Axos Self-Directed Trading: Platform Profile

Overview

Axos Self-Directed Trading is a bank-linked brokerage with a free basic account and an optional paid Axos Elite subscription.

Current core products include:

• U.S.-exchange-listed stocks;
• ETFs;
• 10,000+ mutual funds;
• options;
• Individual accounts;
• Joint accounts;
• IRAs;
• margin through the current Elite path;
• market research;
• extended-hours trading for Elite customers.

The central 2026 issue is a pricing contradiction inside Axos's own current site.

The general Self-Directed page and current linked fee schedule display:

• Options headline: $0.80 per contract

But the current Axos Elite comparison explicitly states:

• Basic: $1.00 per contract
• Elite: $0.80 per contract

May fit better for

• Axos Bank customers;
• stock and ETF investors who want $0 trades;
• mutual-fund investors;
• options traders who understand Basic vs Elite pricing;
• investors who value TipRanks research;
• margin users willing to pay for Elite;
• users who value bank and brokerage visibility together.

May fit less well for

• investors who dislike subscription-based premium tiers;
• users who need one unambiguous options fee;
• direct-crypto traders;
• futures traders;
• investors expecting every Self-Directed account to include margin;
• users who do not need premium research or extended hours.

---

Regulatory identity

Current BrokerCheck:

• Legal name: Axos Invest LLC
• FINRA CRD: 172393
• SEC number: 8-69507
• FINRA member: Yes
• SIPC member: Yes

Current site also identifies:

• Affiliated adviser: Axos Invest, Inc.
• Bank affiliate: Axos Bank

These are separate affiliated companies.

---

Stocks and ETFs

Current Self-Directed page:

• Stocks:
• US exchange listed commission: $0
• ETFs:
• Commission: $0

Current footnotes say $0 stock pricing is limited to stocks listed on a U.S. exchange.

OTC, foreign, or large-block special-handling transactions can incur charges.

---

Mutual funds

Current Self-Directed page:

• Mutual fund universe: 10,000+
• No load mutual fund trade: $0

Fund expense ratios and load charges where applicable remain separate.

---

Options-pricing conflict

Main Self-Directed page

• Options displayed: $0.80 per contract

Current linked Self-Directed fee schedule

Effective June 16, 2025:

• Options fee schedule: $0.80 per contract

Current Axos Elite comparison

• Basic Self Directed options: $1.00 per contract
• Axos Elite options: $0.80 per contract

The Elite page is more granular because it explicitly compares the two account tiers.

---

Option example

Basic

20 contracts:

20 × $1.00 = $20

Elite

20 contracts:

20 × $0.80 = $16

Difference:

$4

The Elite subscription itself must also be included when evaluating total cost.

---

Axos Elite

Current Elite pricing:

• Axos Elite:
• Monthly fee: $10
• Option contract fee: $0.80
• Margin: Yes
• Margin marketing: 5.5%
• TipRanks: Yes
• Real time market data: Yes
• Extended trading to: 7:00 PM ET
• Instant settlement credit: Yes

Rates can change.

The 5.5% margin figure is a current marketing reference, not a permanent contractual rate.

---

Elite annual subscription example

$10 × 12 = $120

per year.

An investor saving $0.20 per option contract versus the current detailed Basic comparison would need:

$120 ÷ $0.20 = 600 contracts

in a simple illustration just to offset the subscription through the option-fee difference alone.

That ignores other Elite benefits such as margin, research, data, and extended hours.

---

Margin is not universal across current tiers

Current Elite comparison:

• Basic margin: No
• Elite margin: Yes

The broader Self-Directed page separately says customers can apply for margin.

The safest current structured state is:

• Margin available in platform family: Yes
• Elite margin explicit: Yes
• Basic margin current comparison: No

---

Fully paid lending is not currently established as live

The current general Self-Directed page references Fully Paid and Margin Lending.

The current Elite comparison says:

• Fully paid lending:
• Elite: coming soon

---

Extended hours

Current Elite page states:

• Elite trade until: 7:00 PM ET

Current footnotes also discuss:

• premarket 7: 00–9:30 a.m. ET;
• after-market 4: 00–8:00 p.m. ET;
• overnight sessions for certain ETFs.

Availability depends on:

• subscription;
• security;
• session;
• order type.

---

Current fee schedule

Current linked Self-Directed schedule, effective June 16, 2025:

• ACAT and non ACAT transfer out: $100 per account
• DTC free delivery: $27 per security
• Mandatory reorganization: $27 per account
• Voluntary tender exchange bond put: $37 per election
• IRA or qualified plan:
• Transfer between Roth Traditional: $80
• Annual custodial fee: $60 per plan
• Termination fee: $60 per plan
• Wire:
• Domestic: $35
• International: $80

The fee schedule remains linked from the current 2026 product page.

---

IRA account category

Current Self-Directed page supports IRA accounts.

These are conventional brokerage IRAs.

The word "Self-Directed" in the Axos product name does not make it an alternative-asset SDIRA custodian.

---

Bank vs brokerage

Current Axos disclosure is explicit:

• Axos Invest securities FDIC: No
• Axos Bank deposits separate: Yes
• Axos Invest SIPC: Yes

Current SIPC disclosures show:

• SIPC total limit: $500,000
• Cash sublimit: $250,000

SIPC does not insure market losses.

---

Direct crypto and futures

The current Self-Directed package does not establish:

• Direct spot crypto current verified: No
• Retail futures current verified: No

Assessment

Axos Self-Directed Trading is competitive on basic stock, ETF, and no-load mutual-fund pricing.

The harder question is whether Axos Elite adds enough value to justify $120 per year.

Elite currently adds:

• lower detailed option pricing;
• margin;
• TipRanks;
• real-time data;
• extended trading;
• instant settlement credit.

Axos's own option pages need cleanup.

A reliable review should say that plainly rather than pretend the current site is internally consistent.

The legal protection distinction is also straightforward:

Axos Invest LLC is the broker. Axos Invest, Inc. is the affiliated adviser. Axos Bank is the bank. Securities are not FDIC-insured bank deposits.