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E*Trade vs TradeZero
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
- TradeZero leads
- 2
- Level
- 4
Of 8 scored facts, E*Trade leads on 2, TradeZero on 2, and 4 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 |  TradeZero |
|---|---|---|
| Fee per contract | $0.65 per contract | $0.42 per contractBest |
| E*Trade, $0.50 at 30+ trades per quarter | TradeZero, $20 order cap; index contracts excluded | |
| Exercise and assignment | FreeBest | Exercise $10 auto / $35 manual, assignment $10 per line |
| Approval | Naked | Not published |
| E*Trade, Up to naked short options | ||
| 0DTE | Yes | Not published |
| Index options (SPX) | Yes | Yes |
| Options on futures | Yes | Not published |
| Spreads in an IRA | Yes | Not published |
| Portfolio margin | Yes | Not published |
| Margin rate | 11.70% | 9.00%Best |
| Platforms | Web, Desktop, Mobile, API | Web, Desktop, Mobile, API |
| Paper trading | Yes | Yes |
| 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 | Sync · Trade soon |
| E*Trade, Reads the account and places the orders you approve | TradeZero, Reads the account; placing orders from QuantWheel is coming soon | |
| 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.
TradeZero$0.42 per contract · $10 per event · not published
TradeZero opens options accounts for residents of the United States only. It charges $0.42 per contract ($20 order cap; index contracts excluded). Exercise and assignment cost $10 each. It does not publish its highest options level. It trades on Web, Desktop, Mobile, API. QuantWheel syncs positions and trades from the account and suggests; placing orders from QuantWheel is coming soon, so today you place them 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
- TradeZero$2.15 a trade, 1.8% of your premium, fee not published
- $204 to $206 a year
E*Trade is $136 to $138 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 TradeZero does not publish them: SEC fee, FINRA trading activity fee, live options quote price.
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 TradeZero