Charles Schwab vs eToro 2025
In this head to head comparison of Charles Schwab vs eToro, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
In this head to head comparison of Charles Schwab vs eToro, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
When it comes to selecting an online broker, Charles Schwab and eToro cater to different investment needs, making the choice between them a matter of priorities. Charles Schwab stands out for its comprehensive range of investment options, scoring 5 out of 5 stars and ranking 2nd in the range of investments among 14 brokers on StockBrokers.com. eToro, on the other hand, focuses on specific asset classes, earning it a 2.5-star rating and a 14th place ranking. Investors seeking traditional investment routes like stocks, mutual funds, and retirement accounts may find Charles Schwab to be a more suitable choice, whereas those interested in cryptocurrency might prefer eToro for its selection of 26 digital coins.
Charles Schwab offers a broad spectrum of investment opportunities, including stock, margin, and options trading, as well as access to OTC stocks, futures, and forex trading. Traditional investment products such as mutual funds and IRAs, both traditional and Roth, are also available. Additionally, Schwab's advisory services can be a crucial advantage for those seeking professional guidance on their investments.
Conversely, eToro provides investors with the ability to trade stocks, options, and fractional shares. Its standout feature is the option to trade cryptocurrency, supporting a collection of 26 different coins, which is a significant draw for crypto enthusiasts. However, eToro lacks some of the traditional investment options found at Charles Schwab, such as mutual funds and IRAs, and does not offer margin, forex, or futures trading. This focus ensures that eToro specializes in areas like crypto while providing essential options trading, making it a unique choice for investors with specific needs.
Feature |
|
|
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Stock Trading | Yes | Yes |
Margin Trading | Yes | No |
Fractional Shares | Yes | Yes |
OTC Stocks | Yes | No |
Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
Options Trading | Yes | Yes |
Futures Trading | Yes | No |
Crypto Trading | No | Yes |
Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 0 | 26 |
Range of Investments |
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Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2025: A Beginner-Friendly Guide to an Advanced Market
Charles Schwab emerges as a leader in trading platforms and tools, earning a 5-star rating and securing the top position on StockBrokers.com among 14 brokers. Schwab offers extensive features and customization options across a variety of platforms, including desktop and browser-based versions, catering to both Windows and Mac users. In contrast, eToro, which holds a 2.5-star rating, is more limited in scope, offering just a browser-based platform and ranking 12th overall. Schwab’s platform provides a comprehensive toolset that supports a range of trading needs, making it a more well-rounded choice for users looking for depth in trading capabilities.
For those evaluating trading platforms, Charles Schwab stands out with its downloadable software for both Windows and Mac, whereas eToro only offers a web-based option. Both platforms cater to users interested in paper trading, but Charles Schwab distinguishes itself with a rich set of features and an extensive list of 580 columns for watch lists compared to eToro’s 7. Schwab also enables users to adjust open orders directly on stock charts, a feature absent from eToro’s offerings. These differences highlight Schwab's focus on providing a sophisticated and versatile trading experience.
Charting capabilities reveal further contrasts between the two. Charles Schwab supplies traders with 374 technical indicators and the ability to create custom studies, compared to eToro’s 46 indicators without custom study options. Although eToro excels in providing more drawing tools, Charles Schwab compensates with features such as showing historical trades on charts and displaying corporate events, which are not available on eToro. Schwab’s inclusion of features like automated technical analysis and customizable date ranges further caters to traders seeking in-depth market insights and analytical power.
Feature |
|
|
---|---|---|
Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
Desktop Platform (Mac) | Yes | No |
Paper Trading | Yes | Yes |
Watch Lists - Total Fields | 580 | 7 |
Charting - Indicators / Studies | 374 | 46 |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 24 | 48 |
Platforms & Tools |
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Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers & Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Paper Trading Apps & Platforms for 2025
When it comes to investor education, Charles Schwab stands out as a top choice for beginners with a holistic approach to financial learning. Schwab covers a wide range of investment topics, offering educational resources on stocks, ETFs, options, mutual funds, and bonds. Their platform is designed to support new investors, featuring paper trading, webinars, and engaging quizzes to enhance understanding. Users can also track their learning progress, making it easier to keep tabs on their educational journey. These comprehensive offerings have earned Charles Schwab a five-star rating and the #1 spot for education according to StockBrokers.com.
In contrast, eToro focuses more narrowly on stock education, lacking resources in areas such as ETFs, options, mutual funds, and bonds. Although it provides paper trading and educational videos, eToro's educational reach isn’t as extensive as Schwab's. The absence of webinars and educational quizzes, along with the lack of progress tracking, makes it less suitable for those looking to self-educate extensively. As a result, eToro holds a 2.5-star rating for education and ranks #14 among 14 brokers reviewed by StockBrokers.com.
Feature |
|
|
---|---|---|
Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
Education (ETFs) | Yes | No |
Education (Options) | Yes | No |
Education (Mutual Funds) | Yes | No |
Education (Bonds) | Yes | No |
Paper Trading | Yes | Yes |
Videos | Yes | Yes |
Webinars | Yes | No |
Education |
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Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2025
When it comes to stock trading app capabilities, Charles Schwab stands out as the top choice, scoring 5 stars and ranking #1 out of 14 brokers according to StockBrokers.com. While eToro also offers a solid app experience with a 4.5-star rating, it ranks further down the list at #11. The overall takeaway is that Charles Schwab offers a more comprehensive and feature-rich mobile experience, making it a preferred choice for many traders.
Both Charles Schwab and eToro provide iPhone and Android apps for convenient trading on-the-go. However, Charles Schwab further extends this convenience to Apple Watch users, whereas eToro does not. Investors seeking after-hours stock trading on mobile will appreciate that only Charles Schwab provides this option. Customization and information are key parts of trading, and Schwab offers additional features like streaming live TV and personalized watch list columns, enhancing its edge in user experience. eToro, while lacking some features, has advantages such as after-hours charting capabilities.
In terms of charting tools, Charles Schwab offers a significantly larger library with 373 technical studies compared to eToro's 103, providing traders with deeper analytical capabilities. Both brokers allow the display of stock comparisons on charts and multiple time frame analysis. However, Schwab allows landscape mode viewing, providing a more versatile charting experience. Both stocks send alerts and have on-demand video resources, catering to the increasing need for timely and comprehensive stock market information.
Feature |
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|
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iPhone App | Yes | Yes |
Android App | Yes | Yes |
Apple Watch App | Yes | No |
Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
Charting - After-Hours | No | Yes |
Charting - Technical Studies | 373 | 103 |
Mobile Trading Apps |
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Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2025
When deciding between Charles Schwab and eToro, it’s important to consider various account fees and charges to determine which online broker best suits your needs. While both platforms offer commission-free stock trades, they differ significantly in other areas. Charles Schwab stands out with its $0 minimum deposit requirement and various free services, making it a suitable choice for beginners or those looking to invest smaller amounts. In contrast, eToro requires a $50 minimum deposit, which may be more manageable for those interested in leveraging eToro's unique social trading features.
Charles Schwab also entices investors by offering options trading at $0.65 per contract, whereas eToro offers options trading with no additional contract fee. This provides an advantage for those engaging in extensive options trading on eToro. Additionally, Charles Schwab offers margin trading, albeit with interest rates that range from 12.125% to 13.575% depending on the margin balance. eToro, however, does not currently offer margin trading, which might be a consideration for those interested in leveraging their investments.
Another point of comparison is the account transfer fees. Charles Schwab has no charge for partial transfers and a $50 fee for full transfers. Conversely, eToro charges $75 for both partial and full transfers, which could be a factor for account holders planning to switch brokers. Both brokers require no fees for options exercise or assignment, but it's worth noting that eToro doesn't provide IRA services, whereas Charles Schwab offers these with no annual or closure fees. These differences underscore the importance of carefully evaluating each broker’s offerings based on individual investment goals and financial strategies.
Feature |
|
|
---|---|---|
Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $50.00 |
Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Options (Per Contract) | $0.65 | $0.00 |
Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | |
IRA Closure Fee | $0.00 |
Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2025
When comparing Charles Schwab and eToro for day trading, Charles Schwab comes out ahead thanks to its extensive features tailored for active traders. Charles Schwab provides streaming time and sales access for stocks, similar to eToro, but it distinguishes itself with streaming live TV, helping traders stay informed with real-time news. Moreover, Charles Schwab offers direct market routing, ladder trading, and trading hotkeys for quick trade entries, all of which are not available on eToro. These features are essential for day traders who require speed and precision in their trading operations.
Beyond just order execution speed, Charles Schwab also enhances the trading experience with level 2 quotes providing deeper market insight, as well as both basic and advanced strategy backtesting for users looking to refine their trading tactics. Additionally, it features a short locator tool, enabling traders to view real-time availability of shares for shorting. In contrast, eToro lacks these advanced tools. While neither platform offers order liquidity rebates, Charles Schwab's offerings cater more comprehensively to day traders seeking a competitive edge.
Feature |
|
|
---|---|---|
Streaming Time & Sales | Yes | Yes |
Streaming TV | Yes | No |
Direct Market Routing - Stocks | Yes | No |
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | Yes | No |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting | Yes | No |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | Yes | No |
Short Locator | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms for 2025
When comparing the market research capabilities of Charles Schwab and eToro, Charles Schwab consistently outperforms its counterpart. With a top rating of five stars, Charles Schwab is ranked number one by StockBrokers.com among 14 brokers, providing a comprehensive suite of research options. In contrast, eToro, ranked last, garners only 1.5 stars due to its more limited offerings.
Charles Schwab offers extensive stock, ETF, mutual fund, pink sheets, OTCBB, and bonds research options, making it a versatile choice for investors seeking detailed information across various asset classes. Additionally, investors have access to ESG research and can view portfolio allocation by asset class. Schwab also furnishes downloadable PDF research reports for stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds, along with specialized screeners for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds, providing ample data for informed trading decisions.
On the other hand, eToro offers some stock and ETF research, as well as ESG and social media sentiment data, but falls short in other areas. The platform lacks mutual fund and bond research capabilities and does not provide downloadable PDF reports. Moreover, eToro does not offer screeners for trade ideas, limiting the tools available to investors. Overall, for those prioritizing in-depth market research, Charles Schwab stands as the superior choice compared to eToro.
Feature |
|
|
---|---|---|
Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
Screener - Stocks | Yes | No |
Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
Screener - ETFs | Yes | No |
Research - Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
Screener - Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
Research - Bonds | Yes | No |
Screener - Bonds | Yes | No |
Research |
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When comparing the banking capabilities of Charles Schwab and eToro, it's evident that Charles Schwab offers a broader range of services. Charles Schwab provides various banking products, including checking accounts, savings accounts, debit cards, credit cards, and mortgage loans. Additionally, they offer certificates of deposit (CDs), making them a versatile choice for those seeking comprehensive banking solutions. In contrast, eToro does not offer these types of banking services. Instead, eToro focuses on providing a platform for online trading without checking or savings accounts, debit or credit cards, mortgage loans, or CDs. This distinction underscores Charles Schwab's extensive offering for customers who value integrated banking alongside their investment activities.
Feature |
|
|
---|---|---|
Checking Accounts | Yes | No |
Savings Accounts | Yes | No |
Debit Cards | Yes | No |
Credit Cards | Yes | No |
Mortgage Loans | Yes | No |
CDs | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Brokerage Checking Accounts for 2025
After opening live accounts and testing 14 of the best online brokers, our research and live account testing finds that Charles Schwab is better than eToro. Charles Schwab finished with an overall score of 99.2%, while eToro finished with a score of 66.1%.
With the addition of TD Ameritrade's thinkorswim platforms and the enhancement of several features, Schwab is now a vigorous competitor with thought-provoking research and commentary and a client experience to fit any preference.
When comparing online brokers, eToro stands out for offering crypto trading with access to 26 different coins, whereas Charles Schwab does not provide any cryptocurrency trading options.
Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2025
Charles Schwab provides both traditional and Roth IRA accounts with no annual or closure fees, whereas eToro does not offer IRA accounts at all.
Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2025
Select Brokers
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0 of 5Overall Rating | Charles Schwab | eToro | |
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Overall |
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Range of Investments |
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Platforms & Tools |
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Mobile Trading Apps |
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Research |
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Customer Service |
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Education |
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Ease of Use |
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Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | Charles Schwab Review | eToro Review |
Broker Screenshots | Charles Schwab | eToro | |
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Trading Platform & Tools Gallery (click to expand) | |||
Research Gallery (click to expand) | |||
Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand) | |||
Education Gallery (click to expand) |
Trading Fees | Charles Schwab | eToro | |
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Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $50.00 | |
Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) | $6.95 | N/A | |
Mutual Fund Trade Fee | Varies | N/A | |
Options (Per Contract) | $0.65 | $0.00 | |
Futures (Per Contract) | $2.25 | (Not offered) | |
Broker Assisted Trade Fee | $25 | $0 |
Margin Rates | Charles Schwab | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Margin Rate Under $25,000 | 13.575% | Not offered | |
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 | 13.075% | Not offered | |
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 | 12.125% | Not offered | |
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 | 12.075% | Not offered | |
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 | 11.825% | Not offered | |
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 | Varies | Not offered | |
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 | Varies | Not offered |
Account Fees | Charles Schwab | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | ||
IRA Closure Fee | $0.00 | ||
Account Transfer Out (Partial) | $0.00 | $75.00 | |
Account Transfer Out (Full) | $50.00 | $75.00 | |
Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Investment Options | Charles Schwab | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Stock Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Margin Trading | Yes | No | |
Fractional Shares | Yes | Yes | |
OTC Stocks | Yes | No | |
Options Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Complex Options Max Legs | 4 | 0 | |
Futures Trading | Yes | No | |
Forex Trading | Yes | No | |
Crypto Trading | No | Yes | |
Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 0 | 26 | |
Mutual Funds (No Load) | 15163 | 0 | |
Mutual Funds (Total) | 18145 | 0 | |
Bonds (US Treasury) | Yes | No | |
Bonds (Corporate) | Yes | No | |
Bonds (Municipal) | Yes | No | |
Traditional IRAs | Yes | No | |
Roth IRAs | Yes | No | |
Advisor Services | Yes | No | |
International Countries (Stocks) | 12 | 0 |
Order Types | Charles Schwab | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Order Type - Market | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - Limit | Yes | No | |
Order Type - After Hours | Yes | No | |
Order Type - Stop | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - Trailing Stop | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - OCO | Yes | No | |
Order Type - OTO | Yes | No | |
Order Type - Broker Assisted | Yes | No |
Beginners | Charles Schwab | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes | |
Education (ETFs) | Yes | No | |
Education (Options) | Yes | No | |
Education (Mutual Funds) | Yes | No | |
Education (Bonds) | Yes | No | |
Education (Retirement) | Yes | No | |
Retirement Calculator | Yes | No | |
Investor Dictionary | Yes | No | |
Paper Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Videos | Yes | Yes | |
Webinars | Yes | No | |
Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
Progress Tracking | Yes | No | |
Interactive Learning - Quizzes | Yes | No |
Stock Trading Apps | Charles Schwab | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
Apple Watch App | Yes | No | |
Trading - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Trading - After-Hours | Yes | No | |
Trading - Simple Options | Yes | Yes | |
Trading - Complex Options | Yes | No | |
Order Ticket RT Quotes | Yes | Yes | |
Order Ticket SRT Quotes | Yes | Yes |
Stock App Features | Charles Schwab | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Market Movers (Top Gainers) | Yes | Yes | |
Stream Live TV | Yes | No | |
Videos on Demand | Yes | Yes | |
Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
Option Chains Viewable | Yes | Yes | |
Watch List (Real-time) | Yes | Yes | |
Watch List (Streaming) | Yes | Yes | |
Watch Lists - Create & Manage | Yes | Yes | |
Watch Lists - Column Customization | Yes | No |
Stock App Charting | Charles Schwab | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Charting - After-Hours | No | Yes | |
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally | Yes | No | |
Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Technical Studies | 373 | 103 | |
Charting - Study Customizations | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Stock Comparisons | Yes | Yes |
Trading Platforms | Charles Schwab | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Active Trading Platform | thinkorswim | N/A | |
Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
Desktop Platform (Mac) | Yes | No | |
Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
Paper Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Trade Journal | Yes | No | |
Watch Lists - Total Fields | 580 | 7 |
Stock Chart Features | Charles Schwab | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart | Yes | No | |
Charting - Indicators / Studies | 374 | 46 | |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 24 | 48 | |
Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Historical Trades | Yes | No | |
Charting - Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
Charting - Custom Date Range | Yes | No | |
Charting - Custom Time Bars | Yes | No | |
Charting - Automated Analysis | Yes | No | |
Charting - Save Profiles | Yes | Yes | |
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Study Customizations | 35 | 5 | |
Charting - Custom Studies | Yes | No |
Day Trading | Charles Schwab | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Streaming Time & Sales | Yes | Yes | |
Streaming TV | Yes | No | |
Direct Market Routing - Stocks | Yes | No | |
Ladder Trading | Yes | No | |
Trade Hotkeys | Yes | No | |
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | Yes | No | |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting | Yes | No | |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | Yes | No | |
Short Locator | Yes | No | |
Order Liquidity Rebates | No | No |
Research Overview | Charles Schwab | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
Research - Mutual Funds | Yes | No | |
Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB | Yes | No | |
Research - Bonds | Yes | No | |
Screener - Stocks | Yes | No | |
Screener - ETFs | Yes | No | |
Screener - Mutual Funds | Yes | No | |
Screener - Bonds | Yes | No | |
Misc - Portfolio Allocation | Yes | No |
Stock Research | Charles Schwab | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Stock Research - PDF Reports | 7 | 0 | |
Stock Research - Earnings | Yes | Yes | |
Stock Research - Insiders | Yes | Yes | |
Stock Research - Social | Yes | Yes | |
Stock Research - News | Yes | Yes | |
Stock Research - ESG | Yes | Yes | |
Stock Research - SEC Filings | Yes | Yes |
ETF Research | Charles Schwab | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
ETFs - Strategy Overview | Yes | Yes | |
ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date | Yes | No | |
ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio | Yes | No | |
ETF Fund Facts - Net Assets | Yes | No | |
ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings | Yes | No | |
ETFs - Top 10 Holdings | Yes | No | |
ETFs - Sector Exposure | Yes | No | |
ETFs - Risk Analysis | Yes | No | |
ETFs - Ratings | Yes | Yes | |
ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap | Yes | No | |
ETFs - PDF Reports | Yes | No |
Mutual Fund Research | Charles Schwab | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Mutual Funds - Strategy Overview | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Performance Chart | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Prospectus | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Country Allocation | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - StyleMap | Yes | No |
Options Trading | Charles Schwab | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Option Chains - Basic View | Yes | Yes | |
Option Chains - Strategy View | Yes | No | |
Option Chains - Streaming | Yes | No | |
Option Chains - Total Columns | 31 | 0 | |
Option Chains - Greeks | 5 | 4 | |
Option Chains - Quick Analysis | Yes | Yes | |
Option Analysis - P&L Charts | Yes | No | |
Option Probability Analysis | Yes | No | |
Option Probability Analysis Adv | Yes | No | |
Option Positions - Greeks | Yes | No | |
Option Positions - Greeks Streaming | Yes | No | |
Option Positions - Adv Analysis | Yes | No | |
Option Positions - Rolling | Yes | No | |
Option Positions - Grouping | Yes | No |
Banking | Charles Schwab | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Bank (Member FDIC) | Yes | No | |
Checking Accounts | Yes | No | |
Savings Accounts | Yes | No | |
Credit Cards | Yes | No | |
Debit Cards | Yes | No | |
Mortgage Loans | Yes | No |
Customer Service | Charles Schwab | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Phone Support (Prospect Customers) | Yes | No | |
Phone Support (Current Customers) | Yes | No | |
Email Support | Yes | Yes | |
Live Chat (Prospect Customers) | No | Yes | |
Live Chat (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
24/7 Support | Yes | No |
Overall | Charles Schwab | eToro | |
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Overall |
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Range of Investments |
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Platforms & Tools |
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Mobile Trading Apps |
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Research |
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Education |
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Ease of Use |
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Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | Charles Schwab Review | eToro Review |