Charles Schwab Charges 0.75% to Trade Bitcoin. Is That Cheaper Than Coinbase or Robinhood?

Charles Schwab (NYSE:SCHW | SCHW Price Prediction) charges a 0.75% fee on each crypto trade, according to its November 9, 2026, release. That Schwab Crypto fee means a $1,000 Bitcoin (CRYPTO:BTC) buy costs $7.50, while a $10,000 purchase incurs a fee of $75.

Schwab allows clients to trade Bitcoin, Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH), Solana (CRYPTO: SOL), Avalanche (CRYPTO: AVAX) and Chainlink (CRYPTO: LINK). It added the last three in November and plans to introduce more. The service became available to all eligible retail clients in October.

One of Schwab’s main advantages is convenience, since clients can manage their crypto holdings alongside their traditional brokerage accounts. This aligns with many crypto investors’ preferences, as three out of four holders want to keep their assets with their bank. In contrast, Coinbase (NASDAQ: COIN) and Robinhood (NASDAQ: HOOD) compete primarily on price. So how much extra does this convenience cost?

Schwab Crypto Costs $7.50 on Every $1,000 Traded

Schwab is unique among these platforms, as it provides a clear, fixed fee that users can easily calculate. In contrast, Coinbase and Robinhood show the total cost only on their order preview screens, and that total changes with each trade.

Spreads and Wallet Fees Change What Each Platform Costs

A spread is the difference between the price a buyer pays and the market price, and it doesn’t appear as a line item on the receipt. Coinbase says it builds a spread into its simple buys and may keep any surplus. Robinhood, which charges no commission, makes money from the spread.

In a comparison provided by Robinhood, a $1,000 Ethereum purchase quoted on October 15 showed that Coinbase’s simple buy resulted in almost 2% less ETH, while Coinbase Advanced performed slightly better. A third party verified the math, but Robinhood still chose to test it. Schwab’s release lists the 0.75% charge but doesn’t describe a spread on top, so a first-time buyer can check Schwab’s quoted Bitcoin price against a live market price before ordering.

For withdrawals, Robinhood lets users send crypto to other wallets with no fees, while Coinbase charges a network fee for such transfers. Schwab is still rolling out its withdrawal feature.

CEO Rick Wurster said during the October 15 earnings call that Schwab is “rolling out the ability for clients to transfer their crypto holdings to Schwab,” meaning users can also move coins in from other platforms. Other financial institutions, such as Deutsche Bank, are also adding crypto custody.

Schwab, Coinbase and Robinhood: Each Suits a Different Bitcoin Buyer

Schwab is a great choice for customers who already bank there, make occasional Bitcoin purchases, and prefer the simplicity of managing everything under one account. With this option, they know upfront they’ll pay $75 on a $10,000 order. However, the 0.75% fee applies again when selling, and wallet transfers are still in development.

Coinbase Advanced works well for buyers comfortable navigating an order book, where a maker posts an order at a set price, and a taker fills it. Robinhood found that Coinbase Advanced was the most economical of the three options it compared. On the other hand, Coinbase’s simple buy feature may not be the best option for most buyers because of added spreads and fees.

Robinhood is ideal for smaller, frequent purchases. Recurring buys start at just $1, and withdrawals are free. However, because costs are built into the prices, buyers may find it hard to predict total expenses accurately. Ultimately, position size can have a greater impact on returns than any fee structure, as the size of your Bitcoin allocation shows.

Is the Schwab Crypto Fee More Affordable Than Coinbase or Robinhood?

At first glance, Schwab’s 0.75% fee may seem cheaper than Coinbase’s simple buy but more expensive than Coinbase Advanced and Robinhood, assuming Robinhood’s data is accurate. The costliest error could come from placing a limit order on Coinbase’s simple buy screen, as it incurs a 1% execution fee on top of a Coinbase fee of up to 2%, depending on the payment method.

For long-term investors, $7.50 per $1,000 could be worth the added convenience. However, for anyone making monthly transactions, the fee applies to every single buy and sale. And if the 401(k) crypto rule is approved in 2027, similar fee structures may also apply to Bitcoin in retirement accounts.

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