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Charles Schwab vs tastytrade 2026

StockBrokers.com

Written by StockBrokers.com

September 17, 2025

In this head to head comparison of Charles Schwab vs tastytrade, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.

Charles Schwab
5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0.00
  • Stock Trades: $0.00
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.65
tastytrade
3.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0.00
  • Stock Trades: $0.00
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.50 info

Range of investments

Big picture: Choose Charles Schwab if you want the widest traditional menu and planning help; pick tastytrade if you’re an active trader who wants crypto alongside options and futures. Schwab covers stocks (including OTC), options, mutual funds, forex, and futures, plus margin and fractional shares, and it offers advisor services and both Traditional and Roth IRAs. It doesn’t offer crypto. Tastytrade supports stocks, options, futures, forex, margin, and fractional shares, adds crypto trading with 17 coins, but skips mutual funds, OTC stocks, and advisor services. Reflecting this breadth, StockBrokers.com rates Schwab 4.5 stars for Range of Investments (#3 of 14) versus tastytrade’s 4 stars (#9).

Head-to-head on products: both brokers support stock trading, options trading, futures, forex, margin, and fractional shares. Only tastytrade offers crypto (17 coins). Only Charles Schwab offers mutual funds and OTC stocks. Crypto is not available at Schwab.

Accounts and guidance: both Charles Schwab and tastytrade offer Traditional and Roth IRAs. If you want advisor services and access to mutual funds and OTC stocks, Schwab is the better fit. If your priority is a trading-focused experience with crypto alongside options and futures, tastytrade stands out.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
tastytrade logotastytrade
Stock Trading info Yes Yes
Account Feature - Margin Trading info Yes Yes
Fractional Shares (Stocks) info Yes Yes info
OTC Stocks info Yes No
Mutual Funds info Yes No
Options Trading info Yes Yes
Futures Trading info Yes Yes
Crypto Trading info No Yes
Crypto Trading - Total Coins info 0 17
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2026, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2026

Trading platforms and tools

If you’re choosing between Charles Schwab and tastytrade for trading platforms and tools, Schwab has the edge overall. It’s rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranked #1 of 14 by StockBrokers.com, while tastytrade is rated 4 stars and ranked #5. Schwab adds paper trading, automated chart‑pattern recognition, more technical indicators (374 vs 308), and far more watch‑list fields (580 vs 33). Tastytrade still delivers everyday charting and management features, plus more drawing tools (31 vs 24), so it suits traders who want a simpler setup without giving up key capabilities.

Platform access is a tie: both brokers offer downloadable desktop platforms for Windows and Mac, as well as a browser‑based platform. Both include a trading journal and let you adjust open orders directly on the chart. You can save multiple chart profiles, add notes, view historical trades and corporate events, and set custom date ranges. Only Schwab offers paper trading; tastytrade does not.

Charting and customization lean toward Schwab. Beyond the larger indicator library, Schwab supports automated technical analysis (chart patterns) and offers deeper study controls—for example, 35 fields when editing an SMA study versus seven at tastytrade. Both allow creating custom studies. Tastytrade counters with more drawing tools (31 vs 24). In short, Charles Schwab favors detail and customization, while tastytrade keeps a simpler toolkit that covers the basics.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
tastytrade logotastytrade
Web Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Mac) info Yes Yes
Paper Trading info Yes No
Watchlists - Total Fields info 580 33
Charting - Indicators / Studies info 374 308
Charting - Drawing Tools info 24 31
Advanced Trading 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Brokers for 2026, Best Paper Trading Apps & Platforms for 2026

Featured Offers


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Beginners and education

For beginner and long-term investors who want a deep learning path, Charles Schwab stands out. Its education covers stocks, ETFs, options, mutual funds, and bonds, and it adds helpful tools like paper trading to practice without risking real money. You’ll find videos, webinars, quizzes, and the ability to track your progress, making it easier to build skills step by step. Schwab earns 5 out of 5 stars for education and ranks #2 out of 14 brokers on StockBrokers.com.

tastytrade is geared more toward market enthusiasts who want practical lessons on trading. It offers education for stocks, ETFs, and options, plus videos, webinars, and learning progress tracking. However, it does not provide education on mutual funds or bonds, and it lacks paper trading and quizzes. tastytrade receives 3 out of 5 stars for education and ranks #11 out of 14 on StockBrokers.com. If you want a wider curriculum and practice tools, choose Schwab; if you prefer options-focused content without the extra features, tastytrade can be a fit.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
tastytrade logotastytrade
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 No
Videos info Yes Yes
Webinars info Yes Yes
Education 5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2026

Stock trading apps

Looking for the better stock trading app between Charles Schwab and tastytrade? Schwab is the clear winner overall, earning 5 stars and the #1 spot out of 14 brokers from StockBrokers.com, while tastytrade holds 4 stars and ranks #12. Schwab’s mobile experience covers more features and media, whereas tastytrade hits the basics well, especially for options traders.

Both brokers offer iPhone and Android apps, plus streaming quotes, mobile options trading, after-hours charting, stock alerts, custom watch lists with adjustable columns, landscape charts, and multiple time frames. Charles Schwab also supports mobile after-hours stock trading; tastytrade’s in-app after-hours trading support is not confirmed. For wearable access, Schwab has an Apple Watch app; tastytrade does not. Schwab further adds streaming live TV and videos on demand, which tastytrade lacks.

For charts, Schwab provides far deeper analysis: 373 technical studies and the ability to compare stocks on a chart. Tastytrade offers neither built-in studies nor chart comparisons. If you rely on technical indicators or side-by-side symbol comparison, Schwab’s app gives you far more to work with, while tastytrade stays focused on straightforward trading.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
tastytrade logotastytrade
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 0
Mobile Trading Apps 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2026

Fees

When comparing Charles Schwab and tastytrade, potential investors encounter several key differences in fees. Both platforms offer a minimum deposit requirement of zero dollars and charge no fees for standard stock trades, which can make them highly appealing to beginners or those seeking to minimize costs initially. However, for those interested in options trading, tastytrade edges out slightly with a lower fee of $0.50 per contract compared to Charles Schwab's $0.65. On the other hand, Charles Schwab presents a significant advantage with zero fees for IRA accounts management, including no charges for IRA closure, whereas tastytrade imposes a $60 fee for closing an IRA account.

Regarding margin accounts, the difference becomes even more pronounced as tastytrade offers lower interest rates across varying balance tiers. For balances below $25,000, tastytrade charges 11%, while Charles Schwab applies a 12.58% rate. As the margin balances increase, tastytrade remains cheaper, charging 10.5% for balances between $25,000 and $49,999 and 10% for balances between $50,000 and $99,999; meanwhile, Charles Schwab charges 12.08% and 11.13%, respectively. Investors interested in margin trading might find tastytrade's lower rates more attractive.

Additional cost considerations include fees for account transfers and options specifically. Charles Schwab charges nothing for partial account transfers and $50 for full transfers, whereas tastytrade imposes a $75 fee for both. Plus, while Charles Schwab doesn't charge for options exercises or assignments, tastytrade applies a $5 fee for each. Overall, the choice between these two platforms can significantly depend on the specific services a trader values most, be it more economical margin trading with tastytrade or cost-effective account management with Charles Schwab.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
tastytrade logotastytrade
Minimum Deposit info $0.00 $0.00
Stock Trades info $0.00 $0.00
Options (Per Contract) info $0.65 $0.50 info
Options Exercise Fee info $0.00 $5.00
Options Assignment Fee info $0.00 $5.00
IRA Annual Fee info $0.00 $0.00
IRA Closure Fee info $0.00 $60.00

Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2026

Day Trading

For stock day trading, Charles Schwab offers more real-time tools than tastytrade. Schwab includes streaming time and sales, streaming live TV, direct market routing, ladder trading, keyboard hotkeys for quick order entry, Level 2 quotes, and both basic and advanced strategy backtesting. It also provides a short locator to check borrowable shares. Neither broker pays order liquidity (maker/taker) rebates.

tastytrade covers some needs—ladder trading, streaming live TV, advanced backtesting, and a short locator—but it does not offer streaming time and sales, direct routing, Level 2 data, trading hotkeys, or basic backtesting. If you want deeper market visibility and faster order control for active day trading, Charles Schwab is the stronger fit, while tastytrade can work if you don’t need those extra stock-trading tools.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
tastytrade logotastytrade
Streaming Time & Sales info Yes No
Streaming TV info Yes Yes
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 Yes
Short Locator info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms of 2026 for Beginners and Active Traders

Market Research

Comparing Charles Schwab vs tastytrade for market research, Schwab clearly outpaces tastytrade. Schwab earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks #2 of 14 brokers on StockBrokers.com, while tastytrade is rated 2/5 stars and ranks #13. If you want broad coverage, downloadable reports, and added data sets, choose Schwab; if you only need basic stock and ETF research with screeners, tastytrade can suffice.

Both brokers offer stock and ETF research and let you view portfolio allocation by asset class. Schwab goes further with research for mutual funds, Pink Sheets/OTC, and bonds; tastytrade does not cover those categories. Only Schwab includes stock research using social media sentiment and ESG research. For downloadable research, Schwab provides seven PDF stock reports and PDFs for ETFs, while tastytrade offers none; neither broker has PDFs for mutual funds.

For idea generation, both platforms include stock, ETF, and bond screeners. Schwab alone adds a mutual fund screener. In short, Schwab delivers a more complete research toolkit across asset classes, while tastytrade focuses on a narrower set of research features.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
tastytrade logotastytrade
Research - Stocks info Yes Yes
Screener - Stocks info Yes Yes
Research - ETFs info Yes Yes
Screener - ETFs info Yes Yes
Research - Mutual Funds info Yes No
Screener - Mutual Funds info Yes No
Research - Fixed Income info Yes No
Screener - Fixed Income info Yes Yes
Research 4.5/5 Stars 2/5 Stars

Banking

When looking at the banking services offered by Charles Schwab and tastytrade, Schwab clearly provides a more comprehensive suite of options. Charles Schwab offers customers checking and savings accounts, a versatile combination for managing day-to-day expenses and long-term financial goals. In contrast, tastytrade does not provide these basic banking services. Schwab also issues debit and credit cards, things that offer convenience and flexibility in transactions, whereas tastytrade offers neither. For those interested in longer-term savings, Charles Schwab provides Certificates of Deposit (CDs), adding another layer to your savings strategy. Mortgage loans are available with Schwab, giving you an opportunity to manage larger financial investments through them. tastytrade, however, does not extend these banking options, focusing instead on trading services. This comparison highlights Charles Schwab's comprehensive banking capabilities compared to tastytrade's trading-specific offerings.

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

Dive deeper: Best Brokerage Checking Accounts for 2026

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 tastytrade. Charles Schwab finished with an overall score of 93.3%, while tastytrade finished with a score of 64.0%.

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.

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with Charles Schwab or tastytrade?

When comparing online brokers, Charles Schwab does not offer crypto trading, whereas tastytrade provides access to 17 different cryptocurrencies, making it a more versatile option for crypto enthusiasts.

Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2026

Does Charles Schwab or tastytrade offer IRAs?

Both Charles Schwab and tastytrade offer traditional and Roth IRA accounts with no annual fees, but while Charles Schwab charges $0.00 as a closure fee for IRA accounts, tastytrade imposes a $60.00 fee.

Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2026

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Compare

0 of 5
Overall Rating Charles Schwab tastytrade
Overall 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Advanced Trading 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 2/5 Stars
Customer Service 4.5/5 Stars 4.0/5 Stars
Education 5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Ease of Use 4.5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Charles Schwab Review tastytrade Review
Broker Screenshots Charles Schwab tastytrade
Broker Gallery (click to expand)
Trading Fees Charles Schwab tastytrade
Minimum Deposit info $0.00 $0.00
Stock Trades info $0.00 $0.00
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) info $6.95 N/A
Mutual Fund Trade Fee info Varies N/A info
Options (Per Contract) info $0.65 $0.50 info
Futures (Per Contract) info $2.25 $1.00 info
Broker Assisted Trade Fee info $25 $0
Margin Rates Charles Schwab tastytrade
Margin Rate Under $25,000 info 12.58% 11%
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 info 12.08% 10.5%
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 info 11.13% 10%
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 info 11.08% 9.5%
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 info 10.83% 9%
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 info Varies info 8.5%
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 info Varies info 8%
Account Fees Charles Schwab tastytrade
IRA Annual Fee info $0.00 $0.00
IRA Closure Fee info $0.00 $60.00
Account Transfer Out (Partial) info $0.00 $75.00
Account Transfer Out (Full) info $50.00 $75.00
Options Exercise Fee info $0.00 $5.00
Options Assignment Fee info $0.00 $5.00
Investment Options Charles Schwab tastytrade
Stock Trading info Yes Yes
Account Feature - Margin Trading info Yes Yes
Fractional Shares (Stocks) info Yes Yes info
OTC Stocks info Yes No
Options Trading info Yes Yes
Complex Options Max Legs info 4 4
Futures Trading info Yes Yes
Forex Trading info Yes Yes
Crypto Trading info No Yes
Crypto Trading - Total Coins info 0 17
Fixed Income (Treasurys) info Yes Yes info
Fixed Income (Corporate Bonds) info Yes No
Fixed Income (Municipal Bonds) info Yes No
Traditional IRAs info Yes Yes
Roth IRAs info Yes Yes
Advisor Services info Yes No
International Countries (Stocks) info 12 0
Order Types Charles Schwab tastytrade
Order Type - Market info Yes Yes
Order Type - Limit info Yes Yes
Order Type - After Hours info Yes Yes
Order Type - Stop info Yes Yes
Order Type - Trailing Stop info Yes No
Order Type - OCO info Yes Yes
Order Type - OTO info Yes Yes
Order Type - Broker Assisted info Yes Yes
Beginners Charles Schwab tastytrade
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 No
Education (Retirement) info Yes Yes
Retirement Calculator info Yes No
Investor Dictionary info Yes Yes
Paper Trading info Yes No
Videos info Yes Yes
Webinars info Yes Yes
Progress Tracking info Yes Yes
Interactive Learning - Quizzes info Yes No
Stock Trading Apps Charles Schwab tastytrade
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 Yes
Trading - Simple Options info Yes Yes
Trading - Complex Options info Yes Yes
Order Ticket RT Quotes info Yes Yes
Order Ticket SRT Quotes info Yes Yes
Stock App Features Charles Schwab tastytrade
Mobile Research - Market Movers info Yes Yes
Stream Live TV info Yes No
Videos on Demand info Yes No
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 Yes
Stock App Charting Charles Schwab tastytrade
Charting - After-Hours info Yes Yes
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally info Yes Yes
Charting - Multiple Time Frames info Yes Yes
Charting - Technical Studies info 373 0
Charting - Study Customizations info Yes No
Charting - Stock Comparisons info Yes No
Trading Platforms Charles Schwab tastytrade
Active Trading Platform info thinkorswim info tastytrade
Desktop Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Mac) info Yes Yes
Web Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Paper Trading info Yes No
Trade Journal info Yes Yes
Watchlists - Total Fields info 580 33
Stock Chart Features Charles Schwab tastytrade
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies info 374 308
Charting - Drawing Tools info 24 31
Charting - Notes info Yes Yes
Charting - Historical Trades info Yes Yes
Charting - Corporate Events info Yes Yes
Charting - Custom Date Range info Yes Yes
Charting - Custom Time Bars info Yes Yes
Charting - Automated Analysis info Yes No
Charting - Save Profiles info Yes Yes
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis info Yes No
Charting - Study Customizations info 35 7
Charting - Custom Studies info Yes Yes
Day Trading Charles Schwab tastytrade
Streaming Time & Sales info Yes No
Streaming TV info Yes Yes
Direct Market Routing - Equities info Yes No
Ladder Trading info Yes Yes
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 Yes
Short Locator info Yes Yes
Order Liquidity Rebates info No No
Research Overview Charles Schwab tastytrade
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 Yes
Screener - ETFs info Yes Yes
Screener - Mutual Funds info Yes No
Screener - Fixed Income info Yes Yes
Portfolio Asset Allocation info Yes Yes
Stock Research Charles Schwab tastytrade
Stock Research - PDF Reports info 7 0
Stock Research - Earnings info Yes No
Stock Research - Insiders info Yes No
Stock Research - Social info Yes No
Stock Research - News info Yes Yes
Stock Research - ESG info Yes No
Stock Research - SEC Filings info Yes No
ETF Research Charles Schwab tastytrade
ETFs - Investment Objective info Yes No
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 Yes
ETFs - Ratings info Yes No
ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap info Yes No
ETFs - PDF Reports info Yes No
Mutual Fund Research Charles Schwab tastytrade
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 tastytrade
Option Chains - Total Greeks info 5 5
Option Analysis - P&L Charts info Yes Yes
Banking Charles Schwab tastytrade
Bank (Member FDIC) info Yes No
Checking Accounts info Yes No
Savings Accounts info Yes No
Credit Cards info Yes No
Debit Cards info Yes No
Mortgage Loans info Yes No
Customer Service Charles Schwab tastytrade
Phone Support (Prospective Customers) info Yes Yes
Phone Support (Current Customers) info Yes Yes
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 tastytrade
Overall 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Advanced Trading 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 2/5 Stars
Education 5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Ease of Use 4.5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Charles Schwab Review tastytrade Review
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