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Personal Finance · head to head

Cash App vs E*TRADE

Cash App logo

Cash App

Personal Finance

Money sent in seconds

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
E*TRADE logo

E*TRADE

Personal Finance

Express your investing style

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Cash App has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cash App the App Store listing states free ATM withdrawals and up to 200 dollars in free overdraft coverage on the Cash App Card are only available once a user qualifies for Green status, not to all users by default.; E*TRADE stock and ETF trades were $0 commission but options carried a $0.65 per-contract fee, broker-assisted trades added a $25 surcharge, and margin interest rates ranged from 12.70% to 13.20% depending on balance tier (Internet Archive capture, 3 January 2023)
  • They diverge on capability: Cash App covers Money transfers, E*TRADE covers Advanced trading tools.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cash App and E*TRADE actually diverge.

Attributes where Cash App and E*TRADE differ
AttributeCash AppE*TRADE
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreetransaction
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsIOS, AndroidWeb, IOS, Android
Founded20131956

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Personal Finance).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Cash App

  • Money transfers
  • Direct deposit
  • Bitcoin trading
  • Stock investing
  • Cash Card

Only in E*TRADE

  • Advanced trading tools
  • Options and futures
  • Research tools
  • Mobile trading
  • Wire transfers
  • Web support

Both cover

  • Bank accounts
  • IOS support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Cash App

  • Budget Management
  • Expense Tracking
  • Investment Tracking

E*TRADE

  • Budget Management
  • Expense Tracking
  • Investment Tracking

Both are used for budget management, expense tracking, investment tracking, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Cash App

  • The App Store listing states free ATM withdrawals and up to 200 dollars in free overdraft coverage on the Cash App Card are only available once a user qualifies for Green status, not to all users by default.

E*TRADE

  • Stock and ETF trades were $0 commission but options carried a $0.65 per-contract fee, broker-assisted trades added a $25 surcharge, and margin interest rates ranged from 12.70% to 13.20% depending on balance tier (Internet Archive capture, 3 January 2023)

Pricing, plan by plan

Cash App

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Money transfers
    • Direct deposit
    • Mobile app
  • Cash App Investing$undefined/month
    • Stock trading
    • Bitcoin trading

E*TRADE

On request
  • Stock & ETF TradingFree
    • Commission-free trades
    • Real-time quotes
  • Advanced Trading$undefined/month
    • All Stock & ETF features
    • Options, futures
    • Advanced tools

Which should you pick?

Choose Cash App if

  • You need money transfers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on IOS, Android.
  • You also want direct deposit.
Cash App review

Choose E*TRADE if

  • You need advanced trading tools.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want options and futures.
E*TRADE review

Questions people ask

Is Cash App or E*TRADE better?
Neither clearly leads. Cash App starts at Free and E*TRADE at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cash App or E*TRADE?
Cash App has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Cash App and On request for E*TRADE.
Does Cash App or E*TRADE run on more platforms?
Cash App runs on IOS, Android. E*TRADE runs on Web, IOS, Android.
Can I use Cash App for free?
Yes. Cash App has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. E*TRADE starts at On request.
What is Cash App best used for?
Cash App is most often used for budget management, expense tracking, investment tracking.
What can Cash App do that E*TRADE cannot?
Cash App covers Money transfers, Direct deposit, Bitcoin trading, Stock investing. E*TRADE covers Advanced trading tools, Options and futures, Research tools, Mobile trading. Both handle Bank accounts, IOS support, Android support.
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Related pages

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