Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Charles Schwab vs Markets4you, 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.
When comparing Charles Schwab to Markets4you, several key differences become clear, especially regarding trust and regulatory compliance. Founded in 1971, Charles Schwab is not only publicly traded, but it is also a recognized banking institution. Its impressive regulatory credentials include holding five Tier-1 licenses, the highest standard for regulatory trust. These factors contribute to an outstanding ForexBrokers.com Trust Score rating of 99 out of 99, marking it as a highly trusted broker.
On the other hand, Markets4you, established in 2007, doesn't hold any Tier-1 or Tier-2 licenses, which are sought after by investors looking for secure platforms. As a non-bank institution and not listed on a stock exchange, its ForexBrokers.com Trust Score stands at 61, indicating a higher risk. For investors who prioritize safety and trust, Charles Schwab's long-standing reputation and rigorous regulatory oversight set it apart from Markets4you.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Markets4you
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
When comparing Charles Schwab and Markets4you in terms of their commissions and fees, Schwab emerges as the more favorable choice, particularly for those interested in forex trading. Schwab doesn't require a minimum deposit, making it accessible for new traders. Moreover, it offers two main account types that grant forex trading access through its Schwab One and Schwab Global accounts. Schwab One allows trades to be settled in U.S. dollars, with a minimum trade size of 10,000 units, necessitating a $500 margin with 20:1 leverage. While there are no direct commissions for forex trading, costs are built into the bid/ask spread, with the EUR/USD average spread at 1.35 pips. In contrast, Markets4you doesn't provide clear data on average spreads, which can be a drawback for those concerned about trading costs.
For traders focusing on international markets, Schwab Global provides access to twelve international markets in their local currencies. However, conversion fees apply, ranging from 0.2% to 1% depending on the account balance. This makes Schwab Global more suitable for those who are comfortable handling multiple currencies. Schwab offers transparency with its thinkorswim platform, which includes a tool to calculate overnight carry charges, assisting traders in estimating potential costs. Meanwhile, Markets4you lacks detailed spread information, potentially complicating cost estimations for traders.
In terms of broker ratings, Charles Schwab scores a commendable 4 stars for its commissions and fees, achieving the rank of #24 out of 63 brokers as rated by ForexBrokers.com. Conversely, Markets4you earns a 3.5-star rating and is ranked #54 in the same category. Schwab not only provides a wider range of account options and trading tools but also comes with greater transparency in trading costs, making it the stronger contender in this comparison.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Markets4you
|
|---|---|---|
| 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.
When comparing the investment offerings of Charles Schwab and Markets4you, Charles Schwab stands out with an impressive range of 40,000 tradeable symbols, dwarfing Markets4you's 150. For those interested in forex trading, Charles Schwab provides access to 73 tradeable forex pairs, considerably more than the 43 offered by Markets4you. Investors seeking exchange-traded securities, such as Apple shares, will find that Charles Schwab offers these options on both U.S. and international exchanges, while Markets4you does not support these types of investments. Both brokers allow trading in forex as CFDs or spot contracts, and they offer cryptocurrency derivatives, though neither provides the option to buy actual cryptocurrency.
While Charles Schwab excels in providing a broad range of investment opportunities, earning it a 5-star rating for its range of investments, Markets4you's more limited offerings result in a 3.5-star rating. Despite being able to offer copy trading, Markets4you still ranks significantly lower in the Range of Investments category, placing #58 out of 63 brokers, whereas Charles Schwab secures a commendable #5 ranking. Investors prioritizing variety and access to diverse financial markets may find Charles Schwab to be a more suitable option than Markets4you.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Markets4you
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 Charles Schwab to Markets4you, both brokers provide a comprehensive selection of trading platforms and tools. Charles Schwab offers a user-friendly experience with its proprietary platform, available as a Windows-based desktop download and a web-based option. It supports simulated trading through a virtual demo account, allowing users to practice risk-free. However, Charles Schwab does not support popular platforms like MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5 and lacks features like copy trading.
On the other hand, Markets4you stands out for its support of both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, providing traders with advanced charting and analysis options. It also offers copy trading, making it appealing for those interested in following other traders' strategies. Although Markets4you has fewer chart drawing tools and watch list fields compared to Charles Schwab, it still maintains customer satisfaction with a 4-star rating. Ultimately, Charles Schwab is ranked higher by ForexBrokers.com for its broader feature set and overall platform capabilities.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Markets4you
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 it comes to mobile trading apps, Charles Schwab and Markets4you both offer apps for iPhone and Android users, making trading on the go convenient for everyone. Both apps provide stock or forex price alerts and allow traders to draw trendlines on charts, all while offering multiple time frames for viewing stocks or forex. However, a notable difference between the two is in watchlist synchronization. Charles Schwab seamlessly syncs watchlists between the mobile app and the user’s online account, while Markets4you lacks this functionality. This feature alone can enhance the trading experience by ensuring consistent access to stock information across platforms.
Diving deeper into charting capabilities, Charles Schwab impresses with an extensive 374 technical studies compared to Markets4you’s 30, allowing for more detailed market analysis. Both trading apps automatically save drawings on charts, and they also support the creation of watchlists with real-time quotes, providing timely information for informed decision-making. Despite these similarities, Charles Schwab stands out in ratings and rankings, earning 5 stars for its mobile app and securing the 6th spot out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. Meanwhile, Markets4you is rated 4 stars and ranks 50th, which may influence a trader’s choice between the two, especially when considering user satisfaction and industry reputation.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Markets4you
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 Markets4you both provide traders with daily market commentary and access to forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones. However, when it comes to specialized research tools, Markets4you takes the lead by offering resources from companies like Autochartist and Trading Central, which Charles Schwab does not. Both brokers provide economic calendars to track global news events, but neither offers sentiment-based trading tools to show position ratios across currency pairs. Additionally, neither uses research from Acuity Trading or TipRanks, setting a straightforward comparison between the two.
While both brokers deliver some essential market research features, Charles Schwab outshines Markets4you in research rankings and ratings. Charles Schwab achieves an impressive five-star rating and a high position of #4 out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, Markets4you is rated at 3.5 stars and ranks significantly lower at #47. This comparison highlights Charles Schwab's standing as a more reputable source for research, despite Markets4you's edge in offering specific technical analysis tools.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Markets4you
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing the educational resources available for beginners between Charles Schwab and Markets4you, Charles Schwab stands out with its comprehensive offerings. Charles Schwab provides an extensive array of forex and CFDs educational materials, including more than 10 articles, videos, and archived webinars. Another key advantage is their commitment to ongoing learning, as evidenced by their monthly online client webinars and a searchable archive of previous sessions. For beginners, Charles Schwab offers over 10 introductory videos specifically geared toward new traders, making it an excellent choice for those just starting out. Additionally, Charles Schwab supports advanced traders with a similar collection of videos on more complex topics, coupled with an investor dictionary elucidating over 50 investing terms, all reflecting their 5-star rating in education.
Markets4you, while offering forex and CFDs educational materials similar to Charles Schwab, does not provide the same breadth of resources tailored for beginners. Although they have a searchable archive of past webinars, Markets4you lacks a regular schedule of monthly educational webinars and does not have a significant library of beginner or advanced educational videos. Furthermore, Markets4you does not offer an investor dictionary with an extensive list of definitions, resulting in a lower educational rating of 3.5 stars. Ranked #26 in education by ForexBrokers.com, Markets4you is positioned as a serviceable option but falls short of the extensive learning support that Charles Schwab delivers.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Markets4you
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Charles Schwab is better than Markets4you. Charles Schwab finished with an overall rank of #6, while Markets4you finished with an overall rank of #56.
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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Markets4you
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 61 |
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Both Charles Schwab and Markets4you do not offer the ability to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but they do provide options for purchasing cryptocurrency derivatives.
Charles Schwab supports ACH, SEPA, and bank wire transfers for depositing or withdrawing funds, while Markets4you does not offer ACH or SEPA transfers but provides options for Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and also supports bank wire transfers.
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 | Markets4you | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 61 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Charles Schwab | Markets4you | |
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| Regulation | Charles Schwab | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Charles Schwab | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | ||
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Charles Schwab | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | ||
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | No | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Charles Schwab | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Markets4you | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 61 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review |
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