Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Charles Schwab vs ATFX, 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, founded in 1971, is a well-established online broker that offers clients the assurance of a high Trust Score rating of 99, as per ForexBrokers.com. This indicates that Schwab is highly trusted and secure in the eyes of industry experts. Being publicly traded and operating as a bank, Charles Schwab holds five Tier-1 licenses, underscoring its strong regulatory framework. Its longstanding presence in the financial market reflects a deep commitment to reliability and investor protection.
ATFX, on the other hand, started its journey in 2017 and has rapidly positioned itself as a trusted name with a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 85. While not publicly traded and not a bank, ATFX maintains a respectable standing with four Tier-1 licenses and two Tier-2 licenses. This blend of licenses portrays a careful adherence to regulatory standards, providing a level of trust and safety to its clients. Both brokers offer unique strengths suited for different investor needs, backed by their regulatory credentials.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1971 | 2017 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
Charles Schwab vs. ATFX: commissions and fees. Schwab charges no commission on forex trades; your costs come from the spread. ATFX’s average spread data isn’t available, so a direct apples-to-apples cost comparison isn’t possible. Based on our scoring, Schwab earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #26 of 63 brokers for Commissions and Fees, while ATFX earns 3 out of 5 stars and ranks #61 of 63.
At Schwab, forex trading is available through a Schwab One account using thinkorswim, with all trades settled in U.S. dollars. There’s no minimum deposit for core accounts. The smallest trade size is 10,000 units, which typically needs about $500 in margin at 20:1 leverage. Schwab doesn’t add a commission; in October 2024 its average EUR/USD spread was 1.35 pips, on the higher side of the industry. If you use the Schwab Global account to trade in local currencies, expect conversion fees ranging from 0.2% to 1% depending on your account balance. Overnight financing costs are shown inside thinkorswim via a built-in calculator.
ATFX’s specific spread averages aren’t published, so you’ll need to check the broker directly for current pricing. With a 3/5 star rating and a #61/63 ranking for Commissions and Fees, ATFX trails Schwab in this category. Traders who want clearer, published costs may find Schwab’s pricing details and tools more transparent, while ATFX offers less public information on typical spreads.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $500 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.32 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.32 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Charles Schwab offers a far wider range of investments than ATFX. Schwab lists about 40,000 tradeable symbols and 73 forex pairs, while ATFX has about 150 symbols and 44 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading (CFD or spot) and let you trade cryptocurrency via CFDs, but neither lets you buy actual crypto. Only Schwab lets you buy exchange-traded securities on U.S. and international stock exchanges, so you can purchase shares like Apple on Nasdaq or Vodafone in London. ATFX does not offer exchange-traded stocks, but it does offer copy trading; Schwab does not.
For range of investments, ForexBrokers.com rates Schwab 5 stars and ranks it 5th out of 63 brokers. ATFX earns 3.5 stars and ranks 58th. If you want the biggest selection of markets and the ability to buy real U.S. and global stocks, Schwab fits better. If you prefer a smaller lineup focused on CFDs and like copy trading, ATFX may be the simpler choice.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 150 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 44 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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 ATFX both let you practice with a free paper trading demo and offer web and Windows desktop platforms with the ability to place orders straight from charts. Schwab also provides a proprietary (in‑house) platform, while ATFX focuses on third‑party options. If you want MetaTrader, ATFX supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) and also offers copy trading; Schwab does not support MT4/MT5 and does not offer copy trading.
For trading platforms and tools, ForexBrokers.com rates Charles Schwab at 5 stars and ranks it #5 out of 63 brokers, while ATFX earns 3.5 stars and ranks #63 out of 63. In short, choose Charles Schwab if you want a top‑rated, broker‑built platform plus paper trading, or choose ATFX if you prioritize MetaTrader and copy trading alongside web and desktop access.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| 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.
Both the Charles Schwab mobile app and the ATFX mobile app are available for iPhone and Android, and each supports price alerts, drawing trendlines on charts, and auto-saving those drawings. If you’re switching between phone and desktop, Charles Schwab stands out with watchlist syncing across devices, while ATFX does not offer syncing.
For charting depth, Charles Schwab offers 374 technical studies compared to ATFX’s 7, making Schwab far better for traders who rely on indicators. Reflecting that gap, Charles Schwab earns a 5-star Mobile Trading Apps rating and is ranked #6 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while ATFX holds a 3.5-star rating and is ranked #64. In short, both apps cover the basics, but Charles Schwab is the stronger choice for advanced charting and seamless watchlist management.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 374 | 7 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Charles Schwab and ATFX both publish daily market commentary and provide an economic calendar, helping traders track key events. Schwab stands out for premium forex news from sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, while ATFX does not offer these top-tier feeds. Neither broker lists a sentiment tool that shows the ratio of long and short positions. Schwab does not include TipRanks or Acuity Trading research; for ATFX, TipRanks and Acuity Trading availability is not specified.
When it comes to third‑party analytics, ATFX offers Autochartist and Trading Central, which can appeal if you like trade ideas and technical setups from well-known providers. Schwab does not include these tools, but earns stronger overall research marks: 5 stars and ranked #5 out of 63 brokers for Research, versus ATFX at 3 stars and #55 out of 63. In short, pick Schwab if you value premium news and high research ratings, or consider ATFX if you prefer built-in signals and chart pattern scanners.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | No | No |
| TipRanks | No | |
| Acuity Trading | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Comparing Charles Schwab vs ATFX for beginner trading education: both provide at least 10 beginner-focused videos that explain trading basics, helpful if you’re learning forex or CFDs. Charles Schwab also runs online client webinars at least once a month, giving newcomers a chance to ask questions and learn live, while ATFX does not. As you progress, Schwab offers 10+ advanced videos for experienced traders, but ATFX doesn’t meet that level of advanced coverage.
These differences are reflected in independent ratings: Charles Schwab earns 5 stars for Education and ranks #6 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while ATFX holds 3 stars and ranks #28. If you want a beginner-friendly path with ongoing webinars and room to grow into advanced topics, Schwab is the stronger choice; ATFX can help you get started with basic videos but lacks live webinars and a deeper advanced library.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
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 ATFX. Charles Schwab finished with an overall rank of #6, while ATFX finished with an overall rank of #51.
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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ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 85 |
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Comparing online brokers Charles Schwab and ATFX: neither supports buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both allow trading cryptocurrency CFDs.
In a Charles Schwab vs ATFX comparison, Schwab supports ACH/SEPA and bank wires but not PayPal or Skrill, whereas ATFX supports Skrill and bank wires but not ACH/SEPA or PayPal; Visa and Mastercard availability is not specified for either broker.
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 | ATFX | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Charles Schwab | ATFX | |
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| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Regulation | Charles Schwab | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Year Founded | 1971 | 2017 | |
| 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 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Charles Schwab | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | Charles Schwab | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 150 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 44 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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 | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.32 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.32 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Charles Schwab | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $500 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Charles Schwab | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Charles Schwab | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 374 | 7 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Charles Schwab | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | ||
| Client sentiment data | No | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Charles Schwab | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | Charles Schwab | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review |
| Overall | Charles Schwab | ATFX | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review |
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