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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 | 84 | 91 |
| Trust score | 87 | 100 |
| Cost score | 78 | 92 |
| Platform score | 80 | 94 |
| Withdrawal score | 74 | 89 |
| Best for | UK and EU retail investors · Cost-conscious ETF and stock investors · Investors wanting EUR/GBP/USD multi-currency support | 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 | Needs verification | Needs verification |
Trust & regulation | ||
| Regulators | Regulated in the EU by EFSA/Finantsinspektsioon and in the UK by the FCA. Source | SEC; FINRA; SIPC; CFTC; NFA; FDIC Source |
| License numbers | EFSA licence 4.1-1/31, EFSA crypto-asset services permission 4.1-1/147, FCA FRN 987226. Source | Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. CRD 5393; SEC 801-29938 and 8-16514 Source |
| Regulated entities | EU services are provided by Lightyear Europe AS; UK services by Lightyear U.K. Ltd. Source | Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.; Charles Schwab Futures and Forex LLC; Charles Schwab Bank, SSB; Charles Schwab Premier Bank, SSB Source |
| Negative balance protection | No negative balance protection statement found; Lightyear appears to be cash/investment-only without leverage or short-selling. Source | Not disclosed as retail brokerage negative balance protection; futures/forex are leveraged and losses may exceed initial investment. Source |
| Investor compensation | EU investor protection up to €20,000; US securities held with Alpaca are SIPC protected up to $500,000; UK client money/assets covered by FSCS subject to limitations. 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 | Personal accounts are available only in listed UK/EEA countries; unavailable outside the service area and for US tax residents/citizens or where restrictions apply. 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 | No general minimum deposit was disclosed. Savings/Vaults states no minimums/no maximums and 'From 1€ to infinity'. 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 | Lightyear does not disclose a spread-from trading model for stocks/ETFs; pricing lists fixed/percentage order fees and 0.35% FX conversion fee. 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 | ETFs free; US shares 0.10% ($0.10 min/$1 max); UK shares £1; EUR-denominated stocks/bonds/ETNs/ETCs €1; other European shares 0.10% with local minimums; crypto 0.45%; MMFs 0.10%-0.15% annual Lightyear fee. 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 | Lightyear does not offer leveraged CFD/futures/options trading; no maximum leverage applies. Source | Not disclosed as a single broker-level maximum; leverage/margin depends on product, account approval, and regulatory/product requirements. Source |
| Deposit fee | Local bank deposits are generally free; fast card/Apple Pay/Google Pay deposits cost 0.6%; USD FedWire and USD SWIFT receiving fee is $6.11. 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 | Local withdrawals are free from Lightyear; SWIFT withdrawals have no Lightyear fee but intermediary fees may apply. 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 monthly/account/custody fee; no inactivity fee found in official pricing/help pages reviewed. Source | $0 annual maintenance/inactivity fee for standard brokerage accounts Source |
Markets, platforms & payments | ||
| Tradable assets | 6,000+ stocks/funds including US, European and UK stocks, ETFs, money market funds, Baltic stocks, Baltic bonds and EU crypto assets. 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 | Available on Android and iOS mobile apps and Lightyear web application; no API offered. Source | Schwab.com; Schwab Mobile; thinkorswim desktop; thinkorswim web; thinkorswim mobile; paperMoney Source |
| Account types | Personal and business accounts; UK GIA, Cash ISA and Stocks & Shares ISA; local tax-advantaged Estonian Investeerimiskonto and Hungarian TBSZ. 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 | EUR SEPA and cards/wallets; GBP FPS/CHAPS/BACS/cards/wallets/SWIFT; USD ACH/FedWire/SWIFT; HUF local bank transfers. 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 | Local withdrawals for EUR/GBP/USD subject to prior bank details; GBP and USD SWIFT withdrawals may be available after bank statement verification. 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 | Most withdrawals paid out within 2 business days; arrival depends on method/currency. 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.