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Based on my personal experience researching E*TRADE, I found their fee structure to be fairly transparent for most assets, but there are important considerations for active traders. For standard stock and ETF trades, E*TRADE typically charges zero commissions, which on the surface sounds competitive. However, for options trading, there is a per-contract fee of $0.65 for those making fewer than 30 trades per quarter—a small but noticeable cost if you’re active. For those who trade more frequently, this options contract fee drops to $0.50, but only once you clear the set threshold, so infrequent traders will pay more. Looking at futures, E*TRADE charges $1.50 per contract, which is in line with some competitors but can add up quickly for higher-frequency strategies. Bond trading involves a $1 fee per bond with set minimums and caps, and mutual fund trades (not no-transaction-fee funds) are $19.99—much steeper than electronic trades of other asset classes. Importantly, E*TRADE does not list explicit spreads for forex because, to my knowledge, they do not offer spot forex trading—so the primary costs to watch are commissions and contract fees. My cautious stance comes from the fact that, due to E*TRADE’s unverified regulatory status, it’s especially important to scrutinize every disclosed cost and ensure you understand how cumulative fees could impact your returns, particularly with less-frequently traded products or if your strategy requires many transactions. Transparency in costs is good, but always double-check for any hidden fees or terms that might influence your actual trading expenditures.