Back to all brokers
Merrill Edge vs Vanguard
Detailed comparison of fees, features and products
3.8
BROKER ONLY4.3
BROKER ONLYFeature Comparison
| Feature Comparison | Merrill Edge | Vanguard |
|---|---|---|
| Wide Offering | ||
| Fractional Shares & DRIP | ||
| Free Savings Plan | ||
| Cash Sweep Yield | ||
| US Support | ||
| Tax Documents (1099) | ||
| SIPC $500k + FDIC | ||
| Score | 7/7 | 7/7 |
Fee Comparison
| Fee Comparison | Merrill Edge | Vanguard |
|---|---|---|
| IRA Accounts (Roth, Traditional) | $0 commission | $0 commission |
| Cash Sweep Yield | $0 commission | $0 commission |
| Crypto Fee | N/A | N/A |
| Margin Rate | N/A | N/A |
| Inactivity Fee | None | None |
| Deposit Fee | Free | Free |
| Withdrawal Fee | Free | Free |
| Min. Deposit | 0 | 0 |
Product Range
| Product Range | Merrill Edge | Vanguard |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | All US stocks | All US stocks |
| ETFs | All US ETFs | All US ETFs |
| Mutual Funds | 3,000+ mutual funds | Vanguard funds + 3,000 others |
| Bonds | Full offering | Full offering |
| Crypto | N/A | N/A |
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Bank of America Preferred Rewards: Huge bonuses for BoA clients
- SIPC $500k + FDIC
- Excellent research (Morningstar, BofA Securities)
- Seamless BoA banking integration
- Free trades for Platinum Honors members
- MarketPro platform for active traders
Cons
- Best benefits require BoA relationship
- No crypto
- Limited if not a BoA customer
- Cash yields not competitive
Pros
- Owned by its fund shareholders: No conflicts of interest
- Lowest expense ratios in the world (VTI: 0.03%)
- Perfect for Bogleheads and passive investors
- SIPC $500k protected
- Target Date Funds for set-and-forget retirement
- Free DRIP on all holdings
Cons
- App and website still basic despite 2025 updates
- No crypto
- Not for active traders
- Customer service can be slow