Better options commissions -- TDAmeritrade or IB?

HotTip · Mar 2, 2011

Anyone out there actually have experience trading options with both brokers? You can't compare commissions simply based on what's stated on the website because IB doesn't have all-in-one pricing, so there are exchange/cancel/modify fees to take into consideration, and although IB's SMART routing finds you the best price/execution, it can't take cost into consideration.

If anyone has traded options on both platforms, is there a platform that's overall cheaper than the other?

spindr0 · Mar 2, 2011

I have accounts at both.

TDA charges $9.99 per transaction plus $ 0.75 per contract and $19.99 for assignment and exercise. The transaction fee is a killer since it makes scaling in and out unreasonably costly.

IB is $0.25 to $1.00 per contract (even lower if you do size) with no per transaction fee, free assignment and exercise. As for cancel fees, if you actually trade any options, the credit on executions offsets them.

It's a no brainer which costs far less.

Maverick74 · Mar 2, 2011

Quote from spindr0:

I have accounts at both.

TDA charges $9.99 per transaction plus $ 0.75 per contract and $19.99 for assignment and exercise. The transaction fee is a killer since it makes scaling in and out unreasonably costly.

IB is $0.25 to $1.00 per contract (even lower if you do size) with no per transaction fee, free assignment and exercise. As for cancel fees, if you actually trade any options, the credit on executions offsets them.

It's a no brainer which costs far less.

You can get the transaction fee waived fwiw.

Edit: I know you can at TOS, not sure about TD customers.

Rodney King · Mar 2, 2011

Quote from Maverick74:

You can get the transaction fee waived fwiw. Edit: I know you can at TOS, not sure about TD

TD will come down, but I'd be surprised if they waived altogether.

tomk96 · Mar 2, 2011

Quote from spindr0:
$19.99 for assignment and exercise.

wow, that's harsh.

spindr0 · Mar 2, 2011

Quote from Maverick74:

You can get the transaction fee waived fwiw.

Edit: I know you can at TOS, not sure about TD customers.

Is there some activity level required for waiving?

Or do they just do it because you ask nicely?

HotTip · Mar 2, 2011

Quote from spindr0:

Is there some activity level required for waiving?

Or do they just do it because you ask nicely?

https://www.thinkorswim.com/tos/myAccounts/displayRates.tos

HotTip · Mar 2, 2011

Quote from spindr0:

I have accounts at both.

TDA charges $9.99 per transaction plus $ 0.75 per contract and $19.99 for assignment and exercise. The transaction fee is a killer since it makes scaling in and out unreasonably costly.

IB is $0.25 to $1.00 per contract (even lower if you do size) with no per transaction fee, free assignment and exercise. As for cancel fees, if you actually trade any options, the credit on executions offsets them.

It's a no brainer which costs far less.

Thanks for the insight, spindr0.

andy9775 · Mar 2, 2011

Quote from spindr0:

Is there some activity level required for waiving?

Or do they just do it because you ask nicely?

Based on volume. Email them and quote other brokers commission rates and let them know estimated monthly volume. See what happens.

yip1997 · Mar 2, 2011

Quote from Maverick74:

You can get the transaction fee waived fwiw.

Edit: I know you can at TOS, not sure about TD customers.

I have TDAmeritrade, and they waived my transaction fee.