Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Charles Schwab vs Admirals, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Charles Schwab, established in 1971, is a veteran in the online brokerage industry and offers a remarkable level of trust with a perfect Trust Score of 99 on ForexBrokers.com. As a publicly traded entity and a bank, Charles Schwab is fortified with five Tier-1 licenses, which underscores its high level of reliability. This long-standing firm provides a secure choice for investors who prioritize stability and transparency.
In contrast, Admirals, founded in 2001, has carved its niche with a strong Trust Score of 93. Though not publicly traded or a bank, Admirals stands out by holding four Tier-1 and three Tier-2 licenses, indicating both high trust and strong regulatory compliance. Admirals presents a trusted platform for online trading, appealing to investors who seek a balance of credibility and diverse trading opportunities.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1971 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
Comparing commissions and fees, Charles Schwab charges no commission on forex; your costs come from the spread. Its average EUR/USD spread in October 2024 was 1.35 pips, which is on the higher side versus peers. Admirals advertises competitive pricing with typical spreads around 0.8 pips on its Trade account, with similar pricing on the Zero account type, making Admirals the tighter-spread choice for many forex traders.
Schwab has no minimum deposit for its main brokerage accounts and gives forex access through thinkorswim via the Schwab One account. All trades settle in U.S. dollars, the smallest trade size is 10,000 units, and at 20:1 leverage that implies about $500 in required margin. If you want to place trades in a foreign currency using Schwab One, you must call by phone. Schwab’s Global account lets you trade 12 international markets in local currencies, with conversion fees ranging from 0.2% to 1% depending on your balance. Schwab also displays overnight carry charges inside thinkorswim so you can estimate holding costs.
Ratings and rankings for commissions and fees: Charles Schwab is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #26 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com. Admirals is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #18 out of 63. If keeping spreads low is your top priority, Admirals tends to be cheaper; if you value USD settlement, broad account options, and integrated tools, Schwab may be appealing despite its wider spreads.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.32 | 0.8 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.32 | 0.8 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Comparing the range of investments, Charles Schwab lists about 40,000 tradeable symbols, far more than Admirals’ 8,702. Both brokers support forex trading via CFDs or spot contracts; Admirals edges out Schwab on currency variety with 82 tradeable forex pairs versus Schwab’s 73. Each broker lets clients buy exchange-traded securities on U.S. and international exchanges, and both provide access to cryptocurrency through derivatives, but neither lets you buy actual (delivered) crypto.
Feature-wise, Admirals offers copy trading, while Charles Schwab does not. For overall range of investments, Charles Schwab is rated 5 stars and ranks #5 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while Admirals earns 4.5 stars and ranks #20. In short, pick Schwab if you want the widest menu of symbols across markets, or Admirals if copy trading and a slightly larger set of forex pairs matter most.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 8702 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 82 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
Charles Schwab and Admirals both check core boxes for trading platforms and tools: each offers a free paper trading (demo) account, in-house platforms, a Windows desktop platform, a web-based platform, and the ability to place trades directly from charts. Where they differ is in third-party and social features: Admirals supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) and offers copy trading, while Charles Schwab does not provide MetaTrader or copy trading, leaning instead on its own platform experience.
For overall platform quality, ForexBrokers.com rates Charles Schwab 5 stars and ranks it #5 out of 63 brokers for Trading Platforms and Tools, while Admirals earns 4 stars and ranks #19. If you want top-rated, in-house platforms with chart trading, Schwab is a strong pick. If you prefer MetaTrader and the option to copy trade, Admirals may fit better. Both give you web and desktop access plus a free demo to practice before you trade live.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 374 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Comparing the Charles Schwab mobile trading app vs the Admirals mobile trading app: both brokers offer iPhone and Android apps, price alerts, real-time quotes in watchlists, and chart drawings that auto-save. A key difference is watchlist syncing. Charles Schwab syncs watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, so changes carry over automatically, while Admirals does not offer this syncing.
For charting, Charles Schwab includes 374 technical studies, far more than Admirals’ 30, and both apps let you draw trendlines. Independent ratings echo this gap: Charles Schwab’s mobile trading app is rated 5 stars and ranked #6 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while Admirals earns 4 stars and ranks #23. If you want deeper charting and seamless watchlist management, Schwab stands out; if you just need the basics on iOS or Android, Admirals covers the essentials.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 374 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
If you’re comparing market research at Charles Schwab and Admirals, both cover the essentials. Each delivers daily market commentary, top-tier forex news from outlets like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, and an easy-to-scan economic calendar to track upcoming events.
Where they differ is in add-on tools. Admirals includes Trading Central analytics, a sentiment tool showing the long/short split across instruments, TipRanks insights, and Acuity Trading’s Signal Centre. Neither broker offers Autochartist, and Schwab doesn’t provide those third-party suites. Even so, Schwab earns the stronger score from ForexBrokers.com: 5 stars and #5 of 63 for Research, compared with Admirals at 4 stars and #15. Choose Admirals if you want more built-in plug-ins; pick Schwab if overall research quality and ratings matter most to you.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | No | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | Yes |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginner traders, both Charles Schwab and Admirals offer a clear path to learning with at least one client webinar each month and 10+ videos aimed at beginners, plus 10+ videos for advanced topics. That mix of live sessions and video lessons suits different learning styles. It’s not specified whether either broker provides a dedicated forex or CFD education track, a searchable archive of past webinars, or an investor dictionary with 50+ terms.
On quality and recognition, Charles Schwab holds an edge: it’s rated 5 stars for Education and ranks #6 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while Admirals is rated 4 stars and ranks #12. If you want the higher-rated education experience, Schwab is the safer pick. Admirals is still a solid option for ongoing webinars and video learning. If forex/CFD training or an on-demand webinar archive matters to you, confirm those features with each broker before enrolling.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Charles Schwab is better than Admirals. Charles Schwab finished with an overall rank of #6, while Admirals finished with an overall rank of #18.
Charles Schwab is a highly trusted financial institution and multi-asset broker catering to U.S.-based and international forex traders. Schwab's award-winning thinkorswim platform offers over 70 tradeable currency pairs alongside impressive tools, research, and education. That said, the broker’s forex offering is still largely limited to what is available on thinkorswim.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
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Admirals
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 93 |
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Both Charles Schwab and Admirals do not provide the option to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but they do offer the ability to purchase cryptocurrency derivatives.
Comparing online brokers Charles Schwab and Admirals for deposit and withdrawal methods: both support ACH/SEPA and bank wire transfers, only Admirals supports PayPal and Skrill, and Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either.
Please note:
We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Charles Schwab | Admirals | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 93 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review | Admirals Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Charles Schwab | Admirals | |
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| Regulation | Charles Schwab | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 93 | |
| Year Founded | 1971 | 2001 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 4 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Charles Schwab | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | ||
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Charles Schwab | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | No | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | Yes |
| Investments | Charles Schwab | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 8702 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 82 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | Yes | |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
| Cost | Charles Schwab | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.32 | 0.8 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.32 | 0.8 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Charles Schwab | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Charles Schwab | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Charles Schwab | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 374 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Charles Schwab | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 374 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Charles Schwab | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | Yes | |
| Client sentiment data | No | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Charles Schwab | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Charles Schwab | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review | Admirals Review |
| Overall | Charles Schwab | Admirals | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 93 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review | Admirals Review |
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