Charles Schwab vs RoboForex 2025
In this head to head comparison of Charles Schwab vs RoboForex, 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 RoboForex, 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 as a highly trusted financial figure in the online brokerage space. As a publicly traded company and a bank, it boasts the highest possible Trust Score of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com. This rating reflects its formidable security and reliability standards. Charles Schwab holds five Tier-1 licenses, which are considered the gold standard for trust and legality in the financial industry.
On the other hand, RoboForex, founded in 2009, is not publicly listed and does not operate as a bank. With a Trust Score of 73, it falls into the average risk category according to ForexBrokers.com. While RoboForex holds only one Tier-1 license, it maintains its standing as a viable platform for users who might prioritize different features over the assurance of a top-tier regulatory framework. These details help distinguish the two platforms, offering potential investors a clear picture of their options.
Feature |
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Year Founded | 1971 | 2009 |
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 | 2 |
Charles Schwab offers commission-free forex trading; your cost is the bid/ask spread. In October 2024, its average EUR/USD spread was 1.35 pips, which is on the higher side. There’s no minimum deposit for primary accounts, and forex access comes through the Schwab One account on thinkorswim. Trades settle in U.S. dollars, and the smallest trade size is 10,000 units (about $500 margin at 20:1 leverage). If you use the Schwab Global account to trade in local currencies, expect currency conversion fees of roughly 0.2% to 1% based on your balance. Overnight financing (carry) costs are displayed in-platform. Rating: 4 out of 5 stars; Ranking for Commissions and Fees: #25 of 63.
RoboForex lists average EUR/USD spreads of about 1.3 pips on its Procent and Pro accounts, which is considered high for those account types. That places RoboForex’s headline spread slightly tighter than Schwab’s recent 1.35 pips, but still elevated by industry standards. Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars; Ranking for Commissions and Fees: #56 of 63.
Bottom line: Charles Schwab charges no forex commission and provides clear tools for estimating overnight costs, but its EUR/USD spread (1.35 pips) ran a bit wider than RoboForex’s 1.3 pips on select accounts. Schwab also adds potential conversion fees (0.2%–1%) when trading international markets in local currencies. Considering overall value signals, Schwab’s higher rating (4.0) and stronger category rank (#25) compare favorably to RoboForex’s 3.5 stars and #56 placement, while RoboForex may appeal if you’re focused on a marginally narrower EUR/USD spread on those specific account types.
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Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.35 | 1.3 |
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.35 | 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 | Yes |
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to comparing the range of investments available at Charles Schwab and RoboForex, both platforms bring something to the table, catering to different investment needs. Charles Schwab shines with an impressive range of 40,000 tradable symbols, including 73 forex pairs, and offers the ability to trade exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges. This flexibility allows clients to invest in renowned companies such as Apple and Vodafone. Although Charles Schwab doesn't support copy trading, it does provide access to cryptocurrency derivatives, offering a broad spectrum of investment opportunities, which earns it a full 5-star rating and a prestigious fifth place in the Range of Investments category according to ForexBrokers.com.
RoboForex, known for offering forex trading as both CFD and spot contracts, presents investors with 8400 tradable symbols and 28 forex pairs. While it does not support direct investment in U.S. and international stocks like Charles Schwab, it compensates with features such as copy trading, appealing to those interested in following successful strategies. RoboForex also offers cryptocurrency derivatives, though not the actual cryptocurrencies. These capabilities contribute to a solid 4.5-star rating and a respectable 21st ranking in the Range of Investments category among 63 brokers.
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Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 8400 |
Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 28 |
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.
Comparing trading platforms and tools, both Charles Schwab and RoboForex offer paper trading (demo accounts), plus web-based and Windows desktop platforms. Schwab adds a proprietary, in-house platform, while RoboForex leans on third-party options and supports MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5—neither of which Schwab offers. RoboForex includes copy trading, whereas Schwab does not; neither broker supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade. Both let you place trades directly from charts.
For charting, indicator counts weren’t provided, but Schwab lists 24 drawing tools versus RoboForex’s 15. Watch lists are a standout difference: Schwab offers up to 580 fields, while RoboForex lists 7. In ForexBrokers.com ratings for Trading Platforms and Tools, Schwab earns 5 stars and ranks #5 out of 63 brokers, while RoboForex earns 4 stars and ranks #44. In short, choose Schwab if you want deep platform tools and expansive watch lists, or go with RoboForex if you prefer MetaTrader and access to copy trading.
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Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
Proprietary Platform | Yes | No |
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.
Both Charles Schwab and RoboForex offer full-featured mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, complete with real-time quotes and price alerts for stocks and forex. Where they diverge is watchlist syncing: Schwab syncs watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, so changes carry over automatically, while RoboForex does not. If you want a smoother cross-device workflow, Schwab has the edge.
For charting on the go, Schwab delivers 374 technical studies compared with RoboForex’s 30, and both apps let you draw trendlines, switch among multiple time frames, and auto-save chart drawings. In independent testing by ForexBrokers.com, Schwab earned 5 stars and ranked #6 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps, while RoboForex earned 4 stars and ranked #44. Traders who need deeper analysis tools and synced lists may prefer Schwab, while RoboForex covers the essentials for everyday charting and alerts.
Feature |
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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.
For market research, both Charles Schwab and RoboForex deliver daily market commentary, forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg or Reuters, and an economic calendar that tracks major global events. Neither broker offers Autochartist tools, sentiment-based trading tools, or TipRanks research.
The key difference is in third‑party add‑ons: RoboForex includes Trading Central and Acuity Trading (Signal Centre), while Charles Schwab does not. Even so, Schwab’s research earns a higher score overall—rated 5 stars and ranked #4 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com—compared with RoboForex’s 3.5 stars and #38 ranking. If you want premium news and daily insights, both fit the bill; if you value Trading Central or Acuity specifically, RoboForex has those, while Schwab leads on overall research quality and recognition.
Feature |
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Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
Autochartist | No | No |
Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes |
Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | No | No |
TipRanks | No | No |
Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | Yes |
Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners who want clear, structured learning, Charles Schwab offers a wide range of forex and CFD education. You’ll find at least 10 dedicated pieces on forex/CFDs, monthly client webinars, and a searchable archive of past sessions. Schwab also supplies 10+ beginner trading videos and 10+ advanced videos, plus an investor dictionary with 50+ terms to help you learn the basics. It earns a 5-star Education rating and ranks #6 out of 63 brokers for Education on ForexBrokers.com.
RoboForex provides fewer beginner-focused materials in this area. It does not meet the minimum of 10 forex/CFD pieces, does not host monthly educational webinars, and does not offer a searchable archive of recorded sessions. It also falls short of having 10+ beginner or 10+ advanced trading videos and lacks a large investor dictionary. As a result, RoboForex holds a 3.5-star Education rating and ranks #57 out of 63 for Education. If you want a guided learning path with webinars, videos, and glossaries, Schwab is the stronger pick for newcomers.
Feature |
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Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No |
Client Webinars | Yes | No |
Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
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 RoboForex. Charles Schwab finished with an overall rank of #6, while RoboForex finished with an overall rank of #46.
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 | 73 |
Range of Investments |
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Research |
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Both Charles Schwab and RoboForex do not offer the ability to purchase actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but they do provide options to buy cryptocurrency derivatives.
When comparing online brokers, Charles Schwab and RoboForex both support ACH and SEPA transfers as well as bank wires for deposits and withdrawals, but RoboForex stands out by additionally providing options for PayPal, Skrill, and Visa or Mastercard, none of which are available with Charles Schwab.
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 | RoboForex | |
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Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | Charles Schwab Review | RoboForex Review |
Broker Screenshots | Charles Schwab | RoboForex | |
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Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
Regulation | Charles Schwab | RoboForex | |
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Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
Year Founded | 1971 | 2009 | |
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 | 2 |
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Charles Schwab | RoboForex | |
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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 | RoboForex | |
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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 | RoboForex | |
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Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 8400 | |
Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 28 | |
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 | RoboForex | |
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Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.35 | 1.3 | |
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.35 | N/A | |
Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes | |
Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
Execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
Funding | Charles Schwab | RoboForex | |
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Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 | |
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | No | Yes | |
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | Yes |
Trading Platforms | Charles Schwab | RoboForex | |
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Proprietary Platform | Yes | No | |
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 | RoboForex | |
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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 | RoboForex | |
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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 | RoboForex | |
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Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
Autochartist | No | No | |
Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes | |
TipRanks | No | No | |
Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | No | No | |
Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Education | Charles Schwab | RoboForex | |
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Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No | |
Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
Major Forex Pairs | Charles Schwab | RoboForex | |
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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 | RoboForex Review |
Overall | Charles Schwab | RoboForex | |
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Overall Rating |
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Range of Investments |
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Platforms & Tools |
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Mobile Trading |
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Research |
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Education |
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Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | Charles Schwab Review | RoboForex Review |