Firstrade vs Axos Invest Comparison: Fees, Features, and More (2026)
Firstrade and Axos Invest are two leading discount brokerages offering commission-free stock and ETF trading. Use this head-to-head comparison table to evaluate fees, features, trading tools, and account options to help you decide which broker is right for you in 2026.
| Feature | Firstrade | Axos Invest |
|---|---|---|
| Website | https://www.firstrade.com/ | https://www.axos.com/invest |
| Broker Type | Discount (self-directed online brokerage) | Discount |
| Trading: Stock & ETF? | Yes | Yes |
| ETF & Stock commission | $0 online ($19.95 broker-assisted) | $0 per trade (other fees may apply) |
| Fractional Shares? | Yes (most U.S. stocks/ETFs; $5 min) | No |
| Percent Allocations? | No | No (self-directed) |
| Crypto Trading? | No | No |
| Crypto Fees | N/A | N/A |
| Options Trading? | Yes | Yes (subject to approval) |
| Options Fee | $0 commission and $0/contract; plus pass-through ORF (~$0.02/contract from Jul 2026) and SEC sell fees | $1.00 per contract ($0.80 with Axos Elite, $10/mo) |
| Bond Trading Available? | Yes (web only; net yield basis/markup) | No |
| Receives payment for order flow (PFOF)? | Yes | Yes (receives PFOF rebates) |
| Interface: Web trading? | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop trading? | No | No |
| API Trading? | No | No |
| Mutual Funds: Offered? | Yes | Yes |
| Total Mutual Funds | 11,000+ | 10,000+ |
| NTF Mutual Funds | 11,000+ | 10,000+ (no-load) |
| Non-NTF Fund Fee | $0 online; $19.95 broker-assisted (no-load) | $0 (no-load) |
| Early Redemption Fee? | No ($19.95 if held <90 days) | Yes (no broker short-term fee listed) |
| Redemption Hold (Days) | 90 days | None listed by broker (fund-specific possible) |
| Early Redemption Fee | $19.95 | $0 (no broker fee listed) |
| Accounts: Margin Accounts? | Yes (approval; $2,000 min assets; not IRAs/custodial/ESA) | Yes (self-directed; approval required, $2,000 min equity) |
| IRAs Offered? | Yes (Traditional, Roth, SEP, SIMPLE, Rollover) | Yes (Traditional, Roth, Rollover; SEP not listed) |
| HSAs Offered? | No | No |
| Money Market Sweep? | Yes (FDIC sweep via Apex; 0.15%; not margin/SIMPLE IRA/ESA) | Yes (Axos Clearing Insured Deposit Program) |
| CDs Offered? | Yes (primary $30; secondary net yield) | No |
| Robo-Advisor: Offered | No | Yes |
| Robo-Advisor Service | N/A | Axos Managed Portfolios |
| Robo-Advisor Fees | N/A | Model fee 0.20–0.59% AUM (varies by model/AUM); $40 min annual if model fee <$10/qtr; +0.20% optional TLH ($25k+) |
| Basics: Headquarters | Flushing, NY | Las Vegas, NV |
| Year Founded | 1985 | 2009 (as WiseBanyan); rebranded 2019 |
| Clearing Firm | Apex Clearing Corporation | Axos Clearing LLC |
| Local Branches? | Yes (Flushing, NY HQ office, Mon-Fri 10am-4pm ET); no nationwide network | No |
| New Account Minimum | $0 | $0 (Self-Directed); $50 IRA; $500 Managed Portfolios |
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