Personal Finance · head to head
E*TRADE vs Investopedia Stock Simulator
Investopedia Stock Simulator
Personal Finance
Paper trading without risk
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Investopedia Stock Simulator 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); Investopedia Stock Simulator market data is delayed by 15-20 minutes, inadequate for real-time trading education
- They diverge on capability: E*TRADE covers Advanced trading tools, Investopedia Stock Simulator covers Virtual stock trading.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which E*TRADE and Investopedia Stock Simulator actually diverge.
| Attribute | E*TRADE | Investopedia Stock Simulator |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | Free |
| Pricing model | transaction | Unknown |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, IOS, Android | Web |
| Founded | 1956 | 2009 |
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
- IOS support
- Android support
Only in Investopedia Stock Simulator
- Virtual stock trading
- Real-time market data
- Portfolio management
- Educational resources
- Market data
Both cover
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
E*TRADE
- Budget Management
- Expense Tracking
- Investment Tracking
Investopedia Stock Simulator
- 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.
E*TRADE
- Stock and ETF trades were $0 commission but options carried a $0.65 per-contract fee, broker-assisted trades added a $25 surcharge, and margin interest rates ranged from 12.70% to 13.20% depending on balance tier (Internet Archive capture, 3 January 2023)
Investopedia Stock Simulator
- Market data is delayed by 15-20 minutes, inadequate for real-time trading education
- Limited order type support compared to modern trading platforms
- Simplified fill simulation does not replicate real trading execution
- Platform has not received significant updates in many years
Pricing, plan by plan
E*TRADE
On request- Stock & ETF TradingFree
- Commission-free trades
- Real-time quotes
- Advanced Trading$undefined/month
- All Stock & ETF features
- Options, futures
- Advanced tools
Investopedia Stock Simulator
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Investopedia Stock Simulator review.
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.
Choose Investopedia Stock Simulator if
- You need virtual stock trading.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want real-time market data.
Questions people ask
- Is E*TRADE or Investopedia Stock Simulator better?
- Neither clearly leads. E*TRADE starts at On request and Investopedia Stock Simulator at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, E*TRADE or Investopedia Stock Simulator?
- Investopedia Stock Simulator has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for E*TRADE and Free for Investopedia Stock Simulator.
- Does E*TRADE or Investopedia Stock Simulator run on more platforms?
- E*TRADE runs on Web, IOS, Android. Investopedia Stock Simulator runs on Web.
- Can I use Investopedia Stock Simulator for free?
- Yes. Investopedia Stock Simulator 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.
- What can E*TRADE do that Investopedia Stock Simulator cannot?
- E*TRADE covers Advanced trading tools, Options and futures, Research tools, Mobile trading. Investopedia Stock Simulator covers Virtual stock trading, Real-time market data, Portfolio management, Educational resources. Both handle Web support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Investopedia Stock Simulator: Is the Investopedia Stock Simulator free?
Yes, the Investopedia Stock Simulator is completely free to use after creating an account. No real funds are required for simulated trading.
SourceInvestopedia Stock Simulator: What is included in the simulator?
Users receive a $100,000 virtual portfolio to trade stocks, with integrated educational content including articles, tutorials, and a financial dictionary for learning investing.
SourceInvestopedia Stock Simulator: What are the limitations of the Investopedia Simulator?
The simulator uses delayed market data (typically 15-20 minutes), has limited order type support, simplified fill simulation, and has not received proper updates in many years.
SourceInvestopedia Stock Simulator: Can you compete with other traders?
Yes, you can join existing games or create custom games with configurable rules including options, margin trading, and adjustable commission rates, competing with thousands of Investopedia traders.
Source