Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Charles Schwab vs Exness, 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, stands as a highly trusted and established financial entity in the online brokerage world. It is publicly traded on a stock exchange and operates as a bank, offering a sense of security and stability. Rated with a perfect Trust Score of 99 by ForexBrokers.com, Charles Schwab holds an impressive five Tier-1 licenses, showcasing its significant regulatory oversight and commitment to trustworthy client dealings.
In comparison, Exness, which entered the market in 2008, is not publicly traded and does not operate as a bank. It holds a Trust Score of 81, categorizing it as trusted according to ForexBrokers.com. Exness has secured two Tier-1 licenses and three Tier-2 licenses, reflecting its commitment to adhering to regulatory standards though it remains less established than Charles Schwab. Ultimately, both entities offer trusted services, yet Charles Schwab's longer history and stronger regulatory foundation may appeal to those prioritizing these factors.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1971 | 2008 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 3 |
Charles Schwab and Exness both earn 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees, but Schwab ranks higher (#26 of 63) than Exness (#36 of 63) in ForexBrokers.com’s category results. Schwab doesn’t charge commissions on forex; your trading costs come from the bid/ask spread and any overnight financing. In October 2024, Schwab’s average EUR/USD spread was 1.35 pips, which is on the higher side. Exness pricing varies by account type: its commission-based accounts typically offer tighter spreads than its commission-free accounts, letting you choose between paying a small commission for lower spreads or paying no commission for higher spreads.
At Schwab, there’s no minimum deposit to open an account, and forex is available through the Schwab One account on thinkorswim, with all trades settling in U.S. dollars. The smallest trade size is 10,000 units (about $500 minimum margin at 20:1 leverage). If you use the Schwab Global account to trade in local currencies across 12 international markets, currency conversion fees apply when funding in a different currency (roughly 0.2% to 1%, depending on your balance). Overnight carry costs are shown in a calculator within thinkorswim so you can estimate holding costs.
Exness offers five main accounts. Standard Cent and Standard are commission-free with higher spreads. The Pro account (commission-free) can use either instant or market execution and has lower spreads than the Standard accounts. The Zero Spread account charges a $0.05 per-trade commission and aims for near-zero spreads, while the Raw account charges up to $7 per round-turn lot ($3.50 per side) with low spreads. Zero and Raw use market execution and have margin calls at 30%, with no stated limits on leverage or stop-out. This lineup lets cost-conscious traders balance spread-tightness against per-trade commissions.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $10 |
| 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.
Comparing Charles Schwab vs Exness for range of investments: Schwab offers about 40,000 tradeable symbols to Exness’s 209. Both let you trade forex as CFDs or spot, and both support cryptocurrency CFDs but not direct, delivered crypto. Schwab lists 73 forex pairs while Exness lists 96, so currency traders get more pair choices at Exness. For stocks, Schwab provides access to real, exchange-traded shares on U.S. and international exchanges (for example, Apple on Nasdaq or Vodafone in London), while Exness does not offer real stock purchases.
Exness includes copy trading; Schwab does not. According to ForexBrokers.com’s Range of Investments ratings, Schwab earns 5 stars and ranks #5 of 63 brokers, while Exness earns 3.5 stars and ranks #56. In short, choose Schwab if you want a very broad product lineup including U.S. and global stocks; choose Exness if you mainly want forex, value copy trading, and don’t need access to real shares.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 209 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 96 |
| 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.
Comparing trading platforms and tools, both Charles Schwab and Exness provide a free demo (paper) account, their own proprietary platforms, a Windows desktop download, and a web-based platform. Each also lets you trade directly from charts. Specific counts for technical indicators and watch list fields were not provided.
The key differences come down to third-party and social features. Exness supports copy trading and offers MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), while Charles Schwab does not. In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools ratings, Charles Schwab scores 5 stars and ranks #5 out of 63 brokers, whereas Exness scores 4 stars and ranks #26. Choose Exness if you need MetaTrader or copy trading; choose Charles Schwab if you want higher-rated tools overall.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 107 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
If you’re choosing between Charles Schwab and Exness for mobile trading, both offer iPhone and Android apps with price alerts and chart tools like trendline drawing. In third-party tests from ForexBrokers.com, Schwab earned 5 stars and ranked 6th out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps, while Exness received 4 stars and ranked 26th. That sets the stage: each platform is capable, but Schwab scores higher for overall mobile experience.
The biggest differences show up in charting and syncing. Schwab’s app includes 374 technical studies, saves your chart drawings automatically, and syncs watchlists with your online account, so symbols and changes carry across devices. Exness supplies 35 technical studies, supports trendlines, but does not auto-save drawings and does not sync watchlists with the web platform. In short, choose Schwab if you value deep chart analysis and cross-device continuity, or pick Exness if you want a simpler setup and can live without syncing and extensive indicators.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 374 | 35 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Charles Schwab and Exness both deliver daily market commentary, forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, and an economic calendar for upcoming events. Neither broker features Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools. The key differences: Exness offers Trading Central analytics and a sentiment tool that shows the long/short ratio across instruments, while Schwab does not include those specific features.
When it comes to overall research quality, Schwab stands out with a 5-star rating and a #5 ranking out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. Exness earns 3.5 stars and ranks #42. Choose Schwab if you want a high-rated research experience with premium news and daily insights; pick Exness if Trading Central and sentiment data are priorities for your trading style.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 beginner traders comparing Charles Schwab vs Exness on education, both brokers deliver frequent learning events and lots of video lessons. Each hosts at least one live client webinar every month and offers 10 or more beginner videos, plus 10 or more advanced videos. The provided information does not confirm whether either broker supplies a library of 10+ lessons focused specifically on forex or CFD topics, but both have wide-ranging trading content for getting started and leveling up.
On quality and recognition, Charles Schwab earns 5 stars for Education and ranks #6 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Exness scores 3.5 stars and ranks #47. For most beginners seeking structured, high-rated learning, Schwab is the stronger pick; if you want a broker that still provides regular webinars and plenty of videos, Exness remains a workable option.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 Exness. Charles Schwab finished with an overall rank of #6, while Exness finished with an overall rank of #43.
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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Exness
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| Trust Score | 99 | 81 |
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Comparing online brokers Charles Schwab vs Exness: neither offers buying actual delivered cryptocurrency, but both provide cryptocurrency CFD trading.
When comparing online brokers Charles Schwab vs Exness for deposit and withdrawal methods, Schwab supports ACH/SEPA and bank wire transfers but not Skrill or PayPal, whereas Exness supports Skrill and bank wire transfers but not ACH/SEPA or PayPal.
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 | Exness | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review | Exness Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Charles Schwab | Exness | |
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| Regulation | Charles Schwab | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 81 | |
| Year Founded | 1971 | 2008 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 3 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Charles Schwab | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | Yes |
| Investments | Charles Schwab | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 209 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 96 | |
| 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Charles Schwab | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $10 | |
| 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 374 | 107 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Charles Schwab | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 35 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Charles Schwab | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Charles Schwab | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Exness Review |
| Overall | Charles Schwab | Exness | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review | Exness Review |
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