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Charles Schwab vs AvaTrade 2025

ForexBrokers.com

Written by ForexBrokers.com

February 05, 2025

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.

Charles Schwab
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5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0
  • Trust Score: 99
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 40000
AvaTrade
4.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $100
  • Trust Score: 94
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 1260

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.

Regulation

Charles Schwab and AvaTrade are noteworthy options for online brokerage, each with unique characteristics regarding their regulatory standing. Charles Schwab, established in 1971, is a publicly traded company and operates as a bank. It holds an impressive five Tier-1 regulatory licenses, which are deemed highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com. This contributes to its almost perfect Trust Score of 99, classifying it as a highly trusted platform. In contrast, AvaTrade, founded in 2006, is not publicly traded and does not function as a bank. It maintains four Tier-1 licenses and three Tier-2 licenses, resulting in a commendable Trust Score of 94.

While both brokers are deemed trustworthy, Charles Schwab's status as a public company and bank with a longer history might appeal to those who prefer maximum regulatory assurance. AvaTrade, on the other hand, still presents a reliable choice with a slightly lower trust rating, supported by a combination of Tier-1 and Tier-2 licenses. Whether prioritizing the extensive regulatory credentials of Charles Schwab or the balanced license portfolio of AvaTrade, investors can find a fit tailored to their preferences and standards of trust.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
AvaTrade logoAvaTrade
Year Founded info 1971 2006
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes No
Bank info Yes No
Tier-1 Licenses info 5 4
Tier-2 Licenses info 0 3
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 1
Tier-4 Licenses info 0 1

Fees

Charles Schwab and AvaTrade are both popular choices for online forex trading, each with unique advantages in terms of commissions and fees. Charles Schwab stands out with no minimum deposit requirement, making it accessible for new forex traders. Although Schwab doesn’t charge commissions on forex trading, costs involve the bid/ask spread. The average spread on the EUR/USD was 1.35 pips in October 2024, which is relatively high compared to industry averages. Schwab offers two main account types for forex trading, Schwab One and Schwab Global, the latter providing access to international markets with variable currency conversion fees. Overall, Schwab holds a 4-star rating for commissions and fees, ranking #23 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.

AvaTrade provides competitive options with spreads near the industry average, at around 0.9 pips for typical accounts. This rate is slightly higher than some competitors like CMC Markets and Tickmill. However, professional traders who qualify for AvaTrade’s Professional account benefit from competitive spreads at 0.6 pips, which aligns them with providers like FP Markets. AvaTrade earns a 4.5-star rating for commissions and fees, placing them in the #12 spot out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com.

In summary, both brokers offer compelling features, but their suitability depends on your trading needs. Schwab is ideal for those who prefer trading on U.S. platforms with no entry barriers, despite slightly higher spreads. On the other hand, AvaTrade may appeal to professional traders seeking more competitive spreads and a higher overall ranking and rating in the industry.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
AvaTrade logoAvaTrade
Minimum Deposit info $0 $100
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard info 1.35 info 0.93 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 1.35 info 0.61 info
Active Trader or VIP Discounts info No Yes
ACH or SEPA Transfers info Yes No
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) info No Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.

Featured Offers


Range of investments

When it comes to the range of investments, Charles Schwab and AvaTrade both cater to diverse trader needs, but with some notable differences. Charles Schwab stands out with an impressive offering of 40,000 tradeable symbols and an expansive selection of 73 forex pairs. This broker allows access to both U.S. and international exchange-traded securities, enabling clients to buy shares like Apple on NASDAQ or Vodafone on the London Stock Exchange. Although Charles Schwab does not offer copy trading or the option to buy delivered cryptocurrency, it does provide cryptocurrency derivatives.

On the other hand, AvaTrade offers 1,260 tradeable symbols, including 53 forex pairs. While it doesn’t provide access to exchange-traded securities on U.S. or international exchanges, AvaTrade does offer copy trading, which might appeal to beginners seeking to mirror successful traders. Like Charles Schwab, AvaTrade also provides options for trading cryptocurrency derivatives. With these features, Charles Schwab earns a 5-star rating for its range of investments from ForexBrokers.com, ranking it 5th out of 63 brokers, while AvaTrade holds a solid 4-star rating, placing it 32nd in the same category.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
AvaTrade logoAvaTrade
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 40000 1260
Forex Pairs (Total) info 73 53
U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) info Yes No
Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) info Yes No
Social Trading / Copy Trading info No Yes
Cryptocurrency (Physical) info No No
Cryptocurrency (Derivative) info 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.

Trading platforms and tools

When comparing the trading platforms of Charles Schwab and AvaTrade, both brokers offer a range of tools designed to cater to different types of investors. Charles Schwab provides a proprietary platform, available as a Windows-based desktop download and web-based option, that offers extensive features like trading directly from stock charts and a substantial number of watch list columns. While Schwab does not support MetaTrader 4 or 5, it does allow users to engage in simulated trading with a free virtual demo account. With an impressive array of 24 drawing tools, Schwab ensures traders have comprehensive tools at their disposal. Ranked #5 by ForexBrokers.com and rated 5 stars in the Trading Platforms and Tools category, Schwab clearly stands out for its platform offerings.

AvaTrade, on the other hand, also provides a proprietary platform for both desktop and web-based trading, along with a free virtual demo account. Unlike Charles Schwab, AvaTrade offers a suite of third-party platforms including MetaTrader 4 and 5, as well as popular social trading options like DupliTrade and ZuluTrade, and copy trading capabilities. While AvaTrade has fewer drawing tools and watch list columns compared to Schwab, it compensates by offering a wider range of trading options with its support for popular trading software. Rated 4.5 stars and ranked #13 for Trading Platforms and Tools by ForexBrokers.com, AvaTrade is well-suited for traders looking for flexibility and varied trading choices.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
AvaTrade logoAvaTrade
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Proprietary Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Social Trading / Copy Trading info No Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info No Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info No Yes
DupliTrade info No Yes
ZuluTrade info No Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 374 80
Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) info 24 13
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Watchlists - Total Fields info 580 7
View More

Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.

Forex trading apps

When comparing the mobile trading apps of Charles Schwab and AvaTrade, both platforms cater to iPhone and Android users, ensuring wide device compatibility. Traders will appreciate the ability to receive stock or forex price alerts and sync watchlists across devices with either app, allowing seamless transitions between mobile and online platforms. While both apps allow for drawing trendlines and viewing multiple time frames on charts, Charles Schwab excels with its 374 technical studies compared to AvaTrade's 73, offering more in-depth analysis tools. Additionally, Charles Schwab’s app saves chart drawings automatically, adding another layer of convenience that AvaTrade lacks.

In terms of performance, Charles Schwab's mobile app edges out AvaTrade with a perfect 5-star rating versus AvaTrade’s admirable 4.5 stars. Users of both apps can create watchlists with real-time quotes, ensuring they stay updated with market movements. However, Charles Schwab's app ranks higher in user evaluations, securing the 6th position out of 63 brokers in the Mobile Trading Apps category according to ForexBrokers.com, while AvaTrade holds the 13th position. Thus, while AvaTrade offers solid mobile trading experiences, Charles Schwab provides some enhanced features and greater recognition for mobile trading enthusiasts.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
AvaTrade logoAvaTrade
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields info Yes Yes
Watchlist Syncing info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 374 73
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave info Yes No
Mobile Watchlist info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

Charles Schwab and AvaTrade both provide a range of market research tools to assist traders, but there are some important differences between the two. Charles Schwab excels in offering daily market commentary and provides forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. While AvaTrade also offers forex news from these high-quality sources, it lacks daily market commentary. When it comes to research tools, neither broker uses Autochartist, but AvaTrade stands out by offering technical analysis tools from Trading Central. AvaTrade also provides a sentiment-based trading tool, which gives insight into trader positions across various currency pairs, while Charles Schwab does not include this feature.

In terms of overall research quality, Charles Schwab is rated with a perfect score of 5 stars, ranking #4 out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. Its economic calendar feature, which shows global news events, further complements its research offerings. AvaTrade earns 4 stars, ranked at #34, partly due to its absence of daily commentary and fewer integrated research resources like TipRanks or Acuity Trading tools. Nevertheless, AvaTrade’s combination of Trading Central and sentiment tools provides traders with a distinct advantage in technical analysis capabilities, making it a viable choice for those prioritizing these features over comprehensive daily insight.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
AvaTrade logoAvaTrade
Daily Market Commentary info Yes No
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info No No
Trading Central (Recognia) info No Yes
Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs info No Yes
TipRanks info No No
Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) info No No
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.

Beginners and education

Charles Schwab and AvaTrade both offer an array of educational resources catered to individuals new to trading and investing. Both platforms have a minimum of ten educational pieces focused on forex and CFDs, which include articles, videos, and archived webinars. For those who prefer real-time learning, they provide online educational webinars at least once a month, ensuring that novices have access to current and comprehensive information. Additionally, both brokers maintain a searchable archive of these webinars, allowing learners to access previously recorded content at their convenience.

When it comes to educational content specifically aimed at different experience levels, Charles Schwab and AvaTrade shine equally by offering over ten beginner and advanced level educational videos. They also equip users with an investor dictionary containing more than 50 term definitions, making complex topics easier to understand. Despite the high caliber of educational resources provided by both, Charles Schwab slightly edges out AvaTrade with a perfect five-star rating for education compared to AvaTrade's four stars. However, in the overall ranking of education among 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, Charles Schwab holds the sixth position, while AvaTrade is positioned even higher at number two, attesting to its strong educational offerings.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
AvaTrade logoAvaTrade
Education (Forex or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Client Webinars info Yes Yes
Client Webinars (Archived) info Yes Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.

Winner

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 #13.

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 logoCharles Schwab
AvaTrade logoAvaTrade
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 94
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 4/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with Charles Schwab or AvaTrade?

Both Charles Schwab and AvaTrade provide the option to purchase cryptocurrency derivatives, but neither platform offers the ability to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency.

What funding options does each broker offer?

In comparing online brokers, Charles Schwab supports ACH and SEPA transfers and bank wires for transactions, while AvaTrade offers a wider range of deposit and withdrawal options including PayPal, Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, in addition to bank wires, but not ACH or SEPA transfers.




announcementPlease 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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Compare

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Overall Rating Charles Schwab AvaTrade
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 4/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 94
Winner check_circle
Review Charles Schwab Review AvaTrade Review
Broker Screenshots Charles Schwab AvaTrade
Trading Platforms Gallery (click to expand) info
Mobile Trading Gallery (click to expand) info
Research Gallery (click to expand) info
Education Gallery (click to expand) info
Regulation Charles Schwab AvaTrade
Trust Score info 99 94
Year Founded info 1971 2006
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes No
Bank info Yes No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info No Yes info
Tier-1 Licenses info 5 4
Tier-2 Licenses info 0 3
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 1
Tier-4 Licenses info 0 1
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) Charles Schwab AvaTrade
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info No Yes
Canada (CIRO Authorised) info Yes Yes
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) info Yes No
Japan (SFC Authorised) info No Yes
Singapore (MAS Authorised) info Yes No
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) info No No
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) info Yes No
USA (CFTC Authorized) info Yes No
New Zealand (FMA Authorised) info No No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info No Yes info
Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) Charles Schwab AvaTrade
Kenya (CMA Authorised) info No No
Israel (ISA Authorised) info No Yes
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info No Yes
UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) info No Yes
India (SEBI Authorised) info No No
Jordan (JSC Authorised) info No No
Investments Charles Schwab AvaTrade
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 40000 1260
Forex Pairs (Total) info 73 53
U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) info Yes No
Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) info Yes No
Social Trading / Copy Trading info No Yes
Cryptocurrency (Physical) info No No
Cryptocurrency (Derivative) info 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 info 1.35 info 0.93 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 1.35 info 0.61 info
Active Trader or VIP Discounts info No Yes
Inactivity Fee info No Yes
Execution: Agency Broker info Yes No
Execution: Market Maker info No Yes
Funding Charles Schwab AvaTrade
Minimum Deposit info $0 $100
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) info No Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
ACH or SEPA Transfers info Yes No
Trading Platforms Charles Schwab AvaTrade
Proprietary Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Social Trading / Copy Trading info No Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info No Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info No Yes
cTrader info No No
DupliTrade info No Yes
ZuluTrade info No Yes
Trading Tools Charles Schwab AvaTrade
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Alerts - Basic Fields info Yes Yes
Watchlists - Total Fields info 580 7
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 374 80
Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) info 24 13
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Charts can be saved info Yes Yes
Mobile Trading Charles Schwab AvaTrade
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlist info Yes Yes
Watchlist Syncing info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 374 73
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave info Yes No
Mobile Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Research Charles Schwab AvaTrade
Daily Market Commentary info Yes No
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info No No
Trading Central (Recognia) info No Yes
TipRanks info No No
Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs info No Yes
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Education Charles Schwab AvaTrade
Education (Forex or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Client Webinars info Yes Yes
Client Webinars (Archived) info Yes Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) info Yes Yes
Major Forex Pairs Charles Schwab AvaTrade
GBP/USD info Yes Yes
USD/JPY info Yes Yes
EUR/USD info Yes Yes
USD/CHF info Yes Yes
USD/CAD info Yes Yes
NZD/USD info Yes Yes
AUD/USD info Yes Yes
Review Charles Schwab Review AvaTrade Review
Overall Charles Schwab AvaTrade
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 4/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 94
Winner check_circle
Review Charles Schwab Review AvaTrade Review
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