Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Charles Schwab vs Libertex (Forex Club), 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, established in 1971, offers a high level of trust and security in the online brokerage world, underscored by its top Trust Score of 99 from ForexBrokers.com. Schwab, which operates as a bank and is publicly traded, holds five Tier-1 licenses. This status reflects stringent regulatory oversight, providing peace of mind for investors. In contrast, Libertex (Forex Club), founded in 1997, holds one Tier-1 license and has a Trust Score of 73, indicating an average risk level. Unlike Schwab, Libertex is not publicly traded and does not operate as a bank, which may influence its trust perception.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Libertex (Forex Club)
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1971 | 1997 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
For commissions and fees, Charles Schwab earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks 26th of 63 brokers, while Libertex (Forex Club) earns 3 out of 5 stars and ranks 63rd of 63. In plain terms: Schwab’s pricing is mid-pack to competitive, and Libertex trails the field in this category.
Schwab charges no commission on forex trades; your costs come from the spread. In October 2024, the average EUR/USD spread on Schwab was 1.35 pips, which sits on the higher side of the industry average. There’s no minimum deposit for its main accounts, all forex trades settle in U.S. dollars, and the smallest trade size is 10,000 units (about $500 minimum margin at 20:1 leverage). If you use the Schwab Global account, currency conversion fees run about 0.2%–1% depending on your balance. Overnight financing (carry) is clearly shown in the thinkorswim platform via a built-in calculator.
Libertex (Forex Club) does not provide average spread data, so it’s harder to gauge day‑to‑day trading costs from published figures. Given its 3-star score and 63/63 ranking for commissions and fees, pricing may be less favorable versus top competitors. If you’re considering Libertex, check the platform or support materials for current spreads, any commissions, and financing or currency conversion costs before you trade.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Libertex (Forex Club)
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $10 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.32 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.32 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | No | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Charles Schwab delivers a much wider range of investments than Libertex (Forex Club). Schwab lists about 40,000 tradeable symbols and 73 forex pairs, while Libertex offers roughly 300 symbols and 51 forex pairs. Both let you trade forex as CFDs or spot contracts and offer crypto exposure through derivatives (neither sells actual, delivered crypto). Where they differ most is access to exchange-traded securities: Schwab lets clients buy U.S. and international stocks and ETFs directly, whereas Libertex does not offer exchange-listed shares and focuses on CFDs. Libertex does support copy trading; Schwab does not.
These differences show up in independent ratings for range of investments: Charles Schwab earns 5 stars and ranks #5 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com; Libertex scores 3.5 stars and ranks #54. In short, Schwab suits investors who want broad market access and direct share dealing alongside forex and crypto derivatives, while Libertex may appeal to CFD traders who also want copy trading.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Libertex (Forex Club)
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 300 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 51 |
| 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.
Charles Schwab and Libertex (Forex Club) both offer free demo (paper) accounts, proprietary platforms, Windows desktop downloads, and web-based platforms. Each lets you place trades directly from charts. Key differences: Libertex supports copy trading and MetaTrader 4 (MT4), while Schwab does not. Neither broker offers MT5, DupliTrade, or ZuluTrade.
For charting, Schwab lists 24 drawing tools versus 30 at Libertex; both include built-in technical indicators (specific counts not provided). Watch lists are far more detailed at Schwab (580 columns/fields) than at Libertex (7). In ForexBrokers.com testing for Trading Platforms and Tools, Schwab earned 5 stars and ranked #5 of 63 brokers, while Libertex earned 4 stars and ranked #51. Consider Schwab if you want deeper platform features and extensive watch list data, and Libertex if you value MT4 access and copy trading.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Libertex (Forex Club)
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 374 | 15 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 24 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 580 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
If you trade on the go, both Charles Schwab and Libertex (Forex Club) offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each supports price alerts, synced watchlists that mirror your online account, and watchlists with real-time quotes. Where they differ is overall app quality: ForexBrokers.com rates Schwab’s mobile app 5 stars and ranks it #6 out of 63 brokers, while Libertex earns 4 stars and ranks #50.
Charting depth is another key divider. Schwab includes 374 technical studies, trendline drawing, and flexible time frames (intraday to weekly), and it auto-saves your chart drawings. Libertex also lets you draw trendlines and switch time frames, but offers 30 technical studies and does not auto-save drawings. For advanced charting and research, Schwab stands out; for a simpler setup, Libertex can suit basic mobile trading.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Libertex (Forex Club)
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 374 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
For market research, Charles Schwab stands out over Libertex (Forex Club). Both brokers stream forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, and both provide an economic calendar to track global events. The key difference is daily market commentary: Schwab offers it, while Libertex does not.
As for extra tools, neither broker includes Autochartist, Trading Central analytics, or a sentiment tool showing the ratio of long and short positions. Schwab does not integrate TipRanks or Acuity Trading (Signal Centre), and Libertex’s support for TipRanks and Acuity Trading is not specified. According to ForexBrokers.com, Schwab earns 5 stars for Research and ranks #5 out of 63 brokers, while Libertex receives 3 stars and ranks #62.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Libertex (Forex Club)
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | No | No |
| TipRanks | No | |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Both Charles Schwab and Libertex (Forex Club) offer dedicated forex and CFD education with at least 10 pieces of content. For beginners, Schwab goes further: it runs at least one live client webinar each month and keeps a searchable archive of past sessions. Schwab also has 10+ beginner trading videos and an investor dictionary with 50 or more terms, along with advanced video lessons. Libertex covers forex/CFD topics and provides 10+ advanced videos, but it does not host monthly client webinars, lacks a searchable webinar archive, and does not offer 10+ beginner-specific videos or a large investor glossary.
These differences show up in the ratings: ForexBrokers.com gives Charles Schwab 5 stars for Education and ranks it #6 of 63 brokers, while Libertex (Forex Club) earns 3 stars and ranks #58. If you’re a new forex or CFD trader who wants structured learning, regular webinars, and on-demand recordings, Charles Schwab is likely the easier place to start, whereas experienced traders can still find advanced material at Libertex.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Libertex (Forex Club)
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
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 Libertex (Forex Club). Charles Schwab finished with an overall rank of #6, while Libertex (Forex Club) finished with an overall rank of #61.
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
|
Libertex (Forex Club)
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 99 | 73 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Commissions & Fees |
|
|
| Platforms & Tools |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
Both Charles Schwab and Libertex (Forex Club) do not provide the option to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but they do offer the ability to purchase cryptocurrency derivatives.
When comparing the online brokers Charles Schwab and Libertex (Forex Club), both offer ACH and SEPA transfers as well as bank wires for funding and withdrawals, but only Libertex supports PayPal and Skrill, while neither provides Visa or Mastercard as a payment option.
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.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | Charles Schwab | Libertex (Forex Club) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Charles Schwab | Libertex (Forex Club) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
|
| Regulation | Charles Schwab | Libertex (Forex Club) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 1971 | 1997 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Charles Schwab | Libertex (Forex Club) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | |
| 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 | Libertex (Forex Club) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Libertex (Forex Club) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 300 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 51 | |
| 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 | Libertex (Forex Club) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.32 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.32 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Charles Schwab | Libertex (Forex Club) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $10 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | No | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Charles Schwab | Libertex (Forex Club) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Charles Schwab | Libertex (Forex Club) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 580 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 374 | 15 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 24 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Charles Schwab | Libertex (Forex Club) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 374 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Charles Schwab | Libertex (Forex Club) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | ||
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | No | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Charles Schwab | Libertex (Forex Club) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | Charles Schwab | Libertex (Forex Club) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Overall | Charles Schwab | Libertex (Forex Club) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review |
IG
CMC Markets
FOREX.com
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Plus500
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill