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Firstrade vs tastytrade 2025

StockBrokers.com

Written by StockBrokers.com

February 20, 2025

In this head to head comparison of Firstrade vs tastytrade, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.

Firstrade
4/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0.00
  • Stock Trades: $0.00
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.00
tastytrade
4/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0.00
  • Stock Trades: $0.00
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.50 info

Range of investments

When comparing online brokers, Firstrade and tastytrade both present various investment options, yet differ in their overall offerings. Firstrade stands out with a slightly broader range, earning a 4.5-star rating for investment variety and ranking #6 out of 16 brokers according to StockBrokers.com. Conversely, tastytrade, although competitive, holds a 4-star rating and a #10 ranking. This places Firstrade slightly ahead for those prioritizing a broad spectrum of investment avenues.

Both Firstrade and tastytrade offer stock, margin, and options trading, catering to investors looking for these popular assets. Fractional share trading is available with both brokers, allowing smaller investments in larger stocks. However, a key differentiator is Firstrade's offering of OTC stocks and mutual funds, which tastytrade does not provide. On the other hand, tastytrade appeals to traders interested in futures and cryptocurrency trading, providing access to futures markets and a selection of four crypto coins, which is not available with Firstrade.

Furthermore, both brokers support traditional and Roth IRA accounts, making them suitable for retirement planning. While neither Firstrade nor tastytrade offers advisor services, investors seeking a self-directed approach can find value in the diverse investment opportunities each platform provides. Ultimately, your choice between Firstrade and tastytrade will depend on your specific investment interests, whether they be in more diverse asset types with Firstrade or engaging in futures and cryptocurrency with tastytrade.

Feature Firstrade logoFirstrade
tastytrade logotastytrade
Stock Trading info Yes Yes
Margin Trading info Yes Yes
Fractional Shares info Yes Yes info
OTC Stocks info Yes No
Mutual Funds info Yes No
Options Trading info Yes Yes
Futures Trading info No Yes
Crypto Trading info No Yes
Crypto Trading - Total Coins info 0 4
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2025

Trading platforms and tools

When it comes to choosing a trading platform, both Firstrade and tastytrade offer unique advantages, but the latter tends to offer more comprehensive tools. While Firstrade provides a straightforward browser-based platform that supports watch lists with up to 50 columns, tastytrade impresses with its advanced charting capabilities and the ability to save multiple chart profiles. However, if your preference leans towards desktop trading, only tastytrade offers downloadable platforms for both Windows and Mac users. Though both platforms lack paper trading and trading journals, tastytrade earns a higher rating with 4 stars for its trading platforms and tools compared to Firstrade's 3 stars.

Firstrade is a solid choice for traders who desire simplicity and accessibility across devices via its browser-based platform. It offers 102 technical indicators and 8 drawing tools for charting, which might meet the basic needs of some traders. Moreover, Firstrade's platform supports index overlays, but lacks the capability for more interactive charting features, such as adjusting open orders directly on stock charts or adding notes to them.

On the other hand, tastytrade stands out for traders who seek a more feature-rich platform with 308 technical indicators and 31 drawing tools, along with the ability to adjust orders directly on the chart. This platform also supports the addition of notes, historical trades, and corporate events like earnings and dividends directly on charts. While there are no paper trading options available on either platform, tastytrade provides a more dynamic experience with custom study creation and more customization fields for SMA studies, making it a preferred choice within the trading community as reflected in its StockBrokers.com ranking.

Feature Firstrade logoFirstrade
tastytrade logotastytrade
Web Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Trading Platform info No Yes
Desktop Platform (Mac) info No Yes
Paper Trading info No No
Watch Lists - Total Fields info 50 33
Charting - Indicators / Studies info 102 308
Charting - Drawing Tools info 8 31
Platforms & Tools 3/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

Dive deeper: 7 Best Brokerage Accounts for 2025, Best Paper Trading Platforms for 2025

Featured Offers


5/5 Stars

Up to $10K on new retirement account*

Beginners and education

When comparing educational offerings for beginners and investors, Firstrade and tastytrade provide a different array of resources. Firstrade excels in providing stock and options education, supported by a selection of educational videos and webinars. However, it falls short by not offering resources on ETFs and mutual funds. Without paper trading or educational quizzes, beginners may find limited interactive learning experiences. Although Firstrade users cannot track their learning progress, its educational offerings have earned it a 3.5-star rating and a #13 rank out of 16 brokers by StockBrokers.com.

tastytrade offers a slightly broader educational experience, especially for those interested in ETFs and options. While the platform lacks educational videos, it compensates with webinars and unique features that allow users to track their learning progress, even though paper trading isn’t available. With a higher rating of 4 stars, tastytrade is ranked #10 by StockBrokers.com. The platform's focus on a comprehensive learning journey makes it a compelling choice for beginners eager to deepen their understanding of the trading world.

Feature Firstrade logoFirstrade
tastytrade logotastytrade
Education (Stocks) info Yes Yes
Education (ETFs) info No Yes
Education (Options) info Yes Yes
Education (Mutual Funds) info No No
Education (Bonds) info No No
Paper Trading info No No
Videos info Yes No
Webinars info Yes Yes
Education 3.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2025

Stock trading apps

When comparing Firstrade and tastytrade for their stock trading app capabilities, both stand out as competent platforms, each scoring 4.5 out of 5 stars. However, Firstrade ranks slightly higher at #9 compared to tastytrade's #10 in a 16-broker comparison by StockBrokers.com. Firstrade may appeal to traders seeking extensive technical studies, offering 81 options, far surpassing tastytrade's lack thereof. On the other hand, tastytrade offers after-hours charting, a feature absent from Firstrade's platform, which may favor traders active beyond regular market hours.

Both apps are available on iPhone and Android devices, yet neither supports Apple Watch. They provide essential features such as mobile options trading, streaming quotes, and the ability to create and customize watch lists. However, stock alerts are exclusive to Firstrade, which could be a deciding factor for users who prioritize real-time updates. Firstrade and tastytrade ensure a flexible charting experience, enabling traders to view charts in landscape mode and access multiple time frames.

The limitations of both platforms include a lack of streaming live TV and videos on demand, which might be a disadvantage for those seeking integrated educational content. While neither app supports displaying stock comparisons on charts, Firstrade surpasses tastytrade with its more extensive technical analysis tools. Meanwhile, tastytrade's advantage in after-hours charting means it caters well to users seeking extended trading data. Ultimately, Firstrade's technical features and tastytrade's charting flexibility offer unique benefits, making the choice depend on individual trading priorities.

Feature Firstrade logoFirstrade
tastytrade logotastytrade
iPhone App info Yes Yes
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple Watch App info No No
Stock Alerts info Yes No
Charting - After-Hours info No Yes
Charting - Technical Studies info 81 0
Mobile Trading Apps 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2025

Fees

When looking to open an account with either Firstrade or tastytrade, investors will find that both platforms offer attractive, fee-free structures for stock trading. Neither broker requires a minimum deposit to get started, making them accessible for newbies and experienced traders alike. However, when it comes to certain fees, Firstrade and tastytrade have notable differences. Firstrade excels in offering zero-cost options contracts, whereas tastytrade charges $0.50 per contract. For margin balances under various tiers, tastytrade tends to offer lower interest rates than Firstrade. Overall, Firstrade may be advantageous for those focusing on options trading without the extra charges, while tastytrade could be a more cost-effective option for those utilizing margin trading.

Both Firstrade and tastytrade do not charge IRA annual fees, providing a low-cost way to invest for retirement. However, potential account closures come with different costs: Firstrade charges nothing for IRA closure, whereas tastytrade imposes a $60 fee. This could be a consideration for those who might see a need to close their IRA accounts in the future. In terms of account transfers via Automated Customer Account Transfer (ACAT), both brokers charge $75 for a full transfer, but Firstrade slightly edges out with a $55 fee for partial transfers, compared to tastytrade's $75.

For options trading, Firstrade stands out by not charging any fees for exercise and assignment, making it an appealing choice for options traders who are cost-sensitive. On the other hand, tastytrade charges $5 each for options exercise and assignment, which could add up depending on trading frequency. These differences underscore the importance of considering not just upfront costs but also potential fees when options are a part of your portfolio strategy. With these insights, you can better assess which platform aligns more closely with your personal trading needs and financial goals.

Feature Firstrade logoFirstrade
tastytrade logotastytrade
Minimum Deposit info $0.00 $0.00
Stock Trades info $0.00 $0.00
Options (Per Contract) info $0.00 $0.50 info
Options Exercise Fee info $0.00 $5.00
Options Assignment Fee info $0.00 $5.00
IRA Annual Fee info $0.00 $0.00
IRA Closure Fee info $0.00 $60.00

Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2025

Day Trading

When considering Firstrade and tastytrade for day trading, each platform presents unique features and limitations. Firstrade lacks streaming time and sales data, live TV, direct market routing, ladder trading, trading hotkeys, level 2 quotes, strategy backtesting, and a short locator tool. In contrast, tastytrade offers some additional resources for day traders, notably streaming live TV and ladder trading, which might benefit those who prefer visual tools and more dynamic methods for tracking market trends and performing trades.

Both platforms, however, share some limitations. Neither Firstrade nor tastytrade provides direct market routing for stocks, trading hotkeys for quick trade entry, level 2 quotes, or basic or advanced strategy backtesting. Additionally, there's no offer of order liquidity rebates on either platform, and neither includes streaming time and sales for stocks. Despite these mutual limitations, tastytrade introduces a short locator tool, offering real-time availability of short-able shares, a marked difference that could influence a trader looking for comprehensive short-selling capabilities.

Feature Firstrade logoFirstrade
tastytrade logotastytrade
Streaming Time & Sales info No No
Streaming TV info No Yes
Direct Market Routing - Stocks info No No
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks info No No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting info No No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv info No No
Short Locator info No Yes

Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms for 2025

Market Research

When comparing Firstrade and tastytrade for their market research capabilities, Firstrade clearly has the edge. With a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars compared to tastytrade's 1.5 stars, Firstrade stands out for its extensive research offerings. It is ranked 6th among 16 brokers by StockBrokers.com, while tastytrade lags behind at 13th. This overview gives potential investors a clear choice when looking for comprehensive market research tools to support their trading decisions.

Firstrade offers a wide array of research options, including stock, ETFs, mutual funds, Pink Sheets/OTCBB, and bonds. It also provides investors the ability to assess portfolio allocation by asset class, access social media sentiment data for stocks, and explore ESG research. In contrast, tastytrade offers research for stocks and ETFs only, lacking comprehensive insights into mutual funds, Pink Sheets/OTCBB, and bonds. Additionally, Firstrade provides downloadable PDF research reports for both stocks and ETFs, while tastytrade offers none.

For investors looking to screen trade ideas, Firstrade includes screeners for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds—tools that tastytrade does not offer. This lack of screening options, coupled with the absence of downloadable research reports and reliance on a limited set of data, positions Firstrade as the more equipped platform for traders who prioritize in-depth market research in their investment strategies.

Feature Firstrade logoFirstrade
tastytrade logotastytrade
Research - Stocks info Yes Yes
Screener - Stocks info Yes No
Research - ETFs info Yes Yes
Screener - ETFs info Yes No
Research - Mutual Funds info Yes No
Screener - Mutual Funds info Yes No
Research - Bonds info Yes No
Screener - Bonds info Yes No
Research 4.5/5 Stars 1.5/5 Stars

Banking

When comparing the banking capabilities of Firstrade and tastytrade, it's clear that Firstrade provides more options for those interested in specific banking features. Firstrade offers checking accounts and debit cards, which tastytrade does not. Furthermore, Firstrade offers certificates of deposit (CDs) to its users, another feature not available with tastytrade. Neither Firstrade nor tastytrade provides savings accounts, credit cards, or mortgage loans, making them similar in these respects. Overall, Firstrade might be a better choice for someone looking to integrate certain banking services with their brokerage account.

Feature Firstrade logoFirstrade
tastytrade logotastytrade
Checking Accounts info Yes No
Savings Accounts info No No
Debit Cards info Yes No
Credit Cards info No No
Mortgage Loans info No No
CDs info Yes No

Dive deeper: Best Bank Accounts for Trading Stocks for 2025

Winner

After opening live accounts and testing 16 of the best online brokers, our research and live account testing finds that Firstrade is better than tastytrade. Firstrade finished with an overall score of 81.8%, while tastytrade finished with a score of 80.1%.

Firstrade scored well for penny stock trading in our 2024 Annual Awards, and is a great choice for Chinese-speaking investors. However, it lags behind the competition in certain areas, especially platforms, tools and education.

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with Firstrade or tastytrade?

When comparing online brokers, Firstrade does not offer crypto trading services, while tastytrade provides options for trading 4 different cryptocurrencies, making it a suitable choice for investors interested in digital assets.

Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2025

Does Firstrade or tastytrade offer IRAs?

Firstrade and tastytrade both offer traditional and Roth IRA accounts with no annual fees, but while Firstrade charges no closure fee when closing IRA accounts, tastytrade imposes a $60.00 closure fee.

Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2025

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Compare

0 of 5
Overall Rating Firstrade tastytrade
Overall 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 3/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 1.5/5 Stars
Customer Service 3.5/5 Stars 4.0/5 Stars
Education 3.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Ease Of Use 4/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Firstrade Review tastytrade Review
Broker Screenshots Firstrade tastytrade
Trading Platform & Tools Gallery (click to expand)
Research Gallery (click to expand)
Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand)
Education Gallery (click to expand)
Trading Fees Firstrade tastytrade
Minimum Deposit info $0.00 $0.00
Stock Trades info $0.00 $0.00
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) info $0.00 N/A
Mutual Fund Trade Fee info $0 N/A info
Options (Per Contract) info $0.00 $0.50 info
Futures (Per Contract) info (Not offered) $1.25
Broker Assisted Trade Fee info $19.95 $0
Margin Rates Firstrade tastytrade
Margin Rate Under $25,000 info 13.75% 11%
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 info 13.50% 10.5%
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 info 13.00% 10%
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 info 12.50% 9.5%
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 info 12.50% 9%
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 info 12.50% 8.5%
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 info 12.50% 8%
Account Fees Firstrade tastytrade
IRA Annual Fee info $0.00 $0.00
IRA Closure Fee info $0.00 $60.00
Account Transfer Out (Partial) info $55.00 $75.00
Account Transfer Out (Full) info $75.00 $75.00
Options Exercise Fee info $0.00 $5.00
Options Assignment Fee info $0.00 $5.00
Investment Options Firstrade tastytrade
Stock Trading info Yes Yes
Margin Trading info Yes Yes
Fractional Shares info Yes Yes info
OTC Stocks info Yes No
Options Trading info Yes Yes
Complex Options Max Legs info 4 4
Futures Trading info No Yes
Forex Trading info No No
Crypto Trading info No Yes
Crypto Trading - Total Coins info 0 4
Mutual Funds (No Load) info 15460 0
Mutual Funds (Total) info 19666 0
Bonds (US Treasury) info Yes No info
Bonds (Corporate) info Yes No
Bonds (Municipal) info Yes No
Traditional IRAs info Yes Yes
Roth IRAs info Yes Yes
Advisor Services info No No
International Countries (Stocks) info 0 0
Order Types Firstrade tastytrade
Order Type - Market info Yes Yes
Order Type - Limit info Yes Yes
Order Type - After Hours info Yes Yes
Order Type - Stop info Yes Yes
Order Type - Trailing Stop info Yes No
Order Type - OCO info Yes Yes
Order Type - OTO info Yes Yes
Order Type - Broker Assisted info Yes Yes
Beginners Firstrade tastytrade
Education (Stocks) info Yes Yes
Education (ETFs) info No Yes
Education (Options) info Yes Yes
Education (Mutual Funds) info No No
Education (Bonds) info No No
Education (Retirement) info Yes No
Retirement Calculator info Yes No
Investor Dictionary info Yes Yes
Paper Trading info No No
Videos info Yes No
Webinars info Yes Yes
Webinars (Archived) info Yes Yes
Progress Tracking info No Yes
Interactive Learning - Quizzes info No No
Stock Trading Apps Firstrade tastytrade
iPhone App info Yes Yes
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple Watch App info No No
Trading - Stocks info Yes Yes
Trading - After-Hours info Yes Yes
Trading - Simple Options info Yes Yes
Trading - Complex Options info Yes Yes
Order Ticket RT Quotes info Yes Yes
Order Ticket SRT Quotes info Yes Yes
Stock App Features Firstrade tastytrade
Market Movers (Top Gainers) info Yes Yes
Stream Live TV info No No
Videos on Demand info No No
Stock Alerts info Yes No
Option Chains Viewable info Yes Yes
Watch List (Real-time) info Yes Yes
Watch List (Streaming) info Yes Yes
Watch Lists - Create & Manage info Yes Yes
Watch Lists - Column Customization info Yes Yes
Stock App Charting Firstrade tastytrade
Charting - After-Hours info No Yes
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally info Yes Yes
Charting - Multiple Time Frames info Yes Yes
Charting - Technical Studies info 81 0
Charting - Study Customizations info Yes No
Charting - Stock Comparisons info No No
Trading Platforms Firstrade tastytrade
Active Trading Platform info tastytrade
Desktop Trading Platform info No Yes
Desktop Platform (Mac) info No Yes
Web Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Paper Trading info No No
Trade Journal info No No
Watch Lists - Total Fields info 50 33
Stock Chart Features Firstrade tastytrade
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart info No Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies info 102 308
Charting - Drawing Tools info 8 31
Charting - Notes info No Yes
Charting - Index Overlays info Yes Yes
Charting - Historical Trades info No Yes
Charting - Corporate Events info No Yes
Charting - Custom Date Range info No No
Charting - Custom Time Bars info No No
Charting - Automated Analysis info No No
Charting - Save Profiles info No Yes
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis info Yes No
Charting - Study Customizations info 6 7
Charting - Custom Studies info No Yes
Day Trading Firstrade tastytrade
Streaming Time & Sales info No No
Streaming TV info No Yes
Direct Market Routing - Stocks info No No
Ladder Trading info No Yes
Trade Hotkeys info No No
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks info No No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting info No No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv info No No
Short Locator info No Yes
Order Liquidity Rebates info No No
Research Overview Firstrade tastytrade
Research - Stocks info Yes Yes
Research - ETFs info Yes Yes
Research - Mutual Funds info Yes No
Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB info Yes No
Research - Bonds info Yes No
Screener - Stocks info Yes No
Screener - ETFs info Yes No
Screener - Mutual Funds info Yes No
Screener - Bonds info Yes No
Misc - Portfolio Allocation info Yes Yes
Stock Research Firstrade tastytrade
Stock Research - PDF Reports info 1 0
Stock Research - Earnings info Yes No
Stock Research - Insiders info Yes No
Stock Research - Social info Yes No
Stock Research - News info Yes Yes
Stock Research - ESG info Yes No
Stock Research - SEC Filings info Yes No
ETF Research Firstrade tastytrade
ETFs - Strategy Overview info Yes No
ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date info Yes No
ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio info Yes No
ETF Fund Facts - Net Assets info Yes No
ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings info Yes No
ETFs - Top 10 Holdings info Yes No
ETFs - Sector Exposure info Yes No
ETFs - Risk Analysis info Yes Yes
ETFs - Ratings info Yes No
ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap info Yes No
ETFs - PDF Reports info Yes No
Mutual Fund Research Firstrade tastytrade
Mutual Funds - Strategy Overview info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Performance Chart info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Prospectus info Yes No
Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Country Allocation info Yes No
Mutual Funds - StyleMap info Yes No
Options Trading Firstrade tastytrade
Option Chains - Basic View info Yes Yes
Option Chains - Strategy View info Yes Yes
Option Chains - Streaming info No Yes
Option Chains - Total Columns info 8 20
Option Chains - Greeks info 5 5
Option Chains - Quick Analysis info No Yes
Option Analysis - P&L Charts info Yes Yes
Option Probability Analysis info No Yes
Option Probability Analysis Adv info Yes Yes
Option Positions - Greeks info No Yes
Option Positions - Greeks Streaming info No Yes
Option Positions - Adv Analysis info No Yes
Option Positions - Rolling info Yes Yes
Option Positions - Grouping info No Yes
Banking Firstrade tastytrade
Bank (Member FDIC) info No No
Checking Accounts info Yes No
Savings Accounts info No No
Credit Cards info No No
Debit Cards info Yes No
Mortgage Loans info No No
Customer Service Firstrade tastytrade
Phone Support (Prospect Customers) info Yes Yes
Phone Support (Current Customers) info Yes Yes
Email Support info Yes Yes
Live Chat (Prospect Customers) info Yes Yes
Live Chat (Current Customers) info Yes Yes
24/7 Support info No No
Overall Firstrade tastytrade
Overall 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 3/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 1.5/5 Stars
Education 3.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Ease Of Use 4/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Firstrade Review tastytrade Review
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