Webull vs. E*TRADE Introduction
If you’re thinking about opening a brokerage account, it makes sense to stack Webull and E*TRADE side by side first. These
two firms are recognizable names and long-standing competitors in the investing space.
Cost
| Broker Fees |
Stock/ETF
Commission |
Mutual Fund
Commission |
Options
Commission |
Maintenance
Fee |
Annual IRA
Fee |
|
Webull
|
$0
|
na
|
$0 per contract
|
$0
|
$0
|
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E*TRADE
|
$0
|
$0
|
$0.65 per contract
|
$0
|
$0
|
On commissions, Webull comes in cheaper than E*TRADE. It also
posts much lower margin rates, which is important for anyone who expects to borrow to trade.
Services
| Broker Review |
Cost |
Investment Products |
Trading Tools |
Customer Service |
Research |
Overall Rating |
|
Webull
|
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|
|
|
|
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E*TRADE
|
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Promotions
Webull:
3.5% match on contributions and $20 stock bonus with $500 deposit at Webull.
E*TRADE:
Currently, no promotions.
Investment Opportunities
Webull supports self-directed trading in stocks, options, bonds, futures, ETFs, and OTC securities. The
stock lineup also covers penny stocks and other over-the-counter names.
E*TRADE expands the menu in several areas that Webull still does not match.
E*TRADE offers mutual funds, broader fixed-income access, and futures trading.
E*TRADE also operates a large advisory business with multiple managed-account choices. The lowest-cost option is the firm’s robo-advisor, which charges 30 basis points per year with a $500 minimum deposit. Traditional advisory services are available as well, with separate fees and minimums. One of these solutions is provided through E*TRADE’s parent company, Morgan Stanley.
E*TRADE has a broad list of account registrations. These include individual and joint accounts, education accounts, retirement accounts (including solo 401k plans), and custodial accounts.
Webull still has a narrower account lineup. Even so, it now goes beyond just individual and retirement accounts, with offerings that include joint accounts and some specialized account types.
Winner: E*TRADE
Customer Service
E*TRADE clients who want support have several ways to get it. One option is in-person assistance through Morgan Stanley locations in major U.S. cities, including:
- Portland, OR
- Charlotte, NC
- Morristown, NJ
- Temple Terrace, FL
- San Francisco, CA
- Gilbert, AZ
Availability can vary by location.
Unlike branch support, E*TRADE’s phone service is available Monday through Friday, nearly all day. Some specialty teams, including retirement support, may keep shorter hours.
E*TRADE’s website has a large self-service area that can be reached from the upper-right corner of the site. A chat widget is also available, although it is often automated, and we have occasionally reached a live representative. There is also a secure document upload tool under customer service, which has worked well in our experience.
Webull’s website is lighter on support features. Some self-service tools are available on the My Account page, which can be found under the main menu in the upper-right corner.
Webull does not have branch locations, which leaves it behind in this category. It does offer email and phone support, although the current posted phone hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM ET. In our testing, responses were quick (within one business day) and useful.
Winner: E*TRADE
Websites
For browser-based trading tools, Webull comes out ahead. Its website includes a browser platform (opened from the trade tab in the top menu) with a long list of useful features, including:
- Full-screen charts with many tools
- Multiple watchlists
- Price ladder
- Three order tickets with advanced features
- Level II quotes
- Alerts
- Time & sales data
- Simulated trading
- Hot keys
The main site itself does not handle trading directly, so this separate platform has to be opened to place orders. The website does include market news and simple charts, but not much more than that.
E*TRADE’s website does support direct trading. Each security page has buy and sell buttons near the top, along with icons for alerts and watchlists, which can be created in unlimited numbers.
There is also a charting tab. A small chart appears first, but expanding it unlocks more tools. We did run into some display problems in Google Chrome.
Those problems disappeared when we switched to Power, E*TRADE’s browser-based trading platform. This platform can be launched from the Complete View dashboard.
Power includes many strong features, such as:
- Full-screen charting with many tools (without display issues)
- Advanced order tickets with professional-level trade types (such as Hidden and OCO)
- Quick Trade ticket
- Integrated option spreads
Winner: E*TRADE
Other Software
Both brokers strengthen their trading lineups with capable desktop platforms. E*TRADE’s downloadable platform is called Power E*TRADE Pro, and it delivers a wide set of advanced tools. Its conditional order ticket handles sophisticated trade types, including:
- One-triggers-OCO
- Contingent
- Bracketed
Charting is excellent as well, and one feature we especially like is the free live stream of Bloomberg TV.
Webull’s desktop platform does not offer video news, but it still packs in many valuable tools. Like Power E*TRADE Pro, Webull delivers strong charting and advanced order entry. In fact, Webull has three separate order ticket formats.
Layouts can be saved on both systems, but only Webull includes simulated trading on its desktop platform.
Mobile apps are available, too. E*TRADE offers two app experiences, one of which is the Power app modeled after its browser platform. Simulated trading is available there, along with advanced multi-leg order tickets. The standard app includes mobile check deposit, option chains, Level II quotes, and Bloomberg video news.
Webull’s app misses some of those extras, such as mobile check deposit and Bloomberg-style video news, but it makes up ground with social-networking features. The app also provides strong charting and cryptocurrency trading.
Winner: Webull
Margin
Since both brokers cater to active traders, margin trading is available at each firm. Accounts can be changed between margin and cash status on either website through the account settings area.
All three of Webull’s platforms show margin information, such as overnight leverage, for entered ticker symbols. E*TRADE’s website and desktop platform provide comparable tools. On the website, margin data appears on the Portfolios page under the Accounts tab. On the desktop platform, the margin calculator is found under the Tools tab.
Borrowing is never free. Webull posts competitive margin rates, while E*TRADE’s rates are steeper. Webull charges 8.74%,
while E*TRADE’s rates begin at 12.45%.
Winner: Webull
Security Research
Coming up with investing ideas is not always easy, but both brokers provide research tools. Webull includes search tools for stocks and cryptocurrencies, plus forex data, although forex itself cannot be traded.
A stock page on Webull’s website shows basic information. More detailed material is available on the other platforms, including the mobile app. These details include:
- Cost distribution estimates
- Large order data
- Order flow
- Short interest
- Analyst ratings (52 for Amazon)
We did not find order flow or cost distribution data at E*TRADE, but the broker delivers many other research resources. Easy screeners are available across asset classes. E*TRADE’s ETF screener is better than Webull’s, and we especially like the free PDF stock reports from multiple analysts (7 reports for Amazon and 35 analyst recommendations).
Winner: E*TRADE, for its PDF reports and stronger screeners
Other Services
Extended-hours Trading: Both brokers offer pre-market and after-hours trading.
Webull starts pre-market trading about three hours earlier.
Initial Public Offerings: Both Webull and E*TRADE offer access to upcoming IPOs. Enrollment is straightforward through Webull’s mobile app and E*TRADE’s website.
Banking Tools: Despite the name, E*TRADE provides banking products through an FDIC-insured bank. Depending on the account, benefits can include ATM fee refunds. Webull pays a very high
3.35% APY on cash balances, which is above what many traditional banks offer.
Individual Retirement Accounts: Webull offers Roth, Traditional, and Rollover IRAs, and beneficiaries can be designated on these accounts. E*TRADE offers these plus Complete IRAs, Inherited IRAs, small-business retirement plans, and IRA options for minors. That wider lineup gives E*TRADE more flexibility for retirement savers.
Fractional Shares: Webull, but not E*TRADE, allows
fractional share trading for select stocks and ETFs.
DRIP Service: Both Webull and E*TRADE allow cash dividends to be reinvested into additional shares.
Winner: Webull
Recommendations
Small Accounts: Neither broker sets a minimum for self-directed accounts. We would
lean toward Webull for simple taxable accounts and basic IRAs because of its fractional-share trading and lower borrowing costs.
Long-Term Investors & Retirement Savers: E*TRADE stands out by offering investment advice, branch access,
custodial accounts, small business plans, solo 401k plans, and lifecycle mutual funds.
ETF/Stock Trading: Webull has an advantage thanks to fractional-share trading and
lower margin rates.
Beginners: Managed accounts at E*TRADE, whether robo or traditional, offer an easy path to get started. Another route is buying index funds at Webull and skipping managed-account fees.
Promotions
Webull:
3.5% match on contributions and $20 stock bonus with $500 deposit at Webull.
E*TRADE:
Currently, no promotions.
Webull vs E*TRADE Judgement
Webull is still expanding fast and rolling out new tools, while E*TRADE remains a very strong and more rounded broker overall.
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Updated on 4/22/2026.
Chad Morris is a financial writer with more than 20 years experience
as both an English teacher and an avid trader. When he isn’t writing
expert content for Brokerage-Review.com, Chad can usually be found
managing his portfolio or building a new home computer.
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