Schwab vs Interactive Brokers options fees (2026)
Both charge $0.65 per contract for stock/ETF options. Both charge $0.00 for exercise/assignment. At the smallest balance tier each lists, Schwab charges 12.075% ($100-$24,999.99) and Interactive Brokers charges 5.38% (Pro $0-$100k).
| Charles Schwab | Interactive Brokers (Lite / Pro <=10k contracts) | |
|---|---|---|
| Per-contract commission | $0.65 Source: www.schwab.com, retrieved 2026-10-25 | $0.65 Source: www.interactivebrokers.com, retrieved 2026-10-25 |
| Exercise / assignment fee | $0.00 Source: www.schwab.com, retrieved 2026-10-25 | $0.00 Source: www.interactivebrokers.com, retrieved 2026-10-25 |
| Index option fees | $0.65/contract + exchange proprietary index fee passed through as Industry Fee (amount not stated by Schwab) Source: www.schwab.com, retrieved 2026-10-25 | exchange fees passed through (Pro); amount varies Source: www.interactivebrokers.com, retrieved 2026-10-25 |
| Margin rates | $100-$24,999.99: 12.075% $25,000-$49,999.99: 11.575% $50,000-$99,999.99: 10.625% $100,000-$249,999.99: 10.575% $250,000-$499,999.99: 10.325% Source: www.schwab.com, retrieved 2026-10-25 | Pro $0-$100k: 5.38% Pro $100k-$1M: 4.88% Pro $1M-$50M: 4.63% Pro $50M+: 4.38% Lite (all balances): 6.38% Source: www.interactivebrokers.com, retrieved 2026-10-25 |
Per-contract figures exclude regulatory pass-through fees. Estimate your yearly cost with the calculator. See full pages for Schwab and Interactive Brokers.