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Personal Finance · head to head

Charles Schwab vs Microsoft Excel

Charles Schwab logo

Charles Schwab

Personal Finance

Investing made simple

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft Excel logo

Microsoft Excel

Accounting

Spreadsheet software for data analysis and visualization

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Microsoft Excel has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Charles Schwab broker-assisted trades cost $25 and automated phone trades cost $5 in addition to the standard $0 online commission, per the App Store listing for Schwab Mobile; Microsoft Excel free tier limited to 5 GB cloud storage and web-only access
  • They diverge on capability: Charles Schwab covers Commission-free trading, Microsoft Excel covers Advanced formulas.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Charles Schwab and Microsoft Excel actually diverge.

Attributes where Charles Schwab and Microsoft Excel differ
AttributeCharles SchwabMicrosoft Excel
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modeltransactionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, IOS, AndroidWindows, Macos, Web, Ios, Android
CategoryPersonal FinanceAccounting
Founded19711975

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Charles Schwab

  • Commission-free trading
  • Retirement planning
  • Wealth management
  • Research tools
  • Bank accounts
  • Investment accounts
  • Web support
  • IOS support

Only in Microsoft Excel

  • Advanced formulas
  • Pivot tables
  • Data visualization
  • Charts and graphs
  • Conditional formatting
  • Data analysis tools
  • Macro automation
  • Collaboration features

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Charles Schwab

  • Budget Managementnot Microsoft Excel
  • Expense Trackingnot Microsoft Excel
  • Investment Trackingnot Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Excel

  • Financial modelingnot Charles Schwab
  • Data analysisnot Charles Schwab
  • Budget planningnot Charles Schwab
  • Reportingnot Charles Schwab
  • Business intelligencenot Charles Schwab
  • Statistical analysisnot Charles Schwab

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Charles Schwab

  • Broker-assisted trades cost $25 and automated phone trades cost $5 in addition to the standard $0 online commission, per the App Store listing for Schwab Mobile
  • Options trades carry a $0.65 per-contract fee on top of the $0 online commission, per the App Store listing for Schwab Mobile

Microsoft Excel

  • Free tier limited to 5 GB cloud storage and web-only access
  • Paid plans have per-user costs increasing significantly with more users
  • AI features like Copilot limited or unavailable on lower-tier plans

Pricing, plan by plan

Charles Schwab

On request
  • Individual BrokerageFree
    • Commission-free trading
    • Research tools
  • Schwab Advisor Services$undefined/month
    • All Brokerage features
    • Wealth management
    • Personal advisors

Microsoft Excel

Free
  • Microsoft Excel (Free)Free
    • Excel for the web
    • Real-time collaboration
    • 5 GB cloud storage
  • Microsoft 365 Personal$9.99/month
    • Desktop Excel app
    • 1 TB cloud storage
    • Single user on up to 5 devices
  • Microsoft 365 Family$12.99/month
    • 1-6 users (AI features for subscription owner)
    • Up to 6 TB cloud storage (1 TB per person)
    • Each user up to 5 devices
  • Microsoft 365 Premium$19.99/month
    • 1-6 users
    • Extensive Copilot feature access
    • Exclusive advanced AI capabilities

Which should you pick?

Choose Charles Schwab if

  • You need commission-free trading.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want retirement planning.
Charles Schwab review

Choose Microsoft Excel if

  • You need advanced formulas.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want pivot tables.
Microsoft Excel review

Questions people ask

Is Charles Schwab or Microsoft Excel better?
Neither clearly leads. Charles Schwab starts at On request and Microsoft Excel at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Charles Schwab or Microsoft Excel?
Microsoft Excel has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Charles Schwab and Free for Microsoft Excel.
Does Charles Schwab or Microsoft Excel run on more platforms?
Charles Schwab runs on Web, IOS, Android. Microsoft Excel runs on Windows, Macos, Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Microsoft Excel for free?
Yes. Microsoft Excel has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Charles Schwab starts at On request.
What is Charles Schwab best used for?
Charles Schwab is most often used for budget management, expense tracking, investment tracking. Of those, budget management and expense tracking are not what Microsoft Excel is typically brought in for.
What can Charles Schwab do that Microsoft Excel cannot?
Charles Schwab covers Commission-free trading, Retirement planning, Wealth management, Research tools. Microsoft Excel covers Advanced formulas, Pivot tables, Data visualization, Charts and graphs.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Microsoft Excel: How much does Microsoft Excel cost?

Microsoft Excel is free as a web app with 5 GB storage. Paid options include Microsoft 365 Personal at $9.99/month for desktop apps and 1 TB storage, Family at $12.99/month for 1-6 users with 6 TB total storage, and Premium at $19.99/month with extended Copilot access.

Source
Microsoft Excel: Is there a free version of Excel?

Yes, Excel for the web is free and includes sharing, real-time collaboration, and 5 GB cloud storage accessible on web, iOS, and Android without subscription.

Source
Microsoft Excel: What is the difference between Microsoft 365 Family and Premium tiers?

Family tier at $12.99/month supports 1-6 users with 6 TB total storage and standard features. Premium tier at $19.99/month allows extensive Copilot feature access and exclusive advanced AI capabilities including image creation and audio generation.

Source
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