TD Ameritrade Review
Now Charles Schwab
thinkorswim Platform
$0 Stock Commissions
US Stocks & Options Focus
TD Ameritrade at a Glance — Profile & Stats
Who Was TD Ameritrade?
A major US brokerage founded in 1975, famous for the powerful thinkorswim platform and strong stock/options trading.
Now Part of Charles Schwab
TD Ameritrade was acquired by Charles Schwab; all accounts migrated and the TD Ameritrade platform shut down in May 2024.
ℹ️ Update: You can no longer open a TD Ameritrade account — new clients open a Schwab account and still get thinkorswim.
thinkorswim Lives On
thinkorswim continues as a Schwab product, actively maintained — advanced charting, analytics and paper trading across desktop, web and mobile.
Fees
$0 stock/ETF commissions, options at $0.65/contract, no platform or US-market data fees, and no account minimum.
Markets
Primarily US stocks, ETFs, options and futures. Forex was always limited and rated only “average,” with relatively high spreads.
Why it matters: If forex is your main market, this is not the right broker — it shines for US stocks/options.
Regulation & Reviews
US-regulated (SEC/FINRA) with SIPC protection. thinkorswim is widely acclaimed for its tools, though Trustpilot scores are low (mostly support complaints).
thinkorswim Platform & Tools
Advanced Charting & Analysis
thinkorswim offers institutional-grade charting, studies, scanners and options analytics — a favourite of active US traders.
Why it matters: Its depth of tools is the main reason traders chose TD Ameritrade over cheaper apps.
paperMoney
A full paper-trading simulator lets you practise strategies risk-free with virtual funds.
Desktop · Web · Mobile
Available as downloadable desktop software, a web app and full-featured mobile apps.
Education
The thinkorswim Learning Center and extensive tutorials make the powerful platform easier to learn.
TD Ameritrade Alternatives
Charles Schwab
The direct successor — opening an account here gives you thinkorswim plus Schwab’s services.
Interactive Brokers
Pro-grade global broker with low costs and genuine forex access — strong for active and international traders.
tastytrade
Options-focused broker from the thinkorswim founders, with low options fees.
E*TRADE
Well-rounded US broker (Morgan Stanley) with solid platforms and $0 stock commissions.
Pricing & Account
Stocks & ETFs
$0 commission on online US stock and ETF trades.
Options
$0.65 per contract, with no base ticket charge — competitive for options traders.
Futures & Forex
Futures available via thinkorswim; forex is limited with higher spreads than dedicated FX brokers.
No Minimum
No account minimum and no platform/data fees — you only pay the per-trade costs above.
Why it matters: Zero minimums make it easy to start, but US-market focus limits non-US/forex traders.
The Charles Schwab Transition
Timeline
Schwab announced the TD Ameritrade acquisition in 2020, completed integration through 2023, and retired the TD Ameritrade platform in May 2024.
What Stayed
The thinkorswim platform, $0 stock commissions and $0.65 options pricing carried over to Schwab largely unchanged.
ℹ️ Note: Existing TD Ameritrade clients were moved to Schwab automatically.
What to Do Now
To use thinkorswim today, open a Charles Schwab account — there is no longer a standalone TD Ameritrade signup.
Who It’s For & Availability
Access & Audience
TD Ameritrade / thinkorswim is built for US-based stock, options and futures traders who want a powerful desktop platform. It is not aimed at forex or non-US clients — dedicated FX brokers offer far better currency conditions. New accounts are opened through Charles Schwab.
Video Guides & Reviews
Watch: thinkorswim in Action
Know the pros and Cons of TD
Pros
- World-class thinkorswim platform & tools
- $0 stock/ETF commissions; $0.65 options
- Excellent options analytics and paper trading
- SEC/FINRA-regulated with SIPC protection
- Strong education; no account minimum
Cons
- TD Ameritrade brand retired — now Charles Schwab
- Limited forex with relatively high spreads
- US-focused; limited access for non-US clients
- Low Trustpilot score (mostly support complaints)
What is the Pricing of TD ?
Pricing carried over to Schwab largely unchanged. thinkorswim is free with a brokerage account:
| Item | TD Ameritrade / thinkorswim |
|---|---|
| Stocks & ETFs | $0 commission |
| Options | $0.65 / contract |
| Platform fee | None |
| Account minimum | None |
TD Ameritrade vs Interactive Brokers
TD Ameritrade vs Interactive Brokers. Both are top-tier US-regulated brokers, but with different strengths. TD Ameritrade (thinkorswim, now Schwab) is loved for its visual, beginner-friendly-yet-powerful platform and options tools. Interactive Brokers offers lower costs, genuine global market access and real forex trading, favoured by professionals and international traders. For US stocks/options on a great platform, thinkorswim wins; for forex or worldwide markets, Interactive Brokers is the stronger choice.
Why Choose TD as your best trading partner ?
ℹ️ Now Charles Schwab · thinkorswim
$0 stocks · $0.65 options
TD Ameritrade
Now Charles Schwab · thinkorswim
🖥️ thinkorswim platform
$0 stocks · $0.65 options
OPEN VIA CHARLES SCHWAB
Open via Schwab →Frequently Asked Questions
TD Ameritrade was a major US brokerage founded in 1975, best known for the powerful thinkorswim platform. It was acquired by Charles Schwab, and its accounts and services now sit under Schwab.
No. The TD Ameritrade platform was retired in May 2024. New clients now open a Charles Schwab account, which includes access to thinkorswim.
Existing TD Ameritrade accounts were automatically migrated to Charles Schwab during the 2023–2024 integration.
Yes. thinkorswim continues as a Charles Schwab product and is still actively maintained and developed across desktop, web and mobile.
$0 commission on online US stocks and ETFs, $0.65 per options contract, no platform or US-market data fees, and no account minimum.
Forex availability was always limited and rated only “average,” with relatively high spreads. It is primarily a US stocks, options and futures broker, not a forex specialist.
Yes. It operates under US regulation (SEC/FINRA) with SIPC protection on securities accounts. Under Schwab, those protections continue.
Most negative reviews focus on customer-support wait times and platform load during volatile periods, rather than the thinkorswim tools, which are widely praised.
thinkorswim is loved for its visual, powerful platform and options tools; Interactive Brokers offers lower costs, global markets and real forex. Choose thinkorswim for US stocks/options, IBKR for forex or worldwide access.
Open a Charles Schwab brokerage account — thinkorswim is included at no extra platform cost. There is no longer a standalone TD Ameritrade signup.