Written by ForexBrokers.com
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 |
Charles Schwab
|
RoboForex
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 charges no commission for forex; your trading costs come from the bid–ask spread. In October 2024, the average EUR/USD spread was 1.35 pips, which is on the higher side. Forex trading is available through the Schwab One account with thinkorswim, where all trades settle in U.S. dollars; the smallest trade size is 10,000 units (about $500 minimum margin at 20:1 leverage). To place trades directly in a foreign currency with Schwab One, you must call in. The Schwab Global account adds access to 12 international markets in local currencies, with currency conversion fees of roughly 0.2% to 1% depending on your balance. Schwab earns 4 out of 5 stars for Commissions and Fees and ranks #26 of 63 brokers (ForexBrokers.com).
RoboForex lists average EUR/USD spreads of about 1.3 pips on its Procent and Pro accounts, which is also on the high side compared with many peers. By the numbers, RoboForex’s cited EUR/USD spread (1.3 pips) is slightly lower than Schwab’s recent average (1.35 pips), but Schwab clearly discloses overnight financing in-platform and offers multi-currency market access via Schwab Global (with separate conversion fees). RoboForex earns 3.5 out of 5 stars for Commissions and Fees and ranks #56 of 63 brokers (ForexBrokers.com).
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
RoboForex
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.32 | 1.3 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.32 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Charles Schwab vs RoboForex: for sheer variety, Schwab offers about 40,000 tradeable symbols and 73 forex pairs, while RoboForex lists roughly 8,400 symbols and 28 pairs. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot, and both let you trade cryptocurrency via CFDs; neither lets you buy actual crypto coins.
Schwab also lets you buy exchange-traded stocks directly on U.S. and international markets (for example, Apple on Nasdaq and Vodafone in London), whereas RoboForex does not offer direct share dealing and instead focuses on CFDs. RoboForex does include copy trading, which Schwab lacks. For range of investments, ForexBrokers.com rates Schwab 5 stars and ranks it #5 of 63, while RoboForex earns 4.5 stars and ranks #21 of 63.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
RoboForex
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 8400 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 28 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| 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). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
Charles Schwab and RoboForex both let you practice with a free paper (demo) account and both support trading directly from charts. Schwab stands out for offering its own proprietary platform alongside a Windows desktop download and a web-based platform. In independent reviews, Schwab’s trading platforms and tools earn 5 stars and rank #5 out of 63 brokers, reflecting a polished, in-house experience for everyday investors who want powerful chart trading and a seamless desktop and browser workflow.
RoboForex also provides Windows desktop and web-based platforms, and adds popular third‑party choices like MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). It supports copy trading, which can appeal to users who want to mirror other traders’ strategies, though it does not offer a proprietary platform. RoboForex’s platforms and tools are rated 4 stars and rank #44 out of 63, making it a solid option for MT4/MT5 fans and copy traders who prefer familiar, widely used software.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
RoboForex
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 374 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both Charles Schwab and RoboForex offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports price alerts, trendline drawing, and auto-saving for chart annotations. A key difference is watchlists: Charles Schwab syncs symbols between the mobile app and your online account, while RoboForex does not. Charting depth also varies—Schwab includes 374 technical studies compared with 30 at RoboForex—giving Schwab the edge if you rely on a wide range of indicators for stock or forex trading on the go.
In independent testing by ForexBrokers.com, Charles Schwab’s mobile trading apps earned 5 stars and ranked #6 out of 63 brokers, while RoboForex received 4 stars and ranked #44. If you want advanced chart tools and seamless watchlist syncing, Schwab stands out; if you mainly need core features across iPhone and Android with alerts and basic drawing tools, RoboForex covers the essentials.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
RoboForex
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 374 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Charles Schwab and RoboForex both cover the essentials for market research: daily market commentary, premium forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, and an economic calendar. Neither offers Autochartist, a sentiment tool, or TipRanks. The main split comes from third-party research add-ons—RoboForex includes Trading Central and Acuity Trading’s Signal Centre, while Schwab does not.
Even so, Schwab’s overall research earns higher marks from ForexBrokers.com: 5 stars and #5 out of 63 in the Research category, compared with RoboForex’s 3.5 stars and #38. Pick RoboForex if you want Trading Central and Acuity signals built in; choose Charles Schwab if you prioritize daily commentary, top-tier news, and higher-rated research quality.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
RoboForex
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | No | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners comparing education at Charles Schwab and RoboForex, Schwab clearly offers more structure and depth. Schwab runs client webinars online at least once a month and provides at least 10 beginner videos plus at least 10 advanced videos that explain trading topics in plain language. That breadth helps new traders build skills step by step. It shows in the scores: Schwab earns 5 stars for Education and ranks #6 out of 63 brokers for this category on ForexBrokers.com. By contrast, RoboForex does not host monthly educational webinars and does not meet the mark of having 10+ beginner or 10+ advanced videos, contributing to its 3.5-star Education rating and a #57 ranking out of 63.
If you’re specifically seeking forex or CFD-only education, the data provided did not confirm whether either broker meets the threshold of 10 or more dedicated pieces on those topics. Still, for most beginners who want frequent webinars and a sizable video library to learn trading basics and beyond, Charles Schwab is the stronger fit, while RoboForex may suit self-directed learners who need fewer materials and don’t rely on live educational sessions.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
RoboForex
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | 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.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
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RoboForex
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 |
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Charles Schwab and RoboForex do not support buying actual delivered cryptocurrencies, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading, allowing traders to speculate on crypto prices without owning the underlying assets.
Charles Schwab vs. RoboForex: both brokers support ACH/SEPA transfers for funding and withdrawals; Charles Schwab also supports bank wires and does not support PayPal or Skrill, while RoboForex’s availability of PayPal, Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wires 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 | 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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| Regulation | Charles Schwab | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 8400 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 28 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| 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). |
| Cost | Charles Schwab | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.32 | 1.3 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.32 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Charles Schwab | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | ||
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | ||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Charles Schwab | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Charles Schwab | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 374 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Charles Schwab | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 374 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Charles Schwab | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | No | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Charles Schwab | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | Charles Schwab | RoboForex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | RoboForex Review |
| Overall | Charles Schwab | RoboForex | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review | RoboForex Review |
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