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E*TRADE vs Charles Schwab : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)
Broker Name
E*TRADE
Charles Schwab
Broker Overview
Broker Type (e.g., Market Maker, ECN/STP)
Both ECN and STP broker
STP broker
Years of Existence / Established Year
1982
1971
Customer Base / Number of Accounts
5.2 million client accounts
No information
Regulation & Security
Regulations (governing bodies)
FRS, FINRA, SIPC, SEC, NFA, FDIC
NFA, SFC, MAS, FCA, CFTC, CIRO
Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)
Investor App and #1 Web Trading Platform for 2024, Benzinga's 2023 Global Fintech Awards
Best Online Broker 2024, Best customer Service
Security Measures
SIPC
SIPC
SSL Encryption / 2FA
Yes
Yes
Segregated Funds
Yes
Yes
Negative Balance Protection
Yes
No
Trading Instruments/Products Offered
Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)
Over 50,000 offerings, including US Treasury trades
Money market Funds, Index funds, Bonds and fixed products, Annuities, Bank and borrowing, International stocks, Margin loans, Insurance, Securities lending fully paid
Currency Pairs
No
Yes
Commodities
No
No
Indices
No
No
Cryptocurrencies
No
Yes
CFDs
No
No
ETFs
Yes
Yes
Stocks
Yes
Yes
Options
Yes
Yes
Futures
Yes
Yes
Bonds
Yes
No
Mutual Funds
Yes
Yes
Fractional Shares
Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)
No
Yes
Precious Metals
No
Yes
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
No
No
Equities
No
Yes
Trading Platforms & Technology
Trading Platform Availability
Yes
Yes
MT4
No
No
MT5
No
No
cTrader
No
No
Social Trading
No
Copy Trading
No
No
Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)
Power Etrade web, Power Etrade app
Schwab.com Web Trading Platform, StreetSmart Edge (advanced platform), StreetSmart Central (for options traders), Schwab Trading Powered by Ameritrade, thinkorswim Trading Platforms
Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)
Yes
Yes
Account Types & Conditions
Account Types (Retail, Pro, VIP, etc.)
Brokerage, Retirement, Core portfolio, Managed portfolio, Small business retirement , bank
Brokerage and Trading, Retirement Accounts (IRAs), Education and Custodial, Personal Choice Retirement, Small Business, Accounts by Financial Goal
Demo Account (Yes/No)
Yes
Yes
Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)
No
No
Minimum Deposit
$0
$0
Leverage Available
No
No
Trade Limit (maximum per trade)
Depends on assets class
Depends on order and trading session
Commission (per account type)
$0
Best Suited For (e.g., beginners, experienced traders)
Beginners to experienced traders
Long term and active traders
Deposit & Withdrawal Options
Deposit Methods
Transfer money, Wire transfer, Transfer an account, Deposit a check ,Direct Deposit
ACH, Wire Transfer, Check deposit
Withdrawal Methods
E-wallets, check, Wire transfer
ACH, Wire Transfer, Check deposit
Other E-Wallets Supported
Electronic transfer
No
Tools & Educational Resources
Economic Calendar
No
Yes
Tools & Educational Resources (tutorials, webinars, market news, etc.)
Educational Resources, Tools, Market News and Insights, Tutorials and Webinars
Insights and Education, Trading, Market Commentary, Planning and retirement, Media
Fees & Commissions
Trading-Related Fees
Stocks, options, mutual funds, ETFs- $0, Bonds- $1, FINRA trading activity fee- $0.000166
Commission -$0 online stock, ETF, and options trade, Commission is $75 - $50 fee + $25 assistance fees, broker-assisted trades- $25 service fee
Spread (typical, fixed, variable)
NA
Variable
Per Lot Fees
NA
NA
Options Contract Fees
$0.65
$0.65
Futures Contract Fees
$1.50
$2.25 per contract.
Markup Fees on Spread
NA
NA
Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees
NA
NA
Maximum Leverage
No
No
Non-Trading Fees
Dormant Fees
$0
$0
Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)
NA
$0
Advisory Fees
0.30%
Schwab Wealth Advisory- Starts at 0.80%- 1.0%
Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)
NA
Yes
Statement or Document Fee
$2
NA
Account Opening Fee
NA
$0
Account Maintenance Fee
$15/ month
$0
Deposit Fee
$0
$0
Currency Conversion Fee
Direct trade-$0.005 per share, Broker assisted trader- $25
$0
Withdrawal Fee
Check return - $25, Electronic return -$25
$0
Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits
Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals
Yes
Yes
Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)
Yes
Yes
Trading Hours
Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)
Sunday 5 p.m. CT to Friday 4 p.m. CT
Regular Trading Session: 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM Eastern Time (ET), Pre-Market Session: between 8:05 AM ET, After-Hours Session: 7:00 AM to 9:25 AM ET
Customer Support
Support Hours (e.g., 24/7, weekdays only)
8 AM - 8 PM ET on weekdays
24/7
Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)
Live chat, FAQ, Phone- 800-387-2331, 800-838-0908, Beneficiary Services: [email protected] General inquiries: [email protected]
Phone: 800-435-4000, Chat, FAQs
Support Languages
1
2
Additional Information
Headquarters Location
Arlington, Virginia, United States Buyenlarge, Getty
Westlake, Texas
Complaints (for crypto brokers)
No
No
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