Head to head
Vanguard Brokerage Services vs E*TRADE
Both platforms are scored with the same methodology and the same category rubric. Nothing on this page is influenced by advertising.
62/100Higher score | 50/100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Category rank | #1 | #4 |
| Confidence | High confidence | High confidence |
| External Reputation | 92 | 58 |
| AI Authority | 40 | 16 |
| Web Authority | 45 | 66 |
| Expert Assessment | 63 | 69 |
| TOP10 User Score | — | — |
| Pricing | $0 online stock/ETF commission; $25 annual account service fee (waivable) · free tier: No account minimum stated in the fee schedule; $0 online commissions on US stocks, ETFs and Vanguard mutual funds at all tiers; $25 annual account service fee waived by electing e-delivery | $0 per online US-listed stock/ETF trade; options $0.65 per contract · free tier: $0 online commissions on US-listed stocks, ETFs, mutual funds and options; $0 exercise and assignment; $0 US Treasury auction and online secondary Treasury trades; no subscription tiers |
| Pricing model | Commission and fee schedule tiered by Qualifying Assets | Usage-based |
| Best for | US passive investors with a taxable account and an IRA who buy broad-market ETFs or index funds monthly, elect e-delivery, self-serve online, ladder new-issue Treasuries or CDs, and intend to hold for decades — best of all above $1M in Qualifying Assets. | US-based self-directed long-term investors buying US-listed stocks, ETFs, no-transaction-fee mutual funds and Treasuries who trade infrequently, avoid margin, and want brokerage plus FDIC-insured banking in one place. |
| Avoid if | You are an active, options-heavy or margin trader, want non-US market access or advanced tooling, need responsive phone support for estate/trust/complex transfers, trade third-party transaction-fee funds under $1M, or may move brokers soon given the $100 transfer-out fee. | You borrow on margin, trade OTC or foreign securities frequently, are based outside the US, expect to switch brokers soon (the $75 transfer-out applies), or need reliably responsive human support during account problems. |
| Markets | Retail investors, Retirement savers, High-net-worth (Wealth Management tier) | Retail self-directed investors, Active traders, Long-term buy-and-hold investors, Employee stock plan participants |
| Founded | — | — |
| Headquarters | Malvern, Pennsylvania, USA | — |
A higher TOP SCORE means more of the evidence favours that platform on this methodology — it is not a recommendation, and it does not account for your specific requirements. Advertisers are never declared the winner of a comparison.