TD Ameritrade’s research selection really stands out from other brokerages, with research, analysis, commentary and news available from 15 providers, including FRED, Argus, CFRA, Reuters, Vickers and Morningstar. However, the broker doesn’t charge for partial transfers, nor are there annual or inactivity fees. There is no commission on exchange-listed stock trading at TD Ameritrade, although OTC trades will cost you $6.95.

But the broker also offers two high-featured platforms that can do much more. Those investing in individual stocks will appreciate the broker’s research, including reports from Morningstar, CFRA, Thomson Reuters and others. Each stock page includes access to SEC filings, earnings, and any related news, so you’re fully up to date. The offers that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us. But this compensation does not influence the information we publish, or the reviews that you see on this site.

Trade with a Regulated Broker

Surprisingly, few online brokers offer mock trading accounts on their platforms, so this is fairly unique. TD Ameritrade’s paperMoney virtual simulator is a desktop-based platform geared toward advanced and frequent traders. It provides $100,000 in practice “money” along with access to a margin account. The mobile app remains an attractive place for options traders but is a no-go for those looking for mutual funds or a wide range of account types. We picked TD Ameritrade as the top broker for customer service and investor education, and think it’s the best pick for beginners and mobile options traders alike.

Clients can choose from 25 predefined stock screeners or build their own screens, using parameters such as fundamental metrics, sector, valuation, performance, and technical indicators. If you’re looking for more advanced charting functionality, like chart customization, use the thinkorswim mobile app as the capabilities increase by a considerable extent. You can also use the thinkorswim mobile app to trade multi-leg options, perform analysis on positions, and more, with similar functionality to the thinkorswim downloadable platform. To get started, a prominent, green “trade” button greets users on the top right of the screen.

Does TD Ameritrade charge a monthly fee?

The tool allows for filtering of individual bonds, CDs, and build a bond ladder. Even though Charles Schwab has acquired TD Ameritrade, the broker still operates as a separate entity. Look no further than our evaluation of the TD Ameritrade account opening.

You can add iShares ETFs to your portfolio with a $0 commission, and other stock trades cost just $4.95 – which is pretty cheap. The TD Ameritrade mobile apps are built with a similar design to their desktop versions. This makes it easy for traders to switch from the desktop version to the mobile app. The apps have a simplified user interface that offers practical functionality in an easy-to-use package. While TD Ameritrade doesn’t charge an inactivity fee, it does impose a $75 transfer-out fee for your full account, though partial transfers are free. And although the broker doesn’t impose a fee for trading some mutual funds, it will dock you a short-term trading fee of $49.99 if you don’t hold the fund for at least 180 days.

Commission-free funds

We do not include the universe of companies or financial offers that may be available to you. Thanks to a pricing war in October 2019, TD Ameritrade, like a number of online brokers, slashed its $6.95 stock and ETF trades rate down to $0. TD Ameritrade doesn’t offer direct access to cryptocurrencies; however, crypto-based products, such as Grayscale Bitcoin Trust, are available through TD Ameritrade on the over-the-counter market. Qualified TD Ameritrade clients can also trade Bitcoin futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME). Though the selection of 1,600 no-transaction-fee mutual funds isn’t quite as large as at some other brokers, you’ll still have plenty of choice in this category.

One of the stock market’s key advantages is that there are several methods to benefit from it. One asset that TD Ameritrade doesn’t currently support is cryptocurrency. Clients can buy shares of crypto-themed ETFs, but there’s no way to invest directly https://traderoom.info/videforex-a-reliable-broker/ in Bitcoin, Ethereum, or other coins. This way, I was able to create something customized to what I need from my investments. More hands-on, yes, but it helps me find the exact right stocks I want to buy without doing a TON of research.

Get started risk-free with paperMoney®

However, if you’re starting small and looking to trade fractional shares, you’ll need to find a different option. Customer service representatives were asked for assistance or details in several areas of broker services, including account opening, trading tools, apps, rollovers, active trading, and more. Here are the results for TD Ameritrade, which took our top award for customer service in our 2023 annual review. TD Ameritrade offers two in-house trading platforms – its standard web platform and the thinkorswim platform. This may be off-putting for traders who are used to industry-standard platforms like MT4 and MT5. There are two mobile apps on offer at TD Ameritrade – the TD Ameritrade mobile app and the thinkorswim mobile app, that mirror the features of the standard and thinkorswim web platforms, respectively.

• The firm has secured additional third-party coverage for accounts that exceed SIPC limits.
• The platform is widely recognized as a sound choice for options trading, with this trading type available on both the web platform and thinkorswim as well as the mobile apps.
• TD Ameritrade provides a dividend reinvestment program (DRIP) to clients who own dividend-paying assets.
• Trading concepts and investing strategies are broken down into individual lessons, allowing users to learn and grow their knowledge at their own pace.

TD Ameritrade’s virtual trading platform paperMoney is a desktop platform most suited to advanced traders. You’ll get $100,000 in virtual money to practice with as well as a margin account to increase your buying power. Investors will get to backtest strategies and practice backtesting, access futures and foreign exchanges. For those looking to take a more hands-off approach to trading, TD also offers, via its TD Ameritrade Essential Portfolios robo-advisor services. The robo-advisor is an automated investment service that builds a portfolio according to customer data. Namely their stated pre-stated risk tolerance, tax situation and overall investment needs.

What about the minimum deposit?

It’s one of the largest brokerages in America, with over $6 trillion in customer assets, and is trusted by over 28 million customers. TD Ameritrade is a technology-focused company that understands its customers and delivers a high-quality client experience. Especially with $0 stock and ETF trades, any investor or trader, new or seasoned, will find TD Ameritrade fulfills their needs. We found the live chat agents were polite and responsive and found that they are well trained with an in-depth knowledge of both trading platforms and accounts. Thinkorswim includes scanners, heat maps, access to extensive third-party research, and comes with a host of market data from the national and international markets.