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Built for final-shortlist moments: select brokers, scan the trade-offs, then open the profile for deeper source notes.
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The comparison reads the same evidence fields used by broker profiles, so users can scan scores, regulation, costs, platforms, withdrawals, and caveats side by side.
Broker 1
Broker 2
| VS field |  |  |
|---|---|---|
Decision summary | ||
| Overall score | 86 | 91 |
| Trust score | 91 | 100 |
| Cost score | 83 | 92 |
| Platform score | 84 | 94 |
| Withdrawal score | 82 | 89 |
| Best for | UK residents investing through ISAs, SIPPs and general dealing accounts who value regulated custody, broad fund/share access and simple transparent platform pricing. | Best suited for U.S.-centric investors and active traders who want a large, bank-affiliated multi-asset brokerage with $0 online listed stock/ETF commissions, strong platform dept… |
| Watch out | Not a CFD/forex/margin broker; leverage and negative-balance-protection fields are not applicable · International dealing incurs FX charges and some markets are phone-only with mi… | Needs verification |
Trust & regulation | ||
| Regulators | Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Source | SEC; FINRA; SIPC; CFTC; NFA; FDIC Source |
| License numbers | FCA firm reference numbers: 211468, 155593, 774048. Source | Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. CRD 5393; SEC 801-29938 and 8-16514 Source |
| Regulated entities | AJ Bell Management Limited, AJ Bell Securities Limited, AJ Bell Asset Management Limited. Source | Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.; Charles Schwab Futures and Forex LLC; Charles Schwab Bank, SSB; Charles Schwab Premier Bank, SSB Source |
| Negative balance protection | Not applicable: AJ Bell is an execution-only investment platform/stockbroker, not a CFD/forex margin broker in reviewed sources. Source | Not disclosed as retail brokerage negative balance protection; futures/forex are leveraged and losses may exceed initial investment. Source |
| Investor compensation | FSCS eligible investment protection up to £85,000; cash protection up to £120,000 per banking licence/bank. Source | SIPC protection up to $500,000 including a $250,000 cash limit for brokerage account assets; futures accounts are not protected by SIPC. Source |
| Restricted countries | UK residency/tax-residency requirements found for ISA/SIPP; no global availability list found. Source | Not all products, services, or investments are available in all countries; Schwab is not registered outside the United States and products/services may not be registered in a user's jurisdiction. Source |
Costs & account conditions | ||
| Minimum deposit | ISA/dealing initial minimum £250; pension initial minimum £500; Direct Debit from £25/month; no future minimum after that. Source | $0 minimum for standard U.S. brokerage and IRA accounts; Schwab One International accounts require a minimum deposit but amount is not disclosed in checked official pages. Source |
| Spread from | Not applicable/not disclosed for execution-only share/fund platform; share trades use quotes and investment-specific market pricing, not broker-advertised spreads. Source | Not applicable to this stock/ETF investment broker profile; no CFD/FX spread schedule identified as a core product in reviewed sources. Source |
| Commission | Commission/dealing charges are fixed per deal rather than percentage commissions for standard online orders. Source | stock_commission: $0 online commission for listed stocks and ETFs; OTC equities $6.95; broker-assisted service charge $25; etf_commission: $0 online commission for listed U.S.-exchange ETFs; options_commission: $0 online base commission plus $0.65 per options contract; futures_commission: $2.25 per contract, per side, for futures and futures options; exchange, regulatory, overnight, NFA, and market-data fees may apply; mutual_fund_commission: $0 on thousands of Schwab Mutual Fund OneSource funds; all other mutual funds up to $74.95 per purchase; bond_commission: New-issue bonds/CDs: $0 online/selling concession included; Treasuries online $0; most other secondary bonds $1 per bond with $10 minimum and $250 maximum; forex_commission: $0 commission; forex trade costs are reflected in the bid/ask spread Source |
| Maximum leverage | Not applicable: no margin/CFD/forex leverage offering found in reviewed official sources. Source | Not disclosed as a single broker-level maximum; leverage/margin depends on product, account approval, and regulatory/product requirements. Source |
| Deposit fee | No standard deposit fee disclosed; Cash savings hub explicitly no charge for depositing. Source | $0 for funds entering a standard brokerage account; banking deposit services generally no monthly/account minimum fees, but certain services can have fees Source |
| Withdrawal fee | Free withdrawals for ISA/dealing and SIPP drawdown; LISA/SIPP rules may restrict access. Source | No fee for routine withdrawals from standard brokerage per FAQ; full outbound ACAT $50 and outgoing wire $25; Schwab Bank Investor Checking has unlimited ATM fee rebates for cash withdrawals worldwide, subject to conditions. Source |
| Inactivity fee | No inactivity fee found in reviewed official charges pages; mark not disclosed rather than zero. Source | $0 annual maintenance/inactivity fee for standard brokerage accounts Source |
Markets, platforms & payments | ||
| Tradable assets | Shares, funds, ETFs, investment trusts, bonds/gilts, ETCs, warrants, VCTs/IPOs/new issues. Source | Stocks; fractional shares; ETFs; mutual funds; bonds/CDs/fixed income; money market funds; options; futures; futures options; forex; international stocks/ADRs/foreign ordinaries; cash products; annuities; alternatives; crypto ETPs/securities/futures. Source |
| Trading platforms | Web platform and AJ Bell mobile app. Source | Schwab.com; Schwab Mobile; thinkorswim desktop; thinkorswim web; thinkorswim mobile; paperMoney Source |
| Account types | Stocks & shares ISA, Lifetime ISA, Junior ISA, SIPP, Ready-made pension, Junior SIPP, Dealing account, Cash savings hub. Source | Individual Brokerage; Joint Brokerage; Schwab One Brokerage; Investor Checking-linked brokerage; Futures Account; Global Account; IRAs; custodial, education, trust, estate, organization, and business retirement accounts; Schwab Intelligent Portfolios. Source |
| Deposit methods | Instant bank transfer, debit card, Direct Debit, faster payments for cash savings, employer SIPP contributions by cheque or Direct Debit. Source | ACH/electronic transfer/MoneyLink; wire transfer; check/mail check; Schwab Mobile Deposit for checking; direct deposit for checking; account transfer/ACAT; branch/in-person deposit where available. Source |
| Withdrawal methods | Online withdrawal to registered bank account for ISA/dealing; regular cash withdrawal form; product-specific pension/LISA/cash-savings rules. Source | Transfer to linked bank/checking; wire transfer; check; ATM/debit card for Schwab Bank Investor Checking; ACAT outbound account transfer. Source |
| Withdrawal processing time | 1-3 working days for ISA/dealing withdrawals. Source | Cash moved from brokerage to linked Investor Checking is generally available in seconds, but weekend/after-hours transfers may not be available until the next business day; other withdrawal methods vary/not fully disclosed on checked pages. Source |
BrokerVS provides broker comparison research only. Scores and evidence can vary by country, account type, and legal entity; users should verify source links before opening an account.