Generic Trade vs. E*TRADE

	E*TRADE	Generic Trade
Mandatory stock trading account required	Yes	No
Minimum balance	$1000	$0
Minimum activity charge	No*	No
Real-Time data charges	No	No
Specializes exclusively in Futures and Options	No	Yes
Commission rates	$1.50 - $2.50	$0.59
Complete listing of fees for futures accounts located on website	No	Yes
Margin for overnight trades	Up to 200% more than exchange minimum margin	Exchange minimum margin or day trade margin available
Day trade margin for Index Markets	50% of exchange minimum margin	25% of exchange minimum margin, with as low as $50 margins available
Day trade margin for most markets	No - only Index markets	Yes
Use day trade margin day or night	No	Yes
Use day trade margin for IRA accounts	No. IRA accounts require double the exchange minimum margin	Yes, the same as standard accounts
24 hr US based tech support	Yes	Yes
Phone, email and chat support	No	Yes
Multiple data centers	Yes*	Yes
Direct connections to exchanges	Yes*	Yes
Trailing Stop Orders available	No	Yes
Strategy orders (i.e. OCO, OTO, Trailing Stop, etc.) held on co-located servers	No (not even available)	Yes
Futures and Options specific technology	No	Yes
Phone orders	$25	$10
Financial security regulated by NFA and CFTC	Yes	Yes
Open a futures account and trade the same or following day	No	Yes

E*Trade VS. Generic Trade

Prices and services for competitors were obtained on February 16, 2024 and are believed to be accurate, but not guaranteed. Please inform us if any material changes are necessary to this comparison and we will review them immediately. *While we believe this information is accurate, since there was no mention of this fee on the website, it did not specifically state that there was no such fee; our research staff also attempted on multiple occasions to speak with a representative of E*TRADE, but due to excessive wait times they were unable to verify. Also, live chat was also attempted but there were 75-80 minute wait times. **We were unable to determine the nature of their support center due to the aforementioned reason. All commission or ‘execution and clearing rates (as termed by E*TRADE) are quoted in a per contract, per side basis and do not include exchange and regulatory fees. Also for this example, the rates for US exchanges were used and E*TRADE may charge different rates for markets outside the US. E*TRADE® is a service mark and/or trademark of E*TRADE Financial Holdings, LLC, a business of Morgan Stanley. In order to see margins for Generic Trade, as well as a list of any fees we may ever charge, please visit: Fees/Margins

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Contract	Symbol	Exchange	Regulatory	NFA	Total
All CME Group and ICE contracts offered - only the most popular shown
Currencies
Australian Dollar future	6A	$1.60	$0.00	$.02	$1.62
Australian Dollar option	6A	$1.60	$0.00	$.02	$1.62
British Pound future	6B	$1.60	$0.00	$.02	$1.62
British Pound option	6B	$1.60	$0.00	$.02	$1.62
Canadian Dollar future	6C	$1.60	$0.00	$.02	$1.62
Canadian Dollar option	6C	$1.60	$0.00	$.02	$1.62
Dollar Index future	DX	$1.35	$0.00	$.02	$1.37
Dollar Index option	DX	$1.35	$0.00	$.02	$1.37
Euro Currency future	6E	$1.60	$0.00	$.02	$1.62
Euro Currency option	6E	$1.60	$0.00	$.02	$1.62
Japanese Yen future	6J	$1.60	$0.00	$.02	$1.62
Japanese Yen option	6J	$1.60	$0.00	$.02	$1.62
Swiss Franc future	6S	$1.60	$0.00	$.02	$1.62
Swiss Franc option	6S	$1.60	$0.00	$.02	$1.62
E-micro AUD/USD future	M6A	$0.24	$0.00	$.02	$0.18
E-micro GBP/USD future	M6B	$0.24	$0.00	$.02	$0.26
E-micro EUR/USD future	M6E	$0.24	$0.00	$.02	$0.26
E-micro CAD/USD future	MCD	$0.24	$0.00	$.02	$0.26
E-micro CHF/USD future	MSF	$0.24	$0.00	$.02	$0.26
E-micro JPY/USD future	MJY	$0.24	$0.00	$.02	$0.26
Crypto-Currencies
Micro Bitcoin future	MBT	$2.50	$0.00	$.02	$2.52
Energy
Crude Oil future	CL	$1.50	$0.00	$.02	$1.52
Crude Oil option	LO	$1.50	$0.00	$.02	$1.52
Eminy Crude Oil future	QM	$1.20	$0.00	$.02	$1.22
Micro Crude Oil future	MCL	$0.50	$0.00	$.02	$0.52
Eminy Natural Gas future	QG	$0.50	$0.00	$.02	$0.52
Heating Oil future	HO	$1.50	$0.00	$.02	$1.52
Natural Gas future	NG	$1.60	$0.00	$.02	$1.62
Natural Gas option	ON	$1.50	$0.00	$.02	$1.52
RBOB Gas future	RB	$1.50	$0.00	$.02	$1.52
RBOB Gas option	OB	$1.50	$0.00	$.02	$1.52
Brent Crude future	BRN	$1.25	$0.00	$.02	$1.27
Food and Fiber
Cocoa future	CC	$2.10	$0.00	$.02	$2.12
Cocoa option	CC	$2.10	$0.00	$.02	$2.12
Coffee future	KC	$2.10	$0.00	$.02	$2.12
Coffee option	KC	$2.10	$0.00	$.02	$2.12
Cotton future	CT	$2.10	$0.00	$.02	$2.12
Cotton option	CT	$2.10	$0.00	$.02	$2.12
Orange Juice future	OJ	$2.10	$0.00	$.02	$2.12
Orange Juice option	OJ	$2.10	$0.00	$.02	$2.12
Sugar future	SB	$2.10	$0.00		$2.12
Sugar option	SB	$2.10	$0.00	$.02	$2.12
Grains and Oilseeds
Corn future	ZC	$2.10	$0.00	$.02	$2.12
Corn option	OZC	$2.10	$0.00	$.02	$2.12
Oats future	ZO	$2.10	$0.00	$.02	$2.12
Oats Option	OZO	$2.10	$0.00	$.02	$2.12
Rough Rice future	ZR	$2.10	$0.00	$.02	$2.12
Rough Rice option	OZR	$2.10	$0.00	$.02	$2.12
Soybean future	ZS	$2.10	$0.00	$.02	$2.12
Soybean option	OZS	$2.10	$0.00	$.02	$2.12
Soybean Meal future	ZM	$2.10	$0.00	$.02	$2.12
Soybean Meal option	OZM	$2.10	$0.00	$.02	$2.12
Soybean Oil future	ZL	$2.10	$0.00	$.02	$2.12
Soybean Oil option	OZL	$2.10	$0.00	$.02	$2.12
Wheat future	ZW	$2.10	$0.00	$.02	$2.12
Wheat option	OZW	$2.10	$0.00	$.02	$2.12
Kansas City Wheat	KE	$2.10	$0.00	$.02	$2.12
Kansas City Wheat option	OKE	$2.10	$0.00	$.02	$2.12
Minneapolis Wheat future	MWE	$1.80	$0.00	$.02	$1.82
Mini Corn	XC	$1.03	$0.00	$.02	$1.05
Mini Wheat	XW	$1.03	$0.00	$.02	$1.05
Mini Soybean	XK	$1.03	$0.00	$.02	$1.05
Indices and Stocks
Emini Nasdaq future	NQ	$1.38	$0.00	$.02	$1.40
Emini Nasdaq option	NQ	$0.55	$0.00	$.02	$0.57
Emini Russell future	RTY	$1.38	$0.00	$.02	$1.40
Emini Russell option	RTO	$0.55	$0.00	$.02	$0.57
Emini S&P 500 future	ES	$1.38	$0.00	$.02	$1.40
Emini S&P 500 option	ES	$0.55	$0.00	$.02	$0.57
Mini Dow Jones future	YM	$1.38	$0.00	$.02	$1.40
Mini Dow Jones option	YM	$1.38	$0.00	$.02	$1.40
Nikkei 225 future	NKD	$2.15	$0.00	$.02	$2.17
Micro Emini S&P 500	MES	$0.35	$0.00	$.02	$0.37
Micro Emini S&P 500 option	MES	$0.20	$0.00	$.02	$0.22
Micro Emini Nasdaq 100	MNQ	$0.35	$0.00	$.02	$0.37
Micro Emini Nasdaq 100 option	MNQ	$0.20	$0.00	$.02	$0.22
Micro Emini Russell 2000	M2K	$0.35	$0.00	$.02	$0.37
Micro Emini Russell 2000 option	M2K	$0.20	$0.00	$.02	$0.22
Micro Emini Dow	MYM	$0.35	$0.00	$.02	$0.37
Micro Emini Dow option	MYM	$0.35	$0.00	$.02	$0.37
Interest Rates
2 Yr Tnote future	ZT	$0.65	$0.00	$.02	$0.67
2 Yr Tnote option	OZT	$0.85	$0.00	$.02	$0.87
5 Yr Tnote future	ZF	$0.65	$0.00	$.02	$0.67
5 Yr Tnote option	OZF	$0.85	$0.00	$.02	$0.87
10 Yr Tnote future	ZN	$0.80	$0.00	$.02	$0.82
10 Yr Tnote option	OZN	$0.85	$0.00	$.02	$0.87
30 Yr Tbonds future	ZB	$0.87	$0.00	$.02	$0.89
30 Yr Tbonds option	OZB	$0.85	$0.00	$.02	$0.87
Micro 2 Year Yield	2YY	$.30	$0.00	$.02	$0.32
Micro 5 Year Yield	5YY	$.30	$0.00	$.02	$0.32
Micro 10 Year Yield	10Y	$.30	$0.00	$.02	$0.32
Micro 30 Year Yield	30Y	$.30	$0.00	$.02	$0.32
Livestock and Meat
Feeder Cattle future	GF	$2.10	$0.00	$.02	$2.12
Feeder Cattle option	GF	$2.10	$0.00	$.02	$2.12
Lean Hogs future	HE	$2.10	$0.00	$.02	$2.12
Lean Hogs option	HE	$2.10	$0.00	$.02	$2.12
Live Cattle future	LE	$2.10	$0.00	$.02	$2.12
Live Cattle option	LE	$2.10	$0.00	$.02	$2.12
Metals
COMEX Copper future	HG	$1.60	$0.00	$.02	$1.62
COMEX Copper option	HXE	$1.60	$0.00	$.02	$1.62
COMEX E-mini Copper future	QC	$1.00	$0.00	$.02	$1.02
COMEX Gold future	GC	$1.60	$0.00	$.02	$1.62
COMEX Gold option	OG	$1.60	$0.00	$.02	$1.62
COMEX miNY Gold future	QO	$1.00	$0.00	$.02	$1.02
COMEX E-micro Gold future	MGC	$0.50	$0.00	$.02	$0.52
COMEX Silver future	SI	$1.60	$0.00	$.02	$1.62
COMEX Silver Option	SO	$1.60	$0.00	$.02	$1.62
COMEX miNY Silver future	QI	$1.00	$0.00	$.02	$1.02
COMEX Micro Silver future	SIL	$1.00	$0.00	$.02	$1.02

Service	Amount
ACH Deposit	$0
Wire Transfer In	$0
Wire Transfer Out (Domestic)	$40
Wire Transfer Out (International)	$60
Check Issued (Domestic or International)	$0
Check Issued Overnight (Domestic)	$40
Check Issued 3-5 days (International)	$60
Transfers Out (to another brokerage firm)	$100
Deliveries/Retender	Up to $1000 per contract plus applicable delivery costs. Accounts with open positions two days prior to Last Trading Day/First Notice Day/First Position are subject to $100 delivery fee and/or $50 liquidation fee
Margin Call Assessment	The greater of $36 or .36% of daily margin deficiency
Margin Call/Risk Liquidation	$50 per contract
Stop Payment Fee	$45
Telephone Orders	$10
Insufficient Funds/Returned Item	$45
Monthly account maintenance fee	$0
Generic Trader Online (please read more below)*	$0
Generic Trader Suite of Platforms (Level I data included)	$59/month includes all three integrated platforms (Generic Trader Desktop, Generic Trader Online and Generic Trader Mobile) with Level I real-time data
Inactivity fee	$0
Real-time quote and chart fee (Data fees)	$0 (please see below for more details)
CME Group/ICE Market Data	Please click here for details
*Generic Trade clients will automatically subscribe to the Generic Trader suite of platforms (Generic Trader Desktop, Online and Mobile) and will be subject to a $59/month subscription fee. Since the CME Group has raised their fees (see above for details), CME Group and ICE fees for market depth will be added by request only. Real-time data is included in the subscription fee. If you wish to select the free Generic Trader Online exclusively, you must do so by email, prior to the initial funding of the account.

Generic Trade vs. E*TRADE

Get Started Now!

Robust analytics and a multitude of indicators

Pay for the trade…not for the frills

Direct connections to the exchanges for blazing speed

Redundant data centers cross-country for extra security

Trading platforms are Mac compatible

Every available safeguard…financial and technical

There is a substantial risk of loss in trading futures and options.