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E*TRADE vs Square Cash

E*TRADE logo

E*TRADE

Software

Express your investing style

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
S

Square Cash

Software

Send money easily with Square Cash

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Square Cash 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); Square Cash cash App Green status (higher savings rate, free in-network ATM withdrawals, overdraft coverage) requires spending $500 or depositing $300 in Qualifying purchases/deposits per month, per the App Store listing
  • They diverge on capability: E*TRADE covers Advanced trading tools, Square Cash covers Money transfers.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where E*TRADE and Square Cash differ
AttributeE*TRADESquare Cash
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modeltransactionfree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, IOS, AndroidIOS, Android
Founded19562014

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

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
  • Wire transfers
  • Web support

Only in Square Cash

  • Money transfers
  • Instant deposits
  • Transaction history
  • Customer 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.

E*TRADE

  • Budget Management
  • Expense Tracking
  • Investment Tracking

Square Cash

  • 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)

Square Cash

  • Cash App Green status (higher savings rate, free in-network ATM withdrawals, overdraft coverage) requires spending $500 or depositing $300 in Qualifying purchases/deposits per month, per the App Store listing

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

Square Cash

Free
  • FreeFree
    • P2P transfers
    • Instant deposits
    • Mobile app

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 Square Cash if

  • You need money transfers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on IOS, Android.
  • You also want instant deposits.
Square Cash review

Questions people ask

Is E*TRADE or Square Cash better?
Neither clearly leads. E*TRADE starts at On request and Square Cash at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, E*TRADE or Square Cash?
Square Cash has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for E*TRADE and Free for Square Cash.
Does E*TRADE or Square Cash run on more platforms?
E*TRADE runs on Web, IOS, Android. Square Cash runs on IOS, Android.
Can I use Square Cash for free?
Yes. Square Cash 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 Square Cash cannot?
E*TRADE covers Advanced trading tools, Options and futures, Research tools, Mobile trading. Square Cash covers Money transfers, Instant deposits, Transaction history, Customer support. Both handle Bank accounts, IOS support, Android support.
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