Charles Schwab Vs. Fidelity | Bankrate

Charles Schwab and Constancy are two of the most well-liked on-line brokers and for good motive. Each brokers supply providers clients are in search of at engaging prices, serving to them to rank nicely in Bankrate’s annual dealer opinions.

Constancy was named Bankrate’s finest dealer total as a part of the 2025 Bankrate Awards, whereas Schwab was named the most effective dealer for analysis and instruments. Low prices, nice customer support and powerful analysis and academic choices assist make these brokers a superb match for almost any investor.

However deciding which one is best for you will rely in your particular person circumstances and what you want from a web-based dealer. Right here’s how Schwab and Constancy examine on a few of the most typical options.

Schwab vs. Constancy: Prices

Winner: Constancy by a hair, because of its zero-fee mutual fund lineup.

Schwab and Constancy each do a superb job of protecting prices low for patrons. You received’t pay commissions on inventory or ETF trades, which has turn into widespread within the {industry} after Schwab reduce its commissions to zero in 2019.

By way of mutual funds, each brokers supply greater than 3,000 funds with no transaction charges, which ought to present loads of alternative for fund buyers seeking to save for retirement or different funding targets. Schwab’s providing of no-transaction-fee funds is bigger than Constancy’s, however you shouldn’t have hassle discovering a fund that matches your wants at both dealer.

There’s one space on this class the place Constancy actually stands out: It presents utterly fee-free mutual funds — Constancy ZERO funds — that cost no annual expense ratio by any means. The Constancy ZERO Massive Cap Index tops our record of finest index funds.

Constancy doesn’t cost account charges, so that you received’t have to fret about getting nickel and dimed. Schwab does cost a $50 transfer-out charge, which is lower than the {industry} commonplace of $75, however nonetheless above Constancy’s zero-fee coverage.

Schwab vs. Constancy: Account minimal

Winner: Draw. Neither dealer requires a minimal preliminary funding. 

Each Schwab and Constancy don’t have any account minimal, which permits new buyers to open an account and fund them as soon as they’re prepared to start out investing. You possibly can entry every dealer’s instructional assets earlier than funding an account, making each locations excellent for brand new buyers.

Schwab vs. Constancy: Tradable securities

Winner: Draw. Each supply the usual lineup of property. However solely Constancy presents entry to crypto, whereas Schwab’s lineup options futures and international change (foreign exchange).

Schwab and Constancy each supply the usual securities that ought to meet the wants of most buyers: shares, ETFs, mutual funds, bonds and choices. Schwab additionally presents futures and foreign currency trading, which Constancy doesn’t, however that shouldn’t be a problem for many buyers. These desirous about buying and selling crypto might discover what they’re in search of at Constancy, however you’ll be restricted to the hottest cryptocurrencies. Charles Schwab presents crypto publicity by way of thematic ETFs. 

Schwab vs. Constancy: Account sorts

Winner: Draw, except you’re in search of an HSA (solely out there at Constancy).

Most buyers will discover the kind of account they’re in search of at both Schwab or Constancy. Each brokers supply the usual decisions similar to particular person and joint taxable accounts, IRAs (Roth, conventional and rollovers), small enterprise retirement accounts (SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRA and solo 401(ok)) and 529 plans. You too can select from Schwab Clever Portfolios or Constancy Go in case you’re in search of a robo-advisor possibility.

One space the place Constancy stands out is the providing of well being financial savings accounts (HSAs), which some folks use to save lots of for well being care prices. The accounts can nearly operate as a further retirement account as a result of the cash can be utilized for any function when you attain retirement age.

Schwab vs. Constancy: Fractional shares

Winner: Constancy has a bigger lineup of accessible securities and decrease minimal funding requirement. 

Each Schwab and Constancy supply fractional shares on purchases and reinvested dividends, however you’ll have a a lot wider record of shares to select from at Constancy than Schwab. Schwab’s fractional shares program is restricted to the businesses within the S&P 500, whereas Constancy presents greater than 7,000 shares and ETFs in its Constancy Shares by the Slice program. Constancy’s minimal commerce begins at simply $1 in comparison with $5 for Schwab.

Fractional shares enable buyers the possibility to purchase high-priced shares and ensure the total quantity is invested as a substitute of getting to attend to afford a full share. In style shares similar to Alphabet, Amazon and Tesla have, at occasions, elevated into the hundreds of {dollars} for one share in recent times.

Schwab vs. Constancy: Buyer assist

Winner: Draw. Each brokers present a number of methods to get around-the-clock assist.

Schwab and Constancy are each leaders in customer support. You may get questions answered on the cellphone 24 hours a day, seven days every week, which is changing into uncommon within the monetary providers {industry}. You’ll even have quite a lot of different choices, together with on-line chat, e-mail, and on-line FAQ sections. You too can go to a department in particular person, with Constancy providing greater than 200 places and Schwab having practically 400. Traders shouldn’t have any hassle getting their questions answered at both dealer.
 

Schwab vs. Constancy: Safety

Winner: Draw. Every presents industry-leading account safety and additional insurance coverage on losses attributable to fraud or brokerage failure.

Brokerages have a vested curiosity in defending clients from fraudulent exercise. Schwab and Constancy every have layers of safety in place — id verification, fraud detection — to safeguard buyer knowledge and account entry.

Each Schwab and Constancy will cowl any losses to your account attributable to unauthorized or fraudulent exercise (not losses attributable to funding efficiency). Every dealer carries insurance coverage by way of the Securities Investor Safety Company (SIPC). Customary SIPC insurance coverage covers as much as $500,000 in losses, which features a $250,000 restrict for money. Each additionally carry extra SIPC protection. Schwab covers as much as $150 million per buyer (as much as $1.15 million of which can be in money). There is no such thing as a per-customer restrict on Constancy’s extra protection of securities; the protection cap on money losses is $1.9 million. 

Who’s Charles Schwab finest for?

• Traders at each stage in search of ongoing training, analysis and entry to top-tier analysis and insights.
• Superior merchants in search of a extremely customizable desktop, net or cellular buying and selling expertise by way of the thinkorswim platform, introduced over from the TD Ameritrade acquisition.
• Futures and foreign exchange merchants.

Who’s Constancy finest for?

• Rookies in search of investor-friendly instruments to develop their information and wealth.
• Each buy-and-hold sorts and extra lively merchants who need entry to user-friendly buying and selling instruments.
• Value-conscious index-fund buyers who need to put money into Constancy’s no-management-fee ZERO mutual funds.
• Crypto buyers who need robust buyer assist and entry to standard cryptocurrencies.

Backside line

The fact is that both Schwab or Constancy is a superb dealer alternative for buyers. The variations between the 2 are very small and should solely matter to these in search of very particular choices similar to futures buying and selling or a sure mutual fund.

Earlier than choosing a dealer, make sure you take into consideration the options that matter most to you. In the event you like sure issues about every dealer you possibly can all the time open accounts with each and use whichever dealer has the most effective providing in every class.

— Bankrate’s Dayana Yochim contributed to an replace of this text.

Editorial Disclaimer: All buyers are suggested to conduct their very own impartial analysis into funding methods earlier than investing determination. As well as, buyers are suggested that previous funding product efficiency is not any assure of future value appreciation.