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Personal Finance · head to head

E*TRADE vs GnuCash

E*TRADE logo

E*TRADE

Personal Finance

Express your investing style

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
GnuCash logo

GnuCash

Personal Finance

Personal finance and accounting software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only GnuCash has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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); GnuCash desktop only, with no mobile application
  • They diverge on capability: E*TRADE covers Advanced trading tools, GnuCash covers Double-entry bookkeeping.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where E*TRADE and GnuCash differ
AttributeE*TRADEGnuCash
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modeltransactionopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, IOS, AndroidWindows, Mac, Linux
Founded19561997

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 E*TRADE

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

Only in GnuCash

  • Double-entry bookkeeping
  • Multi-currency support
  • Reports and graphs
  • Budget tracking
  • Import/Export
  • OFX format
  • Windows support
  • Mac support

What people use each for

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

E*TRADE

  • Budget Managementnot GnuCash
  • Expense Trackingnot GnuCash
  • Investment Trackingnot GnuCash

GnuCash

  • Personal finance tracking with a checkbook register interfacenot E*TRADE
  • Double-entry bookkeeping for a small businessnot E*TRADE
  • Tracking stocks, bonds and mutual fund accountsnot E*TRADE
  • Importing transactions via QIF, OFX or HBCInot E*TRADE
  • Scheduled recurring transactions and financial reportsnot E*TRADE

Where each one falls short

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

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)

GnuCash

  • Desktop only, with no mobile application
  • Version 3.11 is the last release supporting Windows 7 and macOS 10.12 and earlier
  • Uses strict double-entry accounting, so every transaction needs two sides

Pricing, plan by plan

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

GnuCash

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Double-entry bookkeeping
    • Multi-currency support
    • Reports and graphs

Which should you pick?

Choose E*TRADE if

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

Choose GnuCash if

  • You need double-entry bookkeeping.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Mac, Linux.
  • You also want multi-currency support.
GnuCash review

Questions people ask

Is E*TRADE or GnuCash better?
Neither clearly leads. E*TRADE starts at On request and GnuCash at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, E*TRADE or GnuCash?
GnuCash has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for E*TRADE and Free for GnuCash.
Does E*TRADE or GnuCash run on more platforms?
E*TRADE runs on Web, IOS, Android. GnuCash runs on Windows, Mac, Linux.
Can I use GnuCash for free?
Yes. GnuCash has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. E*TRADE starts at On request.
What is E*TRADE best used for?
E*TRADE is most often used for budget management, expense tracking, investment tracking. Of those, budget management and expense tracking are not what GnuCash is typically brought in for.
What can E*TRADE do that GnuCash cannot?
E*TRADE covers Advanced trading tools, Options and futures, Research tools, Mobile trading. GnuCash covers Double-entry bookkeeping, Multi-currency support, Reports and graphs, Budget tracking.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

GnuCash: How much does GnuCash cost?

GnuCash is completely free. The software is licensed under the GNU GPL with no subscription fees, pricing tiers, or paid versions.

Source
GnuCash: What platforms does GnuCash support?

GnuCash is available free across GNU/Linux, BSD, Solaris, macOS, and Microsoft Windows platforms.

Source
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