Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Charles Schwab vs eToro, 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 vs eToro: In regulation and trust, both rank near the top. ForexBrokers.com assigns Charles Schwab a 99/99 Trust Score and eToro a 97/99, placing both in the highly trusted range (90–99). Schwab holds five Tier-1 licenses while eToro holds four; eToro also has one Tier-2 license, while Schwab has none. Schwab is a bank founded in 1971 and is publicly traded; eToro, founded in 2007, is also publicly traded but is not a bank.
What the ratings mean: 90–99 is highly trusted, 80–89 trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, and under 59 not trusted. With high scores and multiple Tier-1 licenses, both brokers show strong regulatory footing, with Schwab edging out eToro on licenses and overall score, while eToro adds a Tier-2 authorization.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1971 | 2007 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
Charles Schwab and eToro both earn 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees, but they appeal to different types of traders. Schwab is ranked #23 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com in this category, while eToro is ranked #22 out of 36. Schwab stands out for its no minimum deposit on key brokerage accounts and its commission-free forex trading, with costs built into the bid/ask spread instead. Its average EUR/USD spread was 1.35 pips in October 2024, which is a bit on the high side compared with the industry average.
For forex traders, Schwab offers access through the Schwab One account on the thinkorswim platform, but trades are settled in U.S. dollars and the smallest trade size is 10,000 units. Schwab Global is better for investors who want to trade in local currencies across 12 international markets, though currency conversion fees can range from 0.2% to 1% depending on account balance. Schwab also shows overnight carry charges in thinkorswim, which can help traders estimate holding costs.
eToro also uses spread-based pricing and lists a typical 1 pip EUR/USD spread, which is slightly above the industry average. While its trading fees are not the main reason many users pick the platform, eToro is well known for its copy trading features and social investing tools. It also offers an eToro Club VIP program with five tiers, from Silver to Diamond, for balances between $5,000 and $250,000, with perks like lower deposit and withdrawal fees, access to Trading Central, and a dedicated account manager.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $50-$10,000 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.27 | 1 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.27 | 1 |
| 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.
When it comes to range of investments, both Charles Schwab and eToro give investors plenty of choice, including access to forex, U.S. exchange-traded securities, and international stocks. Charles Schwab offers a wider overall selection, with about 40,000 tradeable symbols and 73 forex pairs, compared with eToro’s 7,441 symbols and 65 forex pairs. Both platforms let users trade forex through CFDs or spot contracts, and both support buying shares on major U.S. and international exchanges.
The main differences come down to extras and variety. eToro stands out for copy trading and the ability to buy actual cryptocurrency, while Charles Schwab does not offer those features. Both brokers do offer cryptocurrency CFDs. For range of investments, each earns 5 out of 5 stars, but Charles Schwab ranks higher overall in ForexBrokers.com’s category list, coming in at #5 out of 36 brokers, versus eToro at #10.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 7441 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 65 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | Yes |
| 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 eToro both give traders a solid mix of platform choices, including a web-based trading platform, a proprietary platform, paper trading, and the ability to place trades directly from charts. That makes each broker easy to use for practice and for active trading. Both also skip MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, so if you rely on those third-party platforms, neither broker will fit that need.
The biggest difference is that Charles Schwab also offers a Windows desktop platform, while eToro does not. On the other hand, eToro stands out for copy trading, which lets users follow and copy other traders’ moves, a feature Schwab does not provide. In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools category, Charles Schwab is rated 5 stars and ranked #7 out of 36 brokers, while eToro is rated 4.5 stars and ranked #8, putting Schwab slightly ahead overall.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 374 | 106 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Charles Schwab and eToro both make it easy to trade on the go with iPhone and Android apps, plus stock and forex price alerts and watchlist syncing between mobile and online accounts. Both apps also let users draw trendlines on charts, making them useful for basic technical analysis from a phone or tablet.
Where Charles Schwab pulls ahead is in charting depth and convenience. Its mobile app offers 374 technical studies, auto-saves chart drawings, and earns a 5-star Mobile Trading Apps rating, ranking #6 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. eToro also performs well, with 104 technical studies and a 4.5-star rating, but it does not auto-save drawings and ranks #10 out of 36. For traders who want more chart tools and smoother mobile chart handling, Charles Schwab has the edge.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 374 | 104 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Charles Schwab and eToro both give traders useful market research tools, including daily market commentary, news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus an economic calendar with key global events. Neither broker includes Autochartist, Trading Central, or Acuity Trading tools, so if you are looking for those specific research features, you will not find them with either provider.
Where eToro pulls ahead is in extra sentiment and third-party research tools. It offers a sentiment-based trading tool that shows long and short positioning, along with market research from TipRanks, which Charles Schwab does not provide. That said, Charles Schwab still holds the edge overall in research, earning 5 stars and a #5 ranking from ForexBrokers.com, compared with eToro’s 4.5 stars and #12 ranking.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | No | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | Yes |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Charles Schwab and eToro both give beginners plenty of ways to learn, including forex and CFD education with at least 10 pieces of content on those topics, plus monthly online client webinars. Each also offers at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos, so new traders and more experienced users can find material that fits their level. Schwab stands out with a 5-star Education rating, while eToro is close behind at 4.5 stars.
In ForexBrokers.com’s Education category, eToro ranks #3 out of 36 brokers, while Charles Schwab ranks #6. That makes both strong choices for learning, but eToro gets a slight edge in the ranking, while Schwab leads on the star rating. For beginners who want a broker with a wide mix of lessons, webinars, and video training, either platform could be a useful place to start.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 eToro. Charles Schwab finished with an overall rank of #6, while eToro finished with an overall rank of #9.
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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eToro
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|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 99 | 97 |
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In the Charles Schwab vs eToro comparison, online broker Charles Schwab does not support buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency but does offer cryptocurrency CFDs, whereas eToro lets you buy real (delivered) crypto and also trade crypto CFDs.
Among online brokers, Charles Schwab and eToro both support ACH/SEPA transfers and bank wires for deposits and withdrawals, but only eToro offers PayPal and Skrill, while Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either platform.
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 | eToro | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 97 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review | eToro Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Charles Schwab | eToro | |
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| Regulation | Charles Schwab | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 97 | |
| Year Founded | 1971 | 2007 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 4 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Charles Schwab | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | ||
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | ||
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Charles Schwab | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 7441 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 65 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | Yes | |
| 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 | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.27 | 1 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.27 | 1 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Charles Schwab | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $50-$10,000 | |
| 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 | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Charles Schwab | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 374 | 106 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Charles Schwab | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 104 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | Charles Schwab | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | Yes | |
| Client sentiment data | No | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Charles Schwab | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Charles Schwab | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | eToro Review |
| Overall | Charles Schwab | eToro | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 97 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review | eToro Review |
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