Charles Schwab adds Brokerage, Portfolio, Watchlist, Options & Derivatives, Smart/Direct Routing, News, Alerts, Calendar, Order Book / Level II, Videos, Blogs, and Newsletters coverage that QuantRocket skips.
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★
PRICE: 5 CENTS
Sunday, October 5, 2025
Head-to-head
Charles Schwab vs QuantRocket comparison
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
QuantRocket includes Quant, Backtesting, Auto-Trading & Bots, Data APIs, and Broker Connectors categories that Charles Schwab omits.
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..
QuantRocket is known for: Includes survivorship-bias-free US minute-bar data (from 2007 onward) for Zipline backtests and live trading, with optional real-time feeds from brokers like IBKR and Alpaca., Supports point-in-time screening and ranking pipelines, and integrates with Alphalens and Pyfolio for in-notebook analysis inside Jupyter., and Global coverage through Interactive Brokers’ historical and real-time data across 60+ exchanges, plus optional feeds like EDI global EOD, Sharadar fundamentals, and Brain sentiment datasets..
QuantRocket keeps a free entry point that Charles Schwab lacks.
Charles Schwab ships a mobile app. QuantRocket is web/desktop only.
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
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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QuantRocket
quantrocket.com
A Docker-based research, backtesting, and live-trading platform built around Jupyter. The free tier is limited to research, while paid plans unlock live and paper trading along with bundled US minute-bar data. Broader global datasets are available via third-party providers. Its tight IBKR integration brings advanced order types, while real-time market data can be streamed from IBKR, Polygon, or Alpaca.
Categories
Platforms
Web
API
Pricing
Free
Subscription
Quick highlights
- Includes survivorship-bias-free US minute-bar data (from 2007 onward) for Zipline backtests and live trading, with optional real-time feeds from brokers like IBKR and Alpaca.
- Supports point-in-time screening and ranking pipelines, and integrates with Alphalens and Pyfolio for in-notebook analysis inside Jupyter.
- Global coverage through Interactive Brokers’ historical and real-time data across 60+ exchanges, plus optional feeds like EDI global EOD, Sharadar fundamentals, and Brain sentiment datasets.
- Deep IBKR integration enabling advanced order types such as algorithmic, parent-child, and bracket orders, as well as combos/spreads, margin 'what-if' checks, option greeks, and auction imbalance data.
- Streams tick-level data into TimescaleDB with WebSocket access, and allows flexible bar aggregation.
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Overlap
Shared focus areas
3 overlapsMutual strengths include Paper Trading, Advanced Order Types, and Screeners.
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.
QuantRocket
Distinct strengths include:
- Includes survivorship-bias-free US minute-bar data (from 2007 onward) for Zipline backtests and live trading, with optional real-time feeds from brokers like IBKR and Alpaca.
- Supports point-in-time screening and ranking pipelines, and integrates with Alphalens and Pyfolio for in-notebook analysis inside Jupyter.
- Global coverage through Interactive Brokers’ historical and real-time data across 60+ exchanges, plus optional feeds like EDI global EOD, Sharadar fundamentals, and Brain sentiment datasets.
- Deep IBKR integration enabling advanced order types such as algorithmic, parent-child, and bracket orders, as well as combos/spreads, margin 'what-if' checks, option greeks, and auction imbalance data.
Feature-by-feature breakdown
| Attribute | Charles Schwab | QuantRocket |
|---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: Paper Trading, Advanced Order Types, Screeners Unique: Brokerage, Portfolio, Watchlist, Options & Derivatives, Smart/Direct Routing, News, Alerts, Calendar, Order Book / Level II, Videos, Blogs, Newsletters | Shared: Paper Trading, Advanced Order Types, Screeners Unique: Quant, Backtesting, Auto-Trading & Bots, Data APIs, Broker Connectors |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Stocks, ETFs, Options, Futures, Mutual Funds, Bonds, Currencies | Stocks, ETFs, Futures, Currencies, Options |
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, API |
Pricing High-level pricing models | Other | Free, Subscription |
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 Charles Schwab and QuantRocket both support?
Both platforms cover Paper Trading, Advanced Order Types, and Screeners workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.
Which tool offers a free plan?
QuantRocket 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 QuantRocket focuses on web or desktop access.
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 QuantRocket stands out for Includes survivorship-bias-free US minute-bar data (from 2007 onward) for Zipline backtests and live trading, with optional real-time feeds from brokers like IBKR and Alpaca., Supports point-in-time screening and ranking pipelines, and integrates with Alphalens and Pyfolio for in-notebook analysis inside Jupyter., and Global coverage through Interactive Brokers’ historical and real-time data across 60+ exchanges, plus optional feeds like EDI global EOD, Sharadar fundamentals, and Brain sentiment datasets..
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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.