Firstrade vs tastytrade 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.
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.
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 |
|
|
---|---|---|
Stock Trading | Yes | Yes |
Margin Trading | Yes | Yes |
Fractional Shares | Yes | Yes |
OTC Stocks | Yes | No |
Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
Options Trading | Yes | Yes |
Futures Trading | No | Yes |
Crypto Trading | No | Yes |
Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 0 | 4 |
Range of Investments |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2025
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 |
|
|
---|---|---|
Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
Desktop Trading Platform | No | Yes |
Desktop Platform (Mac) | No | Yes |
Paper Trading | No | No |
Watch Lists - Total Fields | 50 | 33 |
Charting - Indicators / Studies | 102 | 308 |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 8 | 31 |
Platforms & Tools |
|
|
Dive deeper: 7 Best Brokerage Accounts for 2025, Best Paper Trading Platforms for 2025
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 |
|
|
---|---|---|
Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
Education (ETFs) | No | Yes |
Education (Options) | Yes | Yes |
Education (Mutual Funds) | No | No |
Education (Bonds) | No | No |
Paper Trading | No | No |
Videos | Yes | No |
Webinars | Yes | Yes |
Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2025
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 |
|
|
---|---|---|
iPhone App | Yes | Yes |
Android App | Yes | Yes |
Apple Watch App | No | No |
Stock Alerts | Yes | No |
Charting - After-Hours | No | Yes |
Charting - Technical Studies | 81 | 0 |
Mobile Trading Apps |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2025
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 |
|
|
---|---|---|
Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Options (Per Contract) | $0.00 | $0.50 |
Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $5.00 |
Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $5.00 |
IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
IRA Closure Fee | $0.00 | $60.00 |
Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2025
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 |
|
|
---|---|---|
Streaming Time & Sales | No | No |
Streaming TV | No | Yes |
Direct Market Routing - Stocks | No | No |
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | No | No |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting | No | No |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | No | No |
Short Locator | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms for 2025
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 |
|
|
---|---|---|
Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
Screener - Stocks | Yes | No |
Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
Screener - ETFs | Yes | No |
Research - Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
Screener - Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
Research - Bonds | Yes | No |
Screener - Bonds | Yes | No |
Research |
|
|
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 |
|
|
---|---|---|
Checking Accounts | Yes | No |
Savings Accounts | No | No |
Debit Cards | Yes | No |
Credit Cards | No | No |
Mortgage Loans | No | No |
CDs | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Bank Accounts for Trading Stocks for 2025
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.
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
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
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5Overall Rating | Firstrade | tastytrade | |
---|---|---|---|
Overall |
|
| |
Range of Investments |
|
| |
Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
Mobile Trading Apps |
|
| |
Research |
|
| |
Customer Service |
|
| |
Education |
|
| |
Ease Of Use |
|
| |
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 | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) | $0.00 | N/A | |
Mutual Fund Trade Fee | $0 | N/A | |
Options (Per Contract) | $0.00 | $0.50 | |
Futures (Per Contract) | (Not offered) | $1.25 | |
Broker Assisted Trade Fee | $19.95 | $0 |
Margin Rates | Firstrade | tastytrade | |
---|---|---|---|
Margin Rate Under $25,000 | 13.75% | 11% | |
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 | 13.50% | 10.5% | |
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 | 13.00% | 10% | |
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 | 12.50% | 9.5% | |
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 | 12.50% | 9% | |
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 | 12.50% | 8.5% | |
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 | 12.50% | 8% |
Account Fees | Firstrade | tastytrade | |
---|---|---|---|
IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
IRA Closure Fee | $0.00 | $60.00 | |
Account Transfer Out (Partial) | $55.00 | $75.00 | |
Account Transfer Out (Full) | $75.00 | $75.00 | |
Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $5.00 | |
Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $5.00 |
Investment Options | Firstrade | tastytrade | |
---|---|---|---|
Stock Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Margin Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Fractional Shares | Yes | Yes | |
OTC Stocks | Yes | No | |
Options Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Complex Options Max Legs | 4 | 4 | |
Futures Trading | No | Yes | |
Forex Trading | No | No | |
Crypto Trading | No | Yes | |
Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 0 | 4 | |
Mutual Funds (No Load) | 15460 | 0 | |
Mutual Funds (Total) | 19666 | 0 | |
Bonds (US Treasury) | Yes | No | |
Bonds (Corporate) | Yes | No | |
Bonds (Municipal) | Yes | No | |
Traditional IRAs | Yes | Yes | |
Roth IRAs | Yes | Yes | |
Advisor Services | No | No | |
International Countries (Stocks) | 0 | 0 |
Order Types | Firstrade | tastytrade | |
---|---|---|---|
Order Type - Market | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - Limit | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - After Hours | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - Stop | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - Trailing Stop | Yes | No | |
Order Type - OCO | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - OTO | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - Broker Assisted | Yes | Yes |
Beginners | Firstrade | tastytrade | |
---|---|---|---|
Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes | |
Education (ETFs) | No | Yes | |
Education (Options) | Yes | Yes | |
Education (Mutual Funds) | No | No | |
Education (Bonds) | No | No | |
Education (Retirement) | Yes | No | |
Retirement Calculator | Yes | No | |
Investor Dictionary | Yes | Yes | |
Paper Trading | No | No | |
Videos | Yes | No | |
Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
Progress Tracking | No | Yes | |
Interactive Learning - Quizzes | No | No |
Stock Trading Apps | Firstrade | tastytrade | |
---|---|---|---|
iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
Apple Watch App | No | No | |
Trading - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Trading - After-Hours | Yes | Yes | |
Trading - Simple Options | Yes | Yes | |
Trading - Complex Options | Yes | Yes | |
Order Ticket RT Quotes | Yes | Yes | |
Order Ticket SRT Quotes | Yes | Yes |
Stock App Features | Firstrade | tastytrade | |
---|---|---|---|
Market Movers (Top Gainers) | Yes | Yes | |
Stream Live TV | No | No | |
Videos on Demand | No | No | |
Stock Alerts | Yes | No | |
Option Chains Viewable | Yes | Yes | |
Watch List (Real-time) | Yes | Yes | |
Watch List (Streaming) | Yes | Yes | |
Watch Lists - Create & Manage | Yes | Yes | |
Watch Lists - Column Customization | Yes | Yes |
Stock App Charting | Firstrade | tastytrade | |
---|---|---|---|
Charting - After-Hours | No | Yes | |
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Technical Studies | 81 | 0 | |
Charting - Study Customizations | Yes | No | |
Charting - Stock Comparisons | No | No |
Trading Platforms | Firstrade | tastytrade | |
---|---|---|---|
Active Trading Platform | tastytrade | ||
Desktop Trading Platform | No | Yes | |
Desktop Platform (Mac) | No | Yes | |
Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
Paper Trading | No | No | |
Trade Journal | No | No | |
Watch Lists - Total Fields | 50 | 33 |
Stock Chart Features | Firstrade | tastytrade | |
---|---|---|---|
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart | No | Yes | |
Charting - Indicators / Studies | 102 | 308 | |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 8 | 31 | |
Charting - Notes | No | Yes | |
Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Historical Trades | No | Yes | |
Charting - Corporate Events | No | Yes | |
Charting - Custom Date Range | No | No | |
Charting - Custom Time Bars | No | No | |
Charting - Automated Analysis | No | No | |
Charting - Save Profiles | No | Yes | |
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis | Yes | No | |
Charting - Study Customizations | 6 | 7 | |
Charting - Custom Studies | No | Yes |
Day Trading | Firstrade | tastytrade | |
---|---|---|---|
Streaming Time & Sales | No | No | |
Streaming TV | No | Yes | |
Direct Market Routing - Stocks | No | No | |
Ladder Trading | No | Yes | |
Trade Hotkeys | No | No | |
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | No | No | |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting | No | No | |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | No | No | |
Short Locator | No | Yes | |
Order Liquidity Rebates | No | No |
Research Overview | Firstrade | tastytrade | |
---|---|---|---|
Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
Research - Mutual Funds | Yes | No | |
Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB | Yes | No | |
Research - Bonds | Yes | No | |
Screener - Stocks | Yes | No | |
Screener - ETFs | Yes | No | |
Screener - Mutual Funds | Yes | No | |
Screener - Bonds | Yes | No | |
Misc - Portfolio Allocation | Yes | Yes |
Stock Research | Firstrade | tastytrade | |
---|---|---|---|
Stock Research - PDF Reports | 1 | 0 | |
Stock Research - Earnings | Yes | No | |
Stock Research - Insiders | Yes | No | |
Stock Research - Social | Yes | No | |
Stock Research - News | Yes | Yes | |
Stock Research - ESG | Yes | No | |
Stock Research - SEC Filings | Yes | No |
ETF Research | Firstrade | tastytrade | |
---|---|---|---|
ETFs - Strategy Overview | Yes | No | |
ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date | Yes | No | |
ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio | Yes | No | |
ETF Fund Facts - Net Assets | Yes | No | |
ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings | Yes | No | |
ETFs - Top 10 Holdings | Yes | No | |
ETFs - Sector Exposure | Yes | No | |
ETFs - Risk Analysis | Yes | Yes | |
ETFs - Ratings | Yes | No | |
ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap | Yes | No | |
ETFs - PDF Reports | Yes | No |
Mutual Fund Research | Firstrade | tastytrade | |
---|---|---|---|
Mutual Funds - Strategy Overview | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Performance Chart | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Prospectus | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Country Allocation | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - StyleMap | Yes | No |
Options Trading | Firstrade | tastytrade | |
---|---|---|---|
Option Chains - Basic View | Yes | Yes | |
Option Chains - Strategy View | Yes | Yes | |
Option Chains - Streaming | No | Yes | |
Option Chains - Total Columns | 8 | 20 | |
Option Chains - Greeks | 5 | 5 | |
Option Chains - Quick Analysis | No | Yes | |
Option Analysis - P&L Charts | Yes | Yes | |
Option Probability Analysis | No | Yes | |
Option Probability Analysis Adv | Yes | Yes | |
Option Positions - Greeks | No | Yes | |
Option Positions - Greeks Streaming | No | Yes | |
Option Positions - Adv Analysis | No | Yes | |
Option Positions - Rolling | Yes | Yes | |
Option Positions - Grouping | No | Yes |
Banking | Firstrade | tastytrade | |
---|---|---|---|
Bank (Member FDIC) | No | No | |
Checking Accounts | Yes | No | |
Savings Accounts | No | No | |
Credit Cards | No | No | |
Debit Cards | Yes | No | |
Mortgage Loans | No | No |
Customer Service | Firstrade | tastytrade | |
---|---|---|---|
Phone Support (Prospect Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
Phone Support (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
Email Support | Yes | Yes | |
Live Chat (Prospect Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
Live Chat (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
24/7 Support | No | No |
Overall | Firstrade | tastytrade | |
---|---|---|---|
Overall |
|
| |
Range of Investments |
|
| |
Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
Mobile Trading Apps |
|
| |
Research |
|
| |
Education |
|
| |
Ease Of Use |
|
| |
Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | Firstrade Review | tastytrade Review |