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.
Established in 1971, Charles Schwab stands out as a well-trusted online broker with a solid foundation in the financial industry. As a publicly traded company and a recognized bank, Charles Schwab holds the highest level of trust with a perfect Trust Score of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com. Their credibility is further solidified by five Tier-1 licenses, reflecting their adherence to stringent regulatory standards.
In contrast, Trading 212, founded in 2004, offers a different profile. While not publicly traded and not recognized as a bank, Trading 212 maintains competitiveness in the online trading arena. However, with a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 79 and two Tier-1 licenses, it falls into the average risk category in terms of trust. Both brokers cater to diverse trading needs, yet exhibit clear distinctions in regulatory standing and overall credibility.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1971 | 2004 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
Charles Schwab offers an accessible entry point for forex traders with no minimum deposit requirement for its primary brokerage accounts. Traders can choose between the Schwab One and Schwab Global accounts, both of which provide access to the thinkorswim platform. While forex trades through Schwab do not incur commissions, the trading costs come from the bid/ask spread, with the average spread for EUR/USD being 1.35 pips, slightly above the industry average. Schwab Global users can engage with international markets in local currencies, though conversion fees ranging from 0.2% to 1% may apply. In terms of commissions and fees, Charles Schwab earns a rating of 4 stars and ranks 23rd out of 62 brokers, according to ForexBrokers.com.
Trading 212 promotes accessibility with low minimum deposits—just 1 euro for the Invest account and 10 euros for the CFD account. While offering zero-commission trading, Trading 212 imposes a cost through the spread, with the EUR/USD pair showing an average spread of 1.9 pips in January 2024, which surpasses the industry average. Although Trading 212's spread may be higher, its transparency in publishing average spread data is a positive step. ForexBrokers.com rates Trading 212 with 4 stars for its commissions and fees, placing it at 43rd among 62 brokers.
Both Charles Schwab and Trading 212 share a similar 4-star rating for commissions and fees, but they differ in their ranking, with Schwab positioned more favorably at 23rd place versus Trading 212's 43rd. Depending on your trading priorities, such as international market access, currency support, or costs associated with spreads, each broker has distinct advantages to consider.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | €10 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.35 | 1.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.35 | 1.9 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Both Charles Schwab and Trading 212 cater to a wide range of investors, offering an impressive lineup of investment options. Charles Schwab takes the lead with a whopping 40,000 tradeable symbols, while Trading 212 offers 8,025. When it comes to forex trading, Charles Schwab provides access to 73 currency pairs, but Trading 212 surpasses this with 146 pairs. Both platforms allow traders to engage in forex trading either as CFDs or through spot contracts. Furthermore, investors can purchase stocks on both U.S. and international exchanges through either broker, such as Apple on NASDAQ or Vodafone on the London Stock Exchange. However, neither platform offers the ability to buy actual cryptocurrencies; instead, they both provide cryptocurrency derivatives.
Despite some similarities, differences in rankings illustrate nuanced preferences within the investment community. Both Charles Schwab and Trading 212 earn a top-tier 5-star rating for their range of investments. Still, Charles Schwab ranks higher, holding the 5th spot compared to Trading 212's 15th position, according to ForexBrokers.com. This distinction may be attributed to the broader overall range of tradeable symbols available at Charles Schwab. One area where the two brokers align is the absence of copy trading features, meaning investors must rely on their own strategies. With both brokers providing extensive options for different types of investments, the choice between them will often depend on individual trading needs and preferences.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 8025 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 146 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | No |
| 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 Trading 212 both cater to traders with diverse platforms, yet they offer different experiences. Both brokers provide access to simulated trading with free virtual accounts and have proprietary platforms designed in-house. However, Charles Schwab provides the additional advantage of a Windows-based desktop download platform, which Trading 212 lacks. For web-based trading, both brokers perform equally well, though neither supports third-party platforms like MetaTrader 4 or 5. While Charles Schwab excels with 24 drawing tools for charting, Trading 212 is slightly behind with 20.
Charles Schwab surpasses Trading 212 in several areas, particularly their watch list feature, offering 580 columns compared to Trading 212’s 5. This breadth potentially provides traders using Schwab's platform with more comprehensive customization options. Additionally, both brokers allow trades directly from stock charts. With stellar ratings across platforms and tools, Charles Schwab earns 5 stars, climbing to the #5 spot out of 62 brokers ranked by ForexBrokers.com. Trading 212, while still impressive, has 4 stars and is ranked at #21. These distinctions suggest that experienced traders may find Schwab’s platform slightly more resourceful.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 374 | 54 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 24 | 20 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 580 | 5 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading apps of Charles Schwab and Trading 212, both platforms offer apps for iPhone and Android, allowing users to trade stocks or forex on the go. Each app provides stock or forex price alerts and watchlist symbol syncing, ensuring that users can easily keep track of market movements and changes in either location. Additionally, both apps support trendline drawing and allow users to view different time frames, offering flexibility in analyzing stock or forex charts. They also auto-save drawings, making it convenient for users not to lose their technical analyses.
Charles Schwab stands out with a significant edge in technical studies, offering 374 compared to Trading 212's 104, providing more in-depth options for users looking to analyze charts. Their mobile app has been highly rated at five stars, ranking sixth out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, which highlights its reliability and features. In comparison, Trading 212 scores four stars and ranks seventeenth in the same category. Both platforms allow users to create watchlists with real-time quotes, but Charles Schwab's app may appeal more to users looking for comprehensive charting capabilities and higher user ratings.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 374 | 104 |
| 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 Trading 212 for their market research offerings, several distinctions arise. Charles Schwab excels by offering daily market commentary and insightful forex news from established sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. Additionally, Schwab provides an economic calendar that keeps investors informed about global news events. While both platforms align in delivering forex news from top-tier sources, Trading 212 doesn't extend its services to daily commentary. Instead, it offers a sentiment-based trading tool, revealing the ratio of long and short positions across various instruments, providing a unique perspective on market trends.
Despite lacking specialized tools from companies like Autochartist and Trading Central, Charles Schwab still garners a superior 5-star research rating and achieves the rank of 4th out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com, emphasizing its strong research capabilities. On the other hand, Trading 212, with its broader accessibility and similar economic calendar, receives a 3.5-star rating and ranks 46th. Each platform caters to different priorities, with Schwab focusing on comprehensive market insights while Trading 212 emphasizes user-friendly sentiment analysis.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| 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.
Charles Schwab and Trading 212 both offer a variety of educational resources tailored for beginners interested in learning about forex and CFDs. Both platforms provide over 10 educational pieces, including articles and videos, designed to introduce new traders to the complexities of forex and CFDs. In addition, each broker hosts monthly online educational webinars and maintains an accessible archive of past webinars, ensuring continuous learning opportunities. For those just starting, both companies offer more than 10 beginner-focused educational videos, which cover basic trading concepts.
For more seasoned traders, Charles Schwab and Trading 212 each provide over 10 advanced educational videos. Both brokers also feature an investor dictionary consisting of definitions for over 50 investing terms to assist newcomers in becoming familiar with industry jargon. However, in terms of overall educational quality, Charles Schwab stands out with a 5-star rating and a #6 ranking by ForexBrokers.com, compared to Trading 212’s 3.5-star rating and #20 ranking. While both platforms offer significant educational resources, Charles Schwab is recognized for delivering a more comprehensive educational experience.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 62 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 | 79 |
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Both Charles Schwab and Trading 212 do not offer the ability to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency; however, they both provide the option to purchase cryptocurrency derivatives.
When comparing Charles Schwab and Trading 212 for deposit and withdrawal options, both offer ACH or SEPA transfers and bank wires, but only Trading 212 supports PayPal and credit card transactions with Visa or Mastercard, while neither platform offers Skrill.
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 | 79 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review | Trading 212 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Charles Schwab | Trading 212 | |
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| Regulation | Charles Schwab | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 79 | |
| 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 | 2 | |
| 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 (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 8025 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 146 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | No | |
| 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 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.35 | 1.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.35 | 1.9 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Charles Schwab | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | €10 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Charles Schwab | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Charles Schwab | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 580 | 5 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 374 | 54 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 24 | 20 | |
| 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 Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 374 | 104 | |
| 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 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | No | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Charles Schwab | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Trading 212 Review |
| Overall | Charles Schwab | Trading 212 | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 79 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review | Trading 212 Review |
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