TD Ameritrade
Legacy full-service brokerage now merged with Charles Schwab, offering commission-free trading, powerful tools, and extensive research.
Quick Facts
- Starting Price
- Free
- Free Tier
- Yes
- Founded
- 1975
- Company
- Charles Schwab Corporation
TD Ameritrade Overview
TD Ameritrade was one of the largest and most respected online brokerages in the United States before its acquisition by Charles Schwab, completed in 2024. Known for its industry-leading thinkorswim platform, TD Ameritrade offered commission-free stock and ETF trades, robust options trading capabilities, extensive research and education, and a wide range of investment products.
Existing TD Ameritrade accounts have been migrated to Schwab, but the legacy of TD Ameritrade lives on through the thinkorswim platform, which Schwab has adopted as its advanced trading interface. TD Ameritrade was particularly beloved by active traders and options traders for its powerful charting, real-time streaming data, and paper trading capabilities.
While new accounts are now opened through Schwab, the TD Ameritrade brand remains relevant for traders researching the platform's heritage and understanding what capabilities transferred to Schwab.
Editorial Assessment
What We Checked
- • Pricing reviewed across 1 listed plan: Standard: Free.
- • Feature fit checked against 11 supported capability flags, including Backtesting, Paper Trading, Price Alerts, Mobile App.
- • Best-use recommendation checked against the stated audience: active traders, options traders, self-directed investors.
- • Tradeoffs reviewed from the published cons list so the page does not rank tools only by headline rating.
Before You Pay
- • Use the free tier or trial to confirm the workflow before upgrading.
- • Check whether your broker is supported before assuming imports will work.
- • Review API limits, latency, and data coverage if you plan to build around it.
- • Test mobile usability if you review trades or alerts away from desk.
Our rating favors tools that solve a specific trading workflow reliably. TD Ameritrade is strongest for active traders, options traders, and self-directed investors. It is weaker if you need AI Analysis, Social Features, Automated Trading, Trade Journaling.
TD Ameritrade Pricing
Standard
- ✓ $0 stock/ETF commissions
- ✓ $0.65/contract options
- ✓ thinkorswim access
- ✓ Research & education
Features
Pros & Cons
Pros
- + Commission-free stock and ETF trades
- + thinkorswim platform is industry-leading
- + Extensive research and educational content
- + Strong options trading capabilities
Cons
- - Now merged into Schwab — no new TD Ameritrade accounts
- - Options contracts still cost $0.65 each
- - Transition period caused some account disruptions
Rating Breakdown
Overall Rating
Key Takeaways
- ✓ Commission-free stock and ETF trades
- ✓ thinkorswim platform is industry-leading
- ✓ Extensive research and educational content
- ✓ Strong options trading capabilities
- ★ Rated 4.4/5 — best for active traders, options traders, self-directed investors
- $ Free tier available
Summary
Legacy full-service brokerage now merged with Charles Schwab, offering commission-free trading, powerful tools, and extensive research. TD Ameritrade offers a free tier. Best suited for active traders, options traders, and self-directed investors.
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