Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Charles Schwab vs AvaTrade, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
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Charles Schwab and AvaTrade both score very high on trust, but Schwab comes out ahead on regulation and company strength. Charles Schwab was founded in 1971, is publicly traded, and is also a bank, while AvaTrade was founded in 2006 and is not publicly traded or a bank. In ForexBrokers.com’s Trust Score system, Schwab earns 99 out of 99, which falls in the highly trusted range, compared with AvaTrade’s 96 out of 99, also highly trusted.
Looking at regulation, Charles Schwab holds 5 Tier-1 licenses and no Tier-2 licenses, while AvaTrade holds 4 Tier-1 licenses and 4 Tier-2 licenses. Since Tier-1 licenses are considered highly trusted and Tier-2 licenses are considered trusted, both brokers show strong oversight. Still, Schwab’s higher Trust Score, longer history, and status as a bank give it a slight edge for traders focused on safety and regulation.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1971 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 4 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
Charles Schwab earns 4 stars and ranks #23 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees. It stands out for having no minimum deposit requirement on its main brokerage accounts, and it does not charge a forex commission. Instead, Schwab traders pay through the spread, which averaged 1.35 pips on EUR/USD in October 2024, putting it on the pricier side of the industry. Schwab’s Schwab One account is tied to thinkorswim and allows forex trading, while the Schwab Global account is better for trading international markets in local currencies, though currency conversion fees of 0.2% to 1% may apply.
AvaTrade rates slightly better at 4.5 stars and ranks #14 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees. Its pricing is mainly spread-based as well, with average spreads of about 0.9 pips as of June 2024, which is close to the industry average and lower than Schwab’s typical EUR/USD spread. For traders who qualify as professionals, AvaTrade’s Professional account can offer even tighter spreads of around 0.6 pips.
In simple terms, both brokers avoid charging direct forex commissions, but AvaTrade is generally cheaper on spreads, while Schwab may appeal more to traders who want access to thinkorswim and international markets. If lower trading costs are your main goal, AvaTrade has the edge in this comparison.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.27 | 0.93 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.27 | 0.61 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to range of investments, Charles Schwab offers a much wider selection than AvaTrade. Schwab lists about 40,000 tradeable symbols and 73 forex pairs, compared with AvaTrade’s 1,260 symbols and 53 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading and cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither lets clients buy actual cryptocurrency. Schwab also stands out by offering exchange traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, while AvaTrade does not offer direct share dealing on either market.
AvaTrade does have one feature Schwab does not: copy trading. Still, for investors who want more choice across stocks, ETFs, forex, and global markets, Charles Schwab is the stronger pick overall. That shows in the ratings too, with Schwab scoring 5 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranking #5 out of 36 brokers, while AvaTrade is rated 4 stars and ranked #26.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 1260 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 53 |
| 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 AvaTrade both give traders a solid mix of platform choices, including a free paper trading account, a proprietary platform, a Windows desktop download, and a web-based platform. Both also let users trade directly from a stock chart, which can make order entry faster and easier for beginners and active traders alike. However, Charles Schwab does not offer copy trading or support MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5, while AvaTrade includes all three, giving it more options for traders who want to follow others or use the popular MetaTrader tools.
When it comes to trading platforms and tools, Charles Schwab has the edge in overall ratings and rankings, earning 5 out of 5 stars and placing #7 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com. AvaTrade is also well regarded, with a 4.5-star rating and a #13 ranking, but it trails Schwab in this category. For traders who want a broader range of platform features such as MT4, MT5, and copy trading, AvaTrade stands out, while Charles Schwab may appeal more to those looking for a highly rated all-around platform experience.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| 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 | 80 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Charles Schwab and AvaTrade both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with useful features like stock and forex price alerts, watchlist symbol syncing, and trendline drawing on charts. This means traders can keep track of markets and manage watchlists from either the app or their online account, with changes updated across both. For everyday mobile trading, both platforms cover the basics well.
Where Charles Schwab stands out is in charting and app quality. Its mobile app offers 374 technical studies, compared with 73 at AvaTrade, and it also auto-saves chart drawings, which AvaTrade does not. That added convenience helps make Schwab’s app easier to use for active chart watchers. Reflecting this, Charles Schwab is rated 5 stars for mobile trading apps and ranks #6 out of 36 brokers, while AvaTrade is rated 4.5 stars and ranks #13.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 374 | 73 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, Charles Schwab has the edge over AvaTrade. Schwab offers daily market commentary, forex news from top names like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus an economic calendar that tracks key global events. AvaTrade also provides top-tier forex news and an economic calendar, but it does not include daily market commentary. In independent ratings, Charles Schwab earns 5 stars for Research and ranks #5 out of 36 brokers, while AvaTrade earns 4 stars and ranks #28.
AvaTrade does offer a few extra research features that Schwab does not, including Trading Central tools and a sentiment-based trading tool that shows long and short positioning across instruments. However, both brokers do not offer Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading research tools. Overall, Charles Schwab stands out for its stronger market research coverage, while AvaTrade gives traders some useful added tools despite a lower research score.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | No | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners looking for trading education, both Charles Schwab and AvaTrade offer a wide range of learning tools. Each broker provides forex and CFD education, regular online client webinars, and at least 10 beginner videos plus 10 advanced videos, so new traders can find material at different skill levels. This makes both platforms a strong choice for people who want to learn the basics before trading.
When comparing the two, AvaTrade has a slight edge in ForexBrokers.com’s Education ranking, placing #2 out of 36 brokers, while Charles Schwab ranks #6. Charles Schwab, however, earns a 5-star Education rating, compared with AvaTrade’s 4 stars. In simple terms, both brokers are beginner-friendly for education, but Charles Schwab scores higher overall, while AvaTrade ranks higher in the category list.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 AvaTrade. Charles Schwab finished with an overall rank of #6, while AvaTrade finished with an overall rank of #15.
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
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 96 |
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Charles Schwab vs AvaTrade: both brokers do not support buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but each offers cryptocurrency trading through CFDs.
Among online brokers, Charles Schwab offers ACH/SEPA and bank wires but not PayPal or Skrill for deposits and withdrawals, while AvaTrade offers PayPal, Skrill, and bank wires but not ACH/SEPA.
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 | AvaTrade | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 96 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review | AvaTrade Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Charles Schwab | AvaTrade | |
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| Regulation | Charles Schwab | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 96 | |
| Year Founded | 1971 | 2006 | |
| 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 | 4 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Charles Schwab | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Charles Schwab | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 1260 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 53 | |
| 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 | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.27 | 0.93 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.27 | 0.61 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Charles Schwab | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| Trading Platforms | Charles Schwab | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 374 | 80 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Charles Schwab | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 374 | 73 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Charles Schwab | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | No | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Charles Schwab | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Charles Schwab | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | AvaTrade Review |
| Overall | Charles Schwab | AvaTrade | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 96 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review | AvaTrade Review |
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