Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Charles Schwab vs Trading 212, 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 and Trading 212 are two well-known online brokers with distinct features and trust ratings. Founded in 1971, Charles Schwab is not only a broker but also a publicly traded bank, which adds to its credibility and financial backing. It boasts the highest possible Trust Score of 99 as rated by ForexBrokers.com, signifying high trust. This rating is supported by Charles Schwab’s possession of 5 Tier-1 licenses, regarded as the gold standard in regulatory trust.
Trading 212, which began its operations in 2004, offers a modern approach to online trading but without the banking services Schwab provides. It is not publicly traded, setting it apart from Charles Schwab, and holds 3 Tier-1 licenses, signifying a trusted level of regulatory compliance. With a Trust Score of 80, Trading 212 is classified as trusted but does not reach the same level of assurance as Charles Schwab. For traders, these factors contribute to the decision-making process, whether one seeks the robust stability of an established institution or the innovative features of a newer platform.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1971 | 2004 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, both Charles Schwab and Trading 212 market zero-commission trading on forex/CFDs, but your real cost is the spread. Schwab’s average EUR/USD spread was 1.35 pips in October 2024, while Trading 212 reported 2.7 pips for April 2025. That difference can add up for active traders, making Schwab cheaper on this key pair in our snapshot comparison. Ratings: Charles Schwab — 4 out of 5 stars, ranked #26 of 63 for Commissions and Fees. Trading 212 — 4 out of 5 stars, ranked #50 of 63 for Commissions and Fees.
Charles Schwab has no minimum deposit for its main brokerage accounts and supports forex trading via the thinkorswim platform with a Schwab One account. All trades settle in U.S. dollars, and the smallest trade size is 10,000 units (about $500 in margin at 20:1 leverage). If you want to place trades in a foreign market’s local currency from Schwab One, you’ll need to call Schwab; the Schwab Global account lets you trade directly in 12 international markets, with currency conversion fees from 0.2% to 1% depending on balance. Schwab doesn’t charge forex commissions; your costs are the spread, and the platform shows overnight financing (carry) in a built-in calculator.
Trading 212 offers two accounts: Invest (shares) with a €1 minimum and CFD with a €10 minimum. It advertises zero-commission trading for CFDs and forex, but spreads apply; its published average EUR/USD spread of 2.7 pips for April 2025 is well above the industry average, which can make frequent trading more expensive than at leading rivals. Trading 212’s Commissions and Fees rating is 4 out of 5 stars, and it ranks #50 of 63 in this category.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | €1 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.32 | 2.7 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.32 | 2.7 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Charles Schwab offers a very large catalog with 40,000 tradeable symbols, including 73 forex pairs, plus exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges. It supports forex trading via CFDs or spot and offers crypto CFDs, but not delivered (actual) cryptocurrency. Copy trading isn’t available. Trading 212 lists 7,868 symbols and a larger set of 146 forex pairs. It also provides exchange-traded securities on U.S. and international markets and supports crypto CFDs, but not delivered crypto or copy trading. Forex trading is available via CFDs or spot.
Both earn 5 stars for Range of Investments from ForexBrokers.com, with Charles Schwab ranked #5 out of 63 brokers and Trading 212 ranked #16. In short, Schwab suits investors who want the widest overall menu of products, while Trading 212 stands out if you prioritize access to more currency pairs.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 7868 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 146 |
| 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). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
Charles Schwab and Trading 212 both offer free paper trading (virtual demo accounts) and run proprietary platforms built in-house. Each broker provides a web-based platform and lets you place trades directly from charts. Schwab also offers a Windows desktop download platform, while Trading 212 does not. Neither broker supports copy trading, and neither integrates MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5.
For platform quality and tools, ForexBrokers.com rates Charles Schwab 5 stars and ranks it 5th out of 63 brokers, while Trading 212 earns 4 stars and ranks 20th out of 63. If you want a higher-rated toolkit with a dedicated desktop platform, Schwab is the better fit; if you prefer a straightforward web platform with a demo account, Trading 212 covers the basics well.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 54 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both Charles Schwab and Trading 212 offer fully featured mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports price alerts and watchlist syncing, so changes you make on mobile match your online account. Charting tools are strong on both, with the ability to draw trendlines and have your drawings auto-save. The biggest difference is the depth of technical studies: Schwab includes 374 indicators, while Trading 212 offers 104, which may matter if you rely on advanced chart analysis.
According to ForexBrokers.com, Charles Schwab’s mobile trading app is rated 5 stars and ranks #6 out of 63 brokers, while Trading 212 earns 4 stars and ranks #17. If you want the widest range of built-in indicators and top-tier ratings, Schwab stands out; if you prefer a simpler toolkit that still covers key features like alerts, syncing, and drawing tools, Trading 212 is a solid pick.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 374 | 104 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing market research, Charles Schwab stands out for offering daily market commentary alongside forex news from top sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones. Trading 212 also streams high-quality forex news and includes an economic calendar, just like Schwab, but it does not publish daily commentary. Neither broker integrates Autochartist, Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools. A key difference: Trading 212 provides a sentiment tool that shows the ratio of long vs. short positions, while Schwab does not.
For overall research strength, ForexBrokers.com rates Charles Schwab at 5 stars and ranks it #5 out of 63 brokers. Trading 212 earns 3.5 stars and ranks #45. If you want frequent, in-house insights to guide your day-to-day decisions, Schwab is the stronger pick; if you prefer a simpler setup with a built-in sentiment gauge, Trading 212 has appeal.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| 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 comparing Charles Schwab and Trading 212, Schwab offers ongoing online client webinars at least once a month, while Trading 212 does not. Both brokers provide at least 10 beginner-friendly trading videos, and each also has 10 or more advanced videos for when you want to level up. Whether either broker supplies a dedicated set of 10 or more education pieces focused specifically on forex or CFDs is not confirmed in this summary.
According to ForexBrokers.com, Charles Schwab earns 5 stars for Education and ranks #6 out of 63 brokers, while Trading 212 earns 3.5 stars and ranks #21. If you value live, scheduled learning and a higher-rated education experience, Schwab is the stronger choice. If you’re comfortable learning from on-demand videos without monthly webinars, Trading 212 can still fit beginner needs.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| 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 Trading 212. Charles Schwab finished with an overall rank of #6, while Trading 212 finished with an overall rank of #31.
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
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 80 |
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Comparing online brokers Charles Schwab and Trading 212 for cryptocurrency: neither allows buying actual (delivered) crypto, but both support trading cryptocurrency CFDs.
Charles Schwab vs. Trading 212: both support ACH/SEPA and bank wire transfers; Trading 212 also supports PayPal while Charles Schwab does not; neither supports Skrill; and Visa or Mastercard availability is not specified for either.
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 | Trading 212 | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review | Trading 212 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Charles Schwab | Trading 212 | |
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| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Regulation | Charles Schwab | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 80 | |
| Year Founded | 1971 | 2004 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Charles Schwab | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | ||
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| 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 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 7868 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 146 | |
| 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). |
| Cost | Charles Schwab | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.32 | 2.7 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.32 | 2.7 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Charles Schwab | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | €1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Charles Schwab | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 374 | 54 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Charles Schwab | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 104 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Charles Schwab | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | No | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Charles Schwab | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Charles Schwab | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Trading 212 Review |
| Overall | Charles Schwab | Trading 212 | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review | Trading 212 Review |
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