Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Charles Schwab vs Swissquote, 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 and Swissquote, both established players in the online brokerage industry, their trustworthiness is notably high. Charles Schwab, founded in 1971, and Swissquote, founded in 1996, are both publicly traded and operate as banks. They each hold a perfect Trust Score of 99 out of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, placing them firmly in the "highly trusted" category. This reliability is underlined by their possession of five Tier-1 regulatory licenses, which are regarded as the highest standard of trust in the financial sector.
While both firms demonstrate substantial trustworthiness, a slight difference can be noted in their regulatory structures. Swissquote holds two additional Tier-2 licenses, indicators of a trusted status, which Charles Schwab does not possess. This distinction suggests a broader regulatory recognition for Swissquote, complementing its already solid standing. Overall, both Charles Schwab and Swissquote stand out as dependable choices for those seeking a secure and regulated online trading experience.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1971 | 1996 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 5 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
Charles Schwab charges no commissions for forex; your cost is the bid/ask spread. In October 2024, its average EUR/USD spread was 1.35 pips, which sits on the higher side of industry norms. There’s no minimum deposit to open an account. Forex trading runs through the Schwab One account on thinkorswim, with all trades settled in U.S. dollars. The smallest trade size is 10,000 units (about $500 minimum margin at 20:1 leverage). If you need local-currency market access, the Schwab Global account connects you to 12 international markets, with currency conversion fees that vary from 0.2% to 1% based on your balance. Schwab’s commissions and fees rating: 4 out of 5 stars; ranked #25 of 63 by ForexBrokers.com.
Swissquote’s pricing varies by entity. In the U.K., the Elite account (for deposits of $10,000+) uses a $5 per round‑turn commission with lower spreads, while the Standard account lists EUR/USD from 1.3 pips and the Prime account from 0.6 pips (minimums, not averages). In Luxembourg, minimum deposits are $1,000 (Standard), $5,000 (Premium), and $50,000 (Prime), with minimum spreads from 1.5 to 0.8 pips. In Switzerland, forex accounts start at $1,000 with spreads from 1.7 pips (Standard), 1.4 pips at $10,000 (Premium), and 1.1 pips at $50,000 (Prime), with custom pricing available for active traders. Swissquote’s commissions and fees rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars; ranked #54 of 63 by ForexBrokers.com.
Bottom line: Schwab offers simple, commission‑free forex pricing, no account minimum, and USD‑settled trades—good for ease of use—though its average EUR/USD spread (1.35 pips) is on the higher side. Swissquote can deliver tighter headline spreads at higher‑tier or commission‑based levels, but often requires larger deposits and, in some cases, adds a per‑trade commission. If you want straightforward pricing with minimal entry hurdles, Schwab is the cleaner fit; if you’re willing to post higher deposits for potentially tighter spreads (and, in the U.K., pay a $5 round‑turn), Swissquote may appeal. Note that Schwab Global applies 0.2%–1% currency conversion fees when funding in a different currency.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $1000 |
| 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 | 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 comparing Charles Schwab and Swissquote for their investment offerings, both brokers provide a variety of choices, suitable for diverse investment strategies. Charles Schwab shines with an impressive 40,000 tradeable symbols, offering U.S. and international exchange-traded securities, which includes popular stocks like Apple and Vodafone. They also provide forex trading, allowing investors to trade 73 forex pairs. While Schwab offers cryptocurrency derivatives, it does not support the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies. Despite these limitations, Charles Schwab still earns a 5-star rating for its range of investments and holds the fifth position out of 63 brokers in ForexBrokers.com's rankings.
On the other hand, Swissquote offers a comparatively smaller selection with 472 tradeable symbols but excels in its forex offerings with 80 tradeable forex pairs. Like Schwab, Swissquote facilitates access to U.S. and international exchange-traded securities, letting investors trade well-known stocks. Swissquote stands out with its provision for buying actual cryptocurrencies, in addition to derivatives, which might appeal to crypto enthusiasts. Furthermore, Swissquote supports copy trading, adding another layer of versatility for investors. Matching Schwab's 5-star rating, Swissquote is rated second in the range of investments category by ForexBrokers.com, highlighting its strong positioning in the market.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 472 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 80 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | Yes |
| 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 it comes to choosing an online broker for trading platforms and tools, Charles Schwab and Swissquote both offer a wide range of features that cater to different trading needs. Charles Schwab excels with a highly rated proprietary trading platform, allowing users to dive deep with 580 fields for watch lists, offering flexibility and detail that seasoned traders appreciate. Schwab provides simulated trading for practice and enables trading directly from stock charts, though it doesn't support popular platforms like MetaTrader 4 or 5. Swissquote, on the other hand, supports both MetaTrader 4 and 5, alongside a robust proprietary platform, offering copy trading capabilities for users interested in mirroring trading strategies of others. While Swissquote's watch lists feature fewer fields, their 75 drawing tools for charting surpass Schwab’s, providing more options for technical analysis.
Both brokers offer desktop and web-based platforms, allowing users to access their accounts from anywhere. While Charles Schwab does not support copy trading, Swissquote adds value with this feature, appealing to traders interested in collaborative strategies. With Swissquote ranked 12th and Schwab 5th by ForexBrokers.com, and platform ratings of 4.5 and 5 stars respectively, Charles Schwab holds a slight edge in the overall trading platform and tools experience, as evidenced by user reviews and industry rankings. The decision between the two will heavily depend on the trader's needs, with Schwab being ideal for those focused on detailed watch lists and American stocks, while Swissquote caters well to traders interested in Forex and platform versatility through MetaTrader support.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 86 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 24 | 75 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 580 | 11 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Charles Schwab and Swissquote both offer mobile apps for iPhone and Android, making them accessible to a wide range of traders. Both platforms feature stock or forex price alerts and allow drawing trendlines on charts, as well as viewing various time frames such as daily, weekly, or intraday. However, Charles Schwab stands out with a feature for watchlist symbol syncing between the client's online account and the mobile app, a functionality that Swissquote currently lacks.
In terms of technical capabilities, Charles Schwab offers an extensive range of 374 technical studies within its mobile app, dwarfing Swissquote's offering of 30. Both apps allow users to auto-save chart drawings and create watchlists with real-time quotes. When it comes to user ratings, Charles Schwab scores higher with five stars compared to Swissquote's 4.5 stars. Additionally, Charles Schwab ranks #6 out of 63 brokers for mobile trading apps according to ForexBrokers.com, while Swissquote is positioned at #12. These differences may influence traders depending on their specific needs and preferences for mobile trading tools.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| 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.
When comparing Charles Schwab and Swissquote for market research capabilities, both brokers offer daily market commentary and provide forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. They also include an economic calendar to keep investors informed of key global events. However, Swissquote stands out by offering technical analysis tools from Autochartist, a feature not available with Charles Schwab. Neither platform offers research tools from Trading Central or Acuity Trading, nor do they provide sentiment-based trading tools or market research from TipRanks.
Despite these similarities, Charles Schwab is rated higher for research, boasting a five-star rating compared to Swissquote's four stars. This distinction is further reflected in their rankings by ForexBrokers.com, where Charles Schwab is positioned at an impressive #4 out of 63 brokers, while Swissquote ranks at #16. This suggests that Charles Schwab may be the preferred choice for those prioritizing top-tier research capabilities.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | No | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Charles Schwab and Swissquote both check the key boxes for beginner education in forex and CFDs. Each offers at least 10 dedicated pieces of forex/CFD content, runs ongoing client webinars (at least monthly), and keeps a searchable library of recorded sessions. Beginners will also find at least 10 starter-friendly trading videos at both brokers, plus 10+ advanced videos for when they’re ready to level up. Each broker includes an investor dictionary with 50 or more terms to make learning the basics easier.
Where they differ is in quality scores. For education, Charles Schwab earns 5 stars and ranks #6 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Swissquote earns 4 stars and ranks #20. If you want a higher-rated learning path with broad coverage from first steps to advanced topics, Charles Schwab has the edge. If you’re leaning toward Swissquote, you’ll still get frequent webinars, a deep video lineup, and a searchable archive to study at your own pace.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | 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 Swissquote. Charles Schwab finished with an overall rank of #6, while Swissquote finished with an overall rank of #11.
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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Swissquote
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 |
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While Charles Schwab provides the option to trade cryptocurrency derivatives but not the actual cryptocurrency, Swissquote offers both the opportunity to buy actual, delivered cryptocurrency and trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
When comparing the online brokers Charles Schwab and Swissquote, both offer ACH or SEPA transfers and bank wires for deposits and withdrawals, but Swissquote provides additional flexibility by also accepting PayPal, Skrill, and Visa or Mastercard, options not 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 5| Overall Rating | Charles Schwab | Swissquote | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review | Swissquote Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Charles Schwab | Swissquote | |
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| Regulation | Charles Schwab | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Year Founded | 1971 | 1996 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank | Yes | Yes | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 5 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Charles Schwab | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | ||
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Charles Schwab | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 472 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 80 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | Yes | |
| 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 | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Charles Schwab | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $1000 | |
| 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 | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 580 | 11 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 374 | 86 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 24 | 75 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Charles Schwab | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | No | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Charles Schwab | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Charles Schwab | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Swissquote Review |
| Overall | Charles Schwab | Swissquote | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review | Swissquote Review |
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