Thinkorswim vs TradingView

What this page answers

People searching thinkorswim vs tradingview or tradingview vs thinkorswim usually want a two-way trader split: one product is free charting inside a Charles Schwab brokerage account, and the other is standalone charting with a free Basic plan and paid plans from $12.95 a month. This page owns that two-way query. For the three-way split that also includes TrendSpider, see TradingView vs Thinkorswim vs TrendSpider.

Prices and facts below only repeat what our thinkorswim and TradingView live reviews already sourced. Confirm on each official site before you pay or open an account.

Who each is for

1. Thinkorswim: Charles Schwab’s brokerage platforms with built-in charting.Start here if you want desktop, web, and mobile charting next to order entry on a Schwab account. Schwab clients get the platform suite at no charge. Trades still use Schwab standard pricing (examples on official pages include $0 online listed equities and $0.65 per options contract). Try paperMoney first with a 30-day Guest Pass and no account. Live review; empty affiliate_url, so the CTA goes to the official Schwab URL.
2. TradingView: standalone Supercharts with a free Basic plan.Start here if you want browser, desktop, and mobile charts, screeners, alerts, and Pine Script without opening a broker first. Basic is $0 forever. Paid plans billed yearly start at Essential $12.95 a month, then Plus $29.95, Premium $59.95, and Ultimate $199.95 a month. Month-to-month stickers are higher. Connecting a broker is optional if you want to send orders from the chart. Live review; tracked CTA already wired (aff_id=170318).

Compare table

Dollars below are from each listing’s live review (TradingView captured 2026-09-18 and rechecked 2026-09-30; thinkorswim captured 2026-09-12). They are not a ranking.

Skip if

• Skip thinkorswim if you want standalone charts with no broker relationship, an ongoing free forever chart login after Guest Pass expires, or a verified Canadian retail on-ramp from this directory.
• Skip TradingView if you want it to be the broker holding your cash, assume paid plans include live exchange data (they do not), or you mainly want charting inside a Schwab account with order tickets on the same login.

Neighbor automation-first charting SaaS: TrendSpider. Three-way split: TradingView vs Thinkorswim vs TrendSpider.

FAQ

Is thinkorswim free?

Yes for the platform itself. Schwab clients get the thinkorswim desktop, web, and mobile suite at no charge. Trades still use Schwab standard pricing. You can try paperMoney for 30 days with a Guest Pass and no Schwab account. After that window you need a Schwab brokerage account for ongoing access.

Is TradingView better for charting than thinkorswim?

They are built for different packaging, not a score. TradingView is standalone Supercharts with Pine Script, a free Basic plan, and paid plans that raise charts, indicators, and alerts. Thinkorswim puts charting, studies, thinkScript, and order entry inside a Schwab brokerage relationship. Prefer TradingView when you want charts without opening a broker first. Prefer thinkorswim when charting should sit next to Schwab order tickets.

Can I trade from TradingView with Schwab?

This directory does not list Charles Schwab among the TradingView broker connections we have sourced. Official pages we reviewed name Questrade and Interactive Brokers for broker connections. Whether Schwab appears on TradingView’s live broker list is unverified here. Confirm on TradingView’s broker directory before you count on that path.

Which one for options?

Thinkorswim names options among tradeable products on the Schwab platforms, with published examples of $0 online base plus $0.65 per contract. TradingView’s live review centers equities charting and screening; options depth beyond that review stays confirm-on-the-product. If your job is brokerage options trading with charts in the same login, start with thinkorswim. If your job is charts and screeners first, start with TradingView.

What does Thinkorswim vs TradingView cost?

Thinkorswim platform access is no charge for Schwab clients; trades use Schwab pricing (examples include $0 online listed equities and $0.65 per options contract). TradingView Basic is $0 forever. Paid plans billed yearly are Essential $12.95, Plus $29.95, Premium $59.95, and Ultimate $199.95 a month, or $14.95, $34.95, $69.95, and $239.95 a month if you pay month to month. Confirm on each official site before you pay or open an account.

Does thinkorswim or TradingView work in Canada?

TradingView works as charting software with Canadian-listed coverage that official Canada markets and widget docs already name. Questrade and Interactive Brokers are named for broker connections; Wealthsimple, TD Direct Investing, and Qtrade are unverified. Canadian resident eligibility to open a new Schwab or thinkorswim account, and Canadian-listed symbol coverage inside thinkorswim’s charting UI, are unverified on our review. Do not infer a Canadian retail on-ramp from US thinkorswim pages alone.