Back to all brokers

Charles Schwab vs Robinhood

Detailed comparison of fees, features and products

Charles Schwab logo
4.9
BROKER ONLY
Robinhood logo
4.5
BROKER ONLY

Feature Comparison

Feature ComparisonCharles SchwabRobinhood
Wide Offering
Fractional Shares & DRIP
Free Savings Plan
Cash Sweep Yield
US Support
Tax Documents (1099)
SIPC $500k + FDIC
Score
7/7
7/7

Fee Comparison

Fee ComparisonCharles SchwabRobinhood
IRA Accounts (Roth, Traditional)$0 commission$0 commission
Cash Sweep Yield$0 commission$0 commission
Crypto FeeVia ETF onlySpread
Margin RateN/AN/A
Inactivity FeeNoneNone
Deposit FeeFreeFree
Withdrawal FeeFreeFree
Min. Deposit00

Product Range

Product RangeCharles SchwabRobinhood
StocksAll US + international5,000+ US stocks
ETFsAll US ETFs2,500+ ETFs
Mutual Funds10,000+ mutual funds0
BondsFull bond desk0
CryptoVia ETF only20+ cryptocurrencies

Pros & Cons

Charles Schwab

Pros

  • Now owns thinkorswim: Best trading platform in America
  • Institutional-grade research free for all clients
  • SIPC $500k + FDIC sweep up to $1.25M
  • One-stop shop: banking, investing, financial planning
  • Excellent 24/7 customer service
  • Schwab Slices: fractional shares from $5

Cons

  • No direct crypto (ETFs only)
  • Cash sweep yield slightly lower than Fidelity
  • Mobile app less intuitive than neobrokers
Robinhood

Pros

  • 3% IRA Match: Robinhood matches 3% of IRA contributions (Gold)
  • Top-tier cash interest rates for retail
  • Best mobile app UX in the industry
  • SIPC $500k protected
  • Extended hours trading (7am-8pm ET)
  • Instant deposits up to $50k (Gold)

Cons

  • No mutual funds or bonds
  • Limited research tools vs traditional brokers
  • Customer service historically weak
  • Payment for order flow concerns

See also