Learn How to Place Trades and Check Orders on tdameritrade.com

There are several ways to place a trade and check an order on tdameritrade.com. Learn about the Trade tab, SnapTicket, and related features here.

https://tickertapecdn.tdameritrade.com/assets/images/pages/md/A click away: placing trades and checking order status
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Photo by TD Ameritrade

Do you know all the ways to place a trade and check an order status on tdameritrade.com? Thanks to the Trade tab, SnapTicket® tool, and the easy-to-use features that work in concert with them, you’re never more than a click (or a tap) away from placing an order or reviewing order status. Here’s what you need to know.

The Trade Tab

What would you like to trade—stock, ETF, bond, options contract, or other security? You can do it all from the main page. Suppose you’d like to buy a stock. To access the order screen, log in to your TD Ameritrade account at tdameritrade.com, and hover over the  Trade tab and select Stocks & ETFs. This will take you to the Buy & Sell page. Then, use the Action menu and select Buy. Enter the quantity of shares as well as the symbol. Then, select an order type, set a price (except in the case of market orders), and select a time in force. Next, select Review order to confirm your trade and Place order to complete it. 

Want to make an options trade instead? Click the Options tab and fill out the relevant fields as shown in figure 1 below. 

Need more help with the process of placing a trade? Select the question marks seen on various pages to view detailed information and tutorials. Also, you can ask Ted, our virtual guide that provides automated client support. Just select the Ask Ted icon located at the top of any page.

Trading from the home page.

FIGURE 1: TRADE FROM THE TRADE TAB.

To place an options trade, hover over the Trade tab and select Options. This will take you to the Buy & Sell page. Then, enter a strategy, symbol, action, number of contracts, expiration, strike, call/put, order type, price (except in the case of market orders), and time in force. Review the order and place the trade. Options trading available only in appropriately approved accounts. For illustrative purposes only.

SnapTicket®

No matter where you navigate to on tdameritrade.com, SnapTicket remains at the bottom of your browser so you can conveniently place a trade. To trade stocks, ETFs, or options, select SnapTicket and enter your order information, same as above—action, quantity, symbol, order type, price (except with market orders), and time in force—then review and send. 

Place a trade using SnapTicket

FIGURE 2: SNAPTICKET.

Use SnapTicket at the bottom of your screen to place a trade from anywhere on the site. For illustrative purposes only.

Symbol Hover

You can also start a SnapTicket order by hovering over an underlined symbol anywhere on the site. You’ll get a quote for the symbol and Buy and Sell buttons. Select Buy or Sell to open the SnapTicket with the symbol populated.

Look for underlined symbols on the Watch List and Positions pages and throughout the Research & Ideas section. You’ll also see them in My Dock (located in the upper-right corner), which is a customizable dashboard that you can use as you navigate the site.

You can also initiate an order from within the watch list by selecting the bid/ask for a stock.

Place order using symbol hover

FIGURE 3: PLACE AN ORDER USING SYMBOL HOVER.

Hover over an underlined symbol to get a quote, and use the Buy and Sell buttons to start an order in SnapTicket. For illustrative purposes only.

Check Order Status

Once you’ve placed an order, select Order Status from the Trade tab or SnapTicket to review its status. 

Checking order status.

FIGURE 4: ORDER STATUS.

Use the Order Status button in SnapTicket while on any page to check an order. For illustrative purposes only.

Print

Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

Content intended for educational/informational purposes only. Not investment advice, or a recommendation of any security, strategy, or account type.

Be sure to understand all risks involved with each strategy, including commission costs, before attempting to place any trade. Clients must consider all relevant risk factors, including their own personal financial situations, before trading.

All investing involves risk including the possible loss of principal. 

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Market volatility, volume, and system availability may delay account access and trade executions.

Past performance of a security or strategy does not guarantee future results or success.

Options are not suitable for all investors as the special risks inherent to options trading may expose investors to potentially rapid and substantial losses. Options trading subject to TD Ameritrade review and approval. Please read Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options before investing in options.

Supporting documentation for any claims, comparisons, statistics, or other technical data will be supplied upon request.

This is not an offer or solicitation in any jurisdiction where we are not authorized to do business or where such offer or solicitation would be contrary to the local laws and regulations of that jurisdiction, including, but not limited to persons residing in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, UK, and the countries of the European Union.

TD Ameritrade, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC, a subsidiary of The Charles Schwab Corporation. © 2024 Charles Schwab & Co. Inc. All rights reserved.

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