Webull vs Charles Schwab
Recently, pricing wars between some of the largest US brokerages has driven commissions for trading stocks down to virtually $0. Robinhood started this new trend of commission free stock trading a few years ago, and now countless brokerages are following suit.
Charles Schwab is one of the longest standing and most trusted brokerages out there, now offering commission free trading.
Webull is a newcomer on the block, with a sleek app aimed at millennial investors.
In this article, we compare two commission-free brokerages; Webull vs Charles Schwab.
Webull vs Schwab Summary
- Both services offer low-cost ways to invest in stocks, ETFs and other tradable assets
- Both offer $0 commission on stocks and ETFs, however Schwab requires a small fee for option contracts
- Webull has commission free options trading and free retirement accounts
- Webull offers slightly lower overall fees and minimums than Schwab
- Schwab offers best-in-class research to give its clients a market edge
- Both brokerage services offer applications that are easy to use and beginner-friendly
- Both brokerage services offer great research tools for active traders
- Charles Schwab has a longer history and overall track record than Webull, something that should be taken into consideration
- Schwab offers a high yield savings account for your cash reserve, while Webull does not offer this
- Schwab offers a robo-advisor called Schwab Intelligent Portfolios for free, but it has a minimum balance of $5,000
- You will find dividend reinvestment, rebalancing and other useful features with Schwab
- Unfortunately, Webull does not offer DRIP, rebalancing tools and things like that
- Webull does have a sign up incentive of a free stock, while Schwab offers no incentive
- Schwab supports penny stocks and other OTC exchanges, while Webull only supports NASDAQ/NYSE listed equities
Sign Up For Webull + Get A Free Stock!
What Is Webull?
Webull aims to merge the leading investing research tools and data with an easy to use trading platform. They have done a great job at this, and have overall created a very user friendly platform. Many Robinhood investors comment on the fact that the platform itself is very limited in terms of research tools and data.
In fact, we often refer to Webull as a more sophisticated or advanced version of the popular commission free trading app known as Robinhood.
Webull Features
Easy-To-Use Application
Webull is known for its simple design and beginner-friendly features. The beginner-friendly design does not take away from the research and data objective of the platform. All of the data that most traders will need is available at your fingertips.
Despite everything that is packed into this app, it is still easy to use and navigate.
Webull Sign Up Incentive
After signing up for a Webull brokerage account and fund with $100 on your initial deposit, you get a free stock valued between $2.50-$250.
They also have a free trading simulator that allows you to take the platform for a test drive before using real money. We find this sign up incentive to be very generous, and this is not something that Schwab offers.
Sign Up For Webull + Get A Free Stock!
Webull Securities Offered
On Webull, you can trade the following assets:
- Stocks (Nasdaq/NYSE Listed)
- Options
- ETFs
- Cryptocurrency (in select States)
Free Retirement Accounts
Are you interested in achieving financial freedom down the road and saving for retirement? Webull offers both Roth and Traditional IRAs to its clients that are 100% free. These retirement accounts also have a $0 minimum to get started.
Full Extended Hours Trading
Webull supports both pre-market and after-hours trading. On some other platforms, normal market hours (9:30 AM - 4:00 PM EST) are only supported.
This feature that Webull offers its clients allows them to take advantage of the 4:00 AM - 9:30 AM (EST) pre-market session and also the 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM (EST) after-hours session.
Market Research
In the “Market” section of Webull’, clients will find real-time quotes of the major indices and also interesting facts such as the biggest winners and losers of the stock market. They also offer global market data, however some market data is only available with a paid subscription. US market data is 100% free.
Technical Trading Platform
One of the key areas where Robinhood and other free trading apps fall short is the technical data. On Webull, you will find advanced tools like candlestick charts as well as over 20 different technical indicators. This is useful for traders who make decisions based on technical stock analysis. They also have research tools for fundamental analysis as well.
SIPC Insured
Webull is insured by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC).
As a member of SIPC, investors are insured up to $500,000 in securities and up to $250,000 in cash. This is insurance for lost, misplaced, or misused securities, and not insurance against a capital loss in the securities themselves.
Webull places all trades through Apex Clearing which has an additional insurance policy in place.
According to their site, "Our clearing firm Apex Clearing Corp has purchased an additional insurance policy. The coverage limits provide protection for securities and cash up to an aggregate of $150 million, subject to maximum limits of $37.5 million for any one customer’s securities and $900,000 for any one customer’s cash. Similar to SIPC protection, this additional insurance does not protect against a loss in the market value of securities."
Webull Help Center
Webull’s dynamic help center offers many educational resources for its clients to utilize to learn more about the trades that they are making and services that Webull offers.
Simply navigate to the “Help” header on the webull.com website and you will find these high-quality educational resources.
Customer Service
Webull offers phone, email and live chat support. Most questions can be answered by visiting the help center of the app, but if you can't find your answer you can reach out to them directly for support.
Desktop & App Support
Webull can be downloaded from the Google Play Store, App Store, Browser View Web App or applications can be downloaded directly for Windows and Mac users. Many Webull users find the desktop platform is better for conducting technical research.
Webull Fees & Minimums
Zero-Commission Fees
A very attractive part of Webull is its $0 commissions on stocks, options, and ETFs.
Webull does make money, but not through charging commissions to customers.
Zero-Account Minimum
There is no minimum deposit required to open up a Webull brokerage account. This is especially important for the investor who is not ready to go in big on their investments and to begin learning small without a minimum requirement.
However, if you want to get your free stock, you do have to make an initial deposit of $100 or more.
Sign Up For Webull + Get A Free Stock!
Deposit & Withdrawal Fees
There are zero fees on ACH deposit and withdrawals from US Bank Accounts. However, Webull charges fees that range from $8 to $45 on various non-US Bank Account deposits and withdrawals. These fees are charged by Apex, their clearing house.
Webull also charges for wire transfer deposits and withdrawals. They collect $8 per deposit and $25 per withdrawal. Again, this is charged by Apex.
Down the road, if you are looking to transfer your securities from Webull to another brokerage, they do charge a standard $75 transfer fee.
Leveraged Investing With Webull
Webull provides up to 4x day-trade buying power and also 2x overnight buying power with margin accounts.
To qualify for margin, clients must have a minimum of $2,000 to apply.
Margin Rates
Margin Rates on debit balance vary between 6.99% and 3.99%. This rate varies depending on the amount of margin taken out by the investor.
The more margin that a client takes on, the lesser rate they will pay on that debt.
This brings us to our final fee basis for Webull, short selling.
Short Selling Fees
Webull’s short-selling fees, which are relatively small, are something to note for the investor who is more interested in shorting stocks.
Shorting is the act of borrowing shares at a high price hoping that the stock will decrease in value and then selling back to the market at a lower price.
While this is a more complicated process than described, the essential takeaway is that when an investor shorts a stock, they are betting on the price decreasing in value. Margin fees apply when short selling, since you are borrowing the securities.
Webull Pros
- Zero-Commission fees on all trades
- Varying accounts catered towards client goals
- Phone, email and chat support
- $0 minimum account balance (including retirement accounts)
- Market Research
- Geared towards more technical traders
- Educational resources
- Pre-market and Extended-hours trading
- Free stock incentive
- Built in trading simulator for beginners to try out the platform
Webull Cons
- Short selling fees on stocks, ETFs, and options
- High interest rates on margin
- Not a robo-advising service, clients must choose their investments
- No dividend reinvestment or DRIP
- They do not have any portfolio rebalancing tools
- No fractional shares
- No mutual funds
Sign Up For Webull + Get A Free Stock!
What Is Charles Schwab?
Since 1973, Charles Schwab has been committed to putting its clients first. Through both the good and bad times, Charles Schwab has a track record of being persistent in its ability to provide award-winning service and expertise to its clients.
Achieving its clients' goals is Charles Schwab’s number one priority and it has remained committed to do that since it was created back in 1973.
Schwab offers competitive fees and offers a wide range of investment accounts to meet a wide array of clients needs. We will explore these different features below.
Schwab Top Features
Schwab One® Brokerage Account
Access to more than 10 investment products to achieve optimal portfolio diversification if desired.
Users can trade securities on the Schwab platform such as:
- Stocks
- Bonds
- ETFs
- Mutual Funds
- Cryptocurrency
- Options
- Futures
Specialized Platforms and Support for Trading
Clients will receive all of the Schwab One® features with the added benefit of support from highly dedicated specialists and employees with expertise at Charles Schwab.
Top-Quality Research
Schwab provides some of the highest quality in-house research to its clients who want to gain an edge in the markets.
StreetSmart Edge
They offer a downloadable trading platform for desktop users who are looking to actively trade in the markets on both long and short time frames.
Retirement Accounts
Offering both Roth IRA, Traditional IRA, and several other retirement accounts, Schwab offers a diverse number of options for investors who want to explore the different account type benefits.
Unsure of what account works best for you? Are all of these features overwhelming? No need to be uncomfortable, Schwab offers around-the-clock customer service to answer these pressing questions that you may have.
High Yield Investor Savings® Account
Competitive yield offered on clients’ savings account with FDIC-insured savings.
Lastly, on top of all the different account offerings, Schwab has introduced a robo-advising option as well.
Schwab Automated Investing
Schwab offers an automated form of investing for its clients through a robo-advising portfolio automated service called Schwab Intelligent Portfolios®
How It Works: A Three-Step Process
- Complete a short questionnaire to establish your goals, risk tolerance, and timeline
- Get a diversified portfolio of ETFs chosen by experts
- Let the Robo-advising do the rest of the work as your portfolio automatically rebalances as needed
They do not charge any fees for this service, but a $5,000 minimum is required.
Schwab Fees & Minimums
Zero-Commission Fees
$0 online stock and ETF fees on trading buying and selling transactions.
No Account Minimum
Schwab offers accounts with no minimum balances. As a beginner, this makes getting started opening a Schwab account even easier.
Small Option Fees
They charge $0.65 price per contract for options trades. This is pricier than Webull, which does not charge a commission, and something to note when comparing the two services.
Mutual Fund Fees
Schwab charges a $49.95 commission on mutual funds that are not actively managed by Schwab.
Futures Commissions
Schwab charges $1.50 per contract for both broker-assisted and regular online futures contract trades.
Schwab Robo-Advising Minimums
The Schwab platform requires between a $5,000 minimum for the most basic robo-advisor, and a $25,000 minimum for their premium robo-advisor.
When using the premium robo-advisor, a one-time planning fee of $300, and a $30 per month advisory fee apply after that.
Schwab Pros
- Zero-Commission fees on all stock and ETF trades
- $0 minimum required to open a brokerage account
- Robo-advising portfolio offered with an easy three-step process to meet investment goals
- Technical platform for trading enthusiasts and market technicians
- Top-quality investment research
- High yield cash savings account
- Various types of retirement accounts
- A long track record of providing great services to clients
- 24/7 client service offered
- Fractional shares, DRIP and other rebalancing tools offered
Schwab Cons
- High minimums on robo-advising portfolios plus extra payments on premium accounts
- High fees for certain mutual funds
- Options contract fees of $0.65 per contract
Webull vs Charles Schwab: Final Verdict
In our opinion, Charles Schwab offers a better overall platform for investors who are serious about accumulating wealth for the future. We feel that Webull offers a better mobile app and has a slight edge by offering no commissions on options trades.
Overall, Schwab offers a wider variety of assets including futures, mutual funds and more. Schwab also has a free robo-advisor called Schwab Intelligent Portfolio, however it has a minimum investment of $5,000.
Webull falls short by not offering fractional shares, dividend reinvestment or rebalancing tools. You will find all of these features with Schwab.
Lastly, Webull has a slight edge with the sign up incentive. If you open a brokerage account with them and fund it with $100 or more on your initial deposit, you will get a free stock. Schwab currently does not have a sign up incentive.
Sign Up For Webull + Get A Free Stock!
