B

Bell Direct

5.6/10
Etrade logo

Etrade

7.1/10
3/10RegulationWinner5/10
6/10FeesWinner8/10
7/10PlatformsWinner9/10
6/10Education & ResearchTied6/10
4/10Deposits & WithdrawalsTied4/10
10/10SupportTied10/10

BrokerDataNet earns affiliate commission from brokers listed on this site. This does not affect our ratings or editorial independence.

Overview

Bell Direct was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in New Zealand, while Etrade was established in 2012 and is based in United States. Bell Direct holds licences including Financial Markets Authority (FMA), while Etrade is regulated by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) among others. Bell Direct serves 10,000+ clients worldwide; Etrade has 10,000+. Both brokers share the same minimum deposit of $100.

Etrade wins this category
FeatureBell DirectEtrade
Min. Deposit$100$100
RegulationFinancial Markets Authority (FMA)Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)
Founded19832012
CountryNew ZealandUnited States
Clients10,000+10,000+

Fees

Fees are a critical factor when choosing between Bell Direct and Etrade, directly affecting your bottom line as a trader. Both require a minimum deposit of $100. Neither broker charges withdrawal fees. Bell Direct applies inactivity fees on dormant accounts; Etrade does not. Overall, Etrade scores higher on fees in our assessment.

Etrade wins this category
FeatureBell DirectEtrade
Min. Deposit$100$100
Withdrawal FeesNoNo
Inactivity FeesYesNo
Deposit FeesNoNo
CFD FeesYesNo

Platforms

Bell Direct offers MT5, cTrader, while Etrade supports MT4, MT5, cTrader. Both brokers provide mobile trading apps for iOS and Android. Etrade supports social and copy trading features, which Bell Direct does not offer. Etrade edges ahead on platform breadth and functionality in our scoring.

Etrade wins this category
FeatureBell DirectEtrade
MT4NoYes
MT5YesYes
cTraderYesYes
Windows AppYesYes
iOS AppYesYes
Android AppYesYes
Trading PlatformsAndroid,WEB,Desktop,iPhone,MaccTrader, SocialTrading, webPlatform, DesktopPlatform, Proprietary .

Education & Research

Education and research tools help traders at every level make more informed decisions, and here's how Bell Direct and Etrade compare. Both brokers run regular live webinars. Both provide video tutorials, including advanced content. Daily market commentary is available from both brokers. Both integrate third-party research tools including Trading Central. Archived webinars are available at both brokers for self-paced learning. The two brokers are evenly matched on educational content.

Tied
FeatureBell DirectEtrade
Forex EducationNoNo
CFD EducationYesYes
Weekly WebinarsYesYes
Daily CommentaryYesYes
Trading CentralYesYes
AutochartistNoNo

Deposits & Withdrawals

Convenient deposit and withdrawal options reduce friction for traders, especially important when managing positions across time zones. Bell Direct accepts 2 of the tracked payment methods (bank transfer, credit/debit card), while Etrade supports 2 (bank transfer, credit/debit card). Both brokers support the same set of payment methods.

Tied
FeatureBell DirectEtrade
Bank TransferYesYes
Credit CardYesYes
PayPalNoNo
SkrillNoNo
NetellerNoNo

Support

Responsive customer support matters most when you're locked out of your account or need urgent help with a trade. Both Bell Direct and Etrade offer live chat support. Both provide phone support. Email support is available at both brokers. Both brokers offer support in 2 languages. Both brokers are comparable on support quality.

Tied
FeatureBell DirectEtrade
Live ChatYesYes
Phone SupportYesYes
Email SupportYesYes
LanguagesEnglish, and ChineseEnglish, and Chinese