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Compare trust, fees, platforms, and withdrawals. See the trade-offs and details worth checking before you choose.
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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.
| VS field | ![]() | |
|---|---|---|
Decision summary | ||
| Overall score |
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87 |
91 |
| Trust score | 91 | 100 |
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| Cost score | 86 | 92 |
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| Platform score | 92 | 94 |
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| Withdrawal score | 89 | 89 |
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| Best for | UK residents using ISAs/SIPPs for long-term investing · Investors who want broad funds/shares/ETF access and strong UK support · Clients valuing established platform, app/web usab… | 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… |
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| Watch out | Needs verification | Needs verification |
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Trust & regulation | ||
|---|---|---|
| Regulators | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), United Kingdom Source | SEC; FINRA; SIPC; CFTC; NFA; FDIC Source |
| License numbers | FCA register numbers disclosed by HL include 115248 (Hargreaves Lansdown Asset Management Limited), 915119/901007 (Hargreaves Lansdown Savings Limited), 189627 (Advisory Services), and 166016 (Fund Managers). Source | Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. CRD 5393; SEC 801-29938 and 8-16514 Source |
| Regulated entities | Main regulated group companies: Hargreaves Lansdown Asset Management Limited; Hargreaves Lansdown Savings Limited; Hargreaves Lansdown Advisory Services Limited; Hargreaves Lansdown Fund Managers 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 to the core unleveraged investment platform products reviewed; no CFD/forex negative balance protection evidence found. Source | Not disclosed as retail brokerage negative balance protection; futures/forex are leveraged and losses may exceed initial investment. Source |
| Investor compensation | FSCS protection: up to £85,000 for investment business default; cash held with banks described by HL as protected up to £120,000 per institution, subject to aggregate balances and FSCS limits. 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-focused availability; UK-only website restriction conflicts with account comparison page allowing Fund and Share Account for UK and EEA residents. 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 | Minimums vary: Fund and Share £0 to open; invest from £100 or £25/month. ISA/Lifetime ISA/SIPP £100 or £25/month. Active Savings/Cash ISA savings products start from £1 subject to product. 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 the core HL investment platform; HL discloses dealing commissions, account fees and FX charges rather than CFD/forex spread-from pricing. 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 | Online share dealing: £6.95 or £3.95 depending on prior-month trades; one-off fund trades: £1.95; monthly Direct Debit regular investing: no charge; phone/post: £29 per trade. 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; HL's public investment platform pages reviewed do not offer leveraged forex/CFD trading and present unleveraged investment accounts. Source | Not disclosed as a single broker-level maximum; leverage/margin depends on product, account approval, and regulatory/product requirements. Source |
| Deposit fee | No platform fee for deposits/top-ups identified; Direct Debit regular investing has no dealing charge. 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 | No withdrawal/transfer-out fee for standard Faster Payment withdrawals; no exit fees. 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 | HL states there are no charges for inactivity. Source | $0 annual maintenance/inactivity fee for standard brokerage accounts Source |
Markets, platforms & payments | ||
|---|---|---|
| Tradable assets | Shares, funds, ETFs, investment trusts, gilts and bonds, VCTs, LTAFs, ready-made investments and cash savings products. 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 | Trade/manage online via website, the HL app, and by phone; phone/post trades carry a higher charge. Source | Schwab.com; Schwab Mobile; thinkorswim desktop; thinkorswim web; thinkorswim mobile; paperMoney Source |
| Account types | HL offers Stocks and Shares ISA, Lifetime ISA, Fund and Share Account, Cash ISA, Junior ISA, SIPP, Active Savings, Junior SIPP and Bare Trust Account. 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 | Add money by debit card, Pay by bank/Easy bank transfer, manual bank transfer, Direct Debit and transfers in. 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 | Withdrawals normally go to a nominated bank account; recent card top-ups may be refunded to the debit card; Lifetime ISA house purchase withdrawals go to conveyancer. 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 | Same day before noon on a working day; next working day after noon/non-working day; 3-5 working days for some debit-card refunds; sell proceeds must settle first. 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.