Webull trading fees

Opening block [~150 words]

You are an active or occasional retail trader. You use or consider Webull for US or international equity, ETF, or options trading. You want a clear, numbers-first view of what you will actually pay. This article breaks every fee into concrete line items. It shows examples you can use to estimate cost before you click submit. Expect three core fee types: base commissions, per-contract or per-share pass-throughs, and local market charges. Check how fees differ by market and instrument. Compare US trades, options trades, and common international examples such as Australia and ASX-style multipliers. Run the quick cost-check later in the article before you place your next trade. Skip marketing language. Focus on numbers. Use the worked examples to predict fees for one trade or 1,000 trades.

Quick Answer / TL;DR [~100 words]

• US stocks & ETFs: $0 commission per trade. Expect regulatory & exchange pass-throughs such as $0.000195 per share on sell trades (min $0.01, max $9.79).
• Options: $0 commission on many option trades. Certain index option trades carry $0.50 per contract. Exchanges and regulators add small per-contract charges (typical example: ~$0.03 per contract).
• Australia & some markets: localized fees apply — e.g., AU pricing examples include $1 per trade or 0.03% of trade value. Some non-US markets use tiny per-value multipliers like 0.0003 × trade value.
• How to use this: If you trade US stocks only, expect near-zero commissions. If you trade options, international stocks, or high-frequency tiny-lot sells, run the step-by-step cost check below.

Fee Types and Scope (3 core categories)

State what counts as a “fee” on Webull. Count commissions, options contract fees, regulatory (pass-through) fees, exchange fees, and local market charges. Treat each as a separate line item. Add them to compute a final per-trade cost.

Commission baseline:
– Webull lists $0 per trade for US-listed stocks and ETFs. Use $0 as the base commission for buys and sells on US exchanges.
– Many options trades also show $0 base commissions. Note the exception: certain index option trades carry a $0.50 per contract surcharge.
– Remember: $0 base commission does not mean $0 total cost.

Regulatory & exchange pass-throughs:
– Expect per-share regulatory pass-throughs. Example: $0.000195 per share on sell trades. This fee has a minimum of $0.01 and a maximum of $9.79 per trade.
– Explain regulators: FINRA (market regulator) and SEC (securities regulator). Expect small per-contract regulatory add-ons for options too.
– Track per-share versus per-contract math. Per-share fees scale with share count; per-contract fees scale with option contract count (one option contract generally represents 100 shares).

International and local market fees:
– Local markets add flat or percentage fees. Australia example: $1 per trade or 0.03% of trade value (choose the larger rule).
– Some markets use a multiplier on trade value. Example ASX-style model: 0.0003 × trade value.
– Currency conversion and local taxes can add further cents or dollars per trade.

Watch out for:
– Trades with very small dollar amounts. A $0.01 minimum regulatory fee can dominate a $5 trade.
– Options traders: check index option surcharges and per-contract regulatory pass-throughs.

How Fees Are Calculated (3 examples and formulas)

Show formulas and worked examples. Use clear, repeatable math. Compute totals to two decimals.

Per-share regulatory fee formula:
– Formula: regulatory fee = $0.000195 × number of shares sold.
– Apply minima and maxima: if result < $0.01, charge $0.01; if result > $9.79, cap at $9.79.
– Example 1: Sell 1,000 shares → 1,000 × $0.000195 = $0.195 → charge $0.20 (rounded to two decimals).
– Example 2: Sell 50 shares → 50 × $0.000195 = $0.00975 → below $0.01 → charge $0.01.
– Example 3: Sell 5,000 shares → 5,000 × $0.000195 = $0.975 → charge $0.98 (rounded).

Options contract math:
– Explain option contract: one options contract typically controls 100 shares (this is standard).
– Base commission often $0. Add index surcharge when applicable: $0.50 per contract.
– Add per-contract regulatory charges. Example regulatory add-on: $0.03 per contract.
– Example: Buy or sell 10 index-option contracts with index surcharge:
– Contract fee = 10 × $0.50 = $5.00.
– Regulatory add-on = 10 × $0.03 = $0.30.
– Total = $5.30.
– Example equity-option with no surcharge: 5 contracts × $0.03 regulatory = $0.15 total.

International fee formula (Australia example):
– Rule: charge the greater of $1 flat or 0.03% of trade value.
– Example 1: $2,000 trade → 0.03% × $2,000 = $0.60 → compare $0.60 vs $1 → charge $1.
– Example 2: $10,000 trade → 0.03% × $10,000 = $3.00 → compare $3.00 vs $1 → charge $3.00.
– Example with ASX multiplier: trade value × 0.0003. Example: $5,000 × 0.0003 = $1.50.

Watch out for:
– Rounding to cents. Always round to two decimals.
– Minimum and maximum thresholds that change effective percentages.
– Per-share fees only apply on sells for regulatory items. Do not double-count on buys.

Step-by-Step: Estimate Your Trade Cost (5 quick steps)

Follow these steps before every trade. Keep a pen, calculator, or use a spreadsheet. Use the checklist at the end.

Step 1: Identify instrument and market
– Write down: instrument type (stock, ETF, option), market (US, AU, UK, ASX), and quantity.
– Write trade value and share or contract count.
– Examples: 100 shares of a US ETF, 10 option contracts, or AU 200 shares.

Step 2: Apply base commission
– US stocks/ETFs: base commission = $0 per trade.
– AU example: base = choose the greater of $1 or 0.03% of trade value.
– UK or other market: check local flat or per-share rates.
– Example: For a $500 US stock buy, base commission = $0. For a $500 AU buy, 0.03% × $500 = $0.15 → compare to $1 → charge $1.

Step 3: Add contract fees for options
– Check whether options are index or equity.
– Add $0.50 per contract for index-option surcharges if present.
– Add regulatory per-contract fees (example: $0.03 per contract).
– Example: 20 contracts with index surcharge → 20 × ($0.50 + $0.03) = 20 × $0.53 = $10.60.

Step 4: Compute per-share regulatory fees on sell trades
– Multiply share count × $0.000195.
– Enforce min $0.01 and max $9.79.
– Example A: Sell 50 shares → 50 × $0.000195 = $0.00975 → charge $0.01.
– Example B: Sell 5,000 shares → 5,000 × $0.000195 = $0.975 → charge $0.98.

Step 5: Add market-specific charges and exchange fees
– Add local exchange multipliers (example ASX multiplier 0.0003 × trade value).
– Add conversion fees or stamp taxes if applicable.
– Sum all line items and round to two decimals.
– Example full calculation:
– US stock sell of 1,000 shares at $10/share: base $0 + regulatory $0.20 = $0.20 total.
– AU stock buy at $2,000: base $1 (flat) + ASX multiplier $0.0003 × $2,000 = $0.60 → apply selection or both as required by broker → final $1.60 or $1 depending on the rule.

Checklist (use before you submit):
– Trade value in local currency (example $500, $2,000, $10,000).
– Share count (example 10, 50, 1,000, 5,000).
– Contract count for options (example 1, 5, 10, 100).
– Country fee rule (examples: $1 vs 0.03%, 0.0003 × trade value).
– Regulatory fee formula ($0.000195 per share on sells; min $0.01; max $9.79).
– Round to two decimals.

Watch out for:
– Forgetting sell-only regulatory fees. They apply only on the sell leg for many trades.
– Assuming zero commission means zero cost. It does not.

Common Extra Fees and Non-trading Costs (4 frequent items)

Webull keeps non-trading fees low. Still, some items can add meaningful cost. Check the exact numbers in your account before making decisions.

Account maintenance and inactivity
– Webull generally does not charge an inactivity fee for basic accounts.
– Physical statements or mailed copies can cost a flat fee in some brokers; assume $0–$10 in sample brokers.
– ACH transfers often free. Some transfers may incur bank fees.
– Example: incoming ACH $0, outgoing ACH $0, mailed statement $5 (estimate).

Margin and borrowing
– Margin interest depends on your borrowed balance and rate tiers.
– Example tier rates: 5.99% APR for small balances and 9.99% APR for larger balances (use as sample tiers).
– Compute: borrow $10,000 at 5.99% = $599.00 annual interest; at 9.99% = $999.00 annual interest.
– Interest compounds daily on most platforms. Check the live rate on your account.

Wire transfer and deposit/withdrawal fees
– Incoming wire typical: $0.
– Outbound wire example: $25 flat fee.
– Some international wires carry $10–$65 in bank charges.
– Plan: use ACH when possible to avoid $25 outbound fees.

Regulatory reporting and clearance fees
– Restate the per-share sell-side regulatory fee: $0.000195 per share, min $0.01, max $9.79.
– Per-contract regulatory fees for options often add ~$0.03 per contract.
– CAT (consolidated audit trail) and other small fees may appear as cents per trade.

Watch out for:
– Broker-assisted trades. These can add $25–$50 or more per order.
– Margin interest on balances held overnight or for short-term flips.
– Bank fees for international transfers.

Edge Cases and Pitfalls (4 scenarios to audit)

Audit these cases before you trade. They commonly surprise traders.

Scenario 1: Very small trades
– Example: $5 trade. Regulatory minimum $0.01 applies.
– Compute: $0.01 / $5 = 0.002 → 0.2% extra cost.
– Example: $10 trade → $0.01 / $10 = 0.001 → 0.1% extra.
– Recommendation: batch small buys into larger orders of $50–$500 to reduce effective percent cost.

Scenario 2: Frequent short-term option flipping
– Example: 100 round-trip contracts in a month with $0.50 per contract surcharge.
– Compute: 100 contracts × $0.50 = $50 per leg. If round-trip means buy and sell, multiply by 2 = $100.
– Add regulatory add-ons: 100 × $0.03 × 2 = $6.
– Total monthly fees example: $106.
– Recommendation: monitor contract volume and include fees in your P&L targets.

Scenario 3: International market surprises
– Example: AU trade of $500. 0.03% × $500 = $0.15 → compare to $1 flat → charge $1.
– Example: AU trade of $5,000. 0.03% × $5,000 = $1.50 → charge $1.50.
– Small-value trades pay the $1 minimum. Batch international orders when possible.

Scenario 4: Sells vs buys regulatory asymmetry
– Many regulatory pass-throughs are sell-side only. The $0.000195 per-share example is assessed on sells.
– Example: buy 1,000 shares then sell 1,000 shares later. Only the sell leg triggers $0.20.
– Recommendation: include one sell-side fee per round-trip in your cost model.

Watch out for:
– Mistaken assumption that “zero commission” equals zero cost.
– Currency conversion spreads that can add 0.1%–1.0% to your cost.
– Exchange-imposed taxes and stamp duties in certain markets that add fixed percentages.

Fee Comparison Table (4 markets / instruments)

The table below summarizes the typical headline fees you will encounter across common instruments and markets on Webull; use it to compare at a glance.

Pattern: US-listed equity trades are effectively commission-free aside from small per-share regulatory pass-throughs. International markets impose flat minimums or percentage-based local fees.

Closing — How to Choose / Bottom Line [~120 words]

If you trade US stocks or ETFs occasionally → choose Webull for low friction. Base commission $0 keeps each trade cheap. Expect regulatory fees of cents per trade: $0.000195 per share on sells, min $0.01, max $9.79.
If you trade options frequently or trade index options → check per-contract fees before you trade. Expect $0.50 per contract for certain index options plus per-contract regulatory add-ons like $0.03. Compute fees for expected contract volume: 1 contract × $0.50 = $0.50; 100 contracts × $0.50 = $50.
If you trade international markets or low-value lots → compare local flat fees and percentage rates. Example AU: $1 flat or 0.03% of trade value; example ASX multiplier 0.0003 × trade value. Batch small trades to reduce effective percent costs.
If still unsure, run the five-step cost check above and test with a small order to see exact dollar charges before scaling up.