Online brokers compared for fees, trading platforms, safety and more. See how Charles Schwab stacks up against Firstrade!
Last update of data—Dec 2022
Charles Schwab is a US discount broker, regulated by top-tier US authorities the SEC and FINRA. The company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and holds a banking license.
Firstrade is a US discount broker regulated by the top-tier SEC and FINRA.
Recommended for investors and traders looking for solid research, low fees and great customer service.
Recommended for beginners and investors looking for zero-commission trading, focusing on the US market.
Charles Schwab
Charles Schwab is a US discount broker, regulated by top-tier US authorities the SEC and FINRA. The company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and holds a banking license.
Recommended for investors and traders looking for solid research, low fees and great customer service.
Firstrade
Firstrade is a US discount broker regulated by the top-tier SEC and FINRA.
Recommended for beginners and investors looking for zero-commission trading, focusing on the US market.
Charles Schwab's service is on par with Firstrade's and a comparison of their fees shows that Charles Schwab's fees are similar to Firstrade's.
Account opening takes about the same effort at Charles Schwab compared to Firstrade, deposit and withdrawal processes are about the same quality at Charles Schwab, while customer service quality is much better than Firstrade's.
Our experts rated the trading platform of Charles Schwab as being of the same quality as the platform of Firstrade, found that clients have access to about the same number of markets and products with Charles Schwab, while Firstrade provides somewhat better research and education.
Everything you find on BrokerChooser is based on reliable data and unbiased information. We combine our 10+ years finance experience with readers feedback. Read more about our methodology.
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