VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★

PRICE: 5 CENTS

Sunday, October 5, 2025

View BenzingaView Charles SchwabBack to Home

Head-to-head

Benzinga vs Charles Schwab comparison

Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.

Quick takeaways

Benzinga adds Data APIs, and Transcripts coverage that Charles Schwab skips.

Charles Schwab includes Brokerage, Portfolio, Options & Derivatives, Paper Trading, Advanced Order Types, Smart/Direct Routing, Order Book / Level II, Videos, and Blogs categories that Benzinga omits.

Benzinga highlights: Benzinga Pro subscription tiers: Free, Basic ($37/mo), Streamlined ($147/mo), and Essential ($197/mo), with features unlocked progressively., Real-time newsfeed with advanced filters and sentiment indicators., and Customizable alerts via desktop, sound, and email; watchlist-driven alerts available on paid plans..

Charles Schwab is known for: Zero-commission online trades for stocks and ETFs; options at $0.65 per contract., thinkorswim® platform suite (desktop, web, mobile) plus Schwab Mobile, with extended 24/5 trading access to 1,100+ stocks and ETFs., and paperMoney® virtual accounts that let you practice trading with live market data..

Benzinga has a free tier, while Charles Schwab requires a paid plan.

Benzinga logo

Benzinga

benzinga.com

Financial news publisher offering both a real-time trading terminal (Benzinga Pro) and licensed data APIs. Subscription tiers progressively unlock tools such as advanced newsfeeds, equity squawk audio, signals, scanners, and calendars. Paid plans include Nasdaq Basic real-time quotes, and optional add-ons like High Beta Squawk. Scanner results can be exported to CSV.

Platforms

Web
Mobile
API

Pricing

Free
Subscription

Quick highlights

  • Benzinga Pro subscription tiers: Free, Basic ($37/mo), Streamlined ($147/mo), and Essential ($197/mo), with features unlocked progressively.
  • Real-time newsfeed with advanced filters and sentiment indicators.
  • Customizable alerts via desktop, sound, and email; watchlist-driven alerts available on paid plans.
  • Equity Audio Squawk channel included in higher tiers, with optional High Beta Squawk add-on for $99/month.
  • Signals highlight unusual activity, including price spikes, options flow, block trades, and trading halts.

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Charles Schwab logo

Charles Schwab

schwab.com

One of the largest US brokerages, combining commission-free stock and ETF trading with deep functionality through the thinkorswim® platform suite (desktop, web, and mobile). Options are priced at $0.65 per contract, with 24/5 trading on over a thousand stocks and ETFs. Investors can trade futures and forex (approval required), use paperMoney® for risk-free practice, and even buy fractional shares of S&P 500 companies starting at $5 through Stock Slices®. Schwab also provides flexible alerts, advanced order types, tax integrations, and access to research and screeners—all backed by decades of brand trust.

Platforms

Web
Mobile
Desktop

Pricing

Other

Quick highlights

  • Zero-commission online trades for stocks and ETFs; options at $0.65 per contract.
  • thinkorswim® platform suite (desktop, web, mobile) plus Schwab Mobile, with extended 24/5 trading access to 1,100+ stocks and ETFs.
  • paperMoney® virtual accounts that let you practice trading with live market data.
  • Tradable universe spans stocks, ETFs, options, futures, and forex—though futures and forex require separate approval and are offered by Schwab Futures & Forex LLC.
  • Fractional share investing via Stock Slices®: S&P 500 companies, starting from $5.

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Overlap

Shared focus areas

6 overlaps

Mutual strengths include News, Alerts, and Newsletters plus 3 more areas.

Where they differ

Benzinga

Distinct strengths include:

Data APIs
Transcripts
  • Benzinga Pro subscription tiers: Free, Basic ($37/mo), Streamlined ($147/mo), and Essential ($197/mo), with features unlocked progressively.
  • Real-time newsfeed with advanced filters and sentiment indicators.
  • Customizable alerts via desktop, sound, and email; watchlist-driven alerts available on paid plans.
  • Equity Audio Squawk channel included in higher tiers, with optional High Beta Squawk add-on for $99/month.

Charles Schwab

Distinct strengths include:

Brokerage
Portfolio
Options & Derivatives
Paper Trading
Advanced Order Types
Smart/Direct Routing
Order Book / Level II
Videos
  • Zero-commission online trades for stocks and ETFs; options at $0.65 per contract.
  • thinkorswim® platform suite (desktop, web, mobile) plus Schwab Mobile, with extended 24/5 trading access to 1,100+ stocks and ETFs.
  • paperMoney® virtual accounts that let you practice trading with live market data.
  • Tradable universe spans stocks, ETFs, options, futures, and forex—though futures and forex require separate approval and are offered by Schwab Futures & Forex LLC.

Feature-by-feature breakdown

AttributeBenzingaCharles Schwab
Categories

Which research workflows each platform targets

Shared: News, Alerts, Newsletters, Watchlist, Screeners, Calendar

Unique: Data APIs, Transcripts

Shared: News, Alerts, Newsletters, Watchlist, Screeners, Calendar

Unique: Brokerage, Portfolio, Options & Derivatives, Paper Trading, Advanced Order Types, Smart/Direct Routing, Order Book / Level II, Videos, Blogs

Asset types

Supported asset classes and universes

Stocks, ETFs, Options

Stocks, ETFs, Options, Futures, Mutual Funds, Bonds, Currencies

Experience levels

Who each product is built for

Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

Platforms

Where you can access the product

Web, Mobile, API

Web, Mobile, Desktop

Pricing

High-level pricing models

Free, Subscription

Other

Key features

Core capabilities called out by each vendor

Unique

  • Benzinga Pro subscription tiers: Free, Basic ($37/mo), Streamlined ($147/mo), and Essential ($197/mo), with features unlocked progressively.
  • Real-time newsfeed with advanced filters and sentiment indicators.
  • Customizable alerts via desktop, sound, and email; watchlist-driven alerts available on paid plans.
  • Equity Audio Squawk channel included in higher tiers, with optional High Beta Squawk add-on for $99/month.
  • Signals highlight unusual activity, including price spikes, options flow, block trades, and trading halts.
  • Comprehensive calendar suite covering earnings, guidance, economic releases, analyst ratings, and more.

Unique

  • Zero-commission online trades for stocks and ETFs; options at $0.65 per contract.
  • thinkorswim® platform suite (desktop, web, mobile) plus Schwab Mobile, with extended 24/5 trading access to 1,100+ stocks and ETFs.
  • paperMoney® virtual accounts that let you practice trading with live market data.
  • Tradable universe spans stocks, ETFs, options, futures, and forex—though futures and forex require separate approval and are offered by Schwab Futures & Forex LLC.
  • Fractional share investing via Stock Slices®: S&P 500 companies, starting from $5.
  • Advanced order types supported, including OCO brackets and conditional orders.
Tested

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Editor pick

Featured inside curated shortlists

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which workflows do Benzinga and Charles Schwab both support?

Both platforms cover News, Alerts, Newsletters, Watchlist, Screeners, and Calendar workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.

Which tool offers a free plan?

Benzinga offers a free entry point, while Charles Schwab requires a paid subscription. Review the pricing table to see how the paid tiers compare.

How can you access Benzinga and Charles Schwab?

Both Benzinga and Charles Schwab support web and mobile access, making it easy to keep tabs on research away from the desk.

What unique strengths set the two platforms apart?

Benzinga differentiates itself with Benzinga Pro subscription tiers: Free, Basic ($37/mo), Streamlined ($147/mo), and Essential ($197/mo), with features unlocked progressively., Real-time newsfeed with advanced filters and sentiment indicators., and Customizable alerts via desktop, sound, and email; watchlist-driven alerts available on paid plans., whereas Charles Schwab stands out for Zero-commission online trades for stocks and ETFs; options at $0.65 per contract., thinkorswim® platform suite (desktop, web, mobile) plus Schwab Mobile, with extended 24/5 trading access to 1,100+ stocks and ETFs., and paperMoney® virtual accounts that let you practice trading with live market data..

Keep exploring

Stay on top of related tools

Browse the categories and profiles that overlap most with this comparison to round out your shortlist.

Recommended tools

These profiles share overlapping coverage with both sides of this matchup.

Curation & Accuracy

This directory blends AI‑assisted discovery with human curation. Entries are reviewed, edited, and organized with the goal of expanding coverage and sharpening quality over time. Your feedback helps steer improvements (because no single human can capture everything all at once).

Details change. Pricing, features, and availability may be incomplete or out of date. Treat listings as a starting point and verify on the provider’s site before making decisions. If you spot an error or a gap, send a quick note and I’ll adjust.