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TradeStation vs Tradier 2024

StockBrokers.com

Written by StockBrokers.com

October 30, 2024

In this head to head comparison of TradeStation vs Tradier, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, investment options, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.

TradeStation
4/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0.00
  • Stock Trades: $0.00
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.60
Tradier
4/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0.00
  • Stock Trades: $0.00
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.35 info

Investment options

When weighing the investment options between TradeStation and Tradier, both platforms cater to a broad range of asset types, making them popular choices for many investors. Despite their similarities, TradeStation stands out with a higher rating of 4.5 stars, compared to Tradier's 4 stars, largely due to its broader selection of investment opportunities, like OTC stocks. Ranked #5 by StockBrokers.com, TradeStation surpasses Tradier, which is ranked #13, making it a more favorable option for those seeking comprehensive trading services.

Both TradeStation and Tradier offer essential services such as stock trading, margin trading, mutual funds, and options trading, catering to both beginner and experienced investors. While neither platform supports fractional shares or crypto trading, they both provide support for traditional and Roth IRA accounts, making them suitable for long-term retirement planning.

While Tradier may be slightly less acclaimed in terms of investment offerings, it still presents a competitive choice for traders interested in futures trading, mutual funds, and more. However, TradeStation’s additional offering of OTC stocks coupled with its higher overall ranking makes it a more versatile and highly recommended option for diverse trading needs.

Feature TradeStation logoTradeStation
Tradier logoTradier
Stock Trading info Yes Yes
Margin Trading Yes Yes
Fractional Shares info No No
OTC Stocks info Yes No
Mutual Funds info Yes Yes
Options Trading info Yes Yes
Futures Trading info Yes Yes
Crypto Trading info No No
Crypto Trading - Total Coins info 0 0
Investment Options 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2024, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2024

Trading platforms and tools

When evaluating the trading platforms and tools offered by both TradeStation and Tradier, TradeStation emerges as the more robust choice, earning a rating of 4.5 stars compared to Tradier's 3.5 stars. TradeStation is ranked seventh out of 18 brokers by StockBrokers.com, while Tradier holds the tenth position. Despite Tradier offering some valuable tools, TradeStation provides a more comprehensive suite of features that cater to both novice and advanced traders, making it the preferred choice for a more dynamic trading experience.

TradeStation excels with its Windows desktop downloadable trading platform, offering a highly customizable and feature-rich experience that Tradier cannot match, as it lacks a downloadable option for both Windows and Mac. Both brokers provide browser-based platforms, but TradeStation shines with its extensive 294 technical indicators, 23 drawing tools, and the ability to adjust open orders directly on stock charts. Additionally, TradeStation supports the addition of index overlays, showing corporate events on charts, setting custom date ranges, and displaying automated technical analysis—features that are absent from Tradier’s offerings.

Though both platforms offer paper trading and the ability to add notes to charts and show historical trades, TradeStation's platform further distinguishes itself with the ability to save multiple chart profiles and create custom studies, offering traders a more tailored trading experience. TradeStation also provides a whopping 341 fields for watch lists, dwarfing Tradier's mere 3 columns, and grants 12 customization fields for SMA studies, compared to Tradier's 7. These advanced features and capabilities ensure that TradeStation stands out as the superior platform for traders seeking a comprehensive and customizable trading environment.

Feature TradeStation logoTradeStation
Tradier logoTradier
Web Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Trading Platform info Yes No info
Desktop Platform (Mac) info No No info
Paper Trading info Yes Yes
Watch Lists - Total Fields info 341 3
Charting - Indicators / Studies info 294 95
Charting - Drawing Tools info 23 0
Platforms & Tools 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Brokers & Trading Platforms for 2024, Best Paper Trading Platforms for 2024

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Beginners and education

For beginner and investor education, TradeStation notably surpasses Tradier by offering a more comprehensive suite of learning tools and resources. TradeStation provides education on stock trading and options, featuring not only educational videos and webinars but also paper trading to help new investors practice and refine their skills. In contrast, Tradier offers a significantly more limited educational experience, lacking resources such as videos, webinars, or any instructional content on stocks or options trading. Both platforms provide paper trading, allowing users to simulate trades and strategies without financial risk, but TradeStation's enhanced educational offerings make it a more supportive choice for novices aiming to build a solid foundation in stock and options trading.

TradeStation is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars for its educational resources, earning it the 11th position out of 18 brokers according to StockBrokers.com, while Tradier lags behind with a 2-star rating and a rank of 17th. This ranking reflects TradeStation's better educational support, positioning it as a stronger contender for investors who prioritize learning and skill development. While neither broker covers ETF, mutual funds, or bonds education, TradeStation’s inclusion of several learning formats provides a richer experience that can significantly benefit beginners eager to establish themselves in the trading world.

Feature TradeStation logoTradeStation
Tradier logoTradier
Education (Stocks) info Yes No
Education (ETFs) info No No
Education (Options) info Yes No
Education (Mutual Funds) info No No
Education (Bonds) info No No
Paper Trading info Yes Yes
Videos info Yes No
Webinars info Yes No
Education 3.5/5 Stars 2/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2024

Stock trading apps

When comparing TradeStation to Tradier for stock trading app capabilities, TradeStation tends to offer a more feature-rich experience. Both brokers provide mobile apps for iPhone and Android users, but TradeStation has a clear advantage with features like after-hours stock trading and stock alerts, which Tradier lacks. Moreover, TradeStation supports custom watch lists with the option to customize columns, whereas Tradier does not. In terms of technical analysis, TradeStation offers 45 technical studies for charting, a significant edge over Tradier, which offers none. Ratings and rankings further underscore the differences, with TradeStation receiving a 4.5-star rating and ranking 8th out of 18 brokers, compared to Tradier's 4-star rating and 15th-place ranking.

Both TradeStation and Tradier excel in some key areas, such as offering mobile options trading, streaming quotes, and the ability to view multiple time frames for charting on their mobile apps. However, neither provides an Apple Watch app, streaming live TV, or videos on demand. A similar lack of functionality occurs with features like the ability to display stock comparisons on charts and view charts in landscape mode—features absent in both platforms.

TradeStation's extended features make it highly favorable for users seeking comprehensive technical tools and after-hours capabilities. While Tradier holds its ground with basic functionalities, it may not satisfy advanced traders who require more robust charting tools and alert systems. Users should assess their trading needs to choose the platform aligning best with their individual investment strategies. Overall, for a feature-rich trading app experience, TradeStation stands out as the superior choice.

Feature TradeStation logoTradeStation
Tradier logoTradier
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 Yes No
Charting - Technical Studies info 45 0
Mobile Trading Apps 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2024

Fees

When comparing TradeStation and Tradier, investors will find that both online brokers offer competitive pricing structures, but each comes with distinct advantages. Both platforms boast a $0 minimum deposit and commission-free regular stock trades, making them accessible options for many investors. However, Tradier generally edges out TradeStation with lower fees on key services, such as options contract fees at $0.35 compared to TradeStation's $0.60. Tradier's margin rates are also notably lower across all tiers, beginning at 9.5% for balances below $25,000, whereas TradeStation charges 13.0% for the same bracket.

Examining additional account fees, TradeStation charges $35 for IRA annual fees and $50 for IRA closure fees, whereas Tradier charges a slightly lower annual fee of $30 but a higher closure fee at $60. For account transfers, Tradier provides more economical options with both partial and full ACAT transfers costing $75, significantly less than TradeStation's charge of $125 for either service. When it comes to options-related charges, Tradier again offers lower fees, with a $9.00 charge for both options exercise and assignment, compared to TradeStation's $14.95 exercise fee and $5.95 assignment fee.

Overall, while both TradeStation and Tradier offer a strong suite of services, Tradier generally provides lower costs for key account fees, making it an attractive option for cost-conscious investors. Differentiating between these two platforms primarily hinges on the specific needs and trading habits of the investor, with Tradier offering a particular appeal given its consistent fee advantages in various areas of service. Each platform's comprehensive offering and minimal entry barriers make them worthy contenders for any investor's consideration.

Feature TradeStation logoTradeStation
Tradier logoTradier
Minimum Deposit $0.00 $0.00
Stock Trades $0.00 $0.00
Options (Per Contract) $0.60 $0.35 info
Options Exercise Fee $14.95 $9.00
Options Assignment Fee $5.95 $9.00
IRA Annual Fee $35.00 $30.00 info
IRA Closure Fee $50.00 $60.00
Commissions & Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2024

Day Trading

When comparing TradeStation to Tradier for day trading capabilities, TradeStation emerges as the more feature-rich option. TradeStation offers streaming time and sales for stocks, direct market routing, ladder trading, and trading hotkeys for keyboard trade entry, which are crucial for effective day trading. Additionally, TradeStation provides level 2 quotes, basic and advanced strategy backtesting, a short locator tool for real-time availability of shares for shorting, and order liquidity rebates. These features collectively cater to professional traders seeking a comprehensive platform that enhances trading efficiency and decision-making.

In contrast, Tradier lacks many of these essential day trading features, such as streaming time and sales, direct market routing, ladder trading, and trading hotkeys. Moreover, Tradier does not offer level 2 quotes, strategy backtesting capabilities, a short locator tool, or order liquidity rebates, making it less suitable for those who rely on advanced tools and data to optimize their trading strategies. For active day traders looking for a robust platform with extensive tools and features, TradeStation stands out as the superior choice.

Feature TradeStation logoTradeStation
Tradier logoTradier
Streaming Time & Sales info Yes No
Streaming TV info No No
Direct Market Routing - Stocks info Yes No
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks info Yes No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting info Yes No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv info Yes No
Short Locator info Yes No

Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms for 2024

Market Research

When evaluating market research capabilities between TradeStation and Tradier, TradeStation emerges slightly ahead due to its broader range of offerings. While both platforms provide stock and ETF research, TradeStation extends its capabilities to include Pink Sheets/OTCBB research, a feature not available with Tradier. Additionally, TradeStation supports portfolio allocation views by asset class and offers a stock screener for trade ideas, adding to its comprehensive suite of tools for investors. Consequently, TradeStation garners a rating of three stars for market research as opposed to Tradier's 2.5 stars and holds a higher ranking (#10) compared to Tradier (#16) according to StockBrokers.com.

Both TradeStation and Tradier offer fundamental research support through stock and ETF analysis but fall short in other areas like mutual funds, bonds, and ESG research. Neither platform provides downloadable PDF research reports for their offered instruments, indicating limitations in accessible and customizable research documentation. The absence of these features denotes an area for improvement for both brokers, particularly in appealing to investors who prefer in-depth research reports.

Another key distinction is TradeStation's ability to visualize portfolio allocation by asset class, a feature unavailable in Tradier, offering users a clearer insight into their investment diversification. Despite both platforms lacking social media sentiment and ESG data research functionality, TradeStation's inclusion of a stock screener for trade ideas further elevates its market research offerings compared to Tradier. Overall, TradeStation presents a more advanced market research toolkit for users seeking specific investment analysis, albeit with room for enhancement in certain research dimensions.

Feature TradeStation logoTradeStation
Tradier logoTradier
Research - Stocks info Yes Yes
Screener - Stocks info Yes No
Research - ETFs info Yes Yes
Screener - ETFs info No No
Research - Mutual Funds info No No
Screener - Mutual Funds info No No
Research - Bonds info No No
Screener - Bonds info No No
Research 3/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars

Banking

When considering the banking capabilities of online brokers TradeStation and Tradier, it becomes clear that neither platform provides traditional banking services. Both TradeStation and Tradier do not offer checking or savings accounts, nor do they provide debit or credit cards. Additionally, neither online broker offers mortgage loans or certificates of deposit (CDs). As a result, users looking for comprehensive banking features may need to explore other financial institutions, as TradeStation and Tradier focus solely on brokerage services without extending their offerings to include standard banking products.

Feature TradeStation logoTradeStation
Tradier logoTradier
Checking Accounts info No No
Savings Accounts info No No
Debit Cards info No No
Credit Cards info No No
Mortgage Loans info No No
CDs info No No

Dive deeper: Best Bank Accounts for Trading Stocks for 2024

Winner

After opening live accounts and testing 18 of the best online brokers, our research and live account testing finds that TradeStation is better than Tradier. TradeStation finished with an overall score of 81.7%, while Tradier finished with a score of 77.0%.

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.

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with TradeStation or Tradier?

Neither TradeStation nor Tradier offers crypto trading, and both platforms provide zero coins for cryptocurrency transactions.

Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2024

Does TradeStation or Tradier offer IRAs?

Both TradeStation and Tradier offer traditional and Roth IRA accounts, but while TradeStation charges a $35 annual fee and a $50 closure fee, Tradier charges slightly lower fees at $30 annually but has a higher closure fee of $60.

Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2024

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Compare

0 of 5
Overall Rating TradeStation Tradier
Overall 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Investment Options 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 3/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Customer Service 3.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Education 3.5/5 Stars 2/5 Stars
Ease Of Use 3.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review TradeStation Review Tradier Review
Broker Screenshots TradeStation Tradier
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 Tradier
Minimum Deposit $0.00 $0.00
Stock Trades $0.00 $0.00
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) info $0.01 info N/A
Mutual Fund Trade Fee $14.95 $30 info
Options (Per Contract) $0.60 $0.35 info
Futures (Per Contract) $1.50 $1.50 info
Broker Assisted Trade Fee $25 $10
Margin Rates TradeStation Tradier
Margin Rate Under $25,000 13.0% 9.5%
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 13.0% 9.5%
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 12.5% 9.5%
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 12.0% 9.5%
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 12.0% 9.5%
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 7.5% info 9.5%
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 7.5% info 9.5%
Account Fees TradeStation Tradier
IRA Annual Fee $35.00 $30.00 info
IRA Closure Fee $50.00 $60.00
Account Transfer Out (Partial) info $125.00 $75.00
Account Transfer Out (Full) info $125.00 $75.00
Options Exercise Fee $14.95 $9.00
Options Assignment Fee $5.95 $9.00
Investment Options TradeStation Tradier
Stock Trading info Yes Yes
Margin Trading Yes Yes
Fractional Shares info No No
OTC Stocks info Yes No
Options Trading info Yes Yes
Complex Options Max Legs info 4 4
Futures Trading info Yes Yes
Forex Trading info No No
Crypto Trading info No No
Crypto Trading - Total Coins info 0 0
Mutual Funds (No Load) info 800 0
Mutual Funds (Total) info 4000 0
Bonds (US Treasury) info Yes No
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 TradeStation Tradier
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 TradeStation Tradier
Education (Stocks) info Yes No
Education (ETFs) info No No
Education (Options) info Yes No
Education (Mutual Funds) info No No
Education (Bonds) info No No
Education (Retirement) info No No
Retirement Calculator info No No
Investor Dictionary info No No
Paper Trading info Yes Yes
Videos info Yes No
Webinars info Yes No
Webinars (Archived) info Yes No
Progress Tracking info No No
Interactive Learning - Quizzes info No No
Stock Trading Apps TradeStation Tradier
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 No
Stock App Features TradeStation Tradier
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 No
Watch Lists - Create & Manage info Yes Yes
Watch Lists - Column Customization info Yes No
Stock App Charting TradeStation Tradier
Charting - After-Hours info Yes No
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally info No No
Charting - Multiple Time Frames info Yes Yes
Charting - Technical Studies info 45 0
Charting - Study Customizations info Yes No
Charting - Stock Comparisons info No No
Trading Platforms TradeStation Tradier
Active Trading Platform info TradeStation 10 TradeHawk
Desktop Trading Platform info Yes No info
Desktop Platform (Mac) info No No info
Web Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Paper Trading info Yes Yes
Trade Journal info No No
Watch Lists - Total Fields info 341 3
Stock Chart Features TradeStation Tradier
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart info Yes No
Charting - Indicators / Studies info 294 95
Charting - Drawing Tools info 23 0
Charting - Notes info Yes Yes
Charting - Index Overlays info Yes No
Charting - Historical Trades info Yes Yes
Charting - Corporate Events info Yes No
Charting - Custom Date Range info Yes No
Charting - Custom Time Bars info Yes No
Charting - Automated Analysis info Yes No
Charting - Save Profiles info Yes No
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis info Yes No
Charting - Study Customizations info 12 7
Charting - Custom Studies info Yes No
Day Trading TradeStation Tradier
Streaming Time & Sales info Yes No
Streaming TV info No No
Direct Market Routing - Stocks info Yes No
Ladder Trading info Yes No
Trade Hotkeys info Yes No
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks info Yes No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting info Yes No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv info Yes No
Short Locator info Yes No
Order Liquidity Rebates info Yes No
Research Overview TradeStation Tradier
Research - Stocks info Yes Yes
Research - ETFs info Yes Yes
Research - Mutual Funds info No No
Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB info Yes No
Research - Bonds info No No
Screener - Stocks info Yes No
Screener - ETFs info No No
Screener - Mutual Funds info No No
Screener - Bonds info No No
Misc - Portfolio Allocation info Yes No
Stock Research TradeStation Tradier
Stock Research - PDF Reports info 0 0
Stock Research - Earnings info No No
Stock Research - Insiders info No No
Stock Research - Social info No No
Stock Research - News info Yes No
Stock Research - ESG info No No
Stock Research - SEC Filings info No No
ETF Research TradeStation Tradier
ETFs - Strategy Overview info No No
ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date info No No
ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio info No No
ETF Fund Facts - Net Assets info No No
ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings info No No
ETFs - Top 10 Holdings info No No
ETFs - Sector Exposure info No No
ETFs - Risk Analysis info No No
ETFs - Ratings info No No
ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap info No No
ETFs - PDF Reports info No No
Mutual Fund Research TradeStation Tradier
Mutual Funds - Strategy Overview info No No
Mutual Funds - Performance Chart info No No
Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis info No No
Mutual Funds - Prospectus info No No
Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown info No No
Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings info No No
Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation info No No
Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation info No No
Mutual Funds - Country Allocation info No No
Mutual Funds - StyleMap info No No
Options Trading TradeStation Tradier
Option Chains - Basic View info Yes Yes
Option Chains - Strategy View info Yes No
Option Chains - Streaming info Yes No
Option Chains - Total Columns info 29 8
Option Chains - Greeks info 5 1
Option Chains - Quick Analysis info Yes Yes
Option Analysis - P&L Charts info Yes No
Option Probability Analysis info Yes No
Option Probability Analysis Adv info Yes No
Option Positions - Greeks info Yes No
Option Positions - Greeks Streaming info Yes No
Option Positions - Adv Analysis info Yes No
Option Positions - Rolling info Yes No
Option Positions - Grouping info Yes No
Banking TradeStation Tradier
Bank (Member FDIC) info No No
Checking Accounts info No No
Savings Accounts info No No
Credit Cards info No No
Debit Cards info No No
Mortgage Loans info No No
Customer Service TradeStation Tradier
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 No
Live Chat (Current Customers) info Yes No
24/7 Support info No No
Overall TradeStation Tradier
Overall 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Investment Options 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 3/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Education 3.5/5 Stars 2/5 Stars
Ease Of Use 3.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review TradeStation Review Tradier Review
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