Buy Bitcoin at Vanguard
You cannot invest on Vanguard in Bitcoin (BTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH) or
any other crypto currencies at this time. As an alternative, you can use a
$0 commission broker called Webull that does offer crypto currencies trading.
Webull Promotion
Open WeBull Account
TD Ameritrade vs Vanguard Broker Rivalry
Vanguard and TD Ameritrade (TDA) are popular brokerage firms, although there are some significant differences between them. Let's take a detailed look at what each firm has to offer, and try to
determine which is better - TD Ameritrade or Vanguard.
Cost Comparison
Services
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Cost |
Investment Products |
Trading Tools |
Customer Service |
Research |
Overall Rating |
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TD Ameritrade
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Vanguard
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Commissions and Account Requirements
TD Ameritrade and Vanguard customers pay $0 for stock and ETF trades.
Derivative traders at TD Ameritrade pay an extra $0.65 per contract for options. Traders at Vanguard pay $1 for
every contract.
Placing a trade with a living, breathing broker at TD Ameritrade costs $25. Vanguard's fee is
determined by account size. The fee is either $20 or $0.
Securities accounts at both brokers have no inactivity or annual fees (at Vanguard, customers with under $50,000 deposited in Vanguard ETF's and mutual funds must sign
up for electronic delivery of communications). Both brokerage firms have no opening deposit requirement.
Overall, TD Ameritrade wins here.
Funds
TD Ameritrade clients have access to more than 13,000 mutual funds. Nearly 4,200 come with no load and no
transaction fee (free). Mutual funds with a transaction fee cost $49.99.
Vanguard has more than 16,000 mutual funds for its clients to trade. Some of these funds have no transaction
fee and no load. Mutual funds that do have a transaction fee are $20.
TD Ameritrade and Vanguard offer ALL(!) ETF's commissions-free. The expense ratios of the TD Ameritrade listings
vary between 0.05% and 0.85%. Some of TD Ameritrade's commission-free ETF's are Vanguard funds.
This category is a tie.
Can You Buy Vanguard Funds Through TD Ameritrade?
For readers who are wondering "Can I buy Vanguard funds through TD Ameritrade?", we have the article exploring this topic in detail
under this link.
Education and Research
TD Ameritrade has excellent research for securities. Traders have access to free equity reports from several third-party analysts. A search tool called Bond Wizard leads investors step-by-step to find appropriate fixed-income investments. The broker also has many educational videos on its website, covering topics such as how to buy put options, and how to trade forex using margin.
Vanguard has good information on its website for investors planning for education and retirement. There are educational pamphlets on its site in pdf format. The broker has effective screeners for all major securities. Third-party stock reports from Argus and MarketGrader are available to Vanguard clients at no cost. The site has fewer instructional videos compared to TD Ameritrade.
Vanguard loses this category.
Promotions
TD Ameritrade: $0 commissions + transfer fee reimbursement.
Vanguard: none right now.
Customer Service
TD Ameritrade has phone representatives available 24/7. At certain hours of the day, there are reps who speak Cantonese, Mandarin, and Spanish. The firm has a nationwide network of branches, with more than 100 locations currently.
Vanguard has weekday phone service. The broker offers a phone number for investors traveling outside America. Regrettably, the broker does not have local branches.
TD Ameritrade wins this category.
Trading Tools
TD Ameritrade has multiple platforms. First is the web site, which is easy to use. Next is Trade Architect,
a Java-based system. The final platform is thinkorswim, a desktop platform. There are no frequent trader
requirements for any platform. A valuable tool that TD Ameritrade has is paperMoney, a system within thinkorswim that lets users practice trading with a fake currency.
Vanguard's site is more difficult to navigate than TD Ameritrade's. Trading occurs within the web browser with basic trade pages. Regrettably, the broker doesn't have an advanced trading platform.
TD Ameritrade easily wins the category.
Mobile Platforms
Vanguard has apps for Kindle Fire, iPad, iPhone, and Android. The app is user friendly. Users can make a mobile check deposit, get in touch with customer service, or place trades. Unfortunately, there's no live streaming of news.
TD Ameritrade has a total of three apps: Mobile app, Mobile Trader app, and a thinkorswim app. They can be used on Apple and Android. The standard Mobile app can also be used on Windows 10. The thinkorswim app has live streaming of CNBC, which the Vanguard app lacks.
TD Ameritrade wins the category, once again.
Banking Features
TD Ameritrade clients can open a checking account, which comes with a free Visa debit card and free checks. There are no monthly account fees, and ATM fees are reimbursed nationwide.
Vanguard provides a cash management account, but clients are required to have $500,000 in Vanguard ETF's and mutual funds to apply. Both checks and the debit card come with fees for investors who have less than $1,000,000 in Vanguard assets.
TD Ameritrade wins this category without a doubt.
Additional Features
TD Ameritrade offers both forex and futures trading. Vanguard offers neither.
Once again, TD Ameritrade is victorious.
Promotions
TD Ameritrade: $0 commissions + transfer fee reimbursement.
Vanguard: none right now.
TD Ameritrade vs Vanguard Results
There was one tie and TD Ameritrade won all other categories in this online broker comparison. Even so,
Vanguard is still a good option for investors with at least $50,000 who want to invest in funds with low
expense ratios.
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