Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Charles Schwab vs Markets.com, 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, stands out as a highly trusted online broker with a remarkable ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99. As a publicly traded financial institution, Charles Schwab holds five Tier-1 licenses, a testament to its status as a reliable bank and brokerage firm. This firm has set a high standard in the online trading industry, emphasizing transparency and trust. In contrast, Markets.com, founded in 1999, operates as a private entity and does not function as a bank. While it holds three Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, which indicates a strong trust level, its ForexBrokers.com Trust Score is slightly lower at 93.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Markets.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1971 | 1999 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
Looking at commissions and fees, Charles Schwab earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #25 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Markets.com earns 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #51 out of 63. That makes Schwab the higher-rated choice in this category, with more clarity around typical trading costs.
Schwab has no minimum deposit for its main brokerage accounts and does not charge commissions for forex trades. Your costs come from the bid/ask spread, which averaged 1.35 pips on EUR/USD in October 2024—toward the higher end of the industry. Forex trading is available through the Schwab One account, where all trades settle in U.S. dollars. The smallest forex trade size is 10,000 units (about $500 minimum margin at 20:1 leverage). If you use a Schwab Global account to trade in local currencies across 12 international markets, currency conversion fees apply when funding in a different currency, ranging from 0.2% to 1% depending on account balance. Schwab also shows overnight financing (carry) costs in a built-in calculator.
For Markets.com, average spread data is not available, so an apples-to-apples pricing comparison on spreads isn’t possible from published figures. Based on the ratings alone—3.5/5 stars and a #51 ranking—Markets.com trails Schwab in the Commissions and Fees category.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Markets.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| 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 | Yes |
| 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.
When it comes to the range of investments, Charles Schwab offers a far wider selection than Markets.com. Schwab lists about 40,000 tradeable symbols and 73 forex pairs, while Markets.com provides 2,179 symbols and 57 forex pairs. Schwab also lets clients buy exchange-traded stocks on both U.S. and international exchanges (think Apple on NASDAQ or Vodafone in London), which Markets.com does not offer. Both brokers support forex trading (via CFDs/spot) and provide access to cryptocurrency derivatives, but neither allows buying actual crypto.
Features differ in other ways: Markets.com includes copy trading, whereas Schwab does not. For overall range of investments, ForexBrokers.com rates Schwab 5 stars and ranks it #5 out of 63 brokers, while Markets.com earns 4 stars and ranks #30. In short, choose Schwab if you want the largest asset selection and direct stock ownership; pick Markets.com if you prefer CFD trading with the option to copy other traders.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Markets.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 2179 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 57 |
| 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 Markets.com both offer a strong range of trading platforms and tools designed to cater to various investor needs. Both platforms provide simulated trading options with free virtual demo accounts, and each has developed proprietary platforms for their users. Steveeking convenience, both Schwab and Markets.com offer trading platforms accessible via desktop download for Windows and through web-based browsers. However, if you're interested in copy trading or using MetaTrader platforms (MT4 and MT5), Markets.com stands out by offering these services, while Schwab does not.
When delving into features for technical traders or those focused on stock chart integration, Charles Schwab holds a unique edge. Schwab provides the ability to trade directly from stock charts along with 24 drawing tools, surpassing Markets.com's offering of only four. In terms of monitoring stock movements, Schwab accommodates with an impressive 580 columns for watch lists compared to Markets.com's six. These strengths are echoed in user ratings and industry rankings, with Charles Schwab receiving a 5-star rating and ranking fifth out of 63 brokers. Comparatively, Markets.com holds a 4-star rating and ranks 27th, reflecting its robust feature set but indicating room for enhancement.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Markets.com
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 89 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 24 | 4 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 580 | 6 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both Charles Schwab and Markets.com offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, with price alerts and real-time watchlists that sync across mobile and your online account. Each app lets you draw trendlines on stock and forex charts. Where they differ is chart workflow: Schwab supports multiple time frames (intraday, daily, weekly, and more) and auto saves your chart drawings, while Markets.com does not offer multi–time frame viewing and does not auto save drawings.
For technical analysis, Schwab includes 374 technical studies in its mobile charting. Markets.com’s own app does not include built-in studies; if you trade through MT4, you get MT4’s default indicators instead. Reflecting these differences, ForexBrokers.com rates Schwab’s mobile app 5 stars and ranks it #6 out of 63 brokers, versus Markets.com at 4 stars and #34. If you want advanced mobile charting and saved annotations, Schwab stands out; if you just need core alerts and synced watchlists on iPhone or Android, both will get the job done.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Markets.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 374 | (default on MT4, none on Markets app) |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, Charles Schwab and Markets.com both provide daily market commentary, offering insights to help investors stay informed about the latest market trends. Both platforms feature forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, ensuring access to reliable information. However, neither broker integrates technical analysis or fundamental research tools from companies like Autochartist or Trading Central. Additionally, market research from TipRanks and tools from Acuity Trading are missing from both services. While Markets.com offers a unique sentiment-based trading tool that displays ratios of long and short positions across different instruments, Charles Schwab does not provide this feature.
In terms of broader research offerings, both Charles Schwab and Markets.com include an economic calendar displaying upcoming global news events, allowing users to plan their trading strategies effectively. Despite these similarities, Charles Schwab takes the lead with a perfect five-star research rating and ranks fourth out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. Meanwhile, Markets.com holds a four-star rating and is ranked 17th in the same category. These distinctions highlight the slight edge Charles Schwab has in providing comprehensive research capabilities for traders.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Markets.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | No | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners in online trading, Charles Schwab clearly stands out compared to Markets.com. Charles Schwab offers a wide array of educational materials, including over ten pieces focused specifically on forex and CFDs, providing valuable knowledge for traders looking to delve into these areas. Additionally, Schwab hosts regular online educational webinars and provides access to an archive of previously recorded sessions, ensuring beginners have continuous learning opportunities. Notably, Charles Schwab also features a comprehensive investor dictionary with definitions of over 50 investing terms, helping novices familiarize themselves with essential trading language.
Markets.com, while offering some educational resources, falls short in a few key areas. Although it provides online webinars and foundational video content for beginners, its lack of focus on forex and CFDs education may not fully support traders interested in these specific markets. Moreover, the absence of a searchable archive of past webinars and an investor dictionary can limit the depth of learning available to users. With an education rating of 4 stars from ForexBrokers.com and a rank of #34 out of 63 brokers, Markets.com shows that while it is reliable, beginners might find more comprehensive resources with Charles Schwab, which boasts a 5-star education rating and occupies the #6 ranking in the education category.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Markets.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| 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 Markets.com. Charles Schwab finished with an overall rank of #6, while Markets.com finished with an overall rank of #23.
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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Markets.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 93 |
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Both Charles Schwab and Markets.com do not provide the option to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but they both offer the capability to trade in cryptocurrency derivatives.
When comparing the deposit and withdrawal options of online brokers, Charles Schwab supports ACH, SEPA, and bank wire transfers but doesn't offer PayPal, Skrill, or credit card options, whereas Markets.com does not support ACH or SEPA but facilitates transactions via Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires.
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 | Markets.com | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 93 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Charles Schwab | Markets.com | |
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| Regulation | Charles Schwab | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 93 | |
| Year Founded | 1971 | 1999 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Charles Schwab | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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 | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Charles Schwab | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 2179 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 57 | |
| 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 | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Charles Schwab | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 | |
| 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 | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | No | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 580 | 6 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 374 | 89 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 24 | 4 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Charles Schwab | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | (default on MT4, none on Markets app) | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | Charles Schwab | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | No | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Charles Schwab | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | Charles Schwab | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | ||
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | Charles Schwab Review |
| Overall | Charles Schwab | Markets.com | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 93 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review |
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