VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★
PRICE: 5 CENTS
Saturday, September 27, 2025
Investors comparing Charles Schwab and DEGIRO will find that Both Charles Schwab and DEGIRO concentrate on Brokerage, Portfolio, and Watchlist workflows, making them natural alternatives for similar investment research jobs. Charles Schwab leans into Options & Derivatives, Paper Trading, and News, which can be decisive for teams that need depth over breadth. Use the feature-by-feature table to inspect unique capabilities and confirm which roadmap best maps to your process.
Head-to-head
Charles Schwab vs DEGIRO
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
- Charles Schwab adds Options & Derivatives, Paper Trading, News, Alerts, Calendar, Videos, Blogs, Newsletters, and Screeners coverage that DEGIRO skips.
- Charles Schwab 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., and paperMoney® virtual accounts that let you practice trading with live market data..
- DEGIRO is known for: Access to 45+ global exchanges across ~30 countries, covering shares, ETFs, bonds, options, and futures. Orders route either Direct-to-Market or via Morgan Stanley's Smart Order Router, depending on venue., Supported order types include Market, Limit, Stop Loss, Stop Limit, and Day/GTC. Trailing Stop is only available on Xetra and Frankfurt., and Market data: real-time quotes available through monthly subscriptions per exchange; otherwise quotes are usually delayed by 15 minutes. Users can toggle real-time feeds in account settings..
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.
DEGIRO
degiro.com
European brokerage offering access to more than 45 exchanges across around 30 countries. Pricing is commission-based rather than subscription. Real-time quotes are available as per-exchange paid add-ons, while free quotes are typically delayed by 15 minutes. Short selling and derivatives access require an Active, Trader, or Day Trader profile. Certain order types (e.g. trailing stops) are only supported on select venues. U.S. BATS quotes become real-time after executing a U.S. trade and remain active until the end of the following month.
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- Access to 45+ global exchanges across ~30 countries, covering shares, ETFs, bonds, options, and futures. Orders route either Direct-to-Market or via Morgan Stanley's Smart Order Router, depending on venue.
- Supported order types include Market, Limit, Stop Loss, Stop Limit, and Day/GTC. Trailing Stop is only available on Xetra and Frankfurt.
- Market data: real-time quotes available through monthly subscriptions per exchange; otherwise quotes are usually delayed by 15 minutes. Users can toggle real-time feeds in account settings.
- U.S. BATS real-time quotes are included for free after completing a U.S. stock trade, valid through the end of the next month.
- Short selling (labelled 'Debit Securities') is offered on selected European exchanges for clients with an Active, Trader, or Day Trader profile.
Shared focus areas
Both platforms align on these research themes, so you can stay within one workflow when your use case involves them.
Where they differ
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 | Charles Schwab | DEGIRO |
|---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: Brokerage, Portfolio, Watchlist, Advanced Order Types, Smart/Direct Routing, Order Book / Level II Unique: Options & Derivatives, Paper Trading, News, Alerts, Calendar, Videos, Blogs, Newsletters, Screeners | Shared: Brokerage, Portfolio, Watchlist, Advanced Order Types, Smart/Direct Routing, Order Book / Level II |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Stocks, ETFs, Options, Futures, Mutual Funds, Bonds, Currencies | Stocks, ETFs, Bonds, Options, Futures, Mutual Funds |
Experience levels Who each product is built for | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Platforms Where you can access the product | Web, Mobile, Desktop | Web, Mobile |
Pricing High-level pricing models | Other | Other |
Key features Core capabilities called out by each vendor | Unique
| Unique
|
Tested Verified by hands-on testing inside Find My Moat | Not yet | Yes |
Editor pick Featured inside curated shortlists | Standard listing | Highlighted |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which workflows do Charles Schwab and DEGIRO both support?
Both platforms cover Brokerage, Portfolio, Watchlist, Advanced Order Types, Smart/Direct Routing, and Order Book / Level II workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.
Do Charles Schwab and DEGIRO require subscriptions?
Neither platform maintains a free tier. Budget for a subscription to unlock the research coverage highlighted in this comparison.
How can you access Charles Schwab and DEGIRO?
Both Charles Schwab and DEGIRO 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?
Charles Schwab differentiates itself with 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., whereas DEGIRO stands out for Access to 45+ global exchanges across ~30 countries, covering shares, ETFs, bonds, options, and futures. Orders route either Direct-to-Market or via Morgan Stanley's Smart Order Router, depending on venue., Supported order types include Market, Limit, Stop Loss, Stop Limit, and Day/GTC. Trailing Stop is only available on Xetra and Frankfurt., and Market data: real-time quotes available through monthly subscriptions per exchange; otherwise quotes are usually delayed by 15 minutes. Users can toggle real-time feeds in account settings..
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.