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E*Trade vs Merrill Edge
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
- 3
- Merrill Edge leads
- 0
- Level
- 6
Of 9 scored facts, E*Trade leads on 3, Merrill Edge on 0, and 6 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 |  Merrill Edge |
|---|---|---|
| Fee per contract | $0.65 per contract | $0.65 per contract |
| E*Trade, $0.50 at 30+ trades per quarter | Merrill Edge, Cash-settled exercise and assignment charged per contract | |
| Exercise and assignment | Free | Free |
| Approval | Naked | Naked |
| E*Trade, Up to naked short options | Merrill Edge, Up to naked short options | |
| 0DTE | Yes | Yes |
| Index options (SPX) | Yes | Yes |
| Options on futures | Yes | Not published |
| Spreads in an IRA | YesBest | No |
| Portfolio margin | Yes | Not published |
| Margin rate | 11.70% | Not published |
| Platforms | Web, Desktop, Mobile, APIBest | Web, Mobile |
| Paper trading | Yes | Not published |
| 24/7 support | Yes | Yes |
| Countries | Eligibility list not published; non-US citizens may apply by mailed international application | US residents only |
| QuantWheel | Trade & SyncBest | Not connected |
| E*Trade, Reads the account and places the orders you approve | ||
| 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.
Merrill Edge$0.65 per contract · free exercise · naked
Merrill Edge opens options accounts for residents of the United States only. It charges $0.65 per contract (Cash-settled exercise and assignment charged per contract). Exercise and assignment are free. It approves up to naked short options. It trades on Web, Mobile. It is not connected to QuantWheel.
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
- Merrill Edge$0.92 a trade, 0.8% of your premium
- $88 to $89 a year
E*Trade is $20 to $21 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 Merrill Edge does not publish them: clearing fee, options regulatory fee, FINRA trading activity fee, inactivity fee.
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 Merrill Edge