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E*Trade vs Vanguard
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
- 5
- Vanguard leads
- 1
- Level
- 3
Of 9 scored facts, E*Trade leads on 5, Vanguard on 1, and 3 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 |  Vanguard |
|---|---|---|
| Fee per contract | $0.65 per contractBest | $1 per contract |
| E*Trade, $0.50 at 30+ trades per quarter | Vanguard, Eligible higher-balance accounts receive waivers | |
| Exercise and assignment | Free | Free |
| Approval | Naked | Naked puts |
| E*Trade, Up to naked short options | Vanguard, Up to naked short options | |
| 0DTE | Yes | Not published |
| 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% | 11.25%Best |
| Platforms | Web, Desktop, Mobile, APIBest | Web, Mobile |
| Paper trading | Yes | Not published |
| 24/7 support | YesBest | No |
| Countries | Eligibility list not published; non-US citizens may apply by mailed international application | US citizens or permanent residents with a US mailing address |
| 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.
Vanguard$1 per contract · free exercise · naked puts
Vanguard opens options accounts for residents of the United States, among the 9 countries this directory covers. It charges $1 per contract (Eligible higher-balance accounts receive waivers). Exercise and assignment are free. It approves up to naked short puts, not naked calls. 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
- Vanguard$1.40 a trade, 1.2% of your premium, fee not published
- $134 a year
E*Trade is $66 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 Vanguard does not publish them: clearing fee, options regulatory fee, SEC fee, FINRA trading activity fee, live options quote price, platform 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 Vanguard