Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Charles Schwab vs VT Markets, 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.
Founded in 1971, Charles Schwab stands out as a highly trusted online broker with a stellar Trust Score of 99 out of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com. As a publicly traded bank, it holds five Tier-1 licenses, making it a secure choice for investors seeking dependable financial services. This long-established firm benefits from its comprehensive regulatory oversight, adding to its reputation for trust and reliability in the financial sector.
In contrast, VT Markets, founded in 2016, is not a publicly traded company and does not operate as a bank. It possesses a single Tier-1 license and one Tier-2 license, leading to an average-risk Trust Score of 70 out of 99 from ForexBrokers.com. While VT Markets may cater to those exploring newer platforms, its regulatory backing is not as strong as Charles Schwab's, reflecting a moderate level of trust in comparison.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1971 | 2016 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
Comparing commissions and fees, VT Markets generally offers lower typical trading costs than Charles Schwab for forex. VT Markets earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #21 out of 63 brokers for Commissions and Fees at ForexBrokers.com, while Charles Schwab earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #25. Both are competitive, but VT Markets comes out ahead on pricing flexibility.
Charles Schwab charges no commission on forex; costs come from the spread. Its average EUR/USD spread was 1.35 pips in October 2024, toward the higher end of the industry. There’s no minimum deposit for Schwab’s main brokerage accounts, and forex trading is available through a Schwab One account using thinkorswim. Trades settle in U.S. dollars, the smallest trade size is 10,000 units (about $500 minimum margin at 20:1 leverage), and overnight financing is shown in-platform. If you use a Schwab Global account to trade in local currencies, currency conversion fees range from 0.2% to 1% depending on your account balance, and you must phone in to place orders in those local currencies.
VT Markets offers two choices: the Standard STP account (commission-free, typical EUR/USD spread 1.2 pips) and the Raw ECN account (effective EUR/USD spread about 0.83 pips, combining a 0.6 round-turn commission with a 0.23-pip average spread). Both accounts have a $100 minimum deposit. For traders seeking the lowest spreads, VT Markets’ Raw ECN pricing is usually cheaper than Schwab’s spread-only model, while even the Standard STP account lists a slightly tighter typical EUR/USD spread than Schwab.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.35 | 1.2 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.35 | 0.8 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Charles Schwab delivers a far wider range of investments than VT Markets. Schwab lists about 40,000 tradable symbols and 73 forex pairs, compared with VT Markets’ roughly 1,000 symbols and 39 forex pairs. Both brokers let you trade forex as CFDs or spot contracts, and both support cryptocurrency derivatives (but not direct, delivered crypto). For exchange-traded securities, Schwab lets you buy and sell shares on U.S. exchanges (think Apple on NASDAQ) and on international exchanges, while VT Markets supports international exchange-traded securities but does not offer U.S.-listed shares outside of CFDs. VT Markets does stand out with copy trading, which Schwab does not provide.
If your priority is the widest market access—especially to U.S. and global stocks—Schwab is the stronger pick. If you favor CFD and forex trading with copy trading tools, VT Markets may appeal, though its product list is smaller. Reflecting these differences, ForexBrokers.com rates Schwab 5 stars for Range of Investments (ranked #5 of 63) and VT Markets 3.5 stars (ranked #40 of 63).
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 1000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 39 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| 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.
Charles Schwab and VT Markets both provide paper (demo) accounts, plus Windows desktop and web-based trading. Schwab offers its own in-house platform, while VT Markets leans on MetaTrader, supporting both MT4 and MT5 (Schwab does not). If you want copy trading, VT Markets includes it, whereas Schwab does not. Neither broker supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade. Both let you place trades directly from charts.
For charting, indicator counts weren’t specified, but Schwab lists 24 drawing tools versus 30 at VT Markets. Watchlists are a standout difference: Schwab offers 580 fields, while VT Markets lists 7. In independent reviews for Trading Platforms and Tools, Charles Schwab is rated 5 stars and ranks #5 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com; VT Markets earns 4 stars and ranks #48.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 15 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 24 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 580 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both the Charles Schwab mobile app and the VT Markets mobile app are available for iPhone and Android, and each supports price alerts, drawing trendlines, viewing multiple time frames, and creating real-time quote watchlists. The key differences show up in daily use: Schwab syncs watchlists with your online account so changes carry over across devices, while VT Markets does not. Schwab also auto-saves your chart drawings; VT Markets does not.
For charting depth, Schwab offers 374 technical studies versus 30 at VT Markets, which can matter if you rely on indicators to plan trades. Reflecting that gap, ForexBrokers.com rates Schwab’s mobile trading app 5 stars and ranks it #6 out of 63 brokers, while VT Markets earns 4 stars and ranks #45. In short, the Charles Schwab mobile app is better suited to traders who want advanced charting and seamless syncing, while VT Markets covers the core essentials for simpler mobile trading.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Both Charles Schwab and VT Markets deliver daily market commentary, top-tier forex news from sources like Bloomberg/Reuters/Dow Jones, and an economic calendar. According to ForexBrokers.com, Schwab earns a 5-star Research rating and ranks #4 out of 63 brokers, while VT Markets holds a 3.5-star rating and ranks #37. If you want a broker known for strong overall market research and higher independent ratings, Schwab stands out.
Tool-wise, neither broker offers Autochartist. VT Markets adds Trading Central research and a sentiment tool that shows long/short positioning, which Schwab does not provide. Schwab does not include TipRanks or Acuity Trading tools; VT Markets’ access to TipRanks and Acuity Trading was not specified. Choose VT Markets if you value Trading Central and sentiment data, or Charles Schwab if you prioritize higher-rated research coverage.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Comparing Charles Schwab vs VT Markets for beginner trading education: both brokers provide forex and CFD education with at least ten pieces and offer ten or more beginner-level trading videos. Charles Schwab goes further with at least ten advanced videos, plus monthly client webinars and a searchable archive of recorded sessions. VT Markets does not run monthly webinars and has no searchable webinar archive, and it lacks the set of advanced videos. Both include an investor dictionary with 50+ investing terms to help newcomers learn the basics.
Quality ratings back up these differences: Charles Schwab earns 5 stars for Education and ranks #6 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while VT Markets scores 3.5 stars and ranks #56. For beginners who want a fuller learning path with live webinars, on-demand replays, and advanced lessons, Charles Schwab is the stronger pick. VT Markets still works for entry-level forex and CFD education and simple video lessons if you don’t need webinars or deeper content.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| 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 VT Markets. Charles Schwab finished with an overall rank of #6, while VT Markets finished with an overall rank of #44.
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
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 70 |
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Both Charles Schwab and VT Markets provide opportunities for trading cryptocurrency derivatives, but neither offers the option to purchase actual, delivered cryptocurrency.
When comparing the online brokers Charles Schwab and VT Markets, Charles Schwab supports ACH or SEPA transfers and bank wires for depositing and withdrawing account funds, while VT Markets offers options including Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires, but not ACH, SEPA, or PayPal for transactions.
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 | VT Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 70 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review | VT Markets Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Charles Schwab | VT Markets | |
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| Regulation | Charles Schwab | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 70 | |
| Year Founded | 1971 | 2016 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Charles Schwab | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| 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 | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Charles Schwab | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Charles Schwab | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 1000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 39 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.35 | 1.2 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.35 | 0.8 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Charles Schwab | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Charles Schwab | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 580 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 374 | 15 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 24 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Charles Schwab | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Charles Schwab | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | ||
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | No | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Charles Schwab | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Charles Schwab | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | VT Markets Review |
| Overall | Charles Schwab | VT Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 70 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review | VT Markets Review |
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