Vanguard vs Tradier 2024
In this head to head comparison of Vanguard vs Tradier, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, investment options, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
In this head to head comparison of Vanguard vs Tradier, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, investment options, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
When evaluating Vanguard and Tradier for their investment options, potential investors will find both brokers offer robust platforms for stock, margin, mutual funds, and options trading. However, Vanguard holds a slight edge with a 4.5-star rating compared to Tradier’s 4-star rating, attributed to its offering of OTC stocks and the presence of advisor services, which Tradier lacks. Ultimately, Vanguard ranks #9 and Tradier at #13 on StockBrokers.com among 18 brokers, demonstrating Vanguard's slight advantage over Tradier in a competitive market.
Vanguard and Tradier both provide standard stock and margin trading, enabling investors to engage in traditional market activities. They offer access to mutual funds and options trading, appealing to those who are interested in diversified portfolio management. While both platforms refrain from offering fractional shares, forex, or cryptocurrency trading, Tradier provides futures trading, adding a layer of opportunity for specific traders that Vanguard does not offer. This distinctive feature of Tradier may attract investors interested in futures despite their lack of OTC stock availability.
Both Vanguard and Tradier accommodate retirement planning by offering traditional and Roth IRA accounts, catering to long-term investment strategies. Nevertheless, Vanguard extends its services with comprehensive advisor offerings, guiding investors through decision-making processes, unlike Tradier. While each platform has its strengths, Vanguard's inclusion of OTC stock trades and advisory services contributes to its higher overall rating, making it an appealing option for those seeking extensive investment guidance and over-the-counter market exposure.
Feature |
Vanguard
|
Tradier
|
---|---|---|
Stock Trading | Yes | Yes |
Margin Trading | Yes | Yes |
Fractional Shares | No | No |
OTC Stocks | Yes | No |
Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
Options Trading | Yes | Yes |
Futures Trading | No | Yes |
Crypto Trading | No | No |
Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 0 | 0 |
Investment Options |
Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2024, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2024
When comparing the trading platforms and tools of Vanguard and Tradier, Tradier takes the lead with a more comprehensive offering. Tradier provides a significant range of 95 technical indicators for charting, far surpassing Vanguard's 9 indicators, and includes paper trading, which Vanguard lacks. Despite the absence of a desktop downloadable trading platform for both services, Tradier's platform flexibility and variety of chart editing options make it more appealing for traders seeking depth in their analysis tools.
Vanguard and Tradier both offer browser-based trading platforms. However, while Vanguard allows the display of corporate events and index overlays on its charts, it lacks Tradier's ability to show historical trades and incorporate notes into charts. Additionally, while Tradier offers 7 customization fields for editing SMA studies, Vanguard offers only 1, providing less opportunity for personalization in technical analysis. These differences contribute to Tradier's higher rating of 3.5 stars compared to Vanguard's 2.5 stars.
Neither platform offers the ability to download for Mac or Windows, nor do they support custom date ranges for charts, drawing tools, or the saving of multiple chart profiles. Both Vanguard and Tradier also lack features for automated technical analysis and custom chart study creation. However, with its more robust selection of technical indicators and paper trading support, Tradier earns a better overall ranking from StockBrokers.com, positioned at #10 out of 18, whereas Vanguard is ranked at #18.
Feature |
Vanguard
|
Tradier
|
---|---|---|
Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
Desktop Trading Platform | No | No |
Desktop Platform (Mac) | No | No |
Paper Trading | No | Yes |
Watch Lists - Total Fields | 9 | 3 |
Charting - Indicators / Studies | 9 | 95 |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 0 |
Platforms & Tools |
Dive deeper: Best Stock Brokers & Trading Platforms for 2024, Best Paper Trading Platforms for 2024
When comparing Vanguard and Tradier in terms of beginner and investor education capabilities, Vanguard emerges as the more favorable option for novice investors. Vanguard offers stock education and features educational videos, providing a foundational platform for individuals new to investing. The brokerage, however, does not extend its educational services to ETFs, options, mutual funds, or bonds. Vanguard's absence of paper trading, webinars, educational quizzes, and tools to track learning progress limit its overall educational appeal. Despite these limitations, Vanguard maintains a respectable 3.5-star rating and ranks 13th out of 18 brokers for education by StockBrokers.com.
Tradier, on the other hand, provides no educational resources for stocks or other investment types like ETFs, options, mutual funds, and bonds, which might leave beginner investors seeking additional knowledge. However, Tradier does offer a paper trading feature, allowing users to experiment with trading strategies without any financial risk. Without educational videos, webinars, or quizzes, Tradier's educational offerings are sparse, leading to a lower rating of 2 stars and a ranking of 17 out of 18 brokers by StockBrokers.com. In essence, Vanguard's educational resources, albeit limited, offer a more substantial starting point for new investors compared to Tradier.
Feature |
Vanguard
|
Tradier
|
---|---|---|
Education (Stocks) | Yes | No |
Education (ETFs) | No | No |
Education (Options) | No | No |
Education (Mutual Funds) | No | No |
Education (Bonds) | No | No |
Paper Trading | No | Yes |
Videos | Yes | No |
Webinars | No | No |
Education |
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2024
When comparing the mobile stock trading app capabilities of Vanguard and Tradier, Tradier emerges ahead with a wider range of features, earning it 4 out of 5 stars compared to Vanguard's 3 stars. Tradier is known for mobile options trading and streaming quotes, contrasting with Vanguard's more limited functionalities. Tradier is ranked 15th out of 18 by StockBrokers.com, slightly outperforming Vanguard, which occupies the last position.
Both Vanguard and Tradier offer stock trading apps for iPhone and Android users, although neither supports Apple Watch integration. While each broker offers the capability to view multiple time frames for charting via their mobile apps, neither provides after-hours charting or landscape mode chart views. Despite offering no technical studies or stock comparisons on charts, Tradier enables users to create custom watch lists, a feature absent from Vanguard's offerings.
Vanguard and Tradier both lack streaming live TV, videos on demand, and stock alerts within their apps, which could be limiting for users seeking comprehensive, all-in-one solutions. Tradier users benefit from the ability to manage options trades directly from the app, a significant distinction from Vanguard, which does not provide this feature. Overall, while Tradier offers more dynamic toolsets through its mobile application than Vanguard, there remain areas for improvement in both platforms to enhance the mobile trading experience fully.
Feature |
Vanguard
|
Tradier
|
---|---|---|
iPhone App | Yes | Yes |
Android App | Yes | Yes |
Apple Watch App | No | No |
Stock Alerts | No | No |
Charting - After-Hours | No | No |
Charting - Technical Studies | 0 | 0 |
Mobile Trading Apps |
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2024
When evaluating Vanguard versus Tradier on fees and charges, Tradier comes out ahead for traders focusing on options due to its lower cost per contract. However, Vanguard has a slight edge for investors looking for lower ancillary fees with no charges for options exercise, assignment fees, and partial account transfers, alongside no cost for regular stock trades. The choice between these two platforms ultimately depends on the investor's specific trading habits and whether they prioritize lower transaction costs or fewer account maintenance fees.
Both Vanguard and Tradier offer a $0 minimum deposit and charge nothing for regular stock trades, making them accessible choices for budget-conscious investors. When it comes to options trading, Tradier charges a competitive $0.35 per contract compared to Vanguard's $1.00. This significant difference could be a decisive factor for active options traders leaning towards Tradier for their trading needs.
On the margin balances front, Tradier again offers lower rates across the different tiers, starting at 9.5%, while Vanguard's rates begin from 12.75% for higher balance categories. However, Vanguard maintains a more favorable fee structure for IRA-related transactions, charging lower annual fees and no closure charges, compared to Tradier's higher fees. Furthermore, Vanguard offers free account partial transfers, although its full account transfer fee is $25 more than Tradier's. These distinctions highlight the importance of aligning one's financial strategies with each broker's unique fee structure.
Feature |
Vanguard
|
Tradier
|
---|---|---|
Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Options (Per Contract) | $1.00 | $0.35 |
Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $9.00 |
Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $9.00 |
IRA Annual Fee | $25.00 | $30.00 |
IRA Closure Fee | $0.00 | $60.00 |
Commissions & Fees |
Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2024
When comparing the day trading capabilities of online brokers Vanguard and Tradier, both platforms exhibit significant similarities, particularly in the features they lack. Neither Vanguard nor Tradier provides streaming time and sales data for stocks, streaming live TV, direct market routing, ladder trading, or trading hotkeys for keyboard trade entry. Additionally, both platforms do not offer level 2 quotes or tools for both basic and advanced strategy backtesting, which might be essential for active traders looking to optimize their trading strategies with comprehensive market insights.
Further examining their offerings, neither Vanguard nor Tradier includes a short locator tool for real-time availability of shares available to short, nor do they provide order liquidity (maker/taker) rebates. This makes both brokers less appealing to traders who rely on these critical day trading functionalities to execute high-frequency trades and optimize their trading performance. Consequently, traders seeking a robust suite of day trading tools and advanced technical capabilities might find both Vanguard and Tradier lacking when it comes to supporting complex trading needs.
Feature |
Vanguard
|
Tradier
|
---|---|---|
Streaming Time & Sales | No | No |
Streaming TV | No | No |
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 | No |
Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms for 2024
Vanguard and Tradier both provide essential market research capabilities, but Vanguard has a more comprehensive offering that may be more appealing to investment-focused users. Ranked #9 by StockBrokers.com with a rating of 3.5 stars, Vanguard stands out for its comprehensive research tools across multiple investment product types, including stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, pink sheets, OTCBB, and bonds. Tradier, ranked #16 and with a rating of 2.5 stars, offers basic research tools for stocks and ETFs but lacks coverage in mutual fund and bond research, among others.
Vanguard excels with its versatile research capabilities offering detailed insights into a variety of investment avenues. Its research spans across stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds, providing investors with the ability to access multiple resources such as stock research, ETF research, and crucially, mutual fund and bond screeners for trade ideas. Additionally, Vanguard provides tools to visualize portfolio allocation by asset class, further allowing clients to manage their investment strategy effectively. Although it lacks in certain modern data points like social media sentiment and ESG research, it still delivers robust traditional research options including two downloadable PDF reports for stocks.
In contrast, Tradier's research is comparatively limited. It focuses primarily on stocks and ETFs, providing essential stock research without the enhancements seen in Vanguard's offerings. Features such as downloadable PDF reports and screeners for trade ideas are notably absent from Tradier’s platform. Furthermore, Tradier does not support research for mutual funds or bonds, which could be a limitation for investors seeking a wider array of investment insights. While both Vanguard and Tradier offer core research services, those seeking a more extensive research experience might find Vanguard's offerings more aligned with their needs.
Feature |
Vanguard
|
Tradier
|
---|---|---|
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 banking capabilities between online brokers Vanguard and Tradier, it is clear that both lack in offering standard banking services such as checking accounts, savings accounts, debit cards, credit cards, and mortgage loans. Neither Vanguard nor Tradier provides these banking features, highlighting their focus on investment services rather than traditional banking options. However, one notable difference is that Vanguard offers Certificates of Deposit (CDs), while Tradier does not, providing a slight advantage for customers seeking secure, interest-earning investment options through CDs. Overall, Vanguard holds a singular edge in this specific area of banking services compared to Tradier.
Feature |
Vanguard
|
Tradier
|
---|---|---|
Checking Accounts | No | No |
Savings Accounts | No | No |
Debit Cards | No | No |
Credit Cards | No | No |
Mortgage Loans | No | No |
CDs | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Bank Accounts for Trading Stocks for 2024
After opening live accounts and testing 18 of the best online brokers, our research and live account testing finds that Vanguard is better than Tradier. Vanguard finished with an overall score of 80.3%, while Tradier finished with a score of 77.0%.
Vanguard is aimed squarely at buy-and-hold investors, and its platform reflects that focus. Vanguard is known for its low-cost funds, and the investment platform is really built for those looking to invest solely in mutual funds and ETFs.
Neither Vanguard nor Tradier offers crypto trading, with both platforms providing access to 0 cryptocurrencies.
Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2024
Both Vanguard and Tradier offer traditional and Roth IRA accounts; however, Vanguard charges a lower annual fee of $25 compared to Tradier's $30, and Vanguard does not charge a closure fee, whereas Tradier imposes a $60 fee for closing IRA accounts.
Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2024
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0 of 5Overall Rating | Vanguard | Tradier | |
---|---|---|---|
Overall | |||
Commissions & Fees | |||
Investment Options | |||
Platforms & Tools | |||
Mobile Trading Apps | |||
Research | |||
Customer Service | |||
Education | |||
Ease Of Use | |||
Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | Vanguard Review | Tradier Review |
Broker Screenshots | Vanguard | 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 | Vanguard | Tradier | |
---|---|---|---|
Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) | $0.00 | N/A | |
Mutual Fund Trade Fee | Varies | $30 | |
Options (Per Contract) | $1.00 | $0.35 | |
Futures (Per Contract) | (Not offered) | $1.50 | |
Broker Assisted Trade Fee | $25 | $10 |
Margin Rates | Vanguard | Tradier | |
---|---|---|---|
Margin Rate Under $25,000 | 13.75% | 9.5% | |
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 | 13.25% | 9.5% | |
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 | 12.75% | 9.5% | |
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 | 12.25% | 9.5% | |
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 | 11.75% | 9.5% | |
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 | 10.5% | 9.5% | |
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 | Varies | 9.5% |
Account Fees | Vanguard | Tradier | |
---|---|---|---|
IRA Annual Fee | $25.00 | $30.00 | |
IRA Closure Fee | $0.00 | $60.00 | |
Account Transfer Out (Partial) | $0.00 | $75.00 | |
Account Transfer Out (Full) | $100.00 | $75.00 | |
Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $9.00 | |
Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $9.00 |
Investment Options | Vanguard | Tradier | |
---|---|---|---|
Stock Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Margin Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Fractional Shares | No | No | |
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 | No | |
Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 0 | 0 | |
Mutual Funds (No Load) | N/A | 0 | |
Mutual Funds (Total) | N/A | 0 | |
Bonds (US Treasury) | Yes | No | |
Bonds (Corporate) | Yes | No | |
Bonds (Municipal) | Yes | No | |
Traditional IRAs | Yes | Yes | |
Roth IRAs | Yes | Yes | |
Advisor Services | Yes | No | |
International Countries (Stocks) | 0 | 0 |
Order Types | Vanguard | Tradier | |
---|---|---|---|
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 | No | No | |
Order Type - OCO | No | Yes | |
Order Type - OTO | No | Yes | |
Order Type - Broker Assisted | Yes | Yes |
Beginners | Vanguard | Tradier | |
---|---|---|---|
Education (Stocks) | Yes | No | |
Education (ETFs) | No | No | |
Education (Options) | No | No | |
Education (Mutual Funds) | No | No | |
Education (Bonds) | No | No | |
Education (Retirement) | Yes | No | |
Retirement Calculator | Yes | No | |
Investor Dictionary | No | No | |
Paper Trading | No | Yes | |
Videos | Yes | No | |
Webinars | No | No | |
Webinars (Archived) | No | No | |
Progress Tracking | No | No | |
Interactive Learning - Quizzes | No | No |
Stock Trading Apps | Vanguard | Tradier | |
---|---|---|---|
iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
Apple Watch App | No | No | |
Trading - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Trading - After-Hours | No | Yes | |
Trading - Simple Options | No | Yes | |
Trading - Complex Options | No | Yes | |
Order Ticket RT Quotes | Yes | Yes | |
Order Ticket SRT Quotes | No | No |
Stock App Features | Vanguard | Tradier | |
---|---|---|---|
Market Movers (Top Gainers) | No | Yes | |
Stream Live TV | No | No | |
Videos on Demand | No | No | |
Stock Alerts | No | No | |
Option Chains Viewable | No | Yes | |
Watch List (Real-time) | No | Yes | |
Watch List (Streaming) | No | No | |
Watch Lists - Create & Manage | No | Yes | |
Watch Lists - Column Customization | No | No |
Stock App Charting | Vanguard | Tradier | |
---|---|---|---|
Charting - After-Hours | No | No | |
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally | No | No | |
Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Technical Studies | 0 | 0 | |
Charting - Study Customizations | No | No | |
Charting - Stock Comparisons | No | No |
Trading Platforms | Vanguard | Tradier | |
---|---|---|---|
Active Trading Platform | N/A | TradeHawk | |
Desktop Trading Platform | No | No | |
Desktop Platform (Mac) | No | No | |
Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
Paper Trading | No | Yes | |
Trade Journal | No | No | |
Watch Lists - Total Fields | 9 | 3 |
Stock Chart Features | Vanguard | Tradier | |
---|---|---|---|
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart | No | No | |
Charting - Indicators / Studies | 9 | 95 | |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 0 | |
Charting - Notes | No | Yes | |
Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No | |
Charting - Historical Trades | No | Yes | |
Charting - Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
Charting - Custom Date Range | No | No | |
Charting - Custom Time Bars | No | No | |
Charting - Automated Analysis | No | No | |
Charting - Save Profiles | No | No | |
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis | No | No | |
Charting - Study Customizations | 1 | 7 | |
Charting - Custom Studies | No | No |
Day Trading | Vanguard | Tradier | |
---|---|---|---|
Streaming Time & Sales | No | No | |
Streaming TV | No | No | |
Direct Market Routing - Stocks | No | No | |
Ladder Trading | No | No | |
Trade Hotkeys | No | No | |
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | No | No | |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting | No | No | |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | No | No | |
Short Locator | No | No | |
Order Liquidity Rebates | No | No |
Research Overview | Vanguard | Tradier | |
---|---|---|---|
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 | No |
Stock Research | Vanguard | Tradier | |
---|---|---|---|
Stock Research - PDF Reports | 2 | 0 | |
Stock Research - Earnings | Yes | No | |
Stock Research - Insiders | No | No | |
Stock Research - Social | No | No | |
Stock Research - News | Yes | No | |
Stock Research - ESG | No | No | |
Stock Research - SEC Filings | No | No |
ETF Research | Vanguard | Tradier | |
---|---|---|---|
ETFs - Strategy Overview | No | No | |
ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date | No | No | |
ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio | No | No | |
ETF Fund Facts - Net Assets | No | No | |
ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings | No | No | |
ETFs - Top 10 Holdings | No | No | |
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 | Vanguard | Tradier | |
---|---|---|---|
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 | No | No | |
Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation | No | No | |
Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Country Allocation | No | No | |
Mutual Funds - StyleMap | Yes | No |
Options Trading | Vanguard | Tradier | |
---|---|---|---|
Option Chains - Basic View | Yes | Yes | |
Option Chains - Strategy View | No | No | |
Option Chains - Streaming | No | No | |
Option Chains - Total Columns | 9 | 8 | |
Option Chains - Greeks | 0 | 1 | |
Option Chains - Quick Analysis | No | Yes | |
Option Analysis - P&L Charts | No | No | |
Option Probability Analysis | No | No | |
Option Probability Analysis Adv | No | No | |
Option Positions - Greeks | No | No | |
Option Positions - Greeks Streaming | No | No | |
Option Positions - Adv Analysis | No | No | |
Option Positions - Rolling | No | No | |
Option Positions - Grouping | No | No |
Banking | Vanguard | Tradier | |
---|---|---|---|
Bank (Member FDIC) | No | No | |
Checking Accounts | No | No | |
Savings Accounts | No | No | |
Credit Cards | No | No | |
Debit Cards | No | No | |
Mortgage Loans | No | No |
Customer Service | Vanguard | Tradier | |
---|---|---|---|
Phone Support (Prospect Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
Phone Support (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
Email Support | Yes | Yes | |
Live Chat (Prospect Customers) | No | No | |
Live Chat (Current Customers) | No | No | |
24/7 Support | No | No |
Overall | Vanguard | Tradier | |
---|---|---|---|
Overall | |||
Commissions & Fees | |||
Investment Options | |||
Platforms & Tools | |||
Mobile Trading Apps | |||
Research | |||
Education | |||
Ease Of Use | |||
Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | Vanguard Review | Tradier Review |