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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 | 82 | 91 |
| Trust score | 84 | 100 |
| Cost score | 82 | 92 |
| Platform score | 80 | 94 |
| Withdrawal score | 78 | 89 |
| Best for | Australian buy-and-hold investors · ETF dollar-cost-averaging investors · Investors wanting CHESS-sponsored ASX holdings | 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 designed for short-term/active traders · Country availability/restrictions are not disclosed as a concise country list · US and Micro products rely on third-party partners/cus… | Needs verification |
Trust & regulation | ||
| Regulators | Australian financial services are under Sanlam AFSL/Pearler AR structure; US clearing broker Alpaca is FINRA/SIPC member. Source | SEC; FINRA; SIPC; CFTC; NFA; FDIC Source |
| License numbers | AR 1281540; Sanlam AFSL 337927; Openmarkets AFSL 246705; Cache Investment Management AFSL 514360; Cache RE Services AFSL 494886; super partners include AFSL 229757/500032/226319. Source | Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. CRD 5393; SEC 801-29938 and 8-16514 Source |
| Regulated entities | Pearler is AR 1281540 of Sanlam Private Wealth AFSL 337927; ASX products use Openmarkets AFSL 246705; US products use Alpaca Securities; Micro fund issued by Cache (RE Services) AFSL 494886. 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 / not disclosed for long-only shares/ETF investing; no negative balance protection guarantee found. Source | Not disclosed as retail brokerage negative balance protection; futures/forex are leveraged and losses may exceed initial investment. Source |
| Investor compensation | US securities clearing broker Alpaca is FINRA/SIPC member; ASX holdings are CHESS-sponsored/HIN-based; cash/trust and partner structures vary by product. 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 | Pearler says information is not an offer in jurisdictions where Pearler is not registered or able to market its services; no concise accepted/restricted-country list was 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 | ASX initial investments must be at least AUD 500; Micro starts from AUD 5. 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: Pearler is a shares/ETF investing platform, not a forex/CFD spread broker. 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 | AUD 6.50 per ASX or US buy/sell; prepay discount can reduce each buy/sell by AUD 1.00. 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 disclosed / not applicable for retail share/ETF investing products; no margin or leverage product found in official product pages. Source | Not disclosed as a single broker-level maximum; leverage/margin depends on product, account approval, and regulatory/product requirements. Source |
| Deposit fee | Free to deposit and receive dividends for ASX and US Invest; Micro has nil establishment/contribution fees per FSG/PDS summary. 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 | Pearler pricing says users can withdraw and close their account any time; managed-fund FSG summary lists withdrawal fee and exit fee as nil. 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 the checked official pricing/FSG pages. Source | $0 annual maintenance/inactivity fee for standard brokerage accounts Source |
Markets, platforms & payments | ||
| Tradable assets | ASX shares/ETFs, US shares/ETFs, managed-fund Micro options and self-directed super investments. 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 | Pearler website and Pearler mobile app. Source | Schwab.com; Schwab Mobile; thinkorswim desktop; thinkorswim web; thinkorswim mobile; paperMoney Source |
| Account types | ASX Invest supports multiple accounts (individual, joint, trust or minor); Pearler also offers Micro, Super, HomeSoon and Headstart products. 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 | AUD Cash funding via Invest & Cash/app; bank account linking uses Basiq or small deposit; PayID/direct debit/PayTo via Zepto; USD ACH and Wire details are available for US bank accounts. 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 | Withdraw cash from AUD Cash to linked primary bank account through website or mobile app. 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 | After a sell order, funds must settle for 2 business days before they are available for withdrawal; deposit holds can apply. 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.