Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Charles Schwab vs Robinhood, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
Bottom line: Among online brokers, Charles Schwab offers a broader overall mix of investments than Robinhood because it adds mutual funds and forex, while Robinhood stands out for built-in crypto trading (22 coins). Both let you trade stocks, options, futures, and OTC shares with margin and fractional shares, plus both support Traditional and Roth IRAs and advisor services. Reflecting that breadth, StockBrokers.com rates Schwab 4.5/5 for Range of Investments (#3 of 14) versus Robinhood’s 4/5 (#10 of 14).
On tradable assets, Schwab and Robinhood overlap on many essentials: stock trading, options trading, futures trading, OTC stocks, margin, and fractional shares are available at both. Key differences: Schwab offers mutual funds and forex trading, which Robinhood does not. Robinhood offers cryptocurrency trading and Schwab does not; Robinhood currently supports 22 coins while Schwab offers none.
For accounts and guidance, both brokers provide Traditional and Roth IRAs and make advisor services available. Pick Schwab if you want mutual funds or currency trading alongside stocks, options, and futures. Pick Robinhood if convenient crypto access is a must-have.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Robinhood
|
|---|---|---|
| Stock Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Fractional Shares (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
| OTC Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
| Options Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Futures Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto Trading | No | Yes |
| Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 0 | 22 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2026, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2026
Charles Schwab is the stronger pick for traders who want depth and flexibility, while Robinhood suits those who prefer a simpler, lighter setup. Schwab earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and is ranked #1 of 14 by StockBrokers.com for trading platforms and tools; Robinhood earns 3 out of 5 stars and ranks #8. If advanced features, testing ideas, and detailed tracking matter to you, Schwab stands out. If you just need a straightforward place to place trades online, Robinhood can fit the bill.
Platform access is a key divider. Charles Schwab offers downloadable desktop platforms for both Windows and Mac, plus a browser-based platform. Robinhood has a browser platform but no desktop apps. Schwab also includes paper trading and a built-in trading journal; Robinhood offers neither. For watchlists, Schwab supports up to 580 data fields versus Robinhood’s 34. Both brokers let you adjust open orders directly on a chart.
Charting and analysis tilt heavily toward Schwab. Schwab supplies 374 technical indicators (Robinhood has 90) and lets you add notes, view historical trades, and overlay corporate events like earnings and splits—features Robinhood lacks. Both support custom date ranges and saving multiple chart profiles, and both allow notes on charts. Robinhood edges Schwab on drawing tools (26 vs. 24), but Schwab allows far deeper study control, with 35 customization fields for a simple SMA versus Robinhood’s 6. Schwab also supports automated chart pattern recognition and creating custom studies; Robinhood does not.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Robinhood
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Mac) | Yes | No |
| Paper Trading | Yes | No |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 580 | 34 |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 374 | 90 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 24 | 26 |
| Advanced Trading |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Stock Brokers for 2026, Best Paper Trading Apps & Platforms for 2026
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Comparing online brokers Charles Schwab and Robinhood for investor education, both cover core topics like stocks, ETFs, options, and bonds, and both offer educational videos. Schwab goes further with lessons on mutual funds, while Robinhood does not. Schwab also provides paper trading to practice without risking real money, plus webinars, quizzes, and tools to track your learning progress—features Robinhood doesn’t include.
For beginners seeking a more complete learning path, Schwab stands out: it earns a 5-star education rating and ranks #2 out of 14 brokers for education by StockBrokers.com. Robinhood covers the basics with a simpler approach, but its education earns 3.5 stars and ranks #7 out of 14, and it lacks mutual fund lessons, paper trading, webinars, quizzes, and progress tracking.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Robinhood
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (ETFs) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Options) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Mutual Funds) | Yes | No |
| Education (Fixed Income) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2026
Charles Schwab edges out Robinhood for stock trading apps. Schwab earns 5 stars and the #1 spot out of 14 brokers from StockBrokers.com, while Robinhood holds 4 stars and ranks #7. Both cover the essentials for trading on the go, but Schwab adds stronger charts and in‑app research, making it the better pick for most investors, while Robinhood suits quick, straightforward trading.
Device support is a tie: both offer iPhone, Android, and Apple Watch apps. Each supports mobile options trading, streaming quotes, stock alerts, and custom watch lists with editable columns. Schwab supports mobile after‑hours trading; the information provided did not confirm whether Robinhood supports mobile after‑hours trading.
Schwab shines in charts and media. Both apps have after‑hours charting and multiple time frames, but only Schwab lets you rotate to landscape, compare stocks on the same chart, and tap into far more technical studies (373 vs 90). For education and market color, Schwab also streams live TV and offers videos on demand, features Robinhood does not include.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Robinhood
|
|---|---|---|
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes |
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple Watch App | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - After-Hours | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Technical Studies | 373 | 90 |
| Mobile Trading Apps |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2026
In comparing Charles Schwab and Robinhood, potential investors should focus on the significant differences in margin rates and account transfer fees. Both platforms offer $0 minimum deposits and zero commission fees on regular stock trades, making them attractive to new investors. However, Robinhood stands out by offering no fees on options contracts, which may entice those interested in options trading. On the other hand, Charles Schwab has varying margin rates depending on balance size, which are higher compared to Robinhood's more competitive rates across all tiers.
For margin balances below $25,000, Charles Schwab charges an interest rate of 12.58%, whereas Robinhood more than halves that rate at 5.75%. This pattern continues with higher balance tiers, with Robinhood consistently offering lower rates—5.75% for $25,000 to $49,999 and 5.55% for balances between $50,000 and $99,999, while Schwab's rates remain high. This disparity makes Robinhood a more cost-effective choice for those who plan on utilizing margin accounts.
Both Charles Schwab and Robinhood offer free IRA management with no annual or closure fees. However, for investors planning on transferring accounts, Schwab offers free partial account transfers but charges $50 for full transfers. Robinhood, in contrast, charges $100 for both partial and full account transfers. This might make Schwab more appealing to those who value flexibility in transferring their assets. Overall, while both brokers offer appealing features, Robinhood's more generous options contract rates and lower margin rates could be a strong draw for cost-conscious investors.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Robinhood
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| 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 | $0.00 |
| IRA Closure Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2026
For day trading features, Charles Schwab offers a deeper toolkit than Robinhood. Schwab supports streaming time and sales, streaming live TV, direct market routing for stocks, trading hotkeys, Level 2 quotes, both basic and advanced strategy backtesting, and a short locator tool to check real‑time borrow availability. Robinhood provides Level 2 quotes and ladder trading, but does not offer streaming time and sales, streaming TV, direct routing, hotkeys, or any form of strategy backtesting or a short locator. Neither platform pays maker/taker liquidity rebates.
If you want more control over trade execution and analysis, Schwab’s platform will suit active day traders better. If your needs are simpler and you just want Level 2 and a ladder interface, Robinhood can cover the basics.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Robinhood
|
|---|---|---|
| Streaming Time & Sales | Yes | No |
| Streaming TV | Yes | No |
| Direct Market Routing - Equities | Yes | No |
| Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting | Yes | No |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | Yes | No |
| Short Locator | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms of 2026 for Beginners and Active Traders
Bottom line: in the Charles Schwab vs Robinhood market research comparison, Schwab is the stronger pick. Schwab earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks #2 out of 14 brokers for research, while Robinhood scores 2.5/5 and ranks #10. Both platforms cover core needs like stock and ETF research and let you view portfolio allocation by asset class, but Schwab delivers wider asset coverage, deeper data extras, and more tools for finding ideas.
Coverage and data: Schwab offers research for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, Pink Sheets/OTCBB, and bonds. Robinhood covers stocks, ETFs, and Pink Sheets/OTCBB, but not mutual funds or bonds. For advanced data, Schwab includes social media sentiment and ESG research; Robinhood does not offer either. Both let you see allocation by asset class in your portfolio.
Reports and screeners: Schwab provides seven downloadable PDF stock research reports and also offers downloadable ETF reports; Robinhood has no downloadable PDF reports for stocks or ETFs, and neither broker offers PDF reports for mutual funds. For idea generation, both include a stock screener, but Schwab adds ETF, mutual fund, and bond screeners, which Robinhood lacks.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Robinhood
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| Screener - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Screener - ETFs | Yes | No |
| Research - Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
| Screener - Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
| Research - Fixed Income | Yes | No |
| Screener - Fixed Income | Yes | No |
| Research |
|
|
When evaluating the banking capabilities of Charles Schwab and Robinhood, several distinctions emerge. Charles Schwab provides a comprehensive range of banking services including checking and savings accounts, debit and credit cards, mortgage loans, and certificates of deposit (CDs). In contrast, Robinhood offers fewer traditional banking services, focusing more on its investment platform. While Robinhood supplies both debit and credit cards, it does not offer checking or savings accounts, mortgage loans, or CDs, which might limit its banking convenience for some users. Charles Schwab’s diverse offerings cater to those seeking a more integrated banking and investment experience.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Robinhood
|
|---|---|---|
| Checking Accounts | Yes | No |
| Savings Accounts | Yes | No |
| Debit Cards | Yes | Yes |
| Credit Cards | Yes | Yes |
| Mortgage Loans | Yes | No |
| Brokerage CDs | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Brokerage Checking Accounts for 2026
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 Robinhood. Charles Schwab finished with an overall score of 93.3%, while Robinhood finished with a score of 69.6%.
For most investors, the search for a great broker ends with Charles Schwab. Retaining the #1 Overall ranking in 2026, Schwab continues to set the industry standard. The broker uniquely balances scale with sophistication, offering both simplified mobile tools and the professional-grade thinkorswim platform. From buying a first fractional share to managing a multimillion-dollar estate, Schwab provides a platform tailored to every need, serving as the definitive operating system for modern wealth.
Compared to Robinhood, which provides crypto trading with access to 22 different coins, Charles Schwab does not offer any cryptocurrency trading options.
Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2026
Both Charles Schwab and Robinhood offer traditional and Roth IRA accounts without annual fees and impose no charges for closing these accounts, making them cost-effective options for retirement savings.
Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2026
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Charles Schwab | Robinhood | |
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| Review | Charles Schwab Review | Robinhood Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Charles Schwab | Robinhood | |
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| Trading Fees | Charles Schwab | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| 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 | $0.75 | |
| Broker Assisted Trade Fee | $25 | N/A |
| Margin Rates | Charles Schwab | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Margin Rate Under $25,000 | 12.58% | 5.75% | |
| Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 | 12.08% | 5.75% | |
| Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 | 11.13% | 5.55% | |
| Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 | 11.08% | 5.25% | |
| Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 | 10.83% | 5.25% | |
| Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 | Varies | 5.25% | |
| Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 | Varies | 5% |
| Account Fees | Charles Schwab | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| IRA Closure Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| Account Transfer Out (Partial) | $0.00 | $100.00 | |
| Account Transfer Out (Full) | $50.00 | $100.00 | |
| Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Investment Options | Charles Schwab | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Fractional Shares (Stocks) | Yes | Yes | |
| OTC Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
| Options Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Complex Options Max Legs | 4 | 4 | |
| Futures Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex Trading | Yes | No | |
| Crypto Trading | No | Yes | |
| Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 0 | 22 | |
| Fixed Income (Treasurys) | Yes | No | |
| Fixed Income (Corporate Bonds) | Yes | No | |
| Fixed Income (Municipal Bonds) | Yes | No | |
| Traditional IRAs | Yes | Yes | |
| Roth IRAs | Yes | Yes | |
| Advisor Services | Yes | Yes | |
| International Countries (Stocks) | 12 | 1 |
| Order Types | Charles Schwab | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Order Type - Market | Yes | Yes | |
| Order Type - Limit | Yes | Yes | |
| Order Type - After Hours | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (ETFs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Options) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Mutual Funds) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Fixed Income) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Retirement Calculator | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary | Yes | Yes | |
| Paper Trading | Yes | No | |
| Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Progress Tracking | Yes | No | |
| Interactive Learning - Quizzes | Yes | No |
| Stock Trading Apps | Charles Schwab | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple Watch App | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading - After-Hours | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading - Simple Options | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading - Complex Options | Yes | Yes | |
| Order Ticket RT Quotes | Yes | Yes | |
| Order Ticket SRT Quotes | Yes | Yes |
| Stock App Features | Charles Schwab | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile Research - Market Movers | Yes | Yes | |
| Stream Live TV | Yes | No | |
| Videos on Demand | Yes | No | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Option Chains Viewable | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist (Real-time) | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist (Streaming) | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Create & Manage | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Column Customization | Yes | Yes |
| Stock App Charting | Charles Schwab | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charting - After-Hours | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Can Turn Horizontally | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Technical Studies | 373 | 90 | |
| Charting - Study Customizations | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Comparisons | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Charles Schwab | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Trading Platform | thinkorswim | Robinhood Legend | |
| Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Mac) | Yes | No | |
| Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Paper Trading | Yes | No | |
| Trade Journal | Yes | No | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 580 | 34 |
| Stock Chart Features | Charles Schwab | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 374 | 90 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 24 | 26 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Historical Trades | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Custom Date Range | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Custom Time Bars | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Automated Analysis | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Save Profiles | Yes | Yes | |
| Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Study Customizations | 35 | 6 | |
| Charting - Custom Studies | Yes | No |
| Day Trading | Charles Schwab | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Streaming Time & Sales | Yes | No | |
| Streaming TV | Yes | No | |
| Direct Market Routing - Equities | Yes | No | |
| Ladder Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Trade Hot Keys | Yes | No | |
| Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting | Yes | No | |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | Yes | No | |
| Short Locator | Yes | No | |
| Order Liquidity Rebates | No | No |
| Research Overview | Charles Schwab | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Mutual Funds | Yes | No | |
| Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Fixed Income | Yes | No | |
| Screener - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
| Screener - ETFs | Yes | No | |
| Screener - Mutual Funds | Yes | No | |
| Screener - Fixed Income | Yes | No | |
| Portfolio Asset Allocation | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Research | Charles Schwab | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Research - PDF Reports | 7 | 0 | |
| Stock Research - Earnings | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Research - Insiders | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Research - Social | Yes | No | |
| Stock Research - News | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Research - ESG | Yes | No | |
| Stock Research - SEC Filings | Yes | No |
| ETF Research | Charles Schwab | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ETFs - Investment Objective | Yes | Yes | |
| ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date | Yes | Yes | |
| ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio | Yes | Yes | |
| ETF Fund Facts - Total Assets | Yes | Yes | |
| ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs - Top 10 Holdings | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs - Sector Exposure | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs - Risk Analysis | Yes | No | |
| ETFs - Ratings | Yes | No | |
| ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap | Yes | No | |
| ETFs - PDF Reports | Yes | No |
| Mutual Fund Research | Charles Schwab | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mutual Funds - Investment Objective | 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 | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Option Chains - Total Greeks | 5 | 5 | |
| Option Analysis - P&L Charts | Yes | Yes |
| Banking | Charles Schwab | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank (Member FDIC) | Yes | No | |
| Checking Accounts | Yes | No | |
| Savings Accounts | Yes | No | |
| Credit Cards | Yes | Yes | |
| Debit Cards | Yes | Yes | |
| Mortgage Loans | Yes | No |
| Customer Service | Charles Schwab | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone Support (Prospective Customers) | Yes | No | |
| Phone Support (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
| Email Support | Yes | Yes | |
| Live Chat (Prospective Customers) | No | No | |
| Live Chat (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
| 24/7 Support | Yes | Yes |
| Overall | Charles Schwab | Robinhood | |
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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 | Robinhood Review |
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