We created this Vanguard vs Charles Schwab comparison so we can review and easily let our visitors decide which broker should they choose for their investing journey.
Be sure to check out all the stats we have provided and make an informed choice.
Vanguard vs Charles Schwab: Popularity
| Query | Vanguard | Charles Schwab |
| Number of users (approximate) | 30m+ | 14.2m |
| Website traffic (estimated) | 23.3m | 38.3m |
| # results on web | 112m | 30.7m |
| Search volume Google | 1.22m | 550K |
| Twitter followers | 302K | 103.3K |
| FB followers | 224K | 252K |
| How popular on mainstream media? | High | High |
| Negative media? | Very low | Medium |
| Notable awards | 2019 U.S. Morningstar Award for Investing Excellence for Exemplary Stewardship, Best New U.S. Equity ETF, Best New International/Global Fixed Income ETF, Best New Active ETF | 2020 Highest in Investor Satisfaction with DIY Self-Directed Services Recognition |
Both award-winning companies have good brand recognition in the market. That being said, Vanguard has the upper hand in terms of existing customers, doubling the numbers available online for Charles Schwab.
Vanguard vs Charles Schwab: User Rating
| Query | Vanguard | Charles Schwab |
| # users rated on user platforms | 45 on SiteJabber | 21 on TrustPilot, 8 on SiteJabber |
| Percentage of positive reviews out of user reviews | 91% | 62% |
| Common compliments | Good investment platform, low fees | Diverse services, trusted and reliable |
| Common complaints | Sometimes poor customer service | Frequently undergoing maintenance, not great for options |
| Positive feedback on Twitter? | Great information and analysis | Helpful customer support |
| Negative feedback on Twitter? | Hard to receive help from support | Mobile app is constantly going down |
| App rating (summary) | Almost 5K reviews with an average rating of 3.1 / 5 | 344K+ reviews with an average 4.5 / 5 rating |
Both brokers have a lot of positive reviews online on the feedback sites, with ratings better than a lot of their competitors. Not the highest number of reviews but great ratings overall.
Vanguard vs Charles Schwab: Background Information
| Query | Vanguard | Charles Schwab |
| Company public/private | Private | Public |
| Revenue Data | $48.5 billion in Q1 of 2020 | $2.45 billion in Q2 2020 |
| CEO and bio | Mortimer J. Buckley – earned a BA degree in economics in 1991 from Harvard College and an MBA degree in 1996 from Harvard Business School | Walter W. Bettinger II – Is the CEO since October 2008 and is credited with leading Schwab through the financial crisis. |
| Number of employees | 17,600 | 19,500 |
| Notable investors (private companies) | None | None |
Similar in the number of employees, the brokers are very much different in two key aspects:
- Vanguard is a private company and Charles Schwab is public.
- The revenue data for Vanguard is clearly outperforming the ones for Charles Schwab. The difference is big.
Vanguard vs Charles Schwab: Security
| Query | Vanguard | Charles Schwab |
| HTTPS Certificate | Yes | Yes |
| 2FA ? | Yes | Yes |
| Device monitoring? | Yes | Yes |
| New device extra security? | Yes | Yes |
Vanguard vs Charles Schwab: Fees & Offering
| Query | Vanguard | Charles Schwab |
| Account minimum | $20 | None |
| Account fixed fees | $20 | None |
| Fractional shares? | No | Yes |
| Margin costs | Varies | Varies |
| ETF buying fees | None | None |
| Stock buying fees | None | None |
| Option buying fees | $0 + $1-per-contract fee | None |
| Short selling fees | None | Varies |
| Futures buying fees | Not available | $1.5 per contract |
| Future options buying fees | Not available | $0 base + $0.65 per options contract |
| Cryptocurrency fees | Not available | Not available |
| Fixed income fees | None | None |
| Mutual funds fees | None | None |
Charles Schwab seems to have the advantage when it comes to the fee structure and the tools provided. The main benefits being that they don’t have account minimums and no account fixed fees, but they also allow for fractional share buying.
Vanguard vs Charles Schwab: Trading App
| Query | Vanguard | Charles Schwab |
| Android app # installs | 1m+ | 1m+ |
| Android app # reviews | 4756 | 17K |
| iPhone app # reviews | 29 | 327K |
| Android app rating | 2.1 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| iPhone app rating | 4.1 / 5 | 4.8 / 5 |
| Common compliments on app | Easy to use and navigate once you get used to it. | Good research tools and readily available information |
| Common complaints on app | No fingerprint support, the app feels dated. | Clunky and consistent problems with the login process |
| Weighted average app rating | 3.1 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
The Charles Schwab mobile app is clearly better than the one from Vanguard having a better average rating but also a lot more reviews overall.
Final conclusions:
Charles Schwab seems to be the better choice for the beginner investor for which every dollar counts. No fixed fees and fractional buying, accompanied by a great app, seems to be the better target for the younger generation of investors.