Charles Schwab vs Tickmill 2025

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.

Regulation

Charles Schwab, established in 1971, stands out in the online brokerage world as a publicly traded bank with a top-tier reputation. It holds a perfect Trust Score of 99 out of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, highlighting its reliability. Schwab possesses five Tier-1 licenses, making it a highly trusted choice for investors looking for security and peace of mind. This longstanding institution is recognized for combining a banking platform with brokerage services, offering a comprehensive financial experience.

In contrast, Tickmill, founded in 2014, is a newer player in the market. Though not publicly traded nor a bank, it still maintains a respectable ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 86, falling into the trusted category. Tickmill holds two Tier-1 and two Tier-2 licenses, indicating a solid regulatory standing. While Tickmill offers a different business model compared to Charles Schwab, it provides trusted services that cater to those who prefer a more focused trading platform.

Feature	Charles Schwab	Tickmill
Year Founded info	1971	2014
Publicly Traded (Listed) info	Yes	No
Bank info	Yes	No
Tier-1 Licenses info	5	2
Tier-2 Licenses info	0	2
Tier-3 Licenses info	0	0
Tier-4 Licenses info	0	1

Fees

Comparing Charles Schwab and Tickmill on commissions and fees, Tickmill generally delivers lower all-in trading costs for forex. Tickmill’s Raw account charges a $3-per-side commission per 100,000 units and typically shows a 0.11-pip EUR/USD spread; after the new commission, the all-in cost comes to about 0.71 pips (October 2023). By contrast, Schwab’s forex pricing is spread-only with no commission, but its average EUR/USD spread was 1.35 pips in October 2024. Ratings: Charles Schwab — 4/5 stars, ranked #23 of 63 for Commissions and Fees; Tickmill — 5/5 stars, ranked #10 of 63.

Charles Schwab has no minimum deposit for its main brokerage accounts and offers forex trading through the thinkorswim platform via the Schwab One account. All trades settle in U.S. dollars, the smallest trade size is 10,000 units (about $500 minimum margin at 20:1 leverage), and overnight carry charges are shown in-platform with a handy calculator. For trading in local currencies, Schwab’s Global account grants access to 12 markets; currency conversion fees apply when funding in a different currency (about 0.2%–1%, based on balance size). Schwab’s costs are entirely spread-based for forex, with the EUR/USD averaging 1.35 pips in October 2024. Rating and rank: 4/5 stars, #23 of 63 for Commissions and Fees.

Tickmill offers two accounts. The Classic account is commission-free but carries wider average spreads (about 1.76 pips on EUR/USD as of August 2023). The Raw account replaced the Pro, keeps the minimum at just $100, and charges $3 per side per standard lot while delivering very tight spreads (typical EUR/USD 0.11 pips in October 2023). After factoring in the increased commission, the estimated all-in cost on EUR/USD is roughly 0.71 pips, which is attractive for active traders. Rating and rank: 5/5 stars, #10 of 63 for Commissions and Fees.

Feature	Charles Schwab	Tickmill
Minimum Deposit info	$0	$100
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info	1.27 info	1.70 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info	1.27 info	0.70 info
Non-wire bank transfer info	Yes	No
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info	No	Yes
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info	No	Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info	Yes	Yes

Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.

Range of investments

Schwab vs Tickmill: both brokers offer forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, and both let you trade cryptocurrency via CFDs (neither sells actual crypto). The big difference is breadth. Charles Schwab lists about 40,000 tradeable symbols and 73 forex pairs, and it provides access to real exchange‑traded securities on U.S. and international markets—so you can buy shares like Apple on Nasdaq or Vodafone in London. Tickmill lists about 637 symbols and 63 forex pairs, does not offer real stocks on U.S. or overseas exchanges, but it does support copy trading (Schwab does not).

For Range of Investments, ForexBrokers.com rates Charles Schwab 5 out of 5 stars (ranked 5th of 63) and Tickmill 3.5 stars (ranked 30th). If you want a very large lineup that includes exchange‑listed shares and thousands of other instruments, Schwab stands out. If you mainly trade forex and CFDs and want copy trading, Tickmill may fit your needs.

Feature	Charles Schwab	Tickmill
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info	Yes	Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info	40000	637
Forex Pairs (Total) info	73	63
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info	Yes	No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info	Yes	No
Copy Trading info	No	Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info	No	No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info	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.

Trading platforms and tools

Comparing trading platforms and tools, Charles Schwab and Tickmill both let you practice with a free demo (paper) account. Schwab offers its own proprietary platform along with Windows desktop and web trading, and it supports trading directly from charts. Tickmill also provides Windows desktop and web platforms with chart trading, but instead of an in-house platform it focuses on MetaTrader options. According to ForexBrokers.com, Schwab earns 5 stars and ranks #7 of 63 for Trading Platforms and Tools, while Tickmill earns 4 stars and ranks #24.

The biggest differences are third-party support and social features. Tickmill supports MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 and offers copy trading, which can suit forex traders and those who want to mirror strategies. Schwab does not offer MT4/MT5 or copy trading, but its proprietary platform may appeal to investors who want an all-in-one experience. Both brokers include charting with technical indicators and watch lists, though the exact counts aren’t specified. If you need MT4/MT5 or copy trading, Tickmill fits; if you prefer a broker-built platform with strong reviewer scores, Schwab stands out.

Feature	Charles Schwab	Tickmill
Virtual Trading (Demo) info	Yes	Yes
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info	Yes	No
Desktop Platform (Windows) info	Yes	Yes
Web Platform info	Yes	Yes
Copy Trading info	No	Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info	No	Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info	No	Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info	374	91
Charting - Trade From Chart info	Yes	Yes

Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.

Forex trading apps

Charles Schwab and Tickmill both deliver mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, including stock and forex price alerts. According to ForexBrokers.com’s Mobile Trading Apps category, Charles Schwab earns 5 stars and ranks #6 out of 63 brokers, while Tickmill earns 4 stars and ranks #25. If ratings and overall experience matter to you, Schwab scores higher in third-party reviews, but both apps cover core trading needs on the go.

For charting, Charles Schwab’s app offers 374 technical studies versus Tickmill’s 30. Both let you draw trendlines and automatically save your drawings. A key difference is watchlists: Schwab syncs symbols between the mobile app and your online account, while Tickmill does not. If you want deeper chart analysis and seamless watchlist syncing, Charles Schwab has the edge; if you prefer a simpler setup, Tickmill can still fit the bill.

Feature	Charles Schwab	Tickmill
Android App info	Yes	Yes
Apple iOS App info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info	Yes	No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info	374	30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info	Yes	Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

Both Charles Schwab and Tickmill deliver daily market commentary and offer forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones. Each broker also provides an economic calendar to track upcoming events. However, neither includes research from Autochartist, Trading Central, or TipRanks.

When it comes to extras, Tickmill adds a sentiment tool that shows long vs. short positioning and offers research from Acuity Trading’s Signal Centre. Charles Schwab doesn’t include those specific add-ons, yet its research earns higher marks overall: 5 stars and ranked #5 out of 63 brokers for Research by ForexBrokers.com, compared with Tickmill’s 4 stars and #19. Choose Schwab for higher-rated research coverage, or Tickmill if you want sentiment insights and Acuity-powered signals alongside headline news.

Feature	Charles Schwab	Tickmill
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info	Yes	Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info	Yes	Yes
Autochartist info	No	No
Trading Central info	No	No
Client sentiment data info	No	Yes
TipRanks info	No	No
Acuity Trading info	No	Yes
Economic Calendar info	Yes	Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.

Beginners and education

For beginner traders, both Charles Schwab and Tickmill deliver clear, structured learning. Each broker runs online educational webinars at least once a month and provides large video libraries, with 10+ beginner videos to build core skills and 10+ advanced videos for when you’re ready to level up. Where they differ is overall strength: ForexBrokers.com rates Schwab’s education at 5 stars and ranks it #6 out of 63 brokers, while Tickmill earns 4 stars and ranks #14.

If your top priority is the most complete, highly rated education path, Schwab is the safer pick. If you want frequent webinars and plenty of videos while focusing on trading with a forex-first broker, Tickmill remains a good alternative. Either way, beginners get ongoing guidance plus room to grow into more advanced topics.

Feature	Charles Schwab	Tickmill
Webinars info	Yes	Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info	Yes	Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info	Yes	Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.

Winner

After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Charles Schwab is better than Tickmill. Charles Schwab finished with an overall rank of #6, while Tickmill finished with an overall rank of #23.

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	Tickmill
Overall Rating info
Trust Score info	99	86
Range of Investments
Trading Fees
Trading Platforms
Research
Mobile Trading
Education

FAQs

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Overall Rating	Charles Schwab	Tickmill
Overall Rating info
Trading Fees
Range of Investments
Trading Platforms
Mobile Trading
Research
Education
Trust Score info	99	86
Winner	check_circle
Review	Charles Schwab Review	Tickmill Review

Broker Screenshots	Charles Schwab	Tickmill
Broker Gallery (click to expand) info

Regulation	Charles Schwab	Tickmill
Trust Score info	99	86
Year Founded info	1971	2014
Publicly Traded (Listed) info	Yes	No
Bank info	Yes	No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info	No	Yes info
Tier-1 Licenses info	5	2
Tier-2 Licenses info	0	2
Tier-3 Licenses info	0	0
Tier-4 Licenses info	0	1

Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted)	Charles Schwab	Tickmill
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info	No	No
Canada (CIRO Authorised) info	Yes	No
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) info	Yes	No
Japan (FSA Authorised) info		No
Singapore (MAS Authorised) info	Yes	No
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) info
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) info	Yes	Yes
USA (CFTC Authorized) info	Yes	No
New Zealand (FMA Authorised) info		No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info	No	Yes info

Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted)	Charles Schwab	Tickmill
Kenya (CMA Authorised) info
Israel (ISA Authorised) info		No
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info		Yes
UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) info		Yes
India (SEBI Authorised) info		No
Jordan (JSC Authorised) info

Investments	Charles Schwab	Tickmill
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info	Yes	Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info	40000	637
Forex Pairs (Total) info	73	63
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info	Yes	No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info	Yes	No
Copy Trading info	No	Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info	No	No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info	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	Tickmill
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info	1.27 info	1.70 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info	1.27 info	0.70 info
Inactivity Fee info	No	No
Order execution: Agency info	Yes	Yes
Order execution: Market Maker info	No	Yes

Funding	Charles Schwab	Tickmill
Minimum Deposit info	$0	$100
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info	No	Yes
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info	No	Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info	Yes	Yes
Non-wire bank transfer info	Yes	No

Trading Platforms	Charles Schwab	Tickmill
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info	Yes	No
Desktop Platform (Windows) info	Yes	Yes
Web Platform info	Yes	Yes
Copy Trading info	No	Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info	No	Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info	No	Yes
cTrader info	No	No

Trading Tools	Charles Schwab	Tickmill
Virtual Trading (Demo) info	Yes	Yes
Price Alerts info	Yes	Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info	374	91
Charting - Trade From Chart info	Yes	Yes
Charts can be saved info	Yes	Yes

Mobile Trading	Charles Schwab	Tickmill
Android App info	Yes	Yes
Apple iOS App info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] info
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info	Yes	No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info	374	30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Research - Economic Calendar info	Yes	Yes

Research	Charles Schwab	Tickmill
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info	Yes	Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info	Yes	Yes
Autochartist info	No	No
Trading Central info	No	No
TipRanks info	No	No
Client sentiment data info	No	Yes
Economic Calendar info	Yes	Yes

Education	Charles Schwab	Tickmill
Webinars info	Yes	Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info	Yes	Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info	Yes	Yes

Major Forex Pairs	Charles Schwab	Tickmill
GBP/USD [DELETED] info
USD/JPY [DELETED] info
EUR/USD info	Yes	Yes
USD/CHF [DELETED] info
USD/CAD [DELETED] info
NZD/USD [DELETED] info
AUD/USD [DELETED] info
Review	Charles Schwab Review	Tickmill Review

Overall	Charles Schwab	Tickmill
Overall Rating info
Trading Fees
Range of Investments
Trading Platforms
Mobile Trading
Research
Education
Trust Score info	99	86
Winner	check_circle
Review	Charles Schwab Review	Tickmill Review