Compare
E*Trade vs Interactive Brokers
The same facts side by side. Swap a broker from the menu under its logo; the best value in each row is marked.
- E*Trade leads
- 2
- Interactive Brokers leads
- 1
- Level
- 10
Of 13 scored facts, E*Trade leads on 2, Interactive Brokers on 1, and 10 are level. Countries and the offer are not scored.
Head-to-head
The best value in each row is marked; rows where every broker matches carry no mark.| Fact |  E*Trade |  Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Fee per contract | $0.65 per contract | $0.65 per contract |
| E*Trade, $0.50 at 30+ trades per quarter | Interactive Brokers, $1 minimum; additional fees | |
| Exercise and assignment | Free | Free |
| Approval | Naked | Naked |
| E*Trade, Up to naked short options | Interactive Brokers, Up to naked short options | |
| 0DTE | Yes | Yes |
| Index options (SPX) | Yes | Yes |
| Options on futures | Yes | Yes |
| Spreads in an IRA | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio margin | Yes | Yes |
| Margin rate | 11.70% | 5.38%Best |
| Platforms | Web, Desktop, Mobile, API | Web, Desktop, Mobile, API |
| Paper trading | Yes | Yes |
| 24/7 support | YesBest | No |
| Countries | Eligibility list not published; non-US citizens may apply by mailed international application | Over 200 countries and territories (IBKR group) |
| QuantWheel | Trade & SyncBest | Sync-only |
| E*Trade, Reads the account and places the orders you approve | Interactive Brokers, Reads the account; you place the orders | |
| Offer |
Facts from each broker's fee schedule and options agreement, checked 8 October 2026. Best marks the lowest cost or the widest allowance in a row.
The two brokers
One paragraph each.E*Trade$0.65 per contract · free exercise · naked
E*Trade opens options accounts for residents of the United States, among the 9 countries this directory covers. It charges $0.65 per contract ($0.50 at 30+ trades per quarter). Exercise and assignment are free. It approves up to naked short options. It trades on Web, Desktop, Mobile, API. QuantWheel syncs positions and trades from the account and suggests; with Trade & Sync the orders you approve go to the broker from QuantWheel.
Interactive Brokers$0.65 per contract · free exercise · naked
Interactive Brokers opens options accounts for residents of the United States, Mexico and Brazil, among the 9 countries this directory covers. It charges $0.65 per contract ($1 minimum; additional fees). Exercise and assignment are free. It approves up to naked short options. It trades on Web, Desktop, Mobile, API. QuantWheel syncs positions and trades from the account and suggests; you place the orders at the broker.
What each costs for the way you trade
A year of fees from each broker's published prices, checked 7 and 8 October 2026.
- E*Trade$0.71 a trade, 0.6% of your premium, fee not published
- $68 a year
- Interactive Brokers$1.45 a trade, 1.4% of your premium
- $157 a year
E*Trade is $89 a year lower on the fees it publishes, and it does not publish every fee this strategy needs
Not counted because E*Trade does not publish them: clearing fee, options regulatory fee, live options quote price, inactivity fee. Not counted because Interactive Brokers does not publish them: options regulatory fee varies by exchange (not published as one amount).
Estimates from published fees. Your broker statement can differ, and brokers change fees. A fee a broker does not publish is never counted as $0.
Questions people ask
E*Trade vs Interactive Brokers