Capitol Trades adds US Government Trades, and Regulatory Filings Monitoring coverage that Charles Schwab skips.
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★
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Sunday, October 26, 2025
Head-to-head
Capitol Trades vs Charles Schwab comparison
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
Charles Schwab includes Brokerage, Portfolio, Watchlist, Options & Derivatives, Paper Trading, Advanced Order Types, Smart/Direct Routing, News, Alerts, Calendar, Order Book / Level II, Videos, and Screeners categories that Capitol Trades omits.
Capitol Trades highlights: Near real‑time publication of newly disclosed trades and analytics., Comprehensive filters: chamber (Senate/House), party, committee, state, asset type, transaction type, size, issuer country/sector and more., and Politician pages with bios, committee memberships, tweets, trading activity and preferred sectors; issuer pages with frequent‑trader stats..
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..
Capitol Trades has a free tier, while Charles Schwab requires a paid plan.
Charles Schwab offers mobile access, which Capitol Trades skips.
Capitol Trades
capitoltrades.com
Free, public dashboard tracking U.S. politicians’ trade disclosures under the STOCK Act. Near real‑time postings of newly published disclosures, with rich filters (chamber, party, committee, state, asset type, transaction type, trade size, sector, etc.). Asset coverage spans stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, bonds (incl. munis/USTs), options, and crypto. Operated by 2iQ Research.
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- Near real‑time publication of newly disclosed trades and analytics.
- Comprehensive filters: chamber (Senate/House), party, committee, state, asset type, transaction type, size, issuer country/sector and more.
- Politician pages with bios, committee memberships, tweets, trading activity and preferred sectors; issuer pages with frequent‑trader stats.
- Coverage includes bonds (e.g., municipal/UST) and crypto transactions, alongside equities and funds.
- Weekly email newsletter; active X/Twitter feed with immediate updates.
Community votes (overall)
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.
Categories
Platforms
Pricing
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.
Community votes (overall)
Shared focus areas
2 overlapsMutual strengths include Newsletters, and Blogs.
Where they differ
Capitol Trades
Distinct strengths include:
- Near real‑time publication of newly disclosed trades and analytics.
- Comprehensive filters: chamber (Senate/House), party, committee, state, asset type, transaction type, size, issuer country/sector and more.
- Politician pages with bios, committee memberships, tweets, trading activity and preferred sectors; issuer pages with frequent‑trader stats.
- Coverage includes bonds (e.g., municipal/UST) and crypto transactions, alongside equities and funds.
Charles Schwab
Distinct strengths include:
- 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
| Attribute | Capitol Trades | Charles Schwab |
|---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: Newsletters, Blogs Unique: US Government Trades, Regulatory Filings Monitoring | Shared: Newsletters, Blogs Unique: Brokerage, Portfolio, Watchlist, Options & Derivatives, Paper Trading, Advanced Order Types, Smart/Direct Routing, News, Alerts, Calendar, Order Book / Level II, Videos, Screeners |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Stocks, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Bonds, Options, Cryptos | 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 | Web, Mobile, Desktop |
Pricing High-level pricing models | Free | Other |
Key features Core capabilities called out by each vendor | Unique
| Unique
|
Tested Verified by hands-on testing inside Find My Moat | Not yet | Not yet |
Editor pick Featured inside curated shortlists | Standard listing | Standard listing |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which workflows do Capitol Trades and Charles Schwab both support?
Both platforms cover Newsletters, and Blogs workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.
Which tool offers a free plan?
Capitol Trades offers a free entry point, while Charles Schwab requires a paid subscription. Review the pricing table to see how the paid tiers compare.
Which tool has mobile access?
Charles Schwab ships a dedicated mobile experience, while Capitol Trades focuses on web or desktop access.
What unique strengths set the two platforms apart?
Capitol Trades differentiates itself with Near real‑time publication of newly disclosed trades and analytics., Comprehensive filters: chamber (Senate/House), party, committee, state, asset type, transaction type, size, issuer country/sector and more., and Politician pages with bios, committee memberships, tweets, trading activity and preferred sectors; issuer pages with frequent‑trader stats., 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..
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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.