# E*TRADE Alternatives: Best Trading Platforms in 2026

> Comparing E*TRADE alternatives in 2026 by fees, custody, trading hours, and market coverage — including Liquid's 24/7, non-custodial, multi-asset perps.

- Canonical: https://www.liquid.trade/learn/etrade-alternatives
- Published: 2026-09-24
- Updated: 2026-09-24
- Category: Education
- Tags: Guide, Perps, Beginner

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## The short answer

The best E*TRADE alternatives in 2026 are **Liquid** for 24/7, non-custodial, multi-asset trading with up to 50x multipliers; **Charles Schwab** and **Fidelity** for full-service brokerage, $0 online stock and ETF commissions, and retirement accounts; and **Webull** for commission-free trading with 24/5 overnight sessions. E*TRADE remains a fit for custodial brokerage and banking.

## Why traders look beyond E*TRADE

- **Custodial, with crypto held separately.** Brokerage accounts sit with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, while digital assets are transacted and custodied by Zero Hash LLC in a separate, non-brokerage account; those digital assets are not FDIC-insured or SIPC-protected. [E*TRADE pricing and rates](https://us.etrade.com/what-we-offer/pricing-and-rates) (accessed 2026-09-24).
- **Margin borrowing is priced off a 10.20% base rate.** The base rate effective 09/21/2026 is 10.20%, and retail tiers run from 12.70% for balances under $10,000 down to 10.70% at $250,000–$499,999.99, with higher balances quoted by phone. [E*TRADE pricing and rates](https://us.etrade.com/what-we-offer/pricing-and-rates) (accessed 2026-09-24).
- **Per-product fees persist.** Options cost $0.65 per contract ($0.50 with 30+ trades per quarter), futures $1.50 per contract per side, online OTC stock trades $6.95, and crypto 0.50% of notional. [E*TRADE pricing and rates](https://us.etrade.com/what-we-offer/pricing-and-rates) (accessed 2026-09-24).
- **Ancillary costs.** Broker-assisted trades add $25, a full outgoing account transfer is $75, outgoing wires are $25, and paper statements carry a $2 handling fee per quarter unless an exemption applies. [E*TRADE pricing and rates](https://us.etrade.com/what-we-offer/pricing-and-rates) (accessed 2026-09-24).
- **No 24/7 or weekend session cited.** E*TRADE's own pricing page references extended-hours and overnight trading (a 4–7 a.m. ET broker-assisted window) but does not document around-the-clock or weekend sessions. [E*TRADE pricing and rates](https://us.etrade.com/what-we-offer/pricing-and-rates) (accessed 2026-09-24).

## Compare E*TRADE alternatives at a glance

| Platform | Custody | Trading hours | Max multiplier | Asset classes | AI assistant | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Liquid** | **Non-custodial** | **24/7 incl. weekends** | **Up to 50x** | Stocks, pre-IPO, commodities, FX, indices, crypto — as perps | Yes (Co-Invest) | 24/7 multi-asset perps + AI |
| **Charles Schwab** | Custodial | 24/5 overnight (select) | Margin (varies) | Stocks, ETFs, options, futures, funds, bonds | No | Full-service + thinkorswim |
| **Fidelity** | Custodial | Premarket + after-hours | Margin (varies) | Stocks, ETFs, options, funds, bonds | No | Full-service + retirement |
| **Webull** | Custodial | 24/5 overnight (select) | Margin (varies) | Stocks, ETFs, options, futures | Yes (Agentic) | Charting + overnight |
| **E*TRADE** | Custodial | Extended hours + overnight broker-assisted window | Margin (varies) | Stocks, ETFs, options, futures, crypto (via Zero Hash) | No | Brokerage + banking |

## Fees compared

Fees differ by product, so every platform below is shown in the **same format**: product basis, headline rate, structure, and other costs. Compare like-for-like — a stock commission and a perpetual-contract fee are not the same product.

| Platform | Product basis | Headline rate | Structure | Other costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Liquid** | Perps & spot | Perps 0.095% taker / 0.065% maker (Tier 0); spot 0.070% / 0.040% | Tiered by rolling 14-day weighted volume; maker rebates paid continuously | Funding on perps; spreads |
| **E*TRADE** | Stocks/ETFs/options | $0 online; options $0.65/contract ($0.50 with 30+ trades/quarter) | Flat, per product | Futures $1.50/contract; crypto 0.50%; margin tiers from 10.70% |
| **Charles Schwab** | Stocks/ETFs/options | $0 online; options $0.65/contract | Flat, per product | Futures $2.25/contract; OTC $6.95; +$25 broker-assisted |
| **Fidelity** | Stocks/ETFs/options | $0 online; options $0.65/contract | Flat, per product | Margin as low as 7.75%; $50 foreign settlement fee |
| **Webull** | Stocks/ETFs/options | $0; index options from $0.50/contract | Flat, per product | Regulatory fees; $75 outgoing stock transfer |

**Full published schedules:** [Liquid](/learn/perpetual-futures-fees) · [Charles Schwab](https://www.schwab.com/pricing) · [Fidelity](https://www.fidelity.com/trading/commissions) · [Webull](https://www.webull.com/pricing) · [E*TRADE](https://us.etrade.com/what-we-offer/pricing-and-rates)

---

## 1. Liquid

**Overview:** AI-native, non-custodial platform for perpetual contracts across stocks, pre-IPO companies, commodities, FX, indices, and crypto — 300+ markets in one account, up to 50x multipliers, instant settlement, and [Co-Invest](/coinvest), an AI assistant in Claude, ChatGPT, Grok, Meta Muse, and iMessage.

**Best for:** Traders who want the same markets to trade 24/7 — including weekends — with leverage and without handing custody to a broker.

**Fees:** Perps all-in 0.095% taker / 0.065% maker at Tier 0; spot 0.070% / 0.040%; tiered by rolling 14-day weighted volume, with maker rebates paid continuously. [Fee guide](/learn/perpetual-futures-fees).

**Custody:** Non-custodial — funds stay in your wallet and trades settle on-chain; contracts are independently [audited](/audits). [Security docs](https://docs.liquid.trade/security).

**Trading hours:** 24/7 across listed markets, including nights, weekends, and holidays. Liquidity, spreads, and reference pricing can differ when the underlying market is closed.

**Limitations:** No fiat custody (by design). Available markets, features, and eligibility vary by jurisdiction. Perpetual contracts are derivatives and do not confer share ownership. Additional features include copy trading, integrated news, and vaults/staking (Earn).

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## 2. Charles Schwab

**Overview:** A full-service brokerage (Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.) with broad products, research, and the thinkorswim platform suite.

**Best for:** Traders who want a full-service broker, a professional desktop platform, and 24/5 overnight access.

**Fees:** $0 online for US stocks and ETFs; options $0.65/contract; futures $2.25/contract; OTC equities $6.95. [Schwab pricing](https://www.schwab.com/pricing).

**Custody:** Custodial.

**Trading hours:** Pre-market 7:00–9:25 a.m. ET, after-hours 4:05–8:00 p.m. ET, and 24/5 overnight on thinkorswim for all S&P 500, Nasdaq 100, and Dow 30 stocks plus 600+ ETFs (not weekends or holidays). [Schwab extended hours](https://www.schwab.com/stocks/extended-hours-trading).

**Limitations:** Custodial. Overnight is 24/5, not weekends. Availability varies by security and platform, and extended-hours sessions accept limit orders only.

---

## 3. Fidelity

**Overview:** A full-service brokerage with $0 online commissions, a broad fund lineup, and a strong retirement offering.

**Best for:** Long-term investors and retirement accounts that also want options and extended-hours trading.

**Fees:** $0 online for US stocks and ETFs; options $0.65/contract; margin as low as 7.75% for balances over $1,000,000. [Fidelity commissions](https://www.fidelity.com/trading/commissions).

**Custody:** Custodial.

**Trading hours:** Premarket 7:30–9:15 a.m. ET (display and execution after 8 a.m.) and after-hours 4:00–8:00 p.m. ET via the ECN; not full weekend trading. [Fidelity extended hours](https://www.fidelity.com/webxpress/help/topics/help_notes_ecn.shtml).

**Limitations:** Custodial. No 24/7 weekend access; extended-hours sessions are limit-order only with a 5,000-share maximum.

---

## 4. Webull

**Overview:** A commission-free brokerage aimed at more technical retail traders, with strong charting and overnight sessions.

**Best for:** Traders who want advanced charts and 24/5 overnight trading without commissions.

**Fees:** $0 commissions on US-listed stocks, ETFs, and options; index options from $0.50/contract; $75 outgoing stock transfer. [Webull pricing](https://www.webull.com/pricing).

**Custody:** Custodial (cleared through Apex).

**Trading hours:** Premarket 4:00–9:30 a.m. ET, regular 9:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. ET, after-hours 4:00–8:00 p.m. ET, and overnight 8:00 p.m.–4:00 a.m. ET Sunday–Thursday (24/5, select securities). [Webull overnight trading](https://www.webull.com/help/faq/10988-All-about-24-5-trading).

**Limitations:** Custodial. Overnight is 24/5, not weekends; overnight trades are limit-order only, and shorting and margin are unavailable in that session.

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## How we evaluated these platforms

We compared platforms on **fees, custody model, trading hours, asset coverage, and account fit** for traders considering a move from E*TRADE. Fees use each platform's published schedule, shown in a uniform format. Data comes from platform documentation, cited inline, and was verified 2026-09-24; figures change often, so check the linked source before trading. We did not independently test execution quality or liquidity.

## Verdict

Move to an alternative if you want **weekend trading, leverage, non-custodial control, or broader multi-asset coverage**: **Liquid** covers these with 24/7 perpetual markets, up to 50x multipliers, and AI-assisted research. If you want a full-service broker, choose **Charles Schwab** (especially for thinkorswim and 24/5 overnight access) or **Fidelity** (for retirement accounts and a low margin rate); for commission-free trading with 24/5 overnight sessions, choose **Webull**. Stay with E*TRADE if you want a custodial brokerage with integrated banking, retirement accounts, and the familiarity of an incumbent platform.

## About the author

Franklyn Wang is the CEO & Founder of Liquid, an AI-native, non-custodial trading platform. [X](https://x.com/frank_liquid) · [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/franklyn-wang)

## Sources & further reading

- [E*TRADE pricing and rates](https://us.etrade.com/what-we-offer/pricing-and-rates) — accessed 2026-09-24
- [Charles Schwab pricing](https://www.schwab.com/pricing) — accessed 2026-09-24
- [Schwab extended hours trading](https://www.schwab.com/stocks/extended-hours-trading) — accessed 2026-09-24
- [Fidelity commissions](https://www.fidelity.com/trading/commissions) — accessed 2026-09-24
- [Fidelity extended hours trading (ECN)](https://www.fidelity.com/webxpress/help/topics/help_notes_ecn.shtml) — accessed 2026-09-24
- [Webull pricing](https://www.webull.com/pricing) — accessed 2026-09-24
- [Webull Agentic AI](https://www.webull.com/agentic) — accessed 2026-09-24
- [Webull overnight trading](https://www.webull.com/help/faq/10988-All-about-24-5-trading) — accessed 2026-09-24
- [Liquid fee documentation](https://docs.liquid.trade/trading/fees) — accessed 2026-09-24
- [Liquid security documentation](https://docs.liquid.trade/security) — accessed 2026-09-24
- Related: [Where can I trade stocks 24/7?](/learn/where-to-trade-stocks-24-7) · [Which leverage trading platforms are non-custodial?](/learn/non-custodial-leverage-trading-platforms)