A complete overview of Vanguard vs. TD Ameritrade

Triston Martin

Aug 22, 2022

The two biggest U.S. brokerage businesses, Vanguard &'' TD Ameritrade, have nothing else in common. Vanguard has a vast selection of low-cost mutual funds &'' ETFs geared for buy-and-hold investors and those saving for retirement. TD Ameritrade, on the other hand, has a number of trading platforms accessible, such as standard online platforms, a main mobile application for normal customers, and the expert-level thinkorswim, which itself is accessible through the web, desktop, and smartphone. We'll contrast Vanguard &'' TD Ameritrade to enable you to decide which one could be best for your investment requirements, despite their shared characteristics.

Usability

Vanguard accounts may be opened digitally, but there is often a delay of several days before you can really access your funds. We discovered that TD Ameritrade made it less of a hassle to create an account and deposit money. You may accomplish this using either its web or its smartphone app. However, the variety of account types available can make it difficult to choose the best one for your needs. Options trading and margin access require extra paperwork and time with any broker.

Blogs, videos, webinars, and even a glossary are just some of the learning resources available from both Vanguard and TD Ameritrade. The Vanguard website has indeed been (finally) revamped to make it more accessible and up-to-date. Though efforts are being made to simplify the site, progress is limited until you create an account. The TD Ameritrade website is modern, well-structured, and simple to use. In general, we discovered that Vanguard is a good option for long-term investors, particularly those who are interested in gaining access to expert guidance and some of the most cost-effective funds available in the business. TD Ameritrade is suitable for experienced investors &'' traders who desire a more sophisticated trading experience.

Trade Experience

Desktop Experience

Vanguard &'' TD Ameritrade provides distinct trading experiences, which is anticipated given their target clients. Vanguard is designed for long-term investors rather than day traders. The website functions as intended (i.e., orders may be placed); however, it lacks fancy extras. Until a trade ticket is opened, real-time data is unavailable, and the order input procedure is cumbersome and not especially clear. The trading platform does a decent job for those who are just interested in watching their investments, but it inevitably falls short for active dealers &'' investors who wish for more flexibility and responsiveness.

The online-based trading system offered by TD Ameritrade provides all of the tools and resources that are required by casual traders. thinkorswim is TD Ameritrade's premier platform, so it naturally attracts the company's most seasoned investors and traders. Thinkorswim is an adaptable and sleek platform with a wide variety of analytical features. Utilizing the thinkScript coding language, a trading simulator is available for developing and simulating research. When comparing features and usefulness, TD Ameritrade clearly comes out on top.

Mobile Trade Experience

The Vanguard mobile app may need some updating and has few features. Again, the quotations are delayed until you create an order request and there is no graphing functionality. The buy-and-hold client still has access to position and portfolio monitoring, analysis, news, and basic order placement capabilities; however, these features are restricted to certain asset classes. There are two mobile applications that TD Ameritrade supports: the TD Ameritrade smartphone app, which is geared toward newcomers, and thinkorswim, which is geared toward more experienced traders. Both are powerful, with many features, including graphing and watchlists. Mobile users get the same access to the full range of asset types and streaming actual information offered on desktops and other platforms.

Users have given both brokers' applications positive reviews on the App Store. The average rating for Vanguard is 4.72 stars out of 5. There are over 106,000 reviews of TD Ameritrade Mobile, and it holds a 4.5-star score. In comparison, thinkorswim enjoys a 4.7-star overall score, and there are over 274,000 reviews of it. We compared the available mobile trading apps and determined that TD Ameritrade provides the best combination of features and usability.

Trading Technology

Vanguard does not provide its clients with the option to deploy intelligent order routing technologies. However, the broker claims a $2.32 net price increase for every 100 shares bought. We were unable to locate any immediate information on Vanguard's execution rate; nevertheless, its ideal client plays the long game (and hence is unlikely to care about nanoseconds). Its technique for routing may be simplistic in comparison to those of other brokers, but it earns marks since it does not charge commissions on client orders.

The algorithm that TD Ameritrade uses to route orders throughout the system prioritizes speed of execution and maximizing profits. Statistics on the quality of trade execution from a third party reveal a speed of 0.05 seconds and a net price increase of $2.08 per 100 shares on average. TD Ameritrade, in contrast to Vanguard, does indeed take money in exchange for order volume, charging between $0.0014 and $0.0027 per equity share and often $0.53 per options contract. These order flow payments may and will vary over time. Vanguard wins in terms of paying for order flow (by refusing it), but TD Ameritrade takes first place altogether in trading technology due to its intelligent order routing system.

Customer Service

Phone assistance (both client service &'' brokers) is offered Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 9 pm (Eastern). While live chat is unavailable, you may contact the company through a private message on their website. The Vanguard team is active on Twitter and often replies to questions within the hour. Chatbots are available on Instagram, Messenger, Apple Business, Facetime, and WeChat, in addition to round-the-clock phone help from TD Ameritrade (in Asia). The software also has real-time chat capabilities. TD Ameritrade's customer care is more accessible and accommodating overall. Either broker will be able to assist you, but TD Ameritrade's support is superior.

Security

Security at both Vanguard &'' TD Ameritrade is commensurate with best practices. Either broker's mobile app will accept biometric authentication (fingerprint or facial recognition), and both will prevent you from losing money if fraud were to occur in your account. If each brokerage house were ever to collapse or go bankrupt, its clients would be protected up to the SIPC maximum of $500,000. The total amount of cash in hand is capped at $250,000. In addition, both have insurance policies that provide protection beyond what is offered by SIPC. Though they provide it, Vanguard's coverage specifics are not publicly available on their website. TD Ameritrade clients have $149.5 million in securities shielding and $2 million in cash protection. Both brokerages have no major data leaks disclosed by the Identity Fraud Research Unit between January and September 2021. In general, traders should feel safe with any broker.

Our Verdict

TD Ameritrade outperformed Vanguard in every metric we used to determine the best online brokers for 2021. Fairness requires acknowledging the difficulty in comparing two brokers with such dissimilar business strategies and clientele. Vanguard seems to be a specialist player designed specifically for buy-and-hold investors, much as how certain brokerages have specialized in options trading. TD Ameritrade's thinkorswim platform is designed to accommodate a wide range of traders, from novices to professionals.

Buy-and-hold investors who prioritize ease of use over flashy features and who seek access to a few of the industry's finest (and least expensive) funds may still find Vanguard to be the best option, as the platform's shortcomings won't detract from their ability to build a diversified portfolio at a minimal cost. In fact, based only on the valuation they provide via their funds, Vanguard would certainly win a class for passive, buy-and-hold investors if we were to score it. Of course, anything that Vanguard can do, TD Ameritrade could do, and more. Whether you're just starting out and looking for some basic tutorials or you're an experienced trader or investor in need of more advanced tools, TD Ameritrade seems to be the best option.

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