Charles Schwab vs TD Ameritrade

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 TD Ameritrade? 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 TD Ameritrade offers $0 commission online stock, ETF, and option trades. This online broker also has more than 100 branch locations. There is no minimum deposit, no maintenance fee, and no inactivity fee.

Compare Charles Schwab with TD Ameritrade, side-by-side.

	Charles Schwab	TD Ameritrade
	SPECIAL OFFER $0 Commissions on Online Stock, ETF, and Options Trades - Learn More Read Charles Schwab Review	OFFER Commission-Free Trading - Online Stock, ETF and Option Trades - Learn More
	Benefits and Features
Stock Trading	$0 commission on U.S. stocks and ETFs	$0 commission for online stock, ETF, and option trades
Options Trading	$0 + $0.65 per contract	$0.65 per contract
Minimum Deposit	$0	$0
Mutual Fund Trading	$0 for no-transaction-fee funds $49.95 for all other funds	Up to $49.95 or $74.95 for buys. $0 for sells
Commission Free ETFs	2,000+ across asset classes and fund companies, $0 commission through Schwab ETF OneSource™.	550+ Commission-Free ETFs
Live Chat Support		Yes
Penny Stocks
Broker Assisted Trades	$25.00 service charge	$25
Inactivity Fee	None	$0
Maintenance Fee	$0	$0
Online Platform		Yes
Banking	Yes	Cash Management account offers free ATM withdrawals, no monthly maintenance fees, free online bill pay, and free check writing.
Mobile App	Yes	Yes
Desktop App	Yes	Thinkorswim
Forex Trading		Yes
Futures Trading	$2.25 per contract	$2.25 per contract (plus exchange & regulatory fees)
Bond Trading		Yes
CFD Trading		No
Currency Trading		Yes
Customer Service	24/7	(800) 669-3900 (Open 24/7)
Locations	300 locations	More than 100 locations in 34 states
Online Community	Yes
Seminars	Yes	Online webcast
Trading Platform		thinkorswim
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
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
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
	$0 Commissions on Online Stock, ETF, and Options Trades 500 Commission-Free Online and Options Trades Schwab's Referral Offer - Up to $1,000 Bonus	Commission-Free Trading - Online Stock, ETF and Option Trades Open an IRA in 15 minutes or less
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 08/13/2024. TD Ameritrade: Pricing information from published website as of 09/05/2023.

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.

Articles on Charles Schwab

Charles Schwab Review

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.