Compare Charles Schwab vs TD Ameritrade

Online brokers compared for fees, trading platforms, safety and more. See how Charles Schwab stacks up against TD Ameritrade!

Charles Schwab vs TD Ameritrade
open account	Visit broker	Visit broker
overall rating	4.6 / 5.0	4.5 / 5.0
overall pros	Outstanding research Low fees Great customer service	Solid research and education Superb desktop trading platform Great customer support
overall cons	No credit/debit cards and electronic wallets for money transfer Only US markets covered Not well-structured education	High trading fees No credit/debit cards and electronic wallets for money transfer Only US markets covered
fees	4 stars Low trading fees No inactivity fee Some ETFs, bonds, and mutual funds are free High financing rate High fees for mutual funds	3 stars No withdrawal fee No inactivity fee High trading fees High financing rate
account opening	5 stars Fast account opening Fully digital account opening No minimum account balance For non-US clients $25,000 minimum	3 stars User-friendly Many account types No minimum account balance for US clients Not fully digital
deposit and withdrawal	2 stars No deposit fee User-friendly Credit/Debit card deposit and withdrawal not available Only one account base currency High fee for wire withdrawals	2 stars Free withdrawal No deposit fee User-friendly Credit/Debit card deposit and withdrawal not available Only one account base currency
web trading platform	4 stars User-friendly Clear fee report Price alerts No two-step (safe) login Limited customizability (for charts, workspace)	4 stars User-friendly Clear fee report Good search function No two-step (safe) login Limited customizability (for workspace)
mobile trading platform	4 stars User-friendly Looks nice No two-step (safe) login No price alerts	4 stars User-friendly Good search function Price alerts No two-step (safe) login
desktop trading platform	4 stars Clear fee report Good customizability (for charts, workspace) Good variety of order types No two-step (safe) login Only for Windows	5 stars Clear fee report Good customizability (for charts, workspace) Trading support functions Great learning materials No two-step (safe) login
markets and products	3 stars Stock ETF Fund Bond Options Futures	3 stars Stock ETF Forex Fund Bond Options Futures
research	5 stars Good interactive chart Data on asset fundamentals Trading ideas for stock and ETF Hard to navigate	5 stars Good interactive chart Analyst recommendations for stocks, bonds, etc. Data on asset fundamentals
customer service	4 stars Live chat Relevant answers 24/7 availability No email support	5 stars Phone support Live chat Fast response time
education	3 stars Trading platform tutorial videos Educational videos Good production quality No demo account Not well-structured	5 stars Trading platform tutorial videos Educational videos paperMoney trading simulation/demo account
safety	Regulated by top tier financial authority High level of investor protection Banking background No negative balance protection	Regulated by top tier financial authority High level of investor protection Banking background Additional insurance coverage No negative balance protection No investor protection in case of futures, forex
recommended for	Investors and traders looking for solid research, low fees, and great customer service	Investors and traders looking for solid research and well-equipped desktop trading platform

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