TheoTrade Reviews 114

TrustScore 3.5 out of 5

3.4

While we don't verify specific claims because reviewers' opinions are their own, we may label reviews as "Verified" when we can confirm a business interaction took place. Read more

To protect platform integrity, every review on our platform—verified or not—is screened by our 24/7 automated software. This technology is designed to identify and remove content that breaches our guidelines, including reviews that are not based on a genuine experience. We recognise we may not catch everything, and you can flag anything you think we may have missed. Read more

See what reviewers are saying

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

I subscribed after Don promised in his webinar that “if you’re not satisfied, cancelling is very easy, you don’t have to dance to get your refund.” In reality, they refused to honor my cancellation... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I paid for a membership to TheoTrade. Shortly after, I had a massive stroke and was unable to use their services. They didn't have to , but they refunded my emtire amount without any questun. I giv... See more

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

Misleading they advertise one time payment for life time, then they hit you with an annual fee, no way to see renewal fees that are on your account to manage it, they seem to be hidden on purpose to c... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Amazing Team of Traders with Brian Axelrod the "BEST" reversal trader I've seen and a hit rate a cut above ! Having Brian driving the daily chat room is brilliant as he guides all and educates consis... See more

Company details

  1. Adult education centre

Written by the company

At TheoTrade, we believe every trader deserves a clear path to success...and the right team behind them. That’s why we’ve built one of the largest and most supportive trading communities in the industry. Our team is led by Don Kaufman, a recognized expert in the trading world and the former Director of Trader Education at TD Ameritrade, where he helped guide over 7 million clients. Don’s leadership, paired with our experienced trading staff, gives you access to decades of real-world insight and proven strategies. Whether you're new to trading or looking to sharpen your skills, TheoTrade offers comprehensive education across stocks, options, futures, technical analysis, and more. Our live trading chat room is open every market day, providing real-time analysis, support, and community...so you're never trading alone. We’re not just here to teach trades—we’re here to help you build a lifelong skill set that has the potential to create real financial freedom for you and your family. Our Proven 3-Step Formula for Trading Success: Education + Experience = Excellence At TheoTrade, this isn’t just a formula...it’s the foundation of everything we do.


Contact info

3.4

Average

TrustScore 3.5 out of 5

114 reviews

5-star
4-star
3-star
2-star
1-star

No history of asking for reviews

This company hasn't invited their customers, so reviews may not be representative

Replied to 100% of negative reviews

Typically replies within 1 month

How this company uses Trustpilot

See how their reviews and ratings are sourced, scored, and moderated.

Companies on Trustpilot aren't allowed to offer incentives or pay to hide reviews. Reviews are the opinions of individual users and not of Trustpilot. Read more

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Realistic stock values

KULR suggestion is very interesting. However, since the suggestion arrived on my computer, there has been a significant downside shift in opening stock values.

27 January 2025
Unprompted review
TheoTrade logo

Reply from TheoTrade

Robert,

Hey there! First off, big thanks for the 4-star review—we're feeling pretty solid about that, but, you know, always striving for that elusive fifth star like it’s the last slice of pizza at a party.

Totally hear you on the stock movement. Market shifts can be a bit like an unpredictable rom-com—sometimes there’s a surprise twist, but we stick around because the story’s still unfolding. KULR’s an interesting one, and we’re always here to keep the ideas coming. Appreciate you sticking with us!

TheoTrade Jeff

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

TheoTrade provides useful information

TheoTrade provides useful information in a clear and concise manner..

25 January 2025
Unprompted review
TheoTrade logo

Reply from TheoTrade

Dan,

Clear and concise? That’s the TheoTrade way. No fluff, no filler—just straight-to-the-point, high-value info you can actually use.

Because let’s be real—nobody’s got time for confusion. You want useful insights, delivered efficiently, and that’s exactly what we do.

Five stars? Absolutely. You get it. We appreciate you. Now let’s keep crushing it.

TheoTrade Jeff

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

good information to help my trading

Love the education provided

23 January 2025
Unprompted review
TheoTrade logo

Reply from TheoTrade

Anil,

That’s what it’s all about! Good information? Check. Education you actually love? Double check.

See, trading isn’t about guesswork—it’s about knowledge, strategy, and execution. And that’s exactly what we deliver—straightforward, high-value insights designed to sharpen your edge.

Five stars? Thank you! Keep learning, keep trading, and keep winning. We’ve got your back.

TheoTrade Jeff

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Don Kaufman = Snake Oil Salesman

Don Kaufman and Theotrade = Snake Oil Salesmen. If you are considering investing here, you need to run away, fast! He was paid $10,000 to manage my account for life. He then turned my $110,000 options account into a margin call (not enough money left to cover the trades) in only 14 months. 14 months! During that time, the SP 500 is up over 30%. Somehow he has figured out a "system" to lose 90% of my account when every other investor is making money! This guy is a quack and its no wonder he holds no licenses in the US. My Grandma could pick more sound investments than this idiot, and she is dead! Whatever you do, don't let this guy steal your money. You have been warned.

1 December 2024
Unprompted review
TheoTrade logo

Reply from TheoTrade

Hi Steve,

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience, and I’m genuinely sorry to hear about the frustration and financial loss you faced. While your disappointment is clear, and understandably so, we’d like to address some of the concerns you raised to ensure clarity for you and others reading this.

At TheoTrade, we do not manage anyone’s account or execute trades on behalf of clients. Our alerts and insights are strictly educational — designed to let you see real-time trading decisions and strategies in action. Whether or not to place similar trades is entirely at the discretion of each individual trader. Our goal is to provide knowledge and tools to help navigate the markets, but ultimately, every investment decision is personal.

It’s disheartening to hear that your experience was so negative, and we’d love to better understand what happened and work through this together. As the saying goes, “We can’t solve problems with blame. We solve problems by listening and working together.” We believe that open communication leads to better outcomes.

Please know that we take your concerns seriously and are here to discuss them further if you’re open to it. Feel free to reach out directly to our top guy, Jordan (jordan@theotrade.com), so we can explore how we can support you.

We wish you all the best in your future trading endeavors, and we remain committed to helping if you’ll let us.

Sincerely,

Jeff

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Amazing Team of Traders

Amazing Team of Traders with Brian Axelrod the "BEST" reversal trader I've seen and a hit rate a cut above ! Having Brian driving the daily chat room is brilliant as he guides all and educates consistently on steps to make to maximize effective trades ! Throw in the other traders I follow like Bronco, Mr. Confluence, Eric, etc and the results are a step above any other day and swing trading platform !

25 November 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

84% Loss from Don Trading my account

Don Kaufman keeps rolling on with new trading programs, meanwhile he leaves people like me and others run over, bleeding on the side of the road while he gets new passengers. It's really just another Ponzi scheme, a legal one, where Don runs away with all the money in fees to fund his own personal trading. The SEC should look further into "Theo Trade." Don has to be one of the biggest losers in the business for his clients. Don't be fooled by his coffee fueled chat room discourse and knowledge.

I'm out with an 84% loss and no remorse from Don or the TheoTrade scam crew.

5 November 2024
Unprompted review
TheoTrade logo

Reply from TheoTrade

Hi Mark,

Thank you for sharing your experience. I'm genuinely sorry to hear about the outcome you faced, and I completely understand how frustrating and disheartening it must feel. Trading can be incredibly challenging, especially from an emotional and financial aspect. We get it!

While we strive to provide effective strategies and relevant education to help our clients navigate the markets, we recognize that not every approach will work for everyone. I assure you that neither Don Kaufman nor anyone at TheoTrade takes your experience lightly or personally benefits when our clients don’t succeed. It’s our goal to help you find the success you seek so you keep coming back for more! Our mission has always been to empower traders through knowledge and support, and it seems we fell short in your case. Like Jocko Willink says, “It’s another chance for us to get better.”

We’re not perfect, but we’re committed to learning from situations like this. If you’re open to it, and we hope you are, we’d love to have a conversation to better understand what went wrong and see if there’s a way we can make things right or at least get a full understanding of your experience. Please reach out to our top guy, Jordan (jordan@theotrade.com), and let’s get you in a good spot.

We genuinely wish you the best in your trading journey, no matter the path you choose.

Sincerely,

Jeff

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

6% Portfolio Los, then Another 30% Portfolio Loss

Tradezaba. Signed up with them autotrading my account and was sold on a 25% return and ended the year with a 6% loss plus my fee for their program.

Because of this they said they felt bad and convinced me to sign up for Ultima which was going to be managed by Don himself and for the previous 2 years returned 50%. Long story short I was down on that portfolio 30% plus the costs to enroll within 6 months and at that time 18 months into losing programs of theirs so it was time to cut ties.

1 February 2024
TheoTrade logo

Reply from TheoTrade

Dear K Dubbs,

Thank you for sharing your experience. We’re truly sorry to hear that the results didn’t align with your expectations, and we understand how frustrating and disappointing that must have been. While we aim to provide valuable insights through our trade alerts and strategies, it's important to emphasize that trading carries inherent risks, and returns are never guaranteed. Our alerts are meant to demonstrate the strategies we teach in real-world conditions—showcasing both the wins and losses (and we usually do a post mortem as to why the trade failed, so we all learn from it).

We appreciate the trust you placed in us by trying both our TradeZaba and Ultima. Every market cycle can behave differently, and while previous years showed positive performance, fluctuations are inevitable. Regardless, we are committed to learning from every experience and supporting our clients in navigating these ups and downs as best we can.

If there’s anything we can do to further address your concerns or assist you moving forward, please don’t hesitate to reach out. If there’s a service we currently offer that better suits your needs, email Jordan@TheoTrade.com and he can likely get you a free trial. We wish you the very best on your trading journey and thank you for giving us the opportunity to work with you. We hope to get another shot.

-Jeff

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

Entertaining to an extent with numerous…

Entertaining to an extent with numerous Seinfeld quotes, a trade here or there that may or may not work, and lots of hearing about iguanas and how hot Arizona gets. And lots and lots of spam emails pushing the same things repeatedly. There has been such a deluge of emails that it has become hard to separate the wheat from the chaff!

Some classes are good for learning about indicators if you are a technical trader. And there are various instructors who have different trading approaches depending on what your preferred style is. Don shows his actual trades and others track them separately. As to performance, I have to say it is quite mixed if you simply go in and replicate the trades that are called. If your portfolio is small, it can be death by a thousand cuts as the hits are bigger than the wins.

In the past months, there was a heavy focus to draw people to a conference which seemed to take Don's focus away from the normal updates. But there is lots of marketing (email and phone calls) for numerous other offerings - some of which appear to be a simple bundling of old classes in the archive.

20 September 2024
Unprompted review
TheoTrade logo

Reply from TheoTrade

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and feedback RickG. We’re glad you found some entertainment in the Seinfeld quotes (who doesn’t love a good Seinfeld moment, right?). We also appreciate your kind words about our variety of instructors and the insights into technical trading strategies.
That said, we hear you on the email overload—it’s something we’re actively working on. Our goal is to keep our community informed, not overwhelmed. We’ll be revisiting our communication strategy to ensure it’s more focused and less spammy-feeling.
Regarding the trades and portfolio concerns, trading can indeed feel like a rollercoaster, especially with smaller accounts. Our team is always working on providing balanced insights and we encourage our members to tailor strategies to their personal risk tolerance and goals.
We also recognize the conference promotion may have temporarily shifted the focus a bit, but we’re back on track and committed to delivering the consistent updates you’ve come to expect.
Thank you for your candid review—it helps us improve. We're here to make sure your experience is a rewarding one, so if you ever need support or clarification, don’t hesitate to reach out to our support team at support@theotrade.com or email my ace, jordan@theotrade.com. Regardless of who you reach out to, I can assure you that you won’t be met with a “No soup for you!” caliber response. We'll get you taken care of.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

AI cog is just Channel Trading

I have over 20 years experience trading and I know that over 90% of all trades are executed using machines so I had some interest in the AI Cog service, which Theo trade promotes as a way to clearly identify when the algos are in control(sounds absolutely amazing right?). This service basically Promotes that they can identify when the algos/machines are in control of a stock, but their results are mediocre at best and not worth their fee. Some of what was promoted was totally misleading, the so-called scanner is nothing more than a list of 30+ stocks. It is nothing that allows you to automate a scan of a wide universe of stocks(very misleading). Regarding their technique of identifying the stocks, they basically look for stocks that are in a channel and going up or down, and they say the algos are in control. They do use the traditional indicators as confirmation however it’s just basic technical analysis and they have a very average success rate. Basically they have been trying to short stocks at breakout levels(or supply zones) hoping they get rejected like IBM, KO, JEF and they were very wrong on all these however they were correct on RBLX(all initiated in mid August 2024, take a look for yourself). Basically if you plot a short term linear regression channel (20day) on your charts you can see these algo channels they talk about, if that is what they are. I keep thinking they will get better and haven’t cancelled my service yet but I will be in September unless they go on a 8 for 10 win streak. This is a bit of an algo scam, lol. Seriously, if you understand supply and demand trading you will do way better and even if you don’t understand technical analysis and are looking for a stock picking service, this service is a waste of your time. The one positive comment I will make is they do stress risk management which is key to trading. There is the possibility that the guy leading it is just a bad trader, but these trade suggestions are obviously just his visual interpretation of what he “says” the algos are doing and has nothing to with how the machines trade. He talks with a super high level of confidence but this is just a show. This system is solely based on trading within the linear regression channel and anticipating the reversals but they aren’t that successful at it. If it was a good AI trading system their success rate would be 70%+ and trust me for the month of August it was no where near that. Gianni’s trade service looks interesting because he is more of a sector trader but just be aware that many of the other guys at Theotrade are perma bears and always talk how the market is over valued and going to crater. Not sure that has served them very well this year. I usually have 4-5 trades open at all times just to give you an idea of what type of trader I am. Theo trade may have other good services, but this is not one of them. Good luck on your trading journey.

30 August 2024
Unprompted review
TheoTrade logo

Reply from TheoTrade

Sam,

Thank you for taking the time to provide such a thorough review of our Genesis Cog service. I mean that with all sincerity. We appreciate client feedback and we take it seriously. To prove as much, I want to reply with the same level of thoroughness in an attempt to clarify any gray areas regarding our service as well as bring color to some of the constructive criticisms you provided.

Your trading resume is impressive with over 20 years of experience. It’s clients like you that provide some of the most valuable feedback.
You mentioned that the Genesis Cog service is AI/Algorithm driven. The service itself is advertised as an effective trading method that takes advantage of AI activity, but not actually deploying AI/Algos themselves. I hope that provides better clarification. However, if you have seen any advertisement of our Genesis Cog services saying otherwise, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly (I’ll include my direct contact information at the end).
Regarding the Track Record, you bring up a very fair point. We need to do better in making our track record more easily accessible. Right now it’s not located in a very intuitive location. I’ll work with our UX team to make sure that’s a more easily accessible feature going forward. Upon your review of it, I believe your opinion may change on our success rate.
You voiced concern about the Genesis Cog scanner, and that’s also a fair point. The scanner you mentioned is getting a well-deserved facelift that we are estimating to launch later this month (Sept 2024) and the best part is, the upgrade will be at no additional cost to current Genesis Cog clients.

Those were the main items I picked up on in your email. I did see you mentioned the Genesis Cog service is an algo scam, but I am hoping my clarification on the design and description of the service helps you better see that it’s not that all. However, I want to ensure all of your concerns are addressed so please don’t hesitate to reach out to my #1 guy, Jordan, directly at jordan@theotrade.com. We take feedback seriously and appreciate the amount of time you took to share your review.

Lastly, but most importantly, we would like to open the door to draw from your history on how to continually improve the user experience. To further prove that hope, we’d like to see if you’d be interested in reviewing our new scanner in advance of its release and share your feedback, all while also enjoying an extra month of the service free of charge so you can further evaluate the upgrades that we are rolling out the service.

I hope we can connect soon and discuss further.

Sincerely,

J.R.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

TradeZaba is a done-for-you auto…

TradeZaba is a done-for-you auto trading service offered by TheoTrade. I was told they expected 25% annual profits. I ended with a 6.4% loss on two of the services. There are numerous plans depending on account size. Don stated the Ultimate Theta needed a $250K account but could be purchased just for the alerts with a smaller account size for manual entry. This is not the case as the margin needed is great. A total waste of money. In one plan, I was assigned shares on one leg of a credit spread. Instead of exercising the other leg, the options were sold at market on a very volatile day. This cost me an additional $800 in losses. On another occasion, an alert was issued at 3:05 CST after the market so I was again assigned shares due to the late alert. I also attended a masterclass. While I liked the masterclass, I was told by the salesman that I would be given an opportunity in the class to recoup my expense. This was not the case as all sessions were after trading hours.

1 March 2023
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

If you are serious about trading…

If you are serious about trading Theotrade is by far the best resource out there. If you cannot make $$$ you are not paying attention. They even have a hands off approach to trading as well if you don't really want to learn to trade on your own. Their instructors are the best in the business.

13 June 2023
Unprompted review
Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Theotrade is overall an excellent help for traders and investors with a caveat.

I have been a member of Theotrade for about 3 yrs, off and on. I quit for about a year for a very specific reason that I will address. This refers to some of the objections that PM has covered.

Theotrade has excellent, very experienced and knowledgeable instructors. It also has many detailed courses to improve your trading. All of the instructors care about their clients, It's heart-warming.

However, like all humans, they have biases and some of those biases are very bullish,very bearish or somewhere in between. In Theotrade's case, it is very bearish. So, one must understand that at the outset or find themselves becoming a trampled bear in a roaring bull market and take it out on bearish instructors . Every person is entitled to their opinion or bias and one must FIND what their bias is. Economic conditions, fundamentals, technical analysis, projections into the future is VERY SUBJECTIVE. That's why when I now hear about a bearish looking portfolio and a bearish rant , I think about what I think! And most often I extract the educational content which is considerable even with the Professor and LEARN what I can to help myself. This also applies to the 2022 market and my bullish bent which hurt me. So for 2022, the instructors were on the right track with their bearishness.

I will now stay with Theotrade because the pluses outweigh the negatives by alot. Also, a big plus is the Futures room and the wide experienced knowledge of people in both the regular and Futures chat rooms.

12 June 2023
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

You must take responsibility for your own situation!

Anthony Avery, I have every sympathy for your position as a fellow disabled senior, but you should have realized before the end of the refund period that TheoTrade was not for you (by the way very few other services offer a refund). If you want a list of stocks/options to trade, go to the NUMEROUS other services. You will get the trades, but you will not get the support of TT there. (Also it has been my experience that such services will nickel and dime you to death, you buy a subscription and then it is renamed and sold to you again and again.) If you want a Ph.D./Professional Trader education then go to TheoTrade, if your disability or other circumstances don't allow a lot of study and classes go elsewhere. What I like best about Don Kaufman and company is that when the "stuff" hits the fan (like the 2021 pullback) they will give actionable explanation/information to "weather the storm." And turn a new situation in the market into an OPPORTUNITY.

8 May 2023
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

PaulM

PaulM: The education is second to none, and if you are a novice when it comes to markets and trading, the training material is superb, professional, organized and written in plain English. The professionals at TheoTrade have all of the content that can get you to whatever level you want to take your trading/investing education and skill to. Been a member for 3 years, and I am still growing and learning, really enjoying the experience.

12 June 2023
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

TheoTrade, unique, seasoned trading insights and analysis

TheoTrade, a place with a comprehensive set of resources to study and exceptional instructors, beginning with Don Kaufman. I have a Ph.D. in Quantitative Economics; I've learned more about the markets and the economy from listening to Don K. when the Fed spoke than from my graduate studies. All the instructors offer unique, seasoned trading and analysis insights. And the chat with other members is exceptional. Lots of shared wisdom there.

You can go as deep as you want, or stay close to shore in the shallows. Your choice.

It takes a while to make pickles, and it takes a while to gain the maximum benefits from TheoTrade, but it's worth the cost, time, and effort.

My review is based on multiple years of experience with TheoTrade.

12 June 2023
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

A long journey with Theo. Highly recommended

I've been a member of theo, I think for about 5 years, where I had to unlearn what I had learned in order to learn from real traders. I have plenty of reasons to recommend Theo as a great opportunity to learn the business of trading. 5 star, for customer service, classes, live room, coaches etc. as everything. For those who criticize the trade recommendations that are made live in the room, what does not work for my risk, I pass and concentrate on what best suits my risk. In general, highly recommended and for my part grateful to Theo.

12 June 2023
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

The amount of educational content is…

The amount of educational content is overwhelming at first but well worth it. Most other sites that do a similar type of education charge extra for every little trading strategy and I've found that the other sites didn't even have good content. Please! Please! Start with the Ultima strategy. Learn that first and then you can go onto other strategies. I waited a couple months to do that and that was mistake. That is money in the bank on an ongoing basis. If you love to trade like I do some of the other strategies are excellent based on market conditions. There are different traders through out the day. One if not many will suit someone's trading style, etc. Come July I will have been a member for two years. I continue to learn new information quite often to push my overall trading forward. They are the only education trading group that comes from the original TOS group that I know of except the TastyTrade people.

12 June 2023
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Great place to learn about the market.

I have been with a number of services, but with TheoTrade I finally found the level and volume of instruction I have always been looking for in the market. I am a much better trader today because of the instruction that is here, day after day.

12 June 2023
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

This site is a great learning tool no matter what and how you trade there is something for everyone here

This site is great, unless you are waiting for trades, not a lot of trades but the most important part is you learn a lot, enough to use that knowledge and trade for yourself. Very diversified instructors, the one who spoke to me was Blake Young took his mentorship my 5K turned to 80K and those are all my trades. If you are expecting hot tips not for you, if you want to learn I wouldn't recommend any other site but this one.

12 July 2022
Unprompted review

The Trustpilot Experience

Anyone can write a Trustpilot review. People who write reviews have ownership to edit or delete them at any time, and they’ll be displayed as long as an account is active.

Companies can ask for reviews via automatic invitations. Labeled Verified, they’re about genuine experiences.

Learn more about other kinds of reviews.

We use dedicated people and clever technology to safeguard our platform. Find out how we combat fake reviews.

Learn about Trustpilot’s review process.

Here are 8 tips for writing great reviews.

Verification can help ensure real people are writing the reviews you read on Trustpilot.

Offering incentives for reviews or asking for them selectively can bias the TrustScore, which goes against our guidelines.

Take a closer look