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Charles Schwab Review

Best Overall
4.8/5
|Trust Score: 98/100|50 years in business

Last reviewed: February 2026

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Quick Facts

Min. Deposit

$0

Trading Fees

$0 for stocks and ETFs

Spreads

Variable

Regulation

SEC, FINRA

Platforms

StreetSmart Edge, Web Trading, Mobile App

Instruments

Stocks, ETFs, Options, Futures, Bonds, Mutual Funds

Pros & Cons

Advantages

  • Comprehensive trading platform
  • Excellent research tools
  • Top-tier customer service
  • Wide range of investments
  • Commission-free trading
  • Physical branch locations

Disadvantages

  • Advanced platform learning curve
  • No crypto trading
  • High futures fees

Category Scores

Day Trading92/100
Forex0/100
Beginners92/100
Crypto0/100
Low Fees90/100
Options92/100

Fee Breakdown

Fee TypeDetails
Stock Commission$0
Stock Min. Trade$1
Options (per contract)$0.65
Forex CommissionN/A
Forex SpreadN/A
Crypto CommissionN/A
Crypto SpreadN/A
Inactivity Fee$0
Withdrawal Fee$0
Deposit Fee$0

Platform Features

Fractional Shares
Instant Deposits
Margin Trading
Short Selling
Advanced Charting
Paper Trading
Mobile Trading App
Web Platform
Desktop Platform
API Access
Auto Trade
Social Trading
Copy Trading

Account Types

Standard Account

Min. Deposit: $0

  • All markets
  • Research tools
  • Mobile trading

Margin Account

Min. Deposit: $2000

  • Margin trading
  • Short selling
  • Advanced features

Ready to start trading with Charles Schwab?

Open an account in minutes. Min. deposit: $0.

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Three Investeers Team

Reviewed by Three Investeers Team · Financial Education Team

Our team of experienced traders and financial educators is dedicated to making investing accessible to everyone. With decades of combined market experience, we provide research-backed insights and unbiased reviews.

How We Review Brokers

Our broker reviews are based on extensive hands-on testing and independent research. We evaluate each broker across multiple criteria including fees, platform usability, available instruments, regulation, customer support, and educational resources. Scores are calculated using a weighted methodology that prioritizes factors most important to each trading category.

Independent reviews — not influenced by broker partnerships

Hands-on testing — we open real accounts to evaluate platforms

Regular updates — reviews are refreshed as brokers change their offerings

Fact-checked — all data verified against official broker sources

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