SpeedTradervs.tastytrade

Head-to-head comparison across ratings, fees, asset coverage, and platform breadth.

SpeedTrader

3.7 / 5

Direct-access broker built for active day traders who need DAS Trader Pro, ECN order routing, integrated short locates, and OTC/penny stock access. Strong on short-locate workflow; weak on transparency, mobile, and reputation given multiple FINRA enforcement actions.

Last reviewed May 13, 2026Data may be outdated — verify rates before acting

tastytrade

4.4 / 5

The #1 retail options broker in 2026. Industry-leading $1-to-open / $0-to-close pricing capped at $10/leg, purpose-built derivatives platform, and integrated Tastylive education. Avoid if you hold meaningful idle cash, want OTC, or are a buy-and-hold investor.

Last reviewed May 13, 2026Data may be outdated — verify rates before acting

Sub-rating overlap

Each broker scored 0–5 across the same 8 dimensions.

Detailed comparison

Green cells mark the winner on each metric. Tie rows are uncoloured.

Metric	SpeedTrader	tastytrade	Winner
OverallEditorial score	3.70 / 5	4.40 / 5	tastytrade
Sub-ratingsCommissions & fees	3.50	4.60	tastytrade
Sub-ratingsPlatforms & tools	4.30	4.70	tastytrade
Sub-ratingsMobile app	2.50	4.20	tastytrade
Sub-ratingsResearch	2.50	3.50	tastytrade
Sub-ratingsEducation	2.50	5.00	tastytrade
Sub-ratingsCustomer service	4.00	4.00	Tie
Sub-ratingsRange of investments	2.80	3.50	tastytrade
Sub-ratingsActive trading	4.70	5.00	tastytrade
PricingLowest margin rate	8.00%	8.00%	Tie
PricingDefault cash sweep yield	—	0.01%	tastytrade
PricingPFOF on equities	Does not accept	Accepts	SpeedTrader

Where they differ on asset coverage

Asset class	SpeedTrader	tastytrade
US stocks (NYSE/Nasdaq/AMEX)	Yes
OTC / Pink Sheets / OTCQX / OTCQB	Yes
Options (equity, ETF, SPX, other indices)	Yes
Mutual funds	Limited	No
Futures	No
Crypto (direct)	No	Yes
Foreign stocks ("F" tickers)	Limited
IRAs	No
Cash accounts	No
24-hour overnight equity trading	No
Hard-to-borrow short locates	Yes
US stocks (NYSE/Nasdaq)		Yes
OTC / Pink Sheets / penny stocks		No
Equity options (single + multi-leg)		Yes
Index options (SPX/NDX/RUT/XSP/VIX + Cboe Bitcoin/Mini Bitcoin US ETF Index)		Yes
Futures (equity index, energy, metals, currency, rates, ag, livestock, crypto, volatility, micros)		Yes
Options on futures		Yes
International stocks		No
IPOs		No
24/5 overnight equity trading		Yes

SpeedTrader strengths

DAS Trader Pro white-labeled as SpeedTrader Pro — full Level 2 montage, 100+ hotkeys, integrated short-locate window, native multi-account support
12 third-party short-locate venues with in-platform "S" icon request workflow on the Level 2 montage
Deep OTC / Pink Sheet / OTCQX / OTCQB support with dedicated routing (OTCX Link, SPDRO, ARCAU, OTCB, DKMX)
Per-share pricing as low as $0.0009/share above 25M shares/month; per-trade pricing down to $2.49 above 3,000 trades/month
No PFOF; ECN rebates and charges passed through transparently; 30+ direct routes
4:1 intraday buying power, 2:1 overnight on Reg-NMS listed stocks

tastytrade strengths

$1 to open / $0 to close, capped at $10/leg — unmatched at 15+ contracts; $0.50 round-trip per contract at scale
Industry-best options workflow: Curve mode with draggable strike legs, drag-and-drop chain to build verticals/condors/butterflies
Futures + options on futures with micros at $0.85/contract; CME Direct multi-leg integration (2025)
23 cryptocurrencies via Zero Hash + stablecoin account funding (USDC/USDT/PYUSD/RLUSD; first major US broker, July 2025)
Tastylive: 8+ hours of live original options programming every weekday, free
Open API: public REST + WebSocket (DXLink/dxFeed), official JS SDK + community Python SDK

Full SpeedTrader review →Full tastytrade review →