Charles Schwab vs Forex4you 2025
In this head to head comparison of Charles Schwab vs Forex4you, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
In this head to head comparison of Charles Schwab vs Forex4you, 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 Forex4you are two notable online brokers with distinct characteristics and regulatory standing. Founded in 1971, Charles Schwab is a well-established broker that is publicly traded and operates as a bank. In contrast, Forex4you, founded in 2007, remains privately held and does not carry bank status. The regulatory credentials also set them apart; Charles Schwab boasts five Tier-1 licenses, highly trusted by industry standards, while Forex4you does not hold any Tier-1 licenses. This distinction underscores Schwab's strong regulatory backing compared to Forex4you's more limited credentials.
When evaluating trustworthiness through ForexBrokers.com's Trust Score rating, Charles Schwab scores a near-perfect 99 out of 99, signifying a high level of trustworthiness. On the other hand, Forex4you scores 61, which suggests a higher risk for users. This rating showcases the stark difference in trust levels between the two brokers, reflecting their regulatory strength and market presence. In summary, Charles Schwab is a highly regulated, publicly traded bank with strong trust ratings, while Forex4you has a higher risk profile in the regulatory landscape.
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Year Founded | 1971 | 2007 |
Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
Bank | Yes | No |
Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 0 |
Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
Charles Schwab and Forex4you offer different approaches to commissions and fees for online trading. Schwab stands out with a 4-star rating for commissions and fees, ranking #23 out of 62 brokers as per ForexBrokers.com. It doesn't require a minimum deposit for its primary brokerage accounts, making it accessible for forex trading. Schwab offers two account types that provide access to the thinkorswim platform for forex trading: Schwab One and Schwab Global. With these, Schwab grants users the ability to engage in forex trades settled in U.S. dollars, with a minimum trade size of 10,000 units, necessitating a $500 margin based on 20:1 leverage. While Schwab doesn't charge commissions for forex trades, it imposes trading costs via the bid/ask spread, with the EUR/USD spread averaging at 1.35 pips in October 2024. This spread is relatively high compared to industry norms.
The Schwab Global account extends further into international markets, allowing trading in twelve foreign markets with their local currencies. This can incur conversion fees ranging from 0.2% to 1%, depending on the account balance size. The flexibility of the Schwab Global account is better suited for those who engage heavily in international securities and are at ease handling multiple currencies. Schwab provides users with a convenient calculator within the thinkorswim platform to calculate the cost of holding positions overnight, aiding traders in managing their positions more effectively.
In contrast, Forex4you earns a 3.5-star rating and ranks #53 out of 62 brokers in the Commissions and Fees category. However, specific details about Forex4you's average spreads are not readily available, limiting the ability to directly compare the costs of trading forex with this broker to Schwab. While both platforms offer forex trading opportunities, Schwab's comprehensive approach, bolstered by its access to the thinkorswim platform and more extensive international market options, may provide more robust tools and insights for investors seeking a diverse trading experience.
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Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.35 | N/A |
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.35 | N/A |
Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No |
ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | No | Yes |
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Charles Schwab and Forex4you both offer the ability to trade forex as a CFD or spot contract. However, the sheer quantity of tradeable symbols significantly differs between the two. Charles Schwab provides an expansive selection of 40,000 symbols, including 73 forex pairs, contrasting with Forex4you's offering of 150 tradeable symbols and 43 forex pairs. Moreover, Charles Schwab enables clients to invest in exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, allowing access to shares such as Apple and Vodafone. In comparison, Forex4you does not offer exchange-traded securities on any major exchanges. Both brokers offer the option of cryptocurrency derivatives, though neither facilitates the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies.
When it comes to additional trading options, Forex4you stands out with its copy trading service, a feature not found at Charles Schwab. For those seeking a broad range of investment opportunities, Charles Schwab is highly rated, receiving 5 stars for its range of investments and ranks 5th out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. On the other hand, Forex4you, with a 3.5-star rating in the same category, is placed 58th, indicating some limitations in the diversity of its investment offerings compared to Charles Schwab.
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Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 150 |
Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 43 |
U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No |
Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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.
When comparing the trading platforms and tools of Charles Schwab and Forex4you, both brokers provide essential features for traders. Each offers a simulated paper trading account, allowing users to practice their strategies without financial risk. Both have developed proprietary platforms and provide a Windows-based desktop download option as well as web-based trading. While Charles Schwab does not support copy trading, Forex4you steps up by offering this feature along with popular platforms like MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, which Charles Schwab does not provide. Neither broker supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade.
In terms of charting capabilities, Charles Schwab excels with 24 drawing tools available, compared to the 15 tools Forex4you offers. Both platforms allow trading directly from stock charts. For those managing extensive watch lists, Charles Schwab provides a comprehensive set of 580 fields for watch list customization, surpassing Forex4you’s offering of 7 fields. Overall, Charles Schwab is rated 5 stars for its trading platforms and tools, securing the 5th spot out of 62 brokers ranked by ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, Forex4you is rated 4 stars and is ranked 52nd, highlighting distinctions in their platform offerings and user satisfaction.
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Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
DupliTrade | No | No |
ZuluTrade | No | No |
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 374 | 30 |
Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 24 | 15 |
Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Watchlists - Total Fields | 580 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading apps of Charles Schwab and Forex4you, both brokers offer apps compatible with iPhone and Android devices, providing essential features like stock and forex price alerts. Charles Schwab stands out with its ability to sync watchlist symbols across the mobile app and online account, a feature Forex4you does not provide. Moreover, Schwab offers a significantly higher number of technical studies—374 compared to Forex4you's 30—enhancing its appeal to users who rely on detailed technical analysis.
Traders using either app can expect to draw trendlines and view stock or forex charts in multiple time frames, with automatic saving of chart drawings. Both apps support creating watchlists with real-time quotes. However, Charles Schwab's app has earned a higher user rating of five stars, compared to Forex4you's four stars, and ranks #6 in the Mobile Trading Apps category according to ForexBrokers.com, while Forex4you is positioned at #50. This suggests a more polished user experience and broader feature set for Schwab's app users.
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Android App | Yes | Yes |
Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 374 | 30 |
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Charles Schwab and Forex4you both offer daily market commentary and provide forex news from reputable sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones. This ensures their users have access to timely and reliable information for informed decision-making. However, when it comes to technical analysis and fundamental research tools, Forex4you stands out by including tools from Autochartist and Trading Central. Such features can be valuable for traders looking for advanced analytics in their trading toolkit. Both platforms offer an economic calendar, showcasing global news events to help traders keep track of important economic developments.
Despite the shared strengths, Charles Schwab receives a higher rating of 5 stars for its research capabilities, compared to Forex4you's 3.5 stars. This is reflected in their respective rankings on ForexBrokers.com, where Charles Schwab holds the impressive 4th position out of 62 brokers, while Forex4you sits at 47th. Overall, while Forex4you provides additional analytical tools, Charles Schwab's outstanding reputation in market research may appeal more to traders who prioritize top-tier information services and a highly regarded research standing.
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Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
Autochartist | No | Yes |
Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes |
Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | No | No |
TipRanks | No | No |
Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing the educational offerings for beginners between Charles Schwab and Forex4you, it's clear that Charles Schwab stands out. Both platforms provide a solid range of educational material related to forex and CFDs trading, each offering more than ten articles or videos on the topic. However, Charles Schwab further enhances its offerings by hosting regular monthly webinars and providing a comprehensive, searchable archive of past sessions. This continuity in education is beneficial for those who prefer live learning experiences. In addition to their engaging webinars, Charles Schwab provides a wealth of content specifically designed for beginners, including over ten beginner-oriented trading videos. This is in contrast to Forex4you, which does not offer the same level of beginner-focused video resources.
Charles Schwab distinguishes itself with advanced educational videos tailored for more experienced traders, along with an extensive investor dictionary featuring over 50 investing terms. Forex4you, on the other hand, lacks in both of these areas. These differences in educational resources are reflected in their ratings; Charles Schwab has earned an impressive five-star rating for education and holds the #6 spot in ForexBrokers.com's education rankings. In comparison, Forex4you has a 3.5-star rating, ranking it #25 out of 62 brokers. For beginners seeking comprehensive education and resources, Charles Schwab provides a more thorough and structured learning experience.
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Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
Client Webinars | Yes | No |
Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No |
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Charles Schwab is better than Forex4you. Charles Schwab finished with an overall rank of #6, while Forex4you finished with an overall rank of #55.
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.
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Overall Rating |
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Trust Score | 99 | 61 |
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Both Charles Schwab and Forex4you do not provide the option to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrency, but they do offer the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
In comparing online broker Charles Schwab to Forex4you regarding deposit and withdrawal options, Charles Schwab provides ACH, SEPA, and bank wire transfers, while Forex4you supports Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wire transfers, with neither offering 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 5Overall Rating | Charles Schwab | Forex4you | |
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Overall Rating |
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Range of Investments |
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Platform & Tools |
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Mobile Trading |
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Research |
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Education |
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Trust Score | 99 | 61 | |
Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | Charles Schwab Review |
Broker Screenshots | Charles Schwab | Forex4you | |
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Trading Platforms Gallery (click to expand) | |||
Mobile Trading Gallery (click to expand) | |||
Research Gallery (click to expand) | |||
Education Gallery (click to expand) |
Regulation | Charles Schwab | Forex4you | |
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Trust Score | 99 | 61 | |
Year Founded | 1971 | 2007 | |
Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
Bank | Yes | No | |
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | No | |
Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 0 | |
Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Charles Schwab | Forex4you | |
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Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | No |
Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Charles Schwab | Forex4you | |
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Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | No | |
India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
Investments | Charles Schwab | Forex4you | |
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Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 150 | |
Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 43 | |
U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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 | Forex4you | |
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Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.35 | N/A | |
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.35 | N/A | |
Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No | |
Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
Execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
Funding | Charles Schwab | Forex4you | |
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Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | No | Yes | |
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
Trading Platforms | Charles Schwab | Forex4you | |
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Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
cTrader | No | No | |
DupliTrade | No | No | |
ZuluTrade | No | No |
Trading Tools | Charles Schwab | Forex4you | |
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Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
Watchlists - Total Fields | 580 | 7 | |
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 374 | 30 | |
Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 24 | 15 | |
Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
Mobile Trading | Charles Schwab | Forex4you | |
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Android App | Yes | Yes | |
Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 374 | 30 | |
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Research | Charles Schwab | Forex4you | |
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Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
Autochartist | No | Yes | |
Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes | |
TipRanks | No | No | |
Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | No | No | |
Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Education | Charles Schwab | Forex4you | |
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Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
Major Forex Pairs | Charles Schwab | Forex4you | |
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GBP/USD | Yes | No | |
USD/JPY | Yes | No | |
EUR/USD | Yes | No | |
USD/CHF | Yes | No | |
USD/CAD | Yes | No | |
NZD/USD | Yes | No | |
AUD/USD | Yes | No | |
Review | Charles Schwab Review |
Overall | Charles Schwab | Forex4you | |
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Overall Rating |
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Commissions & Fees |
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Range of Investments |
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Platform & Tools |
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Mobile Trading |
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Research |
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Education |
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Trust Score | 99 | 61 | |
Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | Charles Schwab Review |