Disclosure: Silver Price Gold may earn a commission if you open an account through links on this page. This doesn’t change our assessment. See our disclaimer.
Risk warning: Futures and options carry a high risk of loss and aren’t suitable for every investor. Losses on futures can exceed your deposit. This review is general information, not personalized financial advice.
How we reviewed: This review is based on tastytrade’s published commissions, help-center documentation and platform materials, checked in September 2026. Fees change, so confirm current pricing on tastytrade’s site before opening an account.
tastytrade was previously called tastyworks. The broker rebranded in 2022.
Verdict
tastytrade is built for active options and futures traders, and its pricing reflects that. Futures cost $1.00 per contract to open and $1.00 to close, micro futures cost $0.75 each way, and equity options have no commission to close. It’s one of the lowest-cost choices for traders who use micro metals and bitcoin contracts. It’s less suited to hands-off, long-term investors who want financial planning or a wide range of mutual funds.
Best for
Active traders who trade options and futures regularly, especially micro contracts, and want low per-trade costs.
At a glance
| Futures commission | $1.00 per contract to open, $1.00 to close, plus exchange and NFA fees |
|---|---|
| Micro futures commission | $0.75 per contract to open, $0.75 to close |
| Options on futures | $1.25 per contract each way |
| Equity options | $1.00 per contract to open, $0 to close, capped at $10 per leg |
| Stocks and ETFs | $0 commission |
| Account minimum | $0 for a cash account; futures require a margin account or eligible IRA |
| IRA futures requirement | $25,000 net liquidation for standard CME futures; $5,000 for CME micro E-mini futures |
| Platforms | tastytrade desktop, web and mobile |
Pros and cons
Pros
- Among the lowest futures and micro futures commissions of the brokers we review
- Options commission cap of $10 per leg and $0 to close
- Platform designed around options and futures workflows
- Free education through the tastylive media network
- Access to newer CME products, including E-Nano equity index futures
Cons
- Platform is geared to active traders and can feel busy for beginners
- Limited tools for long-term investing and retirement planning
- Higher balance requirements to trade futures in an IRA
Fees and costs
A standard futures contract costs $1.00 to open and $1.00 to close, so a round trip is $2.00 in commissions before exchange and NFA fees. Micro futures, such as micro gold or micro bitcoin, cost $0.75 each way, or $1.50 per round trip. Options on futures cost $1.25 per contract each way.
Exchange fees vary by contract and include a $0.01 NFA fee per contract per side. tastytrade publishes a full table of exchange fees in its help center.
Platform and tools
The tastytrade platform is available on desktop, web and mobile. It puts options chains, probability metrics and futures trading front and center, which suits traders who build multi-leg strategies. Its tastylive network streams hours of daily market commentary and strategy content, which some traders find a useful learning resource.
Commodity market access
tastytrade supports a broad list of CME futures, including micro contracts, with overnight margin requirements, trading hours and contract links listed in its help center. That covers the metals and bitcoin markets in our gold, silver, copper and bitcoin guides. It also supports many options on futures. Check the supported list for any specific contract.
Opening a futures account
There’s no minimum to open a cash account, but futures need a margin account or an eligible IRA. In IRAs, tastytrade requires start-of-day net liquidation of $25,000 for standard CME futures and futures options, and $5,000 for CME micro E-mini futures and their options. Overnight margin requirements apply in all account types.
Safety and regulation
tastytrade is a registered broker-dealer and futures commission merchant, and a member of FINRA and the NFA. As at any broker, futures funds aren’t covered by SIPC and are protected by customer segregation rules instead.
Who should look elsewhere
Long-term investors who want research, planning tools and a wide fund lineup may be better served by Charles Schwab. Traders who need access to international exchanges should look at Interactive Brokers.
Sources: tastytrade pricing page and help-center commissions articles; tastytrade futures page. Fees checked September 2026.