TradeStation vs SoFi Invest® 2025
In this head to head comparison of TradeStation vs SoFi Invest®, 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 TradeStation vs SoFi Invest®, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
In the quest for the right online brokerage, TradeStation and SoFi Invest® offer distinct advantages that cater to varying investor needs. TradeStation shines with its comprehensive array of investment options, earning it a 4.5-star rating and securing the 5th spot out of 15 brokers ranked by StockBrokers.com for its range of investments. On the other hand, SoFi Invest®, with a 3.5-star rating and a 13th place ranking, also provides valuable features and services, particularly appealing to those interested in fractional share trading and advisor support, which TradeStation does not include.
TradeStation provides a robust selection of investment options, allowing users to engage in stock, margin, and options trading, as well as venture into futures markets. Notably, TradeStation also supports OTC stock trading and mutual funds, though it lacks offerings in fractional shares and crypto trading. Additionally, for those planning for retirement, TradeStation offers both traditional and Roth IRA accounts, providing opportunities for long-term financial growth.
SoFi Invest® covers many similar investment options, including stock, margin, options, and OTC stock trading, alongside mutual funds. A standout feature of SoFi Invest® is its ability to trade fractional shares, making it easier for investors to diversify with limited capital. Although it doesn’t offer futures or crypto trading like TradeStation, SoFi Invest® compensates with the provision of both traditional and Roth IRAs, coupled with useful advisor services for comprehensive investment planning.
Feature |
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Stock Trading | Yes | Yes |
Margin Trading | Yes | Yes |
Fractional Shares | No | Yes |
OTC Stocks | Yes | Yes |
Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
Options Trading | Yes | Yes |
Futures Trading | Yes | No |
Crypto Trading | No | No |
Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 0 | 0 |
Range of Investments |
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Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2025
When comparing the trading platforms and tools of TradeStation and SoFi Invest®, it's clear that TradeStation stands out as a superior choice for serious traders. TradeStation offers a comprehensive suite of features, including a downloadable trading platform for Windows, paper trading, and an impressive array of charting tools and technical indicators. SoFi Invest® falls short in these areas, focusing instead on a more simplified approach that may appeal to novice investors. TradeStation's advanced capabilities are reflected in its higher user rating of 4.5 stars and its #3 ranking out of 15 brokers on StockBrokers.com, compared to SoFi Invest®'s 1.5-star rating and #15 rank.
TradeStation offers a Windows desktop trading platform, as well as a browser-based option, providing flexibility in accessing their tools. Its paper trading feature enables users to practice without risk, a valuable tool for both beginners and experienced traders. TradeStation also supports 341 columns for watch lists and 294 technical indicators for charting, along with the ability to adjust open orders directly on stock charts and add notes, index overlays, and automate technical analysis.
In contrast, SoFi Invest® provides only a browser-based platform and lacks many of the advanced features that traders might expect. It does not offer paper trading or charting customization tools such as technical indicators or drawing tools, and it supports only three columns for watch lists. Additionally, SoFi's platform does not allow for adjustments on stock charts or the display of historical trades, corporate events, or custom date ranges. This straightforward approach might suit users looking for simplicity, but for those in need of a comprehensive trading toolkit, TradeStation is the preferable option.
Feature |
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Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
Desktop Platform (Mac) | No | No |
Paper Trading | Yes | No |
Watch Lists - Total Fields | 341 | 3 |
Charting - Indicators / Studies | 294 | 0 |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 23 | 0 |
Platforms & Tools |
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Dive deeper: Best Online Brokerage Accounts for 2025, Best Paper Trading Platforms for 2025
When it comes to educating beginner investors, SoFi Invest® shines with a varied suite of educational resources, including stock, ETF, options, mutual funds, and bonds education. They provide comprehensive support to help users understand the intricacies of different investment types. However, while SoFi Invest® does not offer paper trading or educational videos, it compensates with webinars that enrich learning experiences. Its vast range of educational support earns it a rating of 4.5 stars for education, placing it at an impressive rank of #6 out of 15 brokers by StockBrokers.com.
TradeStation, on the other hand, focuses its educational offerings on stock and options education, along with the unique advantage of paper trading, which allows users to practice investing without financial risks. Supporting these resources are educational videos and webinars aimed at enhancing knowledge. However, TradeStation's educational tools are somewhat limited, lacking support for ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds. This approach has garnered it a rating of 3 stars for education, positioning it at #14 in the StockBrokers.com ranking, suggesting room for enhancement in their beginner education offerings.
Feature |
|
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Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
Education (ETFs) | No | Yes |
Education (Options) | Yes | Yes |
Education (Mutual Funds) | No | Yes |
Education (Bonds) | No | Yes |
Paper Trading | Yes | No |
Videos | Yes | No |
Webinars | Yes | Yes |
Education |
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Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2025
When comparing TradeStation and SoFi Invest® for their stock trading app capabilities, TradeStation emerges as the stronger contender. With a rating of 4.5 stars and an eighth-place rank among 15 brokers, TradeStation offers a rich set of features that make it a solid choice for active traders. In contrast, SoFi Invest® scores 3.5 stars and ranks fifteenth, coming up short in several areas of mobile trading functionalities.
TradeStation provides an iPhone and Android app, ensuring accessibility for most smartphone users. It also supports mobile after-hours stock and options trading, making it a versatile choice for those who prefer trading outside regular market hours. Although it offers streaming quotes, it lacks streaming live TV and videos on demand. It allows users to set stock alerts and customize watch lists, which are critical features for staying updated on market movements. Additionally, TradeStation gives traders the ability to view multiple time frames for charting and offers 45 technical studies for deeper market analysis.
On the other hand, SoFi Invest® also offers both iPhone and Android apps, yet it misses several features crucial for active traders. Unlike TradeStation, it does not support mobile options trading, streaming quotes, stock alerts, or the ability to create and customize watch lists. While both apps allow viewing multiple time frames for charting, SoFi Invest® falls short by offering no technical studies. Both platforms exclude Apple Watch compatibility and other luxury features like streaming live TV or videos on demand. SoFi Invest® provides a more foundational mobile trading experience, best suited for casual investors or those new to stock trading.
Feature |
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iPhone App | Yes | Yes |
Android App | Yes | Yes |
Apple Watch App | No | No |
Stock Alerts | Yes | No |
Charting - After-Hours | Yes | No |
Charting - Technical Studies | 45 | 0 |
Mobile Trading Apps |
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Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2025
In the realm of online investing, SoFi Invest® stands out for its competitive pricing structure, offering zero account fees for stock trades and options contracts. On the other hand, TradeStation also provides commission-free stock trading but sets a cost for options contracts at $0.60 each. While both platforms require no minimum deposit, SoFi Invest® delivers additional cost savings with lower IRA and options-related fees, presenting a slight edge, particularly for budget-conscious investors.
Focusing on specific account fees, SoFi Invest® showcases a distinct financial advantage by waiving IRA annual fees and offering a reduced closure fee of $20, compared to TradeStation's $35 and $50 respectively. Furthermore, SoFi Invest® charges a lower rate of $100 for both partial and full Account Transfers (ACAT), whereas TradeStation's fees stand at $125. For option-centric traders, SoFi Invest also charges less with its $5 options exercise and assignment fees, compared to TradeStation’s $14.95 and $5.95 fees.
When examining margin balances, SoFi Invest® maintains a lower interest rate of 11.25% across balances under $100,000, differing from TradeStation, which starts at 13% and decreases slightly to 12.5% for higher balances. Therefore, individuals utilizing margin can benefit from SoFi Invest®'s overall lower cost structure in this area. Naturally, investor needs will dictate the best choice, but for those prioritizing fee minimization, SoFi Invest® may offer the more attractive proposition.
Feature |
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Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Options (Per Contract) | $0.60 | $0.00 |
Options Exercise Fee | $14.95 | $5.00 |
Options Assignment Fee | $5.95 | $5.00 |
IRA Annual Fee | $35.00 | $0.00 |
IRA Closure Fee | $50.00 | $20.00 |
Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2025
When comparing TradeStation to SoFi Invest® for day trading, TradeStation emerges as a more feature-rich option for active traders. TradeStation provides streaming time and sales for stocks, allowing traders to see real-time market activity, which SoFi Invest® lacks. Furthermore, TradeStation supports direct market routing, ladder trading, and the use of trading hotkeys for quicker trade execution. These elements are particularly beneficial for day traders who rely on speed and precision. Additionally, TradeStation offers level 2 quotes that provide deeper market insight, whereas SoFi Invest® does not offer this feature.
For those who like to refine their trading methods, TradeStation shines with both basic and advanced strategy backtesting, letting users test their strategies in past market conditions. In contrast, SoFi Invest® does not provide any backtesting capabilities. Furthermore, TradeStation extends its functionalities with a short locator tool for short selling and offers order liquidity rebates. These advanced tools and features make TradeStation a more suitable and appealing option for day traders compared to SoFi Invest®, which lacks these capabilities.
Feature |
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Streaming Time & Sales | Yes | No |
Streaming TV | No | No |
Direct Market Routing - Stocks | Yes | No |
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | Yes | No |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting | Yes | No |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | Yes | No |
Short Locator | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms for 2025
When it comes to market research capabilities, TradeStation clearly outshines SoFi Invest®. While neither platform offers excellent research tools, TradeStation provides more comprehensive resources, earning it a higher ranking and rating in the realm of market analysis. With a rating of 2 stars versus SoFi Invest®'s mere 0.5 stars, TradeStation's offerings are better suited for those keen on analyzing stocks and ETFs, even if the choices are somewhat limited compared to other brokers.
TradeStation allows users to access stock, ETFs, and Pink Sheets / OTCBB research, alongside tools like stock screeners to help generate trading ideas. Although TradeStation does not provide downloadable PDF reports or ESG research insights, the ability to see portfolio allocation by asset class is a notable feature shared by both platforms. In contrast, SoFi Invest® lacks stock and ETF research capabilities altogether, leaving traders with fewer tools for informed decision-making.
Neither TradeStation nor SoFi Invest® stands out in areas like mutual fund, bond research, or downloadable research reports, reflecting their limitations for investors seeking diversity in their research resources. However, with a StockBrokers.com ranking of #11 out of 15, TradeStation gives users a more solid foundation for decision-making compared to SoFi Invest®, which trails at #15. Though not the strongest among its peers, TradeStation's available research tools still provide an edge over SoFi Invest®.
Feature |
|
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Research - Stocks | Yes | No |
Screener - Stocks | Yes | No |
Research - ETFs | Yes | No |
Screener - ETFs | No | No |
Research - Mutual Funds | No | No |
Screener - Mutual Funds | No | No |
Research - Bonds | No | No |
Screener - Bonds | No | No |
Research |
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When evaluating the banking capabilities of TradeStation and SoFi Invest®, the differences are clear. SoFi Invest® provides a comprehensive range of financial services with checking and savings accounts available to their clients. They also offer additional convenience with debit and credit cards, along with the option for mortgage loans. In contrast, TradeStation falls short in these areas, as it does not offer checking or savings accounts, debit or credit cards, or mortgage loans. Both platforms do not provide certificates of deposit (CDs). For those seeking a brokerage with added banking features, SoFi Invest® stands out as the more versatile choice.
Feature |
|
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Checking Accounts | No | Yes |
Savings Accounts | No | Yes |
Debit Cards | No | Yes |
Credit Cards | No | Yes |
Mortgage Loans | No | Yes |
CDs | No | No |
Dive deeper: Best Bank Accounts for Trading Stocks for 2025
After opening live accounts and testing 15 of the best online brokers, our research and live account testing finds that TradeStation is better than SoFi Invest®. TradeStation finished with an overall score of 80.2%, while SoFi Invest® finished with a score of 64.6%.
TradeStation supports casual traders through its web-based platform and active traders through its desktop platform. We like the web-based platform and mobile app, but the flagship desktop platform could use a refresh.
When comparing TradeStation to SoFi Invest® in terms of cryptocurrency trading, both platforms currently do not support crypto trading, offering zero coins for trading.
Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2025
Both TradeStation and SoFi Invest® offer traditional and Roth IRA accounts, but while SoFi Invest® provides these without any annual fees, TradeStation charges a $35.00 annual fee. Additionally, the closure fee for IRA accounts is more affordable with SoFi Invest® at $20.00, compared to TradeStation's $50.00 fee.
Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2025
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0 of 5Overall Rating | TradeStation | SoFi Invest® | |
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Range of Investments |
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Platforms & Tools |
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Mobile Trading Apps |
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Research |
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Customer Service |
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Education |
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Ease Of Use |
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Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | TradeStation Review | SoFi Invest® Review |
Broker Screenshots | TradeStation | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
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 | TradeStation | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) | $0.01 | N/A | |
Mutual Fund Trade Fee | $14.95 | $0 | |
Options (Per Contract) | $0.60 | $0.00 | |
Futures (Per Contract) | $1.50 | $0.00 | |
Broker Assisted Trade Fee | $25 | N/A |
Margin Rates | TradeStation | SoFi Invest® | |
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Margin Rate Under $25,000 | 13.0% | 11.25% | |
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 | 13.0% | 11.25% | |
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 | 12.5% | 11.25% | |
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 | 12.0% | 11.25% | |
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 | 12.0% | 11.25% | |
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 | 7.5% | 11.25% | |
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 | 7.5% | 11.25% |
Account Fees | TradeStation | SoFi Invest® | |
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IRA Annual Fee | $35.00 | $0.00 | |
IRA Closure Fee | $50.00 | $20.00 | |
Account Transfer Out (Partial) | $125.00 | $100.00 | |
Account Transfer Out (Full) | $125.00 | $100.00 | |
Options Exercise Fee | $14.95 | $5.00 | |
Options Assignment Fee | $5.95 | $5.00 |
Investment Options | TradeStation | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
Stock Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Margin Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Fractional Shares | No | Yes | |
OTC Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Options Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Complex Options Max Legs | 4 | 0 | |
Futures Trading | Yes | No | |
Forex Trading | No | No | |
Crypto Trading | No | No | |
Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 0 | 0 | |
Mutual Funds (No Load) | 800 | 0 | |
Mutual Funds (Total) | 4000 | 6000 | |
Bonds (US Treasury) | Yes | No | |
Bonds (Corporate) | Yes | No | |
Bonds (Municipal) | Yes | No | |
Traditional IRAs | Yes | Yes | |
Roth IRAs | Yes | Yes | |
Advisor Services | No | Yes | |
International Countries (Stocks) | 0 | 0 |
Order Types | TradeStation | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
Order Type - Market | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - Limit | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - After Hours | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - Stop | Yes | No | |
Order Type - Trailing Stop | Yes | No | |
Order Type - OCO | Yes | No | |
Order Type - OTO | Yes | No | |
Order Type - Broker Assisted | Yes | No |
Beginners | TradeStation | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes | |
Education (ETFs) | No | Yes | |
Education (Options) | Yes | Yes | |
Education (Mutual Funds) | No | Yes | |
Education (Bonds) | No | Yes | |
Education (Retirement) | No | Yes | |
Retirement Calculator | No | No | |
Investor Dictionary | No | Yes | |
Paper Trading | Yes | No | |
Videos | Yes | No | |
Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
Progress Tracking | No | No | |
Interactive Learning - Quizzes | No | No |
Stock Trading Apps | TradeStation | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
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 | No | |
Trading - Complex Options | Yes | No | |
Order Ticket RT Quotes | Yes | Yes | |
Order Ticket SRT Quotes | Yes | No |
Stock App Features | TradeStation | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
Market Movers (Top Gainers) | Yes | Yes | |
Stream Live TV | No | No | |
Videos on Demand | No | No | |
Stock Alerts | Yes | No | |
Option Chains Viewable | Yes | No | |
Watch List (Real-time) | Yes | Yes | |
Watch List (Streaming) | Yes | No | |
Watch Lists - Create & Manage | Yes | No | |
Watch Lists - Column Customization | Yes | No |
Stock App Charting | TradeStation | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
Charting - After-Hours | Yes | No | |
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally | No | No | |
Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Technical Studies | 45 | 0 | |
Charting - Study Customizations | Yes | No | |
Charting - Stock Comparisons | No | No |
Trading Platforms | TradeStation | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
Active Trading Platform | TradeStation 10 | N/A | |
Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
Desktop Platform (Mac) | No | No | |
Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
Paper Trading | Yes | No | |
Trade Journal | No | No | |
Watch Lists - Total Fields | 341 | 3 |
Stock Chart Features | TradeStation | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart | Yes | No | |
Charting - Indicators / Studies | 294 | 0 | |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 23 | 0 | |
Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No | |
Charting - Historical Trades | Yes | No | |
Charting - Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
Charting - Custom Date Range | Yes | No | |
Charting - Custom Time Bars | Yes | No | |
Charting - Automated Analysis | Yes | No | |
Charting - Save Profiles | Yes | No | |
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis | Yes | No | |
Charting - Study Customizations | 12 | 0 | |
Charting - Custom Studies | Yes | No |
Day Trading | TradeStation | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
Streaming Time & Sales | Yes | No | |
Streaming TV | No | No | |
Direct Market Routing - Stocks | Yes | No | |
Ladder Trading | Yes | No | |
Trade Hotkeys | Yes | No | |
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | Yes | No | |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting | Yes | No | |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | Yes | No | |
Short Locator | Yes | No | |
Order Liquidity Rebates | Yes | No |
Research Overview | TradeStation | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
Research - Stocks | Yes | No | |
Research - ETFs | Yes | No | |
Research - Mutual Funds | No | No | |
Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB | Yes | No | |
Research - Bonds | No | No | |
Screener - Stocks | Yes | No | |
Screener - ETFs | No | No | |
Screener - Mutual Funds | No | No | |
Screener - Bonds | No | No | |
Misc - Portfolio Allocation | Yes | Yes |
Stock Research | TradeStation | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
Stock Research - PDF Reports | 0 | 0 | |
Stock Research - Earnings | No | No | |
Stock Research - Insiders | No | No | |
Stock Research - Social | No | No | |
Stock Research - News | Yes | Yes | |
Stock Research - ESG | No | No | |
Stock Research - SEC Filings | No | No |
ETF Research | TradeStation | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
ETFs - Strategy Overview | No | Yes | |
ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date | No | No | |
ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio | No | Yes | |
ETF Fund Facts - Net Assets | No | No | |
ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings | No | No | |
ETFs - Top 10 Holdings | No | Yes | |
ETFs - Sector Exposure | No | No | |
ETFs - Risk Analysis | No | No | |
ETFs - Ratings | No | No | |
ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap | No | No | |
ETFs - PDF Reports | No | No |
Mutual Fund Research | TradeStation | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
Mutual Funds - Strategy Overview | No | No | |
Mutual Funds - Performance Chart | No | No | |
Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis | No | No | |
Mutual Funds - Prospectus | No | No | |
Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown | No | No | |
Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings | No | No | |
Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation | No | No | |
Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation | No | No | |
Mutual Funds - Country Allocation | No | No | |
Mutual Funds - StyleMap | No | No |
Options Trading | TradeStation | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
Option Chains - Basic View | Yes | Yes | |
Option Chains - Strategy View | Yes | No | |
Option Chains - Streaming | Yes | No | |
Option Chains - Total Columns | 29 | 0 | |
Option Chains - Greeks | 5 | 0 | |
Option Chains - Quick Analysis | Yes | No | |
Option Analysis - P&L Charts | Yes | No | |
Option Probability Analysis | Yes | No | |
Option Probability Analysis Adv | Yes | No | |
Option Positions - Greeks | Yes | No | |
Option Positions - Greeks Streaming | Yes | No | |
Option Positions - Adv Analysis | Yes | No | |
Option Positions - Rolling | Yes | No | |
Option Positions - Grouping | Yes | No |
Banking | TradeStation | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
Bank (Member FDIC) | No | Yes | |
Checking Accounts | No | Yes | |
Savings Accounts | No | Yes | |
Credit Cards | No | Yes | |
Debit Cards | No | Yes | |
Mortgage Loans | No | Yes |
Customer Service | TradeStation | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
Phone Support (Prospect Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
Phone Support (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
Email Support | Yes | No | |
Live Chat (Prospect Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
Live Chat (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
24/7 Support | No | No |
Overall | TradeStation | SoFi Invest® | |
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Overall |
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Range of Investments |
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Platforms & Tools |
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Mobile Trading Apps |
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Research |
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Education |
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Ease Of Use |
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Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | TradeStation Review | SoFi Invest® Review |