Winners Summary
Best for futures trading - Tastytrade
| Company |
Minimum Deposit |
Stock Trades |
Options (Per Contract) |
 tastytrade
|
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.50 info |
Tastytrade is my personal favorite for futures trading. It’s a delightful platform with a great default layout and powerful tools. You can zap in and out of positions almost instantaneously. The futures pricing is attractive and the options commissions are even better. It’s best for chart traders rather than event-driven traders; the charts package is terrific, but the news and commentary are sparse. The platform's ease of use and emphasis on risk management and order entry make it an especially great platform for casual traders. Check out my full tastytrade review to explore their entire offering.
- Futures: $1.25 per contract.
- Micro: $0.85 per contract.
- Small: $.25 per contract.
- Futures options: $2.50 to open, $0 to close.
- Micro futures options: $1.50 to open, $0 to close.
- Smalls futures options: $0.50 to open, $0 to close.
Tastytrade platforms and tools gallery
Tastytrade mobile gallery
Best for professional futures trading - Interactive Brokers
| Company |
Minimum Deposit |
Stock Trades |
Options (Per Contract) |
 Interactive Brokers
|
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.65 |
Interactive Brokers’ futures commissions are super low. The commission for trading an E-micro contract or an option on a micro is only a quarter, and Trader Workstation is almost infinitely tweakable, loaded with tools, data, research, and news. It also recently added a vastly better chart package. These features make it a great pick for professional futures traders. Unfortunately, I find setting up a layout on Trader Workstation that works for me to be needlessly frustrating. Happily, IBKR seems to understand that many traders want a simpler workspace, so it’s in the process of rolling out a new and aptly named IBKR Desktop app.
Interactive Brokers has a restrictive compliance department, so it might be difficult to get approved for futures trading. I used a demo account to review futures trading at IBKR because, apparently, having a CFA and a CMT along with teaching investing at a business school isn’t enough for IBKR, and I have had no difficulties being approved for futures at the other brokers I test. That said, if you can get approved, its versatility and low-cost futures trading make it my pick for professionals. Visit my Interactive Brokers review for a more in-depth look.
- Futures and options: $0.85 per contract.
- E-Micro and options: $0.25 per contract.
- Small (all contracts): $.08 per contract (no tiered pricing).
- Crypto: varies.
Interactive Brokers platforms and tools gallery
Interactive Brokers mobile gallery
Great platforms and low commissions - TradeStation
| Company |
Minimum Deposit |
Stock Trades |
Options (Per Contract) |
 TradeStation
|
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.60 |
TradeStation is one of my top picks for futures trading due to its powerful desktop platform and competitive pricing. The TradeStation desktop is highly customizable, making it perfect for advanced traders who want to build automated strategies using the proprietary EasyLanguage tool. It offers robust charting with 30+ years of data for backtesting, alongside features like Matrix (ladder trading) and advanced order types.
For futures trading, TradeStation delivers great value at $1.50 per contract (per side), offering low commissions and a seamless trading experience across all its platforms. While the platform has a learning curve, I believe it’s well worth the time to master for those serious about trading futures. Read my full review of TradeStation to learn more more about their platform.
- Futures: $1.50 per contract.
- Micro: $0.50 per contract.
- Future Options: $1.50 per contract.
TradeStation platforms and tools gallery
TradeStation mobile gallery
Best futures trading platforms comparison
Futures trading platforms trading fees comparison
FAQs
What is futures trading?
By trading a futures contract, you are agreeing to buy or sell an asset—like commodities, indexes, or even currencies—at a set price on a future date. Essentially, it locks in today’s price for something you'll deliver later. While some traders aim to take physical delivery of goods like oil or wheat, most are in it for the price fluctuations. They settle in cash, pocketing the difference between the contract's strike price and the market price at the time of settlement. Originally, futures markets were designed for farmers and producers to protect themselves from unpredictable price swings, but today they offer opportunities to traders of all different types of commodities and equities.
In the U.S., futures trading operates under strict regulation. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) oversees the market, making sure everything runs smoothly and fairly. They work hand-in-hand with the National Futures Association (NFA), the industry’s self-regulating body. I can tell you from experience that both organizations take their roles seriously—offering protection to traders and ensuring market transparency. Without these safeguards, the high-stakes world of futures trading would be far riskier. Always make sure your broker is properly regulated by these bodies for a safe trading experience if located in the U.S.
What are the hours for futures trading?
Futures trading happens 24/7 around the world, but trading hours vary by market and traders should be aware of any upcoming holidays. Equity index and other futures traded on the CME are typically available between 6 p.m. Eastern Time Sunday (the “open”) and 5 p.m. Friday (the “close”). I recommend that traders bookmark the CME Group’s online trading calendar.
How much does it cost to trade futures?
The per-contract cost depends on which instrument you trade. Interactive Brokers charges as little as $0.08 per Small Exchange futures contract. There are also E-Mini and E-Micro contracts and there are often options on futures contracts available. Each futures broker has its own unique pricing. Commission aside, some brokers also charge monthly platform fees and market data fees, so it’s important to consider all costs before selecting a futures trading platform. Exchanges also levy fees on trades, but they are uniform across brokers.
Each online broker requires a different minimum deposit to trade futures contracts. For most online futures brokerages, the minimum deposit is less than $1,000. Note that before you can trade futures, you must apply for margin trading and futures trading approval.
Do I need a margin account to trade futures?
Yes, a margin account is required to trade futures with an online broker, but the margin requirements differ from stocks.
Unlike a margin loan to buy stock, futures margin is a deposit against potential losses rather than a loan. It’s more like collateral on a loan than a down payment.
The initial margin depends on the instrument being traded, but can be as low as 3% of the contract. Exchanges and your futures broker can change margin requirements at any time.
What is the best platform for trading futures?
My top pick for futures trading is tastytrade due to the overall ease of use and design of its platform. That said, both Interactive Brokers and tastytrade offer attractive pricing and powerful desktop platforms. Interactive Brokers is more geared toward professional investors and has much more news and research, while tastytrade is quick and convenient for individual traders.
Novice traders willing to pay a bit more will find Power E*TRADE’s web platform a great place to get started.
What is the best mobile app for futures trading?
During my testing, Power E*TRADE Mobile from E*TRADE stood out as one of the best mobile apps for futures trading. It offers a robust set of features designed for advanced traders, making futures trading seamless. Power E*TRADE supports multiple futures ladders simultaneously, allowing you to monitor markets and execute trades quickly using the Quick Trade widget. It also provides over 100 indicators for detailed chart analysis, helping you make informed decisions on the go.
While both E*TRADE Mobile and Power E*TRADE are feature-rich, Power E*TRADE is specifically tailored for active traders, offering sophisticated tools like bracket orders and predefined screeners for technical patterns, volatility, and unusual activity. These features make managing and optimizing futures positions easier, even from your phone.
Can you trade futures with Fidelity?
No, Fidelity does not currently offer futures trading. Investments provided by Fidelity include stocks, fractional shares, OTC stocks, options, mutual funds, bonds, and, in some U.S. states, crypto. Futures and forex are not available. Read our full review of Fidelity.
Our testing
Why you should trust us
Sam Levine, CFA, CMT, formerly a lead writer for StockBrokers.com, has over 30 years of investing experience and actively trades stocks, ETFs, options, futures, and options on futures. He's held roles as a portfolio manager, financial consultant, investment strategist and journalist. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and the Chartered Market Technician (CMT) designations and served on the board of directors of the CMT Association.
Blain Reinkensmeyer, co-founder of StockBrokers.com, has been investing and trading for over 25 years. After having placed over 2,000 trades in his late teens and early 20s, he became one of the first in digital media to review online brokerages. Today, Blain is widely respected as a leading expert on finance and investing, specifically the U.S. online brokerage industry. Blain has been quoted in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Fast Company, among others. Blain created the original scoring rubrics for StockBrokers.com and oversees all testing and rating methodologies.
How we tested
- We used our own brokerage accounts for testing.
- We collected multiple data points for each broker.
- We tested each online broker's website and mobile app, where applicable.
- We maintained strict editorial independence; brokers cannot pay for inclusion or a higher rating.
Our research team meticulously collected data on features with particular importance to those saving for retirement, such as trading costs, management fees, availability of fee-free funds, ease of website and app use, and retirement planning tools and resources.
At StockBrokers.com, our reviewers use a variety of computing devices to evaluate platforms and tools. Our reviews and data collection were conducted using the following devices: iPhone SE running iOS 17.5.1, MacBook Pro M1 with 8 GB RAM running the current MacOS, and a Dell Vostro 5402 laptop i5 with 8 GB RAM running Windows 11 Pro.
Each broker was evaluated and scored in seven key categories: retirement account types, IRA fees, self-directed investment options, managed investment options, retirement planning tools, rollover experience, and ease of use.
Fidelity
Merrill Edge
E*TRADE
TradeStation
Interactive Brokers
Charles Schwab
tastytrade
eToro
