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A full-service brokerage backed by Morgan Stanley, offering exceptional research, education, and five trading platforms for every skill level.
E*TRADE was acquired by Morgan Stanley in 2020, bringing institutional-grade resources to retail investors. The combination offers the best of both worlds: E*TRADE's user-friendly platforms with Morgan Stanley's research prowess.
Clients can access Morgan Stanley research reports, analyst insights, and sophisticated trading tools that were previously available only to wealth management clients.
The integration continues to evolve, with Morgan Stanley planning to add cryptocurrency trading to E*TRADE in the first half of 2026.
E*TRADE offers free dividend reinvestment for stocks, ETFs, and eligible securities. DRIP purchases are commission-free and support fractional shares.
This is important because E*TRADE doesn't offer direct fractional share purchases. DRIP is the only way to buy fractional shares on the platform—making it especially valuable for dividend investors.
You can enable DRIP per security, choosing which holdings should reinvest dividends and which should pay out cash. Setup is straightforward through account settings.
E*TRADE's research offerings are among the best in the industry. You get access to reports from Morgan Stanley, Morningstar, MarketEdge, Moody's, and more—all included free.
The stock screener lets you filter by dividend yield, payout ratio, dividend growth, and dozens of other fundamental factors. You can save custom screens and set up alerts.
For dividend investors specifically, you can access detailed dividend history, ex-dividend dates, payment schedules, and analyst projections—data that's often sparse at competitors like Robinhood.
E*TRADE offers five distinct platforms catering to different investor types. The standard web platform is clean and straightforward for buy-and-hold investors.
Power E*TRADE is a browser-based platform with advanced charting, real-time streaming, and options analysis tools. It's excellent for active traders without requiring software downloads.
Power E*TRADE Pro is the downloadable desktop platform with the most advanced features—customizable layouts, multi-monitor support, and complex options strategies. Professional-grade but still accessible.
E*TRADE offers access to 5,000+ no-transaction-fee mutual funds from major fund families. This is among the largest selections available at any broker.
They also offer several zero-expense-ratio mutual funds for cost-conscious investors. Combined with commission-free ETF trading, you have extensive options for building a diversified portfolio.
Transaction-fee funds cost $9.95 per trade if you venture outside the NTF selection.
E*TRADE's educational content is comprehensive, covering everything from investing basics to advanced options strategies. Video tutorials, articles, and interactive courses are all available.
Customer support includes 24/7 phone support, live chat, and the ability to visit physical branches for in-person help (through Morgan Stanley locations).
The knowledge base is extensive, though some users find the website navigation confusing when trying to locate specific features or settings.
Transparent breakdown of all fees you might encounter.
| Fee Type | Cost |
|---|---|
| Stock & ETF Trades | $0 |
| Options Trades | $0 + $0.65/contract |
| OTC Stocks | $6.95 (or $4.95 for active traders) |
| Account Minimum | $0 |
| Account Maintenance Fee | $0 |
| Inactivity Fee | $0 |
| Dividend Reinvestment (DRIP) | Free |
| Mutual Funds (NTF) | $0 |
| Mutual Funds (TF) | $9.95 |
| Broker-Assisted Trade | $25 |
| Account Transfer Out (ACAT) | $75 |
Access to Morgan Stanley, Morningstar, and MarketEdge research rivals or exceeds institutional-grade tools.
5,000+ no-transaction-fee funds and zero-expense-ratio options make E*TRADE excellent for fund-based strategies.
Multiple platform options let you grow from simple investing to complex options strategies without switching brokers.
E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley is an excellent choice for dividend investors who value research and education. The free DRIP with fractional shares, extensive research tools, and massive mutual fund selection make it ideal for building a serious long-term portfolio. The main drawbacks are the lack of direct fractional share purchases and a website that can be tricky to navigate. If research and fund selection matter more than a streamlined mobile experience, E*TRADE delivers.
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