Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Charles Schwab vs Fineco, 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 and Fineco are both well-regarded online brokers that provide robust financial services. Founded in 1971 and publicly traded, Charles Schwab also operates as a bank and is recognized for its strong regulatory standing. It holds an impressive five Tier-1 licenses, making it highly trusted with a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99 out of 99. The extensive regulatory oversight ensures that clients can have confidence in the security and reliability offered by Charles Schwab.
Fineco, founded in 1999, is also a publicly traded bank providing brokerage services. It has two Tier-1 licenses, along with a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 94, signifying a high level of trust and dedication to regulatory compliance. While it holds fewer Tier-1 licenses than Charles Schwab, its strong trust score and public listing highlight its solid reputation in the industry. Both brokers offer secure trading platforms, but Charles Schwab stands out with its maximum trust score and higher number of top-tier licenses.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Fineco
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1971 | 1999 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
Charles Schwab and Fineco take different approaches to forex commissions and fees. Schwab charges no commissions on forex; your cost is the bid/ask spread, with the EUR/USD averaging 1.35 pips in October 2024 (on the higher side versus peers). Fineco does not publish average spread data, listing the EUR/USD at 1.0 pip (and sometimes 0.8 pips) without a date range, which makes its true costs harder to gauge. For this category, Schwab is rated 4/5 stars and ranked #26 of 63 brokers, while Fineco is rated 3.5/5 stars and ranked #52 of 63.
At Schwab, there’s no minimum deposit for its main brokerage accounts. Forex access runs through thinkorswim via the Schwab One account, where all trades settle in U.S. dollars. The smallest trade size is 10,000 units; at 20:1 leverage, that implies about $500 in required margin. If you want to place trades in a foreign currency with Schwab One, you must call in. The Schwab Global account lets you trade in 12 international markets in local currencies, with currency conversion fees ranging from 0.2% to 1% depending on your balance. Schwab also displays overnight financing (carry) charges in a built-in calculator so you can estimate the cost of holding positions.
Fineco’s pricing transparency is limited for forex and CFDs because it doesn’t publish average spreads. While it quotes 1.0 pip (and sometimes 0.8 pips) for the EUR/USD, the lack of an average or timeframe makes comparisons tricky; that said, Fineco appears to offer lower spreads on some index CFDs. If predictable, well-documented forex costs are your priority, Schwab’s published average spread and tools may be easier to evaluate, whereas Fineco may appeal if you trade index CFDs and can live with less published detail on forex pricing.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Fineco
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.32 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.32 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts [DELETED] | ||
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | No | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Charles Schwab offers 40,000 tradeable symbols, far more than Fineco’s 9,770. For currency traders, Schwab lists 73 forex pairs compared with Fineco’s 54. Both brokers let you buy exchange-traded securities on U.S. markets (like Apple on NASDAQ) and on major international exchanges (such as Vodafone in London), making it straightforward to build a global portfolio.
Both brokers support forex trading via CFDs or spot. Neither provides copy trading or direct, delivered cryptocurrency, but Schwab does offer access to cryptocurrency derivatives while Fineco does not. Reflecting that range, Schwab earns 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #5 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Fineco is rated 4.5 stars and ranks #17. Choose Schwab if you want the widest selection; pick Fineco if its lineup covers what you need and you prefer its platform or pricing.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Fineco
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 9770 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 54 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | No |
| 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 online brokers Charles Schwab and Fineco on trading platforms and tools: both offer proprietary platforms built in-house, with access on a Windows desktop download and via a web browser. If you’re looking for MetaTrader, neither supports MT4 or MT5, and neither provides copy trading. Charles Schwab does offer free paper trading with a virtual demo account and lets you place orders directly from a stock chart. Fineco does not offer a demo account and does not support chart trading, though it still delivers an easy-to-use in-house platform on desktop and web.
For platforms and tools, ForexBrokers.com rates Charles Schwab 5 stars and ranks it 5th out of 63 brokers, while Fineco earns 4 stars and ranks 18th. Choose Schwab if you want paper trading and chart-based order entry; choose either broker if you want a proprietary trading platform you can use on both desktop and the web.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Fineco
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | No |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No |
| DupliTrade [DELETED] | ||
| ZuluTrade [DELETED] | ||
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 374 | 37 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) [DELETED] | ||
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No |
| Watchlists - Total Fields [DELETED] |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Comparing the Charles Schwab mobile app vs. Fineco: both offer iPhone and Android apps and support price alerts. Both also let you switch chart time frames, such as intraday, daily, or weekly. Schwab stands out for convenience—watchlists in the app sync with your online account, so changes carry over automatically, and you can build watchlists with real-time quotes. Fineco’s app does not sync watchlists with the web platform and does not provide real-time quotes inside watchlists.
For charting and analysis, Schwab provides 374 technical studies in its mobile charts, lets you draw trendlines, and auto-saves your drawings. Fineco includes 6 technical studies, lacks trendline drawing, and does not auto-save. Independent ratings reflect the gap: ForexBrokers.com rates Charles Schwab’s mobile trading apps 5 stars and ranks it #6 out of 63 brokers, while Fineco earns 4 stars and ranks #43.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Fineco
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 374 | 6 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
In a Charles Schwab vs. Fineco market research comparison, Schwab scores higher: 5 stars and #5 of 63 at ForexBrokers.com, while Fineco earns 4.0 stars and ranks #34. Schwab offers daily market commentary and an economic calendar, giving investors frequent updates. Fineco also provides an economic calendar but does not publish daily commentary. Both brokers stream forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones.
On research tools, both lack Autochartist, Trading Central, and a sentiment tool that shows long vs. short positioning. Schwab does not include TipRanks or Acuity Trading; availability for Fineco is not specified in the provided data. If you value frequent in-house insights, Schwab has the edge; if you mainly need calendars and headline news, either platform will cover the basics.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Fineco
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | No | No |
| TipRanks | No | |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Charles Schwab vs Fineco for beginner education: both brokers run online client webinars at least monthly and each provides at least 10 beginner-friendly trading videos. Charles Schwab also offers 10+ advanced videos, which can help as your skills grow, while Fineco does not meet that advanced-video bar. It’s not specified whether either broker provides a minimum of 10 forex or CFD-focused lessons, a searchable archive of past webinars, or a large investor dictionary (50+ terms). If these features matter to you—like forex and CFD education or an on-demand webinar library—availability is unclear based on the data provided.
By the numbers, Charles Schwab earns 5 stars for Education and ranks #6 out of 63 brokers, while Fineco holds 4.0 stars and ranks #49. For beginners who want a strong mix of videos and frequent webinars—with room to advance—Schwab stands out. Fineco can still be a solid pick for basic learning needs, but it trails Schwab in both ratings and rankings.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Fineco
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | ||
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) [DELETED] | ||
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) [DELETED] |
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 Fineco. Charles Schwab finished with an overall rank of #6, while Fineco finished with an overall rank of #25.
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
|
Fineco
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 94 |
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While neither Charles Schwab nor Fineco provide options for purchasing actual delivered cryptocurrency, Charles Schwab distinguishes itself by offering the ability to invest in cryptocurrency derivatives, a service Fineco does not provide.
Both Charles Schwab and Fineco support ACH or SEPA transfers and bank wires for depositing or withdrawing funds, but neither broker offers PayPal, Skrill, Visa, or Mastercard as options.
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 | Fineco | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 94 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review | Fineco Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Charles Schwab | Fineco | |
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| Regulation | Charles Schwab | Fineco | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 94 | |
| Year Founded | 1971 | 1999 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank | Yes | Yes | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Charles Schwab | Fineco | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| 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 | Fineco | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | ||
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | No | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Charles Schwab | Fineco | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 9770 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 54 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Fineco | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.32 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.32 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts [DELETED] | |||
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | No | No |
| Funding | Charles Schwab | Fineco | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | No | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Charles Schwab | Fineco | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade [DELETED] | |||
| ZuluTrade [DELETED] |
| Trading Tools | Charles Schwab | Fineco | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | No | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | No | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields [DELETED] | |||
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 374 | 37 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) [DELETED] | |||
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Charles Schwab | Fineco | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | No | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 374 | 6 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Charles Schwab | Fineco | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | ||
| Client sentiment data | No | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Charles Schwab | Fineco | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | |||
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) [DELETED] | |||
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) [DELETED] |
| Major Forex Pairs | Charles Schwab | Fineco | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | Charles Schwab Review | Fineco Review |
| Overall | Charles Schwab | Fineco | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 94 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review | Fineco Review |
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