buy and sell stocks which is nice. Plu...

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Oklahoma City, OK
Verified purchase
I have used E*TRADE for several years and I really appreciate the efficiency of their website. It is very easy for me to buy, sell and make transfers. What sets them apart from ot...

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What is E*TRADE?

E*TRADE users can take advantage of a full range of investment services, including stocks, futures, options, ETFs, mutual funds, bonds, CDs and prebuilt portfolios. Users can choose from a variety of account options. These include brokerage, retirement, core portfolios, managed portfolios and small business accounts, as well as online banking accounts.

Customers who want the guidance of a broker can take advantage of a range of services, including managed portfolio options. However, E*TRADE was designed to let the average Joe trade without the help of a broker, and the services that set it apart from other online investment firms do just that.

For example, E*TRADE has a widely-used app that was designed with beginner investors in mind, as well as a library of investing information geared toward users who are new to personal finance.

How does E*TRADE work?

New users should begin by opening an account through the website and downloading the E*TRADE app, a process that should take about ten minutes. You’ll choose between four types of accounts: brokerage, retirement, managed portfolios and small business retirement accounts.

E*TRADE suggests those new to investing consider brokerage accounts, specifically ETFs or mutual funds. Fund your account in one of four ways: by transferring online (three business days), wire transfer (same business day), transferring a brokerage account (10 business days) or mailing a check (five business days).

Once the account is funded, users form an investment plan using E*TRADE’s online tools. After deciding on a plan, search for trades that match your needs and enter those orders using an online trading ticket. Portfolios update in real time, and E*TRADE provides online tools to help investors monitor the market.

If you need help navigating E*TRADE, call, chat live on the website or email customer support 24/7.

E*TRADE fees

Online, self-directed stock orders are commission-free through E*TRADE. Fixed-income portfolios charge a blended annual advisory fee that can range from .35% to .75% depending on how much is invested and whether or not the portfolio is managed.

Online option orders are $0.65 per contract, though users who trade 30 times or more per quarter pay only $0.50 per contract. Broker-assisted transactions charge $25 per trade plus $0.65 per contract.

E*TRADE’s margin rates are graduated, beginning at 8.95% for those who invest $10,000 or less and ending at 5.45% for those who spend $1 million or more.

E*TRADE FAQ

What does E*TRADE do?

E*TRADE helps non-professional investors trade without the guidance of a broker. With investment opportunities including stocks, options, ETFs, mutual funds, bonds, CDs and prebuilt portfolios, E*TRADE offers a full spectrum of investment services. The company offers brokerage, retirement, core portfolio, managed portfolio and small business accounts, as well as traditional online banking accounts like checking and savings.

Is E*TRADE good for beginners?

Yes, this platform is great for beginners. E*TRADE guides new users through its app and online platform and educates them with infographics and charts. In addition, E*TRADE maintains a library of educational materials for new investors.

How much does it cost to use E*TRADE?

While stocks, options and ETFs cost $0 in commission, options contracts begin at $0.65 per contract and drop to $0.50 per contract after 30 trades per quarter. Futures contracts are $1.50 and bonds are $1 per bond with a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 250.

Does E*TRADE have a minimum balance?

While unmanaged brokerage accounts have no minimum balance, managed options do. Core portfolios, which are robo-managed funds, have a minimum of $500. Other managed portfolios have higher minimum balances: $25,000 for blend portfolios, $150,000 for dedicated portfolios and $250,000 for fixed-income portfolios.

Is E*TRADE good?

E*TRADE is a great choice for investors who hope to trade with no help from investment professionals. The company makes trading accessible for beginners with its educational materials and simple platform, and it provides access to customer service representatives who can help if you’re having technical issues. However, E*TRADE’s broker-assisted trades cost $25 per contract, so its managed portfolio option may be cost-prohibitive.

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E*TRADE Reviews

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    Page 1 Reviews 0 - 10
    Customer Service

    Reviewed July 6, 2025

    Been with eTrade for years for bank and brokerage. Recently have been hacked by what I suspect is a former or current employee and have spent hours and hours trying to get answers and several thousands of dollars returned to me with absolutely no results at all. Their Customer Service is horrible, inconsistent with answers, evasive and vague. They now refuse to "service the account" any longer and have given me no choice but to file a lawsuit. I highly recommend staying away from them or closing your account if you already have one. I got a call from this number and it turned out to be a hacker. They did not keep my money safe.

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    Customer ServiceStaff

    Reviewed July 4, 2025

    Their customer service is atrocious. One agent may tell you one thing, and if you ask another agent the same question (just to keep them honest), you get an entirely different rationale. I enquired about multiple transactions per day on a cash account. Was told it was fine. When the market closed, I called again to ensure that what I did was a-ok. Nope. Another agent told me the consequences and why. If you want a KNOWLEDGEABLE firm, look elsewhere.

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      Customer ServiceStaff

      Reviewed July 2, 2025

      STAY AWAY FROM ETRADE! First, they put a restriction on my account because I didn't have the proper verification. I sent in everything I was supposed to send them, and they still would not lift the restriction. This was on there for years, and I couldn't get it lifted. They put me on hold constantly. When I finally got the restriction lifted, Each person gave me conflicting information about my self-brokerage account. I asked them to close my account and refund my money, but they said I needed more verification. They won't close my account and refund my money. Their customer service is horrible. They kept putting me on hold and giving me the runaround.. Their compliance department kept rejecting the information that I sent in. Please, Please DO NOT do any business with ETrade.

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      Price

      Reviewed July 1, 2025

      Yes I'm one of the earliest customers of the E*TRADE and Morgan Stanley going back to the 1999. Excellent graphical user interface GI to manage to investments and do the daily trading. I was very happy by doing instant transactions at the low cost which professional service if you need to do options for an investments for margin calls. Original office of Detroit Bank was open near Washington DC in Arlington Virginia. I was close to our office and part of our computer company. Was also the part of the E-Trade Bank. They were able to provide very fast financial transactions domestic and international to my vendors and also receive funds from our growing client base and I want to thank you very much for your service for the last 25 years.

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      Customer ServiceCoverage

      Reviewed July 1, 2025

      We have just shy of a half a million dollars sitting in E*TRADE that is in my wife's name only and all I wanted to do was to open up a new account with both our names on it and after being on the phone for over an hour they were not able to open account with me because they could not find an account that I had with them over a decade ago therefore not able to open a new account, REALLY!!! Morgan Stanley can't open up an account with me on it because they can't find my old account information with Etrade. Well a half a million dollars may not be much money to them but they can kiss it good bye.... I will be opening a different bank account with a different bank and they can play with my money. The sad thing is I was getting ready to transfer another half million dollars to them because they insure for a million dollars in one account but they blew that one!!

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      Reviewed June 23, 2025

      Worst brokerage ever. I transferred money to E-trade only for them to "restrict" funds and never unrestrict them. Funds are still locked and inaccessible to this day. Effectively, the money was stolen.

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      Customer ServiceSales & Marketing

      Reviewed June 12, 2025

      I'm an ETRADE customer for 15 years; they suck now. I've been on the phone for 45 minutes trying to get my debit card to work and they're trying to sell me financial services I don't want. I used to have someone I could call who knew me and was helpful.

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      Reviewed June 8, 2025

      I had a really bad experience with e*trade, and I couldn't withdraw my money. Thankfully, “Imperial-Wave” intervened, and I was able to get my money at ease in a successful way, with their professionalism.

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      Customer ServicePrice

      Reviewed June 2, 2025

      Can't wait to pull my money from E*Trade and place with a better platform. One of so many disappointing experiences is the lack of customer service. Purchase a short position, a margin call was made. I made a deposit, but they purchased a buy back of the stock that I had shorted (at a higher price). Then immediately afterwards (11 minutes) processed my deposit that they had to see was already made into my account. Even if I purchased it back, my loss was $791, 1 day trade count and get this.... They even charged me a $20 fee. Want to trade stock? Stay away from E*Trade!

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      Customer ServiceInstallation & SetupStaffProcess

      Reviewed May 29, 2025

      I attempted to open an account with E*TRADE on two separate occasions and was unsuccessful both times. The overall process was far more complicated than it needed to be, with excessive steps and unclear instructions that made the experience frustrating from the start. What made matters worse was the lack of support. The account specialists I interacted with seemed inexperienced and were not able to provide helpful guidance or solutions. Instead of simplifying the process, they added to the confusion and left me with more questions than answers.

      For a platform that markets itself as user-friendly and accessible, my experience was the opposite. I expected a smoother onboarding process and better customer service, but unfortunately, E*TRADE fell short in both areas. Based on my experience, I would not recommend E*TRADE—at least not for anyone looking for a straightforward and supportive account opening process.

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      E*TRADE Company Information

      Company Name:
      E*TRADE
      Year Founded:
      1982
      Address:
      1271 Avenue of the Americas, 14th Floor
      City:
      New York
      State/Province:
      NY
      Postal Code:
      10020-1302
      Country:
      United States
      Website:
      www.etrade.com