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Charles Schwab vs eToro 2025

StockBrokers.com

Written by StockBrokers.com

July 03, 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

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 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 26
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
Watch Lists - 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

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 Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
eToro logoeToro
Education (Stocks) info Yes Yes
Education (ETFs) info Yes No
Education (Options) info Yes No
Education (Mutual Funds) info Yes No
Education (Fixed Income) info Yes No
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

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 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 No 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 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 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 evaluating Charles Schwab and eToro for their day trading capabilities, several distinct features set them apart. Charles Schwab is equipped with streaming time and sales data for stocks and offers streaming live TV, enhancing users' real-time trading experience. It supports direct market routing for stock trades, ladder trading, and trading hotkeys for efficient keyboard entries, which can be crucial for quick decision-making in fast-paced scenarios. Charles Schwab also provides level 2 quotes, which give deeper insights into market depth. Additionally, the platform offers both basic and advanced strategy backtesting, allowing traders to test their strategies' effectiveness. A short locator tool is available, enabling traders to see real-time availability of shares to short, which adds another layer of functionality for those interested in short selling.

Conversely, eToro offers streaming time and sales for stocks but lacks several features that day traders might find essential. It doesn't provide streaming live TV, direct market routing, ladder trading, or trading hotkeys, which can limit quick trade executions. Furthermore, eToro does not offer level 2 quotes, strategy backtesting, or a short locator tool, which could be crucial for day traders seeking comprehensive tools for strategy and execution. While both platforms serve different trader needs, those focused on detailed, active, and strategic day trading may find Charles Schwab's offerings more aligned with their requirements.

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 for 2025

Market Research

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 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?

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

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

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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 13.575% Not offered
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 info 13.075% Not offered
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 info 12.125% Not offered
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 info 12.075% Not offered
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 info 11.825% 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 26
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 No
Education (Options) info Yes No
Education (Mutual Funds) info Yes No
Education (Fixed Income) info Yes No
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
Market Movers (Top Gainers) 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
Watch List (Real-time) info Yes Yes
Watch List (Streaming) info Yes Yes
Watch Lists - Create & Manage info Yes Yes
Watch Lists - Column Customization info Yes No
Stock App Charting Charles Schwab eToro
Charting - After-Hours info No 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
Watch Lists - 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
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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