Charles Schwab adds Options & Derivatives, Paper Trading, Advanced Order Types, Smart/Direct Routing, News, Alerts, Calendar, Order Book / Level II, Videos, Blogs, Newsletters, and Screeners coverage that Scalable Capital skips.
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★
PRICE: 5 CENTS
Sunday, October 5, 2025
Head-to-head
Charles Schwab vs Scalable Capital comparison
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
Scalable Capital includes Wealth Management, and Downloadable Tax Reports 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..
Scalable Capital is known for: Transparent pricing: FREE plan at €0.99 per trade (gettex/EIE, min. €250) and PRIME+ at €4.99/month flat for trades above €250. Xetra available at €3.99/trade. Savings plans are always free., Earn variable 2% annual interest on uninvested cash, with caps of €50k (FREE) and €500k (PRIME+). Cash is safeguarded with partner banks and money-market funds., and Access to more than 625,000 derivatives (certificates, knock-outs, warrants), with flat-rate trading included in PRIME+..
Scalable Capital keeps a free entry point that Charles Schwab lacks.
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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Scalable Capital
scalable.capital
Retail broker and robo-advisor for EU investors. Two main plans: FREE (trades €0.99 on gettex/EIE for orders ≥€250; free savings plans) and PRIME+ (€4.99/month flat for trades ≥€250; savings plans also free). Both offer variable 2% p.a. interest on cash balances, capped at €50k (FREE) or €500k (PRIME+). PRIME tiers unlock CSV export of all transactions. Annual tax certificates are provided as downloadable PDFs.
Platforms
Web
Mobile
Pricing
Free
Subscription
Quick highlights
- Transparent pricing: FREE plan at €0.99 per trade (gettex/EIE, min. €250) and PRIME+ at €4.99/month flat for trades above €250. Xetra available at €3.99/trade. Savings plans are always free.
- Earn variable 2% annual interest on uninvested cash, with caps of €50k (FREE) and €500k (PRIME+). Cash is safeguarded with partner banks and money-market funds.
- Access to more than 625,000 derivatives (certificates, knock-outs, warrants), with flat-rate trading included in PRIME+.
- Crypto exposure through regulated exchange-traded products in Germany, no wallet needed. Savings plans start from as little as €1.
- Trading venues include gettex (Munich Stock Exchange), the European Investor Exchange, and Xetra.
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Overlap
Shared focus areas
3 overlapsMutual strengths include Brokerage, Portfolio, and Watchlist.
Where they differ
Charles Schwab
Distinct strengths include:
Options & Derivatives
Paper Trading
Advanced Order Types
Smart/Direct Routing
News
Alerts
Calendar
Order Book / Level II
- 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.
Scalable Capital
Distinct strengths include:
- Transparent pricing: FREE plan at €0.99 per trade (gettex/EIE, min. €250) and PRIME+ at €4.99/month flat for trades above €250. Xetra available at €3.99/trade. Savings plans are always free.
- Earn variable 2% annual interest on uninvested cash, with caps of €50k (FREE) and €500k (PRIME+). Cash is safeguarded with partner banks and money-market funds.
- Access to more than 625,000 derivatives (certificates, knock-outs, warrants), with flat-rate trading included in PRIME+.
- Crypto exposure through regulated exchange-traded products in Germany, no wallet needed. Savings plans start from as little as €1.
Feature-by-feature breakdown
| Attribute | Charles Schwab | Scalable Capital |
|---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: Brokerage, Portfolio, Watchlist Unique: Options & Derivatives, Paper Trading, Advanced Order Types, Smart/Direct Routing, News, Alerts, Calendar, Order Book / Level II, Videos, Blogs, Newsletters, Screeners | Shared: Brokerage, Portfolio, Watchlist Unique: Wealth Management, Downloadable Tax Reports |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Stocks, ETFs, Options, Futures, Mutual Funds, Bonds, Currencies | Stocks, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Bonds |
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 | 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 Scalable Capital both support?
Both platforms cover Brokerage, Portfolio, and Watchlist workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.
Which tool offers a free plan?
Scalable Capital 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 Charles Schwab and Scalable Capital?
Both Charles Schwab and Scalable Capital 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 Scalable Capital stands out for Transparent pricing: FREE plan at €0.99 per trade (gettex/EIE, min. €250) and PRIME+ at €4.99/month flat for trades above €250. Xetra available at €3.99/trade. Savings plans are always free., Earn variable 2% annual interest on uninvested cash, with caps of €50k (FREE) and €500k (PRIME+). Cash is safeguarded with partner banks and money-market funds., and Access to more than 625,000 derivatives (certificates, knock-outs, warrants), with flat-rate trading included in PRIME+..
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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.