Charles Schwab vs E*TRADE

Charles Schwab is a good choice for beginning and advanced investors looking to invest in ETFs and mutual funds or investors that require extensive research. How does it compare to E*TRADE? Read our comparison chart below.

Charles Schwab offers stock and ETF trades at $0 commission and options trading at $0 commission + $0.65 per contract. There is no minimum deposit, no maintenance fee, and no inactivity fee.

While E*TRADE offers stock trades at $0 per trade. There is a $500 minimum deposit, no maintenance fee and no inactivity fee.

Compare Charles Schwab with E*TRADE, side-by-side. Read on for an in-depth look, including ratings, reviews, pros and cons.

	Charles Schwab	E*TRADE
	SPECIAL OFFER $0 Commissions on Online Stock, ETF, and Options Trades - Learn More Read Charles Schwab Review	SPECIAL OFFER Learn more about ETRADE - Learn More* Read E*TRADE Review
	Benefits and Features
Stock Trading	$0 commission on U.S. stocks and ETFs	$0 per trade
Options Trading	$0 + $0.65 per contract	$0 per trade + $0.65 per contract $0 per trade + $0.50 per contract if you make 30+ trades a quarter
Minimum Deposit	$0	$0 for self-directed brokerage accounts; Managed portfolios start at $500 minimum
Mutual Fund Trading	$0 for no-transaction-fee funds $49.95 for all other funds	$0 for no-load, no-transaction-fee funds; $19.99 for transaction-fee funds
Commission Free ETFs	2,000+ across asset classes and fund companies, $0 commission through Schwab ETF OneSource™.	250+
Penny Stocks
Broker Assisted Trades	$25.00 service charge	$25 + Regular Commission
Inactivity Fee	None	$0
Maintenance Fee	$0	$0
Banking	Yes	Checking account offers no minimum balance requirements, free online bill pay, and unlimited debit card and check transactions.
Mobile App	Yes
Desktop App	Yes	E*TRADE Pro (requires you to execute at least 30 trades during a calendar quarter or maintain brokerage account balance of at least $250,000)
Futures Trading	$2.25 per contract	$1.50 per contract, per side + fees (excluding bitcoin futures)
Customer Service	24/7	800-387-2331
Locations	300 locations
Online Community	Yes
Seminars	Yes
Virtual Trading	Yes (thinkorswim platforms)	Yes
	CreditDonkey® Reviews
Stock Trading
Options Trading
Mutual Fund Trading
Online Platform
Banking
Mobile App
Commissions and Fees
Ease of Use
Research
Online Community
Trading Platform
Pros & Cons	Pros: Vast selection of commission-free ETFs and mutual funds 2 platforms (one for beginners and one for advanced traders) 24/7 customer service including online chat Cons: Commission costs on mutual funds outside of the commission-free funds Robo-advisor option requires a minimum investment of $5,000	Pros: Expansive set of resources and tools Easy to use website Industry leader Cons: Trade fees
Bottom Line	Good choice for beginning and advanced investors looking to invest in ETFs and mutual funds or investors that require extensive research... Read full review	Online broker with one of the best user interfaces... Read full review
	$0 Commissions on Online Stock, ETF, and Options Trades 500 Commission-Free Online and Options Trades Schwab Starter Kit - $101 Bonus	Learn more about ETRADE ETRADE Account - Up to $4,000 Bonus E*TRADE Account - Up to $2,500 Bonus
Blank fields may indicate the information is not available, not applicable, or not known to CreditDonkey. Please visit the product website for details. Charles Schwab: Pricing information from published websites as of 04/09/2024. E*TRADE: Pricing information from published website as of 01/04/2024.

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Which is Better: Charles Schwab or E*TRADE?

Still need help deciding which investing is better? Read the in-depth reviews below. You may also be interested in comparing Charles Schwab or Robinhood.

In short: Charles Schwab's banking and research are excellent. E*TRADE's mobile app and ease of use are outstanding.

Articles on Charles Schwab

Charles Schwab

Charles Schwab is one of the oldest names in the world of investing. With low fees, no account minimums, and robust research tools, it's a good brokerage for all levels of investors.