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Charles Schwab vs eToro 2025

StockBrokers.com

Written by StockBrokers.com

September 17, 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.

Charles Schwab
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5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0.00
  • Stock Trades: $0.00
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.65
eToro
3.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $50.00
  • Stock Trades: $0.00
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.00

Range of investments

Bottom line: In the Charles Schwab vs eToro matchup, Schwab clearly offers the wider range of investments and account types. Schwab is rated 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #2 out of 14 brokers by StockBrokers.com, while eToro earns 2.5 stars and ranks #14. Choose Schwab if you want broad market access and retirement accounts; choose eToro if your priority is stock trading with a strong crypto lineup.

Both brokers support stock trading, fractional shares, and options. Schwab goes further with margin trading, OTC stocks, mutual funds, forex, and futures. It also provides Traditional and Roth IRAs plus advisor services. eToro does not offer margin, OTC stocks, mutual funds, forex, futures, IRAs, or advisor services—however, it does provide cryptocurrency trading with 104 coins (Schwab offers no crypto).

Put simply, Schwab fits investors who want more choices under one roof, including advanced markets and retirement planning. eToro suits those who mainly want stocks with fractional shares and access to many cryptocurrencies, and who don’t need margin, mutual funds, OTC stocks, futures, forex, or IRA accounts.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
eToro logoeToro
Stock Trading info Yes Yes
Account Feature - Margin Trading info Yes No
Fractional Shares (Stocks) info Yes Yes
OTC Stocks info Yes No
Mutual Funds info Yes No
Options Trading info Yes Yes
Futures Trading info Yes No
Crypto Trading info No Yes
Crypto Trading - Total Coins info 0 104
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2025: A Beginner-Friendly Guide to an Advanced Market

Trading platforms and tools

When choosing between Charles Schwab and eToro for trading platforms and tools, Charles Schwab stands out as the superior choice. Rated five stars out of five and ranked first among 14 brokers by StockBrokers.com, Charles Schwab offers a comprehensive set of features for traders seeking a full range of options. In contrast, eToro, with a 2.5-star rating and ranked 12th, falls short in providing the same level of depth and versatility.

Charles Schwab impresses with its availability on both Windows and Mac via downloadable platforms, alongside a browser-based option. This flexibility is complemented by features such as paper trading and a robust trading journal. The platform supports 580 columns for watch lists, significantly more than eToro's seven, allowing for extensive data customization and analysis. Furthermore, traders can adjust open orders directly on stock charts and make use of 374 technical indicators and 24 drawing tools in their charting efforts. Charles Schwab also enables traders to showcase historical trades, corporate events, and perform automated technical analysis on its charts, along with the ability to save multiple chart profiles.

eToro, on the other hand, centers its offering on a browser-based platform with some distinct capabilities. While it shares basic functionalities like paper trading and the ability to add notes to charts, its tools and features are more limited. Offering only 46 technical indicators and 48 drawing tools, eToro does have more drawing options, but lacks the rich customization and comprehensive analysis tools seen in Schwab's arsenal. Moreover, with fewer customization fields for studies and no options to create custom studies, eToro appeals primarily to those preferring a more straightforward and simplified approach to trading.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
eToro logoeToro
Web Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Trading Platform info Yes No
Desktop Platform (Mac) info Yes No
Paper Trading info Yes Yes
Watchlists - Total Fields info 580 7
Charting - Indicators / Studies info 374 46
Charting - Drawing Tools info 24 48
Platforms & Tools 5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers & Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Paper Trading Apps & Platforms for 2025

Featured Offers


5/5 Stars

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Beginners and education

For beginner and intermediate investors looking for clear education, both Charles Schwab and eToro offer lessons on stocks, ETFs, options, and bonds, plus paper trading and educational videos. The key differences show up in depth and structure: Schwab also provides mutual fund education, live webinars, quizzes, and a way to track your learning progress. eToro does not include mutual fund lessons, webinars, quizzes, or progress tracking.

These gaps are reflected in third‑party ratings: Charles Schwab earns 5 out of 5 stars for education and is ranked #1 out of 14 brokers by StockBrokers.com, while eToro receives 2.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #14 out of 14. If you want a fuller, guided learning path with testing and progress tracking, Schwab stands out; if you just need basic tutorials with demo trading and videos, eToro covers the essentials.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
eToro logoeToro
Education (Stocks) info Yes Yes
Education (ETFs) info Yes Yes
Education (Options) info Yes Yes
Education (Mutual Funds) info Yes No
Education (Fixed Income) info Yes Yes
Paper Trading info Yes Yes
Videos info Yes Yes
Webinars info Yes No
Education 5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2025

Stock trading apps

In comparing the stock trading app capabilities of Charles Schwab and eToro, Schwab emerges as the leader, securing a 5-star rating and a #1 ranking from StockBrokers.com among 14 brokers. On the other hand, eToro receives a commendable 4.5-star rating but ranks lower at #11. Schwab's superior app offerings, including features like mobile after-hours stock trading, streaming live TV, and an Apple Watch app, give it a clear edge over eToro, catering more comprehensively to active traders and investors.

Both Charles Schwab and eToro offer iPhone and Android apps, ensuring accessibility across popular platforms. Notably, Charles Schwab also provides an Apple Watch app, a feature eToro lacks. When it comes to trading features, both brokers offer mobile options trading, streaming quotes, videos on demand, stock alerts, and the ability to create custom watch lists. Schwab stands out with additional functionalities, such as after-hours charting, customizable watch list columns, and stock comparisons on charts, enhancing user experience significantly.

Charles Schwab's mobile app provides a wide array of technical studies, with 373 available, compared to eToro’s 103. It also supports advanced charting capabilities like multiple time frames, landscape mode viewing, and stock comparisons on charts. While both platforms allow users to engage in mobile trading with essential features, Schwab's more extensive array of functionalities and higher rankings offer a more robust experience for those looking for comprehensive trading tools on mobile devices.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
eToro logoeToro
iPhone App info Yes Yes
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple Watch App info Yes No
Stock Alerts info Yes Yes
Charting - After-Hours info Yes Yes
Charting - Technical Studies info 373 103
Mobile Trading Apps 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2025

Fees

When comparing Charles Schwab and eToro, both platforms offer commission-free trading on regular stock trades, making them appealing to those seeking low-cost entry into the stock market. However, differences arise in other areas such as minimum deposit requirements and account transfer fees. Charles Schwab stands out with its zero-dollar minimum deposit, whereas eToro requires a $50 minimum. Additionally, Charles Schwab charges $50 for a full account transfer, a slight edge over eToro's $75 fee. This makes Charles Schwab an attractive option for investors looking for flexibility and lower initial costs.

In the realm of options trading, Charles Schwab does charge $0.65 per options contract, while eToro offers this service at no additional cost. For those interested in leveraging options more heavily, eToro could be an enticing alternative, especially for users who prioritize cost efficiency over platform features that may be specific to margin trading. On the other hand, margin trading is where Charles Schwab provides extensive offerings with varying interest rates based on account balance. This is a feature entirely absent from eToro’s platform as they do not offer margin trading options.

Retirement account costs enhance the appeal of Charles Schwab, as they impose no IRA annual or closure fees, in contrast to eToro, which does not provide IRA management options. Both brokers equally waive fees for options exercise and assignment, maintaining cost-effectiveness for options traders on both fronts. Overall, Charles Schwab may present a more comprehensive solution for users interested in both investment diversity and cost-saving opportunities, while eToro offers niche savings on specific fees for options traders and those planning an entry into stock trading with fewer deposit commitments.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
eToro logoeToro
Minimum Deposit info $0.00 $50.00
Stock Trades info $0.00 $0.00
Options (Per Contract) info $0.65 $0.00
Options Exercise Fee info $0.00 $0.00
Options Assignment Fee info $0.00 $0.00
IRA Annual Fee info $0.00
IRA Closure Fee info $0.00

Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2025

Day Trading

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 Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
eToro logoeToro
Streaming Time & Sales info Yes Yes
Streaming TV info Yes No
Direct Market Routing - Equities info Yes No
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks info Yes No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting info Yes No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv info Yes No
Short Locator info Yes No

Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms of 2025 for Beginners and Active Traders

Market Research

When evaluating market research capabilities, Charles Schwab stands out as a superior choice compared to eToro. Offering comprehensive research options, Schwab is rated five stars and ranks first among brokers, while eToro manages a 1.5-star rating, placing it at the bottom of the list. Schwab provides a broad array of research tools, including downloadable PDF reports, screeners, and detailed portfolio analysis, whereas eToro falls short in several areas, lacking reports and a range of screeners.

Both Charles Schwab and eToro cater to investors with stock and ETF research. However, Schwab offers more extensive options, including mutual funds, bonds, and over-the-counter research, which eToro does not. Charles Schwab also provides seven downloadable PDF research reports for stocks, while eToro does not offer any in this category. Furthermore, Schwab's research extends to downloadable reports for ETFs, setting it apart from its competitor.

Charles Schwab and eToro both utilize social media sentiment data and ESG research to support investor decisions, but Schwab surpasses in providing analytical tools like stock and ETF screeners. Additionally, Schwab's advanced offerings include mutual fund and bond screeners, further extending its lead over eToro. While both brokers aim to support informed investment choices, Charles Schwab presents a far richer set of resources for those seeking detailed market analysis and insights.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
eToro logoeToro
Research - Stocks info Yes Yes
Screener - Stocks info Yes No
Research - ETFs info Yes Yes
Screener - ETFs info Yes No
Research - Mutual Funds info Yes No
Screener - Mutual Funds info Yes No
Research - Fixed Income info Yes No
Screener - Fixed Income info Yes No
Research 5/5 Stars 1.5/5 Stars

Banking

When comparing the banking capabilities of Charles Schwab and eToro, it's clear that Charles Schwab provides a wider range of services. Charles Schwab offers checking and savings accounts, allowing customers to manage their cash with ease. Additionally, Schwab provides debit and credit card options, adding more flexibility for everyday transactions. For those looking to secure mortgage loans, Charles Schwab has that covered too. Furthermore, Schwab presents customers with the opportunity to invest in Certificates of Deposit (CDs), diversifying their savings strategy. On the other hand, eToro does not currently offer any banking services such as checking or savings accounts, debit or credit cards, mortgage loans, or CDs. This highlights Charles Schwab as a more comprehensive choice for those seeking a variety of banking features alongside their online trading platform.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
eToro logoeToro
Checking Accounts info Yes
Savings Accounts info Yes
Debit Cards info Yes
Credit Cards info Yes
Mortgage Loans info Yes
Brokerage CDs info Yes No

Dive deeper: Best Brokerage Checking Accounts for 2025

Winner

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.

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with Charles Schwab or eToro?

eToro supports cryptocurrency trading with 104 coins available, whereas online broker Charles Schwab does not offer crypto trading and lists 0 coins. Investors prioritizing crypto access will find eToro’s selection significantly broader than Schwab’s.

Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2025

Does Charles Schwab or eToro offer IRAs?

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

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Compare

0 of 5
Overall Rating Charles Schwab eToro
Overall 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 1.5/5 Stars
Customer Service 4.5/5 Stars N/A
Education 5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Ease of Use 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Charles Schwab Review eToro Review
Broker Screenshots Charles Schwab eToro
Broker Gallery (click to expand)
Trading Fees Charles Schwab eToro
Minimum Deposit info $0.00 $50.00
Stock Trades info $0.00 $0.00
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) info $6.95 N/A
Mutual Fund Trade Fee info Varies N/A
Options (Per Contract) info $0.65 $0.00
Futures (Per Contract) info $2.25 (Not offered)
Broker Assisted Trade Fee info $25 $0
Margin Rates Charles Schwab eToro
Margin Rate Under $25,000 info 12.58% Not offered
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 info 12.08% Not offered
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 info 11.13% Not offered
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 info 11.08% Not offered
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 info 10.83% Not offered
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 info Varies info Not offered
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 info Varies info Not offered
Account Fees Charles Schwab eToro
IRA Annual Fee info $0.00
IRA Closure Fee info $0.00
Account Transfer Out (Partial) info $0.00 $75.00
Account Transfer Out (Full) info $50.00 $75.00
Options Exercise Fee info $0.00 $0.00
Options Assignment Fee info $0.00 $0.00
Investment Options Charles Schwab eToro
Stock Trading info Yes Yes
Account Feature - Margin Trading info Yes No
Fractional Shares (Stocks) info Yes Yes
OTC Stocks info Yes No
Options Trading info Yes Yes
Complex Options Max Legs info 4 0
Futures Trading info Yes No
Forex Trading info Yes No
Crypto Trading info No Yes
Crypto Trading - Total Coins info 0 104
Fixed Income (Treasurys) info Yes No
Fixed Income (Corporate Bonds) info Yes No
Fixed Income (Municipal Bonds) info Yes No
Traditional IRAs info Yes No
Roth IRAs info Yes No
Advisor Services info Yes No
International Countries (Stocks) info 12 0
Order Types Charles Schwab eToro
Order Type - Market info Yes Yes
Order Type - Limit info Yes No
Order Type - After Hours info Yes No
Order Type - Stop info Yes Yes
Order Type - Trailing Stop info Yes Yes
Order Type - OCO info Yes No
Order Type - OTO info Yes No
Order Type - Broker Assisted info Yes No
Beginners Charles Schwab eToro
Education (Stocks) info Yes Yes
Education (ETFs) info Yes Yes
Education (Options) info Yes Yes
Education (Mutual Funds) info Yes No
Education (Fixed Income) info Yes Yes
Education (Retirement) info Yes No
Retirement Calculator info Yes No
Investor Dictionary info Yes No
Paper Trading info Yes Yes
Videos info Yes Yes
Webinars info Yes No
Progress Tracking info Yes No
Interactive Learning - Quizzes info Yes No
Stock Trading Apps Charles Schwab eToro
iPhone App info Yes Yes
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple Watch App info Yes No
Trading - Stocks info Yes Yes
Trading - After-Hours info Yes No
Trading - Simple Options info Yes Yes
Trading - Complex Options info Yes No
Order Ticket RT Quotes info Yes Yes
Order Ticket SRT Quotes info Yes Yes
Stock App Features Charles Schwab eToro
Mobile Research - Market Movers info Yes Yes
Stream Live TV info Yes No
Videos on Demand info Yes Yes
Stock Alerts info Yes Yes
Option Chains Viewable info Yes Yes
Watchlist (Real-time) info Yes Yes
Watchlist (Streaming) info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlists - Create & Manage info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlists - Column Customization info Yes No
Stock App Charting Charles Schwab eToro
Charting - After-Hours info Yes Yes
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally info Yes No
Charting - Multiple Time Frames info Yes Yes
Charting - Technical Studies info 373 103
Charting - Study Customizations info Yes Yes
Charting - Stock Comparisons info Yes Yes
Trading Platforms Charles Schwab eToro
Active Trading Platform info thinkorswim info N/A
Desktop Trading Platform info Yes No
Desktop Platform (Mac) info Yes No
Web Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Paper Trading info Yes Yes
Trade Journal info Yes No
Watchlists - Total Fields info 580 7
Stock Chart Features Charles Schwab eToro
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart info Yes No
Charting - Indicators / Studies info 374 46
Charting - Drawing Tools info 24 48
Charting - Notes info Yes Yes
Charting - Historical Trades info Yes No
Charting - Corporate Events info Yes No
Charting - Custom Date Range info Yes No
Charting - Custom Time Bars info Yes No
Charting - Automated Analysis info Yes No
Charting - Save Profiles info Yes Yes
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis info Yes Yes
Charting - Study Customizations info 35 5
Charting - Custom Studies info Yes No
Day Trading Charles Schwab eToro
Streaming Time & Sales info Yes Yes
Streaming TV info Yes No
Direct Market Routing - Equities info Yes No
Ladder Trading info Yes No
Trade Hot Keys info Yes No
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks info Yes No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting info Yes No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv info Yes No
Short Locator info Yes No
Order Liquidity Rebates info No No
Research Overview Charles Schwab eToro
Research - Stocks info Yes Yes
Research - ETFs info Yes Yes
Research - Mutual Funds info Yes No
Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB info Yes No
Research - Fixed Income info Yes No
Screener - Stocks info Yes No
Screener - ETFs info Yes No
Screener - Mutual Funds info Yes No
Screener - Fixed Income info Yes No
Portfolio Asset Allocation info Yes No
Stock Research Charles Schwab eToro
Stock Research - PDF Reports info 7 0
Stock Research - Earnings info Yes Yes
Stock Research - Insiders info Yes Yes
Stock Research - Social info Yes Yes
Stock Research - News info Yes Yes
Stock Research - ESG info Yes Yes
Stock Research - SEC Filings info Yes Yes
ETF Research Charles Schwab eToro
ETFs - Investment Objective info Yes Yes
ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date info Yes No
ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio info Yes No
ETF Fund Facts - Total Assets info Yes No
ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings info Yes No
ETFs - Top 10 Holdings info Yes No
ETFs - Sector Exposure info Yes No
ETFs - Risk Analysis info Yes No
ETFs - Ratings info Yes Yes
ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap info Yes No
ETFs - PDF Reports info Yes No
Mutual Fund Research Charles Schwab eToro
Mutual Funds - Investment Objective info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Performance Chart info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Prospectus info Yes No
Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Country Allocation info Yes No
Mutual Funds - StyleMap info Yes No
Options Trading Charles Schwab eToro
Option Chains - Total Greeks info 5 4
Option Analysis - P&L Charts info Yes No
Banking Charles Schwab eToro
Bank (Member FDIC) info Yes
Checking Accounts info Yes
Savings Accounts info Yes
Credit Cards info Yes
Debit Cards info Yes
Mortgage Loans info Yes
Customer Service Charles Schwab eToro
Phone Support (Prospective Customers) info Yes No
Phone Support (Current Customers) info Yes No
Email Support info Yes Yes
Live Chat (Prospective Customers) info No Yes
Live Chat (Current Customers) info Yes Yes
24/7 Support info Yes No
Overall Charles Schwab eToro
Overall 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 1.5/5 Stars
Education 5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Ease of Use 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Charles Schwab Review eToro Review
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