Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Charles Schwab vs Plus500, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
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Comparing online brokers Charles Schwab and Plus500: Charles Schwab was founded in 1971 and Plus500 in 2008. Both companies are publicly traded. Charles Schwab is also a bank, while Plus500 is not.
Regulation and trust: ForexBrokers.com gives both brokers a Trust Score of 99/99, which falls in the “highly trusted” range (90–99; 80–89 trusted; 70–79 average risk; 60–69 high risk; below 59 not trusted). Charles Schwab holds 5 Tier-1 licenses and 0 Tier-2 licenses. Plus500 holds 7 Tier-1 licenses and 4 Tier-2 licenses. Both score at the top for trust, with Plus500 carrying more regulatory licenses across jurisdictions.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1971 | 2008 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 7 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 4 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, Charles Schwab and Plus500 are fairly close, but Schwab has a slight edge. Schwab earns 4 stars and ranks #23 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees. It does not charge a commission on forex trades, so costs mainly come from the bid/ask spread. In October 2024, its average EUR/USD spread was 1.35 pips, which is a bit on the high side for the industry. Schwab also has no minimum deposit for its main brokerage accounts, and its thinkorswim platform lets forex traders see overnight carry costs before placing a trade.
Plus500 also earns 4.0 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #24 out of 36 brokers, putting it just behind Schwab. Its pricing is slightly above the industry average, and it does not offer retail discounts. For EUR/USD, the average spread was 1.5 pips in April 2024, which is also higher than the industry norm. Plus500 does offer cash rebates for clients who qualify as Professional clients, but most retail traders will not get those savings.
In simple terms, both brokers keep forex trading costs tied mainly to spreads rather than commissions, but Schwab is a little better priced overall. Schwab may also appeal more to traders who want access to multiple account types and international markets, while Plus500 is more straightforward but a touch more expensive on spreads.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | €50 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.27 | 1.3 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.27 | 1.3 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to range of investments, Charles Schwab gives traders a wider selection than Plus500. Schwab offers around 40,000 tradeable symbols and 73 forex pairs, while Plus500 offers about 5,500 symbols and 65 forex pairs. Both brokers let clients trade forex as a CFD or spot contract, and both provide access to exchange traded securities on U.S. and international exchanges, so you can buy real shares in companies listed in the U.S. or abroad.
There are also some important differences to note. Neither broker offers copy trading or the ability to buy actual, delivered cryptocurrency, but both do offer cryptocurrency CFDs. Based on range of investments, Charles Schwab earns a 5-star rating and ranks #5 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Plus500 is rated 4.5 stars and ranks #16. In short, if you want a broader choice of markets and instruments, Charles Schwab has the edge.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 5500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 65 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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). Non-CFD share trading at Plus500 is only available through the Plus500 Invest account. |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
Charles Schwab and Plus500 both give traders a choice of web-based platforms and free paper trading accounts, and both use their own in-house trading systems. That said, Charles Schwab has more platform options overall, including a Windows desktop download, while Plus500 does not offer a desktop app for Windows. Neither broker supports copy trading, MetaTrader 4, or MetaTrader 5.
For charting and trade execution, Charles Schwab has the edge because it lets users place trades directly from a stock chart, a feature Plus500 does not offer. This added flexibility helps explain why Charles Schwab is rated higher for trading platforms and tools, with 5 stars and a #7 ranking out of 36 brokers, compared with Plus500’s 4.5 stars and #14 ranking.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 374 | 115 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Charles Schwab and Plus500 both offer iPhone and Android apps, along with stock or forex price alerts and watchlist syncing between mobile and online accounts. Both apps also let users draw trendlines on charts, making it easier to track market moves on the go. For everyday mobile trading needs, each platform covers the basics well and gives traders access across both major smartphone systems.
Where Charles Schwab stands out is in charting and overall app quality. Its mobile app includes 374 technical studies, compared with 115 at Plus500, and it also auto-saves chart drawings, which Plus500 does not. Schwab is rated 5 stars for mobile trading apps and ranks #6 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Plus500 holds a 4.5-star rating and ranks #14. For traders who want more chart tools and a smoother mobile experience, Charles Schwab has the edge.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 374 | 115 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, Charles Schwab and Plus500 both give traders daily market commentary and an economic calendar with current and upcoming global events. Charles Schwab stands out for offering forex news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, which can be helpful for traders who want high-quality news coverage. Plus500 does not include these top-tier forex news sources, but it does offer Trading Central tools and a sentiment-based trading feature that shows how many traders are long or short on a market, which may appeal to active traders looking for quick signals.
Neither broker includes Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools, so their research suites are not identical. Overall, Charles Schwab has the stronger research offering, earning a 5-star rating and ranking #5 out of 36 brokers for Research by ForexBrokers.com. Plus500 still performs well with a 4.5-star rating and a #16 ranking, but it offers a slightly narrower research experience than Charles Schwab.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | No | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners looking for trading education, Charles Schwab comes out ahead of Plus500. Both brokers offer online educational webinars at least once a month, along with at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos on trading topics. However, Charles Schwab also provides forex or CFDs education, while Plus500 does not meet that same standard based on this information. That gives Charles Schwab a wider range of learning material for new traders who want to build their knowledge step by step.
The ratings also favor Charles Schwab. It earns 5 stars for Education and ranks #6 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, compared with Plus500’s 4.5 stars and #26 ranking. For someone starting out and wanting more learning support, Charles Schwab appears to offer the stronger overall education experience, while Plus500 still gives beginners useful tools but with a slightly smaller reach in this category.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
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 Plus500. Charles Schwab finished with an overall rank of #6, while Plus500 finished with an overall rank of #14.
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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Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 |
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Charles Schwab vs Plus500: neither online broker lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both offer trading in cryptocurrency CFDs.
In a head-to-head comparison of funding methods, Charles Schwab supports ACH/SEPA and bank wires but not PayPal or Skrill, whereas Plus500 offers PayPal, Skrill, and bank wires but not ACH/SEPA; Visa/Mastercard availability for both is not specified.
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 | Plus500 | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review | Plus500 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Charles Schwab | Plus500 | |
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| Regulation | Charles Schwab | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Year Founded | 1971 | 2008 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 7 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 4 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Charles Schwab | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Charles Schwab | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Charles Schwab | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 5500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 65 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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). Non-CFD share trading at Plus500 is only available through the Plus500 Invest account. |
| Cost | Charles Schwab | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.27 | 1.3 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.27 | 1.3 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Charles Schwab | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | €50 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Charles Schwab | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Charles Schwab | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 374 | 115 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Charles Schwab | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 374 | 115 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Charles Schwab | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | No | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Charles Schwab | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Charles Schwab | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review | Plus500 Review |
| Overall | Charles Schwab | Plus500 | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review | Plus500 Review |
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