Copy Trading Costs
Copy Trading Fees
What copy trading really costs, and why the own-broker model can cost far less than a percentage of your assets.
Quick answer
Copy trading has four costs: the platform or subscription fee, your broker commissions, the bid-ask spread, and slippage. The platform fee is what differs most, a flat subscription stays the same as your balance grows, while a percentage-of-assets fee rises with it. When you copy into the broker you already own, you pay that broker's normal commissions (often $0 on US stocks) and nothing to a middleman.
The four costs of copy trading
Platform or subscription fee
What the copy-trading service charges you for access. This can be a flat subscription (monthly, yearly, or a one-time payment) or a percentage of the assets you copy. A flat subscription is predictable and does not grow as your balance grows. A percentage-of-assets fee scales with your account, so it can cost far more over time on a large balance.
Broker commissions
What your broker charges to execute each trade. If copied trades run in your own brokerage account, you pay that broker’s normal commissions, which for US stocks and ETFs is often $0. Options usually carry a small per-contract fee. If a platform holds your money in its own brokerage, its commission schedule applies instead.
The bid-ask spread
The gap between the buy price and the sell price of an instrument. It is a real cost baked into every trade, wider on thinly traded stocks and options, and it applies no matter which platform you use.
Slippage
The difference between the price of the original signal and the price your order actually fills at, because the market moves in the moment between them. It is larger on fast or wide-spread instruments. Slippage protection can cap or skip a fill that is too far from the signal price.
Own-broker vs percentage-of-assets
The biggest cost difference between copy-trading services is the fee model, not the trades themselves. Here is how the common models compare in structure.
| Model | Platform fee | Where your money sits | Commissions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Own-broker copy (RelayTrades) | Flat subscription; 0% on trader subscriber revenue | Your own brokerage account | Your broker's normal rates (often $0 on US stocks) |
| Managed / percentage-of-assets | A percentage of assets (rises with your balance) | Often pooled or in the platform's account | Set by the platform |
| Broker-native copy | Varies (sometimes bundled into spreads) | In that broker's account | That broker's schedule |
Illustrative structure only, not specific price quotes. Confirm current costs with each provider and your broker. All trading involves risk.
What RelayTrades costs
RelayTrades is one plan (monthly, yearly, or a limited one-time lifetime) that unlocks the platform. It does not take a percentage of your assets or your profits. When a trader charges for their strategy, RelayTrades takes a 0% platform fee on that subscriber revenue, so the trader keeps 100% (standard Stripe processing fees still apply). Because copied trades run in the brokerage account you already own, you pay only your own broker's normal commissions, and your money never leaves your broker. See the pricing page for current plans.
Frequently asked questions
Copy trade in the broker you already own
Keep custody, keep your broker's low commissions, and skip percentage-of-assets fees.