Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Charles Schwab vs GBE brokers, 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, is a well-known online brokerage firm that also functions as a bank and is publicly traded, enhancing its reliability and transparency in the financial market. With a perfect Trust Score of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, Charles Schwab is considered highly trustworthy, bolstered by holding five Tier-1 licenses, which are indicative of strong regulatory compliance.
In contrast, GBE brokers, founded in 2013, is a relatively new player in the online brokerage space and does not operate as a bank nor is it publicly traded. With a Trust Score of 71, GBE brokers is rated as having average risk. It holds one Tier-1 license, suggesting a moderate level of regulatory trust compared to Charles Schwab. This information highlights distinct differences in their trust ratings and regulatory standings, offering potential investors good insight when choosing a broker.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1971 | 2013 |
| 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 | 1 |
When comparing the commissions and fees between Charles Schwab and GBE Brokers, both platforms receive a respectable four out of five stars in this category. Charles Schwab stands out with a lack of minimum deposit requirement for its Schwab One and Schwab Global accounts, providing easy access to forex trading. Schwab doesn’t charge direct commissions on forex trading but applies costs through the bid/ask spread, with an average spread of 1.35 pips on the EUR/USD as observed in October 2024. This figure is on the higher end of industry standards. Schwab's platform, thinkorswim, offers a calculator to estimate overnight carry charges, ensuring transparency in overnight position costs.
In contrast, GBE Brokers doesn’t have available data for average spreads, making it challenging to directly evaluate their cost efficiency. Without this information, traders might lack the full picture needed to assess overall trading expenses with GBE. Despite this, both brokers are rated similarly for their fees and commissions, indicating a comparable level of service overall. However, specific details such as spread information can be critical for informed decision-making.
Rank-wise, Charles Schwab is placed at a higher position, ranking 23rd out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com for commissions and fees. This is notably stronger than GBE Brokers, which is ranked 36th. This distinction may reflect Schwab's relative transparency and features such as the provision for trading international securities in local currencies via its Schwab Global account, albeit with applicable conversion fees. Overall, Schwab might be more suitable for traders looking for access to multiple markets and a solid blend of forex trading features.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $500 |
| 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 | No |
| 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 it comes to offering a wide range of investment options, Charles Schwab and GBE Brokers cater to different types of traders. Charles Schwab makes a strong case with an impressive lineup of 40,000 tradeable symbols, including a comprehensive selection of 73 forex pairs. In addition to spot forex trading, Charles Schwab gives investors access to U.S. and international exchange-traded securities, allowing clients to invest directly in shares like Apple and Vodafone. Although Charles Schwab does not offer copy trading or actual cryptocurrency purchases, it does provide access to cryptocurrency derivatives.
On the other hand, GBE Brokers focuses more on a streamlined selection with 500 tradeable symbols and 71 forex pairs available for trading. While it doesn’t offer direct purchase of exchange-traded securities on U.S. or international markets, it does support copy trading, a feature not available with Charles Schwab. Like its counterpart, GBE Brokers offers forex trading as both CFDs and spot contracts, along with access to cryptocurrency derivatives, though it does not provide actual cryptocurrency trading. Charles Schwab's broader range of offerings earns it a 5-star rating for its investment options, ranking 5th out of 62 brokers, whereas GBE Brokers holds a 3.5-star rating, placing it 44th for range of investments.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 71 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| 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.
When comparing Charles Schwab to GBE brokers, it's clear that each platform offers distinct advantages for traders. Both offer simulated trading options, allowing users to practice trading strategies in a risk-free environment. Charles Schwab shines with its proprietary platform, designed in-house and perfectly integrated across different devices, including a Windows-based desktop app and web-based interface. On the other hand, GBE brokers, while lacking a proprietary platform, support popular trading tools like MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, which are highly favored by forex traders for their advanced capabilities.
Charles Schwab stands out with a rating of 5 stars for its trading platforms and tools, reflecting its extensive watch list options with up to 580 fields and intuitive charting features that include 24 drawing tools. Meanwhile, GBE brokers is rated at 4 stars, offering only 7 fields for watch lists and 15 drawing tools for charting. Despite these limitations, GBE brokers presents an attractive choice for those interested in copy trading. Ultimately, in the Trading Platforms and Tools category, Charles Schwab ranks 5th out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com, towering over GBE brokers, which holds the 57th position.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 24 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 580 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When it comes to mobile trading apps, both Charles Schwab and GBE Brokers offer seamless experiences for iPhone and Android users. They also provide stock or forex price alerts, which can be a handy tool for keeping you updated on market movements. However, an area where Charles Schwab has a clear advantage is in the synchronization of watchlist symbols across devices. This feature means you only need to make changes once, and they will sync across your mobile app and online account. Unfortunately, this is something GBE Brokers lacks.
Charles Schwab also stands out with an impressive 374 technical studies for charting, compared to only 30 offered by GBE Brokers. Both platforms allow you to draw trendlines and switch between different timeframes on charts, and they both auto-save your drawings. Real-time watchlists are also available on both apps. In terms of user ratings, Charles Schwab earns 5 stars for its mobile trading app, while GBE Brokers receives 4 stars. According to ForexBrokers.com, Charles Schwab is ranked #6 out of 62 brokers for mobile apps, whereas GBE Brokers is ranked #57, which highlights Schwab's stronger appeal to traders seeking a comprehensive mobile trading experience.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Both Charles Schwab and GBE Brokers offer daily market commentary, providing valuable insights into current market trends. However, Charles Schwab stands out by providing forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, which GBE Brokers does not offer. Neither of the brokers provides technical analysis or fundamental research tools from Autochartist or Trading Central, nor do they incorporate research from TipRanks or tools from Acuity Trading. Charles Schwab and GBE Brokers both maintain an economic calendar highlighting key global events, helping traders stay informed.
Charles Schwab is rated highly for its market research, achieving an impressive 5 out of 5 stars, and is ranked as the 4th best among 62 brokers evaluated by ForexBrokers.com for this category. In contrast, GBE Brokers receives a modest 3-star rating and is ranked much lower, at 61st place. A distinguishing feature of GBE Brokers is its sentiment-based trading tool, which provides insight into long or short positions across different currency pairs, an option not available with Charles Schwab. Overall, Charles Schwab offers a more comprehensive suite of market research tools, contributing to its higher ranking and rating.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | No | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners, Charles Schwab clearly stands out compared to GBE brokers. Charles Schwab offers a comprehensive range of materials to help newcomers learn about forex and CFDs, including a wealth of articles, videos, and archived webinars. They provide online webinars at least once a month, which are also easily accessible in a searchable archive for future reference. To further support novice traders, Charles Schwab offers over 10 educational videos tailored specifically for beginners, alongside a collection of videos for advanced traders looking to deepen their expertise. Additionally, their well-stocked investor dictionary includes definitions for over 50 investing terms, making it easier for beginners to get comfortable with financial jargon.
On the other hand, GBE brokers fall short in educational offerings for those new to trading. They do not provide the minimum 10 educational pieces focusing on forex or CFDs, nor do they host monthly educational webinars or maintain a library of past webinar recordings. Beginner traders won't find at least 10 educational videos dedicated to entry-level topics, nor will they find a robust selection of advanced videos. GBE brokers also lack an investor dictionary to aid in understanding trading terminology. As a result, Charles Schwab earns a perfect 5-star rating for education, positioning them 6th out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. Meanwhile, GBE brokers receive a 3-star rating and are ranked last in the same category, reflecting the significant gap in their educational offerings for traders.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Charles Schwab is better than GBE brokers. Charles Schwab finished with an overall rank of #6, while GBE brokers finished with an overall rank of #56.
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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GBE brokers
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 71 |
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In comparing Charles Schwab and GBE brokers, neither platform offers the purchase of actual delivered cryptocurrency, but both provide the option to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
Charles Schwab and GBE Brokers both support ACH or SEPA transfers and bank wires for depositing or withdrawing funds; however, GBE Brokers additionally offers more flexible payment options including PayPal, Skrill, and Visa or Mastercard, unlike 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 | GBE brokers | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 71 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Charles Schwab | GBE brokers | |
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| Regulation | Charles Schwab | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 71 | |
| Year Founded | 1971 | 2013 | |
| 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 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Charles Schwab | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Charles Schwab | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | Charles Schwab | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 71 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Charles Schwab | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $500 | |
| 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 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 580 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 374 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 24 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Charles Schwab | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | No | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Charles Schwab | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | Charles Schwab | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Overall | Charles Schwab | GBE brokers | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 71 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review |
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