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Charles Schwab vs Interactive Brokers 2025

StockBrokers.com

Written by StockBrokers.com

September 17, 2025

In this head to head comparison of Charles Schwab vs Interactive Brokers, 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
Interactive Brokers
5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0.00
  • Stock Trades: $0.00
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.65 info

Range of investments

Charles Schwab and Interactive Brokers both offer a wide range of investment options, but they cater to slightly different needs. Interactive Brokers edges ahead in terms of crypto trading, providing access to 11 different coins, a feature Charles Schwab currently lacks. However, both platforms excel equally in most other investment categories, each securing five-star ratings and high rankings for their range of investments. Schwab stands out if you're seeking comprehensive financial advisor services, a feature Interactive Brokers does not offer. Ultimately, choosing between the two depends on your specific investment priorities, particularly in areas such as cryptocurrency and personalized guidance.

For those interested in diverse investment opportunities, Charles Schwab and Interactive Brokers are both excellent choices. They each support stock trading, margin trading, fractional shares, OTC stocks, mutual funds, options trading, forex trading, and futures trading. Investors looking for traditional or Roth IRA accounts will find both brokers accommodating their needs. Schwab's offering of advisor services might appeal more to investors who value personalized financial advice to help guide their investment strategies.

While both brokers offer strong investment platforms, Interactive Brokers takes the first spot in StockBrokers.com's ranking for the range of investments, with Schwab close behind at second place. This ranking reflects their comprehensive investment options, barring online crypto trading for Charles Schwab. The decision ultimately boils down to specific requirements, such as the need for crypto trading or advisor services, making each broker suited to different investor profiles. Whether you prioritize access to cryptocurrencies or personalized support, both brokers deliver exceptional services, making them top choices in the market.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
Stock Trading info Yes Yes
Account Feature - Margin Trading info Yes Yes
Fractional Shares (Stocks) info Yes Yes
OTC Stocks info Yes Yes
Mutual Funds info Yes Yes
Options Trading info Yes Yes
Futures Trading info Yes Yes
Crypto Trading info No Yes info
Crypto Trading - Total Coins info 0 11 info
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 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 comparing the trading platforms and tools offered by Charles Schwab and Interactive Brokers, both excel with top ratings, achieving 5 stars each. Charles Schwab is ranked as the number one broker by StockBrokers.com, closely followed by Interactive Brokers at number two. This indicates that while both platforms are leaders in the industry, Charles Schwab slightly edges out in overall user satisfaction, providing a bit more comprehensive trading experience.

Charles Schwab and Interactive Brokers both cater to a broad audience by offering downloadable trading platforms for Windows and Mac, alongside accessible browser-based platforms. These features ensure compatibility with a wide range of devices. Both platforms support essential trading features such as paper trading to practice strategies and a trading journal to track and analyze trades. In terms of watch lists, Charles Schwab offers over 580 columns for personalization, while Interactive Brokers provides 659, allowing traders to customize their views extensively.

The charting capabilities of these platforms show marked differences. Charles Schwab boasts an impressive 374 technical indicators and 24 drawing tools, while Interactive Brokers offers 155 indicators but excels with 85 drawing tools. Both platforms allow users to add notes, show historical trades, display corporate events, and set custom date ranges for charts. However, Charles Schwab provides a more in-depth customization experience when editing an SMA study with 35 fields compared to Interactive Brokers' 6. Additionally, Schwab offers the ability to create custom studies, a feature found lacking in Interactive Brokers. This level of detail and customization may appeal to traders seeking a nuanced trading environment.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
Web Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Mac) info Yes Yes
Paper Trading info Yes Yes
Watch Lists - Total Fields info 580 659
Charting - Indicators / Studies info 374 155
Charting - Drawing Tools info 24 85
Platforms & Tools 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars

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

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Beginners and education

When it comes to providing educational resources for beginner investors, both Charles Schwab and Interactive Brokers stand out, offering a variety of tools and content to help users understand the stock market. Both platforms provide educational material on stocks, ETFs, options, mutual funds, and bonds, making them strong choices for new and evolving investors. Additionally, they equip users with the opportunity to practice through paper trading, access to instructional videos, engaging webinars, and interactive quizzes. Both brokers also offer features to track your learning progress, enhancing the overall educational experience.

Despite these similarities, Charles Schwab edges ahead in terms of recognition for its educational offerings. It is rated five stars for investor education and ranks number one out of 14 competing brokers according to StockBrokers.com. Interactive Brokers, while also earning a five-star rating for its educational features, holds the third position in the same ranking. This subtle distinction highlights Charles Schwab's commitment to accessible financial learning, potentially making it the preferred choice for those prioritizing educational support.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
Education (Stocks) info Yes Yes
Education (ETFs) info Yes Yes
Education (Options) info Yes Yes
Education (Mutual Funds) info Yes Yes
Education (Fixed Income) info Yes Yes
Paper Trading info Yes Yes
Videos info Yes Yes
Webinars info Yes Yes
Education 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2025

Stock trading apps

Charles Schwab and Interactive Brokers both deliver top-tier stock trading apps, each earning 5 stars, but Schwab takes the #1 spot in StockBrokers.com’s rankings (Interactive Brokers is #2). For most investors, the headline difference is charting depth: Schwab packs in far more built-in technical studies (373 vs 97 for Interactive Brokers). If you want the widest selection of indicators right on your phone, Schwab has the edge; otherwise, both are excellent choices for everyday trading and monitoring.

Both brokers offer iPhone and Android apps along with Apple Watch support. You can trade options on mobile, view streaming quotes, watch live TV, and browse videos on demand. Essential tools are covered on both sides: stock alerts, custom watchlists, and the ability to tailor watchlist columns to what matters most to you.

Charting on mobile is solid with either provider, including landscape mode, multiple time frames, after-hours charting, and the ability to compare stocks on the same chart. The key split is the number of technical studies available—Schwab’s 373 versus Interactive Brokers’ 97—which can sway traders who lean heavily on indicators.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
iPhone App info Yes Yes
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple Watch App info Yes Yes
Stock Alerts info Yes Yes
Charting - After-Hours info Yes Yes
Charting - Technical Studies info 373 97
Mobile Trading Apps 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2025

Fees

Bottom line: Interactive Brokers generally has lower ongoing costs than Charles Schwab, thanks mainly to its cheaper margin rates and a $0 fee for full ACAT transfers. Both brokers are tied on the basics—no minimum deposit, $0 stock trades, $0.65 per options contract, and $0 IRA fees—so your choice may come down to how often you use margin or plan to transfer an account.

Core fees are nearly identical. Charles Schwab and Interactive Brokers both require $0 to open an account and charge $0 for regular stock trades. Options pricing is also a match at $0.65 per contract, with $0 for options exercise and assignment at either broker. IRA annual fees and IRA closure fees are $0 at both. For account transfers, partial ACATs are free at both firms, but full ACATs cost $50 at Charles Schwab and $0 at Interactive Brokers.

Margin rates are where the difference stands out. For balances under $25,000, Charles Schwab is 12.58% versus Interactive Brokers at 6.83%. From $25,000 to $49,999, Schwab is 12.08% while Interactive Brokers stays at 6.83%. Between $50,000 and $99,999, Schwab is 11.13% compared with Interactive Brokers at 6.83%. If you plan to use margin, Interactive Brokers is the cheaper pick across these tiers.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
Minimum Deposit info $0.00 $0.00
Stock Trades info $0.00 $0.00
Options (Per Contract) info $0.65 $0.65 info
Options Exercise Fee info $0.00 $0.00
Options Assignment Fee info $0.00 $0.00
IRA Annual Fee info $0.00 $0.00
IRA Closure Fee info $0.00 $0.00

Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2025

Day Trading

When it comes to day trading capabilities, both Charles Schwab and Interactive Brokers provide a comprehensive array of tools and features suited for traders. Both platforms offer streaming time and sales for stocks, allowing traders to keep tabs on market movements in real-time. Each broker also provides streaming live TV, direct market routing, and ladder trading, enhancing their offerings for active trading scenarios. Additionally, both services support trading hotkeys for fast trade execution, offer access to level 2 quotes for a granular view of market depth, and enable backtesting of both basic and advanced trading strategies.

However, there are some differences to consider when choosing between these two brokers. For example, while Interactive Brokers offers order liquidity rebates for those who provide liquidity to the market, Charles Schwab does not. Moreover, each platform offers a short locator tool, allowing traders to view current real-time availability of shares for shorting by security. These subtle nuances may influence day traders when deciding which platform best suits their needs for effective market engagement.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
Streaming Time & Sales info Yes Yes
Streaming TV info Yes Yes
Direct Market Routing - Equities info Yes Yes
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks info Yes Yes
Trade Ideas - Backtesting info Yes Yes
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv info Yes Yes
Short Locator info Yes Yes

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

Market Research

Both Charles Schwab and Interactive Brokers deliver top-tier market research. Each earns a 5-star rating, but StockBrokers.com ranks Schwab #1 out of 14 brokers and Interactive Brokers #4. Choose Schwab if you want the platform most widely recognized for overall research quality; pick Interactive Brokers if you value a larger library of downloadable third-party reports while keeping similar research tools.

Coverage and tools largely match. Both brokers provide research on stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, bonds, and Pink Sheets/OTCBB. They also include screeners for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds to help find trade ideas. You can view portfolio allocation by asset class, explore ESG research, and see stock insights informed by social media sentiment.

The main differences show up in PDFs. For stocks, Schwab offers 7 downloadable reports, while Interactive Brokers provides 17. Both provide ETF PDFs; only Interactive Brokers adds downloadable reports for mutual funds, which Schwab does not. If you want the highest-ranked, all-in-one research experience, Schwab has the edge; if you want more third-party PDFs across equities and funds, Interactive Brokers stands out.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
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 Yes
Screener - Mutual Funds info Yes Yes
Research - Fixed Income info Yes Yes
Screener - Fixed Income info Yes Yes
Research 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars

Banking

When comparing the banking features of Charles Schwab and Interactive Brokers, Charles Schwab clearly comes out ahead with a wide range of options for individuals looking to manage their finances. Charles Schwab provides a full suite of banking services, including checking accounts, savings accounts, debit cards, credit cards, and mortgage loans, making it an excellent choice for anyone needing comprehensive banking capabilities alongside their brokerage services. Additionally, both Charles Schwab and Interactive Brokers offer certificates of deposit (CDs). However, Interactive Brokers falls short on banking options as it does not have checking accounts, savings accounts, debit cards, credit cards, or mortgage loans. Those seeking a broker with integrated banking services may find Charles Schwab's offerings more suitable for their financial needs.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
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 Yes

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 Interactive Brokers. Charles Schwab finished with an overall score of 99.2%, while Interactive Brokers finished with a score of 96.9%.

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 Interactive Brokers?

Charles Schwab does not offer crypto trading, while Interactive Brokers provides access to trading with 11 different cryptocurrencies.

Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2025

Does Charles Schwab or Interactive Brokers offer IRAs?

Both Charles Schwab and Interactive Brokers provide options for traditional and Roth IRA accounts without any annual fees or closure charges, offering affordable and flexible retirement savings solutions for investors.

Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2025

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Compare

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Overall Rating Charles Schwab Interactive Brokers
Overall 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Customer Service 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Ease of Use 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Charles Schwab Review Interactive Brokers Review
Broker Screenshots Charles Schwab Interactive Brokers
Broker Gallery (click to expand)
Trading Fees Charles Schwab Interactive Brokers
Minimum Deposit info $0.00 $0.00
Stock Trades info $0.00 $0.00
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) info $6.95 $0.01
Mutual Fund Trade Fee info Varies $14.95 info
Options (Per Contract) info $0.65 $0.65 info
Futures (Per Contract) info $2.25 $0.85 info
Broker Assisted Trade Fee info $25 Varies info
Margin Rates Charles Schwab Interactive Brokers
Margin Rate Under $25,000 info 12.58% 6.83% info
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 info 12.08% 6.83% info
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 info 11.13% 6.83% info
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 info 11.08% 6.83% info
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 info 10.83% 6.83% info
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 info Varies info 6.83% info
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 info Varies info 6.83% info
Account Fees Charles Schwab Interactive Brokers
IRA Annual Fee info $0.00 $0.00
IRA Closure Fee info $0.00 $0.00
Account Transfer Out (Partial) info $0.00 $0.00
Account Transfer Out (Full) info $50.00 $0.00
Options Exercise Fee info $0.00 $0.00
Options Assignment Fee info $0.00 $0.00
Investment Options Charles Schwab Interactive Brokers
Stock Trading info Yes Yes
Account Feature - Margin Trading info Yes Yes
Fractional Shares (Stocks) info Yes Yes
OTC Stocks info Yes Yes
Options Trading info Yes Yes
Complex Options Max Legs info 4 6
Futures Trading info Yes Yes
Forex Trading info Yes Yes
Crypto Trading info No Yes info
Crypto Trading - Total Coins info 0 11 info
Fixed Income (Treasurys) info Yes Yes
Fixed Income (Corporate Bonds) info Yes Yes
Fixed Income (Municipal Bonds) info Yes Yes
Traditional IRAs info Yes Yes
Roth IRAs info Yes Yes
Advisor Services info Yes No
International Countries (Stocks) info 12 36
Order Types Charles Schwab Interactive Brokers
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 Yes
Order Type - OCO info Yes Yes
Order Type - OTO info Yes Yes
Order Type - Broker Assisted info Yes Yes
Beginners Charles Schwab Interactive Brokers
Education (Stocks) info Yes Yes
Education (ETFs) info Yes Yes
Education (Options) info Yes Yes
Education (Mutual Funds) info Yes Yes
Education (Fixed Income) info Yes Yes
Education (Retirement) info Yes Yes
Retirement Calculator info Yes Yes
Investor Dictionary info Yes Yes
Paper Trading info Yes Yes
Videos info Yes Yes
Webinars info Yes Yes
Progress Tracking info Yes Yes
Interactive Learning - Quizzes info Yes Yes
Stock Trading Apps Charles Schwab Interactive Brokers
iPhone App info Yes Yes
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple Watch App info Yes Yes
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 Interactive Brokers
Market Movers (Top Gainers) info Yes Yes
Stream Live TV info Yes Yes
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 Yes
Stock App Charting Charles Schwab Interactive Brokers
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 97
Charting - Study Customizations info Yes Yes
Charting - Stock Comparisons info Yes Yes
Trading Platforms Charles Schwab Interactive Brokers
Active Trading Platform info thinkorswim info Trader Workstation (TWS)
Desktop Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Mac) info Yes Yes
Web Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Paper Trading info Yes Yes
Trade Journal info Yes Yes
Watch Lists - Total Fields info 580 659
Stock Chart Features Charles Schwab Interactive Brokers
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies info 374 155
Charting - Drawing Tools info 24 85
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 Yes
Charting - Save Profiles info Yes Yes
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis info Yes Yes
Charting - Study Customizations info 35 6
Charting - Custom Studies info Yes No
Day Trading Charles Schwab Interactive Brokers
Streaming Time & Sales info Yes Yes
Streaming TV info Yes Yes
Direct Market Routing - Equities info Yes Yes
Ladder Trading info Yes Yes
Trade Hot Keys info Yes Yes
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks info Yes Yes
Trade Ideas - Backtesting info Yes Yes
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv info Yes Yes
Short Locator info Yes Yes
Order Liquidity Rebates info No Yes
Research Overview Charles Schwab Interactive Brokers
Research - Stocks info Yes Yes
Research - ETFs info Yes Yes
Research - Mutual Funds info Yes Yes
Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB info Yes Yes
Research - Fixed Income info Yes Yes
Screener - Stocks info Yes Yes
Screener - ETFs info Yes Yes
Screener - Mutual Funds info Yes Yes
Screener - Fixed Income info Yes Yes
Portfolio Asset Allocation info Yes Yes
Stock Research Charles Schwab Interactive Brokers
Stock Research - PDF Reports info 7 17 info
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 Interactive Brokers
ETFs - Investment Objective info Yes Yes
ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date info Yes Yes
ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio info Yes Yes
ETF Fund Facts - Total Assets info Yes Yes
ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings info Yes Yes
ETFs - Top 10 Holdings info Yes Yes
ETFs - Sector Exposure info Yes Yes
ETFs - Risk Analysis info Yes Yes
ETFs - Ratings info Yes Yes
ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap info Yes Yes
ETFs - PDF Reports info Yes Yes
Mutual Fund Research Charles Schwab Interactive Brokers
Mutual Funds - Investment Objective info Yes Yes
Mutual Funds - Performance Chart info Yes Yes
Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis info Yes Yes
Mutual Funds - Prospectus info Yes Yes
Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings info Yes Yes
Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown info Yes Yes
Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings info Yes Yes
Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation info Yes Yes
Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation info Yes Yes
Mutual Funds - Country Allocation info Yes Yes
Mutual Funds - StyleMap info Yes Yes
Options Trading Charles Schwab Interactive Brokers
Option Chains - Total Greeks info 5 5
Option Analysis - P&L Charts info Yes Yes
Banking Charles Schwab Interactive Brokers
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 Interactive Brokers
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 No
Live Chat (Current Customers) info Yes Yes
24/7 Support info Yes Yes
Overall Charles Schwab Interactive Brokers
Overall 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Education 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Ease of Use 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Charles Schwab Review Interactive Brokers Review
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