Compare brokers side by side before you choose.
Pick up to four brokers and quickly spot the differences that change a decision: trust, fees, platforms, withdrawals, restrictions, and notes you should verify.
Built for final-shortlist moments: select brokers, scan the trade-offs, then open the profile for deeper source notes.
Choose brokers
Pick 2-4 brokers to compare
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 | 87 | 91 |
| Trust score | 91 | 100 |
| Cost score | 86 | 89 |
| Platform score | 92 | 94 |
| Withdrawal score | 89 | 89 |
| 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… | Evidence supports Fidelity as a U.S.-focused, highly regulated multi-asset broker for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, bonds/CDs, options, cash management, managed portfolios, and sepa… |
| Watch out | Needs verification | Needs verification |
Trust & regulation | ||
| Regulators | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), United Kingdom Source | Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC is SEC registered and regulated by FINRA; FBS and NFS are members of NYSE and SIPC. 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 | FBS CRD# 7784 / SEC# 8-23292; NFS CRD# 13041 / SEC# 801-50706, 8-26740. 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 | Primary securities brokerage entities are Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC (FBS) and National Financial Services LLC (NFS), each member NYSE/SIPC; advisory and crypto entities differ by product. Source |
| Negative balance protection | Not applicable to the core unleveraged investment platform products reviewed; no CFD/forex negative balance protection evidence found. Source | Not applicable/not disclosed as a CFD-style negative balance protection policy; margin trading can create debt/interest obligations. 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 coverage up to $500,000/$250,000 cash plus Fidelity excess SIPC; FDIC sweep coverage may apply to eligible cash programs; important exclusions apply. 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 | U.S.-persons focused; sanctioned countries/prohibited parties restricted; no exhaustive country availability list found. 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 to open a retail brokerage account; Fidelity states no account minimum and ability to invest with as little as $1; exceptions apply by account/product. 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 Fidelity's core U.S. stock/ETF brokerage model; securities trade by exchange/market prices rather than quoted CFD/FX spreads. 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 | $0 online U.S. stock and ETF trades; $0 online options commission plus $0.65/contract; other product/service fees apply. 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 | No universal maximum leverage ratio disclosed for Fidelity retail brokerage; margin borrowing is available subject to approval and margin requirements/rates rather than a single max leverage figure. Source |
| Deposit fee | No platform fee for deposits/top-ups identified; Direct Debit regular investing has no dealing charge. Source | $0 Fidelity fee for EFT and Fidelity does not charge wire fees; external banks may charge. Source |
| Withdrawal fee | No withdrawal/transfer-out fee for standard Faster Payment withdrawals; no exit fees. Source | $0 Fidelity fee for EFT and domestic bank wire withdrawals; foreign exchange wire up to 3% of principal; receiving bank may charge. Source |
| Inactivity fee | HL states there are no charges for inactivity. Source | No explicit inactivity-fee line found in official fee schedule; official account pages state no retail brokerage account fees/no account or subscription fees. Treat as needs manual confirmation before publishing as '$0 inactivity fee'. 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, ETFs, mutual funds, options, crypto, fixed income, bonds and CDs; Fidelity says stocks include domestic and international. Source |
| Trading platforms | Trade/manage online via website, the HL app, and by phone; phone/post trades carry a higher charge. Source | Fidelity.com, Fidelity mobile app, Fidelity Trader+ Web/Desktop/Mobile mode, and legacy Active Trader Pro Classic. 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 | Broad account menu including taxable brokerage, retirement/IRA, cash management, HSA, custodial/youth, education, trust/business, managed and crypto accounts. Source |
| Deposit methods | Add money by debit card, Pay by bank/Easy bank transfer, manual bank transfer, Direct Debit and transfers in. Source | EFT/ACH, bank wire, check/mobile check, direct deposit, recurring deposit, Fidelity-to-Fidelity/account transfer, transfer of assets, and eligible payment apps. 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 | EFT/ACH, bank wire, paper check, Fidelity-to-Fidelity transfers, third-party/person-to-person transfers and eligible debit card/ATM access. 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 | EFT withdrawals 1-3 business days; bank wire same day if submitted by 4 p.m. ET; paper check about 5-6 days. 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.