Charles Schwab Review 2026

Take charge of your ideas with intuitive trading platforms and tools. Trade stocks, ETFs, options, and more using innovative tools on our software, web, and mobile trading platforms. Access a variety of powerful yet easy-to-use platforms with advanced trading tools built-in.

Trading Software

Get an advanced, intuitive platform that's fully customizable with StreetSmart Edge®.2

• Get streaming data, quotes, and news.
• Analyze trade ideas with charting and studies.
• Download as software or access online. 

Web Trading

Access Schwab.com for streamlined trading tools and screeners, plus in-depth research.

• Monitor the market and your portfolio. 
• Screen for and analyze opportunities.
• Trade using the All-in-One Trade Ticket®.

Mobile Trading App

Stay on top of your trading wherever you are with the Schwab Mobile trading app.2

• Securely access and manage accounts.
• Get real-time quotes and breaking news.
• Create watchlists and view in-depth charts. 

Experience the better place for traders.

• $0 online listed equity commissions. Get commission-free online trades plus $0.65 per-contract fees for options.
• Award-winning trade reliability. Quality order executions provide additional value for your trading.
• Support from trading specialists. Get real-time trade analysis and decision support from experienced professionals.
• Market research and trading insights. Sharpen your instincts with premium research from Schwab and third parties.

Mobile investing made easy

• Streamline the essentials. Use your finger, face ID or preset passcode to quickly check your portfolio balance (including non-Schwab accounts), holdings and statements. Deposit checks into your eligible Schwab Bank or Schwab brokerage and IRA accounts by snapping a few photos.
• Place trades and monitor opportunities 24/7. See your positions at a glance. Trade stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and options. Create watchlists and check the status of your orders. Get breaking news, real-time quotes, and in-depth charts.
• Customize your experience. Organize your summary view and market settings to prioritize the information you need. Set text alerts and push notifications to help you stay on top of your accounts and investments.
• Deposit checks in a snap. Deposit checks directly into your Schwab Bank or Schwab Brokerage and IRA accounts by snapping a few photos. Securely transfer funds between these accounts, and pay bills with a few taps. Learn more about Schwab Mobile Deposit™.

Wasmer Schroeder Strategies offer a wide range of fixed income separately managed accounts across the duration, credit, and tax-efficiency spectrums. The choices include actively managed and bond ladder portfolio strategies with both taxable and tax-exempt debt securities. Investment minimums start at $250,000.

Discover a wide range of high-tech to high-touch investment advice options, including separately managed accounts for specialized investment strategies. Investment minimums vary by service but may start as low as $5,000.

Discover the benefits of including fixed income in your portfolio. Fixed income investments are designed to generate a specific level of interest income, while also providing diversification, capital preservation, and potential tax exemptions.

Investing starts with a plan

• In-depth investment research from 3rd-party providers and Schwab experts
• Easy-to-use screeners and tools
• Access to real-time market data

Get in-depth research from 3rd-party providers and Schwab experts

• Premium Independent Research. Access to premium independent research and analysis from Morningstar, Credit Suisse, and several other providers.
• Schwab Equity Ratings. Get clear, professional A-B-C-D-F grades with our exclusive Schwab Equity Ratings, used to indicate Schwab's outlook on 3,000+ U.S.-traded stocks.
• Select Lists. Save time with our Select lists, mutual funds and ETFs chosen by our experts to outperform their peers over the next 12–36 months.
• Screen, compare, and analyze opportunities, with robust tools

Get the tools and support you need to trade futures.

• $2.25 per contract + Satisfaction Guarantee
• Pay the same commission online or through a broker
• Specialized futures tools and platforms 
• Extensive research and analysis

Choose from a variety of futures products across a variety of categories:

• Financials. Stock Indexes, Currencies, Interest Rates
• Energies. Crude Oil, Natural Gas, Electricity
• Metals. Gold, Silver, Steel 
• Agriculture. Corn, Wheat, Sugar

Trade options online for just $0.65 per contract fee - no base commission. And your satisfaction is guaranteed. If you're not completely satisfied, we’ll refund your eligible fee or commission and work with you to make things right. 

• Quickly narrow down potential trade ideas. Whether you're bullish, bearish, or neutral, Idea Hub canvases the market for trade ideas based on market action, volatility, earnings, and income-based strategies.
• Analyze trades before you make them. The interactive Trade & Probability Calculator helps you assess the potential risk, reward, and pricing scenarios of a trade before placing it.
• Get order entry tools designed to help save you time and money. Quickly place single, multi-leg, and conditional orders using the intuitive All-in-One Trade Ticket.

Manage your own fixed income investments

• Bond mutual funds & bond ETFs. These are professionally managed investment products made up of a diversified mix of underlying securities, often with low investment minimums.
• Certificates of deposit (CDs). CDs are federally insured1 bank deposits that pay a stated amount of interest for a specified period and promise to return your money on a specific date.
• Individual bonds. Bonds typically pay a set schedule of fixed interest payments and promise to return your money on a specific maturity date.

Take advantage of our fixed income expertise

Stay at the forefront of modern investing with insights and ideas from Schwab experts, including Kathy A. Jones, Managing Director and Chief Fixed Income Strategist, Schwab Center for Financial Research.

Talk to a Schwab Fixed Income Specialist

Our specialists offer objective, non-commissioned guidance on a wide range of fixed income products and strategies including ladders, bullets, barbells, and more. You can expect personalized service on topics such as: 

• Help with choosing from a wide variety of investment options
• Suggestions for adjusting to changing market conditions
• Assistance with using our online trading features

Now trade stocks online commission-free. Plus, access Schwab's premium research, tools, and award-winning support. $0 online listed equity commissions reflects our commitment to make investing accessible to everyone.

• US Stocks. Trade all stocks listed on US exchanges plus over-the-counter stocks (OTCs), IPOs, and more.
• Fractional Shares. Own any company in the S&P 500 for as little as $5 with Schwab Stock Slices.
• International Stocks. Trade American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), foreign ordinaries, and Canadian stocks.

Our stock research and trading tools are designed for both new and experienced investors. Get investment ideas that fit your strategy. Advanced screeners and Schwab Stock Lists help you find ideas, compare multiple stocks, and create customized searches based on different strategies, ratings, and more.  

• Evaluate your stock choices with Schwab and third-party research. Schwab Equity Ratings provides easy-to-understand grades of A-F that indicate Schwab's 12-month outlook on over 3,000 U.S.-traded stocks. Access independent analysis and commentary from Briefing.com, Credit Suisse, Morningstar, and Market Edge.
• Access exclusive trading and portfolio assessment tools. Easily trade stocks, ETFs, and options with the intuitive All-in-One Trade Ticket and then analyze your trade performance with the Gain/Loss Analyzer. Plus get real-time streaming quotes, advanced charting tools, and more.

Mutual funds are a versatile investment that can help meet your portfolio needs. Find mutual funds that are right for you with easy-to-use tools, research, expertise, and managed portfolios.

What is a mutual fund?

A mutual fund is an investment vehicle that pools money from many investors and "mutually" buys stocks, bonds, and other securities. The investments are professionally managed, making mutual funds a simple way to get broad exposure without having to constantly monitor the performance of many different investments.

Mutual funds offer you a range of benefits

• Diversification. Access a mix of asset classes, including domestic and international stocks, bonds, and commodities.
• Low costs. Reduce your investing costs with no-transaction fee (NTF) mutual funds from leading fund families.
• Convenience. One investment can give you cost-effective exposure to dozens—or even hundreds or thousands—of individual securities.
• Professional management. Eliminate much of the research, buying, and tracking of securities, as mutual funds are professionally managed.

A wide selection of Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) at some of the lowest costs

• Strengthen the foundation of your portfolio with 25+ low-cost Schwab ETFs
• Broaden your exposure with 2,000+ ETFs across a range of asset classes and fund companies
• All listed ETFs traded on U.S. exchange are $0 per trade online

Take advantage of our ETF expertise

Your approach to ETF investing depends on what type of investor you are. At Schwab, we provide the help you need to build a strong ETF portfolio, whichever way you prefer to invest.

• Choose your own. For self-directed investors, Schwab offers a variety of tools, guidance, and support designed specifically for you.
• Build a portfolio with our help. For self-directed investors who want help creating a diversified ETF portfolio, our Personalized Portfolio Builder tool simplifies the process.
• Get a managed portfolio solution. Let our automated investing services handle things for you, with live support from Schwab investment professionals available 24/7.