Head-to-head comparison across ratings, fees, asset coverage, and platform breadth.
4.1 / 5
Best-in-class short-locate inventory for active day traders and short sellers. Now a Clear Street division with ~8,000 ETB names, an in-house HTB desk sourcing 100M+ shares/month, 40+ DMA routes, and no PFOF. $30K minimum; not for beginners or buy-and-hold.
4.0 / 5
For active day traders and short sellers with $27K+ in capital who need multi-source HTB locates, true DMA without PFOF, and a human picking up the phone. Not a fit for buy-and-hold, beginners, or anyone who wants a polished mobile app.
Each broker scored 0–5 across the same 8 dimensions.
Green cells mark the winner on each metric. Tie rows are uncoloured.
| Metric | CenterPoint | Cobra | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| OverallEditorial score | 4.10 / 5 | 4.00 / 5 | CenterPoint |
| Sub-ratingsCommissions & fees | 4.00 | 4.50 | Cobra |
| Sub-ratingsPlatforms & tools | 4.50 | 4.50 | Tie |
| Sub-ratingsMobile app | 2.00 | 2.00 | Tie |
| Sub-ratingsResearch | 3.00 | 2.50 | CenterPoint |
| Sub-ratingsEducation | 2.50 | 2.00 | CenterPoint |
| Sub-ratingsCustomer service | 4.30 | 4.50 | Cobra |
| Sub-ratingsRange of investments | 2.50 | 3.00 | Cobra |
| Sub-ratingsActive trading | 5.00 | 5.00 | Tie |
| PricingLowest margin rate | 8.00% | 5.25% | Cobra |
| PricingPFOF on equities | Does not accept | Does not accept | Tie |
| Asset class | CenterPoint | Cobra |
|---|---|---|
| OTC / Pink Sheets | Yes | |
| Listed options (single + multi-leg) | Yes | |
| International stocks | Limited | |
| IRAs (limited) | Limited | |
| OTC / Pink Sheets / OTCBB | Yes | |
| Options (multi-leg + spreads) | Yes | |
| International stocks / ADRs | No |