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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	Pearler pearler.com ETF BrokerMutual Fund PlatformMutual Fund	Fidelity fidelity.com Stock BrokerETF BrokerETF
Decision summary
Overall score

Trust score	84	100

Cost score	82	89

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	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	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	Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC is SEC registered and regulated by FINRA; FBS and NFS are members of NYSE and SIPC. 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	FBS CRD# 7784 / SEC# 8-23292; NFS CRD# 13041 / SEC# 801-50706, 8-26740. 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	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 / not disclosed for long-only shares/ETF investing; no negative balance protection guarantee found. Source	Not applicable/not disclosed as a CFD-style negative balance protection policy; margin trading can create debt/interest obligations. 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 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	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	U.S.-persons focused; sanctioned countries/prohibited parties restricted; no exhaustive country availability list found. Source

Trust & regulation

Regulators

Australian financial services are under Sanlam AFSL/Pearler AR structure; US clearing broker Alpaca is FINRA/SIPC member.

Source

Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC is SEC registered and regulated by FINRA; FBS and NFS are members of NYSE and SIPC.

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

FBS CRD# 7784 / SEC# 8-23292; NFS CRD# 13041 / SEC# 801-50706, 8-26740.

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

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 / not disclosed for long-only shares/ETF investing; no negative balance protection guarantee found.

Source

Not applicable/not disclosed as a CFD-style negative balance protection policy; margin trading can create debt/interest obligations.

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 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

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

U.S.-persons focused; sanctioned countries/prohibited parties restricted; no exhaustive country availability list found.

Source

Costs & account conditions
Minimum deposit	ASX initial investments must be at least AUD 500; Micro starts from AUD 5. 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: Pearler is a shares/ETF investing platform, not a forex/CFD spread broker. 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	AUD 6.50 per ASX or US buy/sell; prepay discount can reduce each buy/sell by AUD 1.00. 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 disclosed / not applicable for retail share/ETF investing products; no margin or leverage product found in official product pages. 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	Free to deposit and receive dividends for ASX and US Invest; Micro has nil establishment/contribution fees per FSG/PDS summary. Source	$0 Fidelity fee for EFT and Fidelity does not charge wire fees; external banks may charge. 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	$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	No inactivity fee found in the checked official pricing/FSG pages. 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

Costs & account conditions

Minimum deposit

ASX initial investments must be at least AUD 500; Micro starts from AUD 5.

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: Pearler is a shares/ETF investing platform, not a forex/CFD spread broker.

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

AUD 6.50 per ASX or US buy/sell; prepay discount can reduce each buy/sell by AUD 1.00.

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 disclosed / not applicable for retail share/ETF investing products; no margin or leverage product found in official product pages.

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

Free to deposit and receive dividends for ASX and US Invest; Micro has nil establishment/contribution fees per FSG/PDS summary.

Source

$0 Fidelity fee for EFT and Fidelity does not charge wire fees; external banks may charge.

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

$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

No inactivity fee found in the checked official pricing/FSG pages.

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	ASX shares/ETFs, US shares/ETFs, managed-fund Micro options and self-directed super investments. Source	Stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, options, crypto, fixed income, bonds and CDs; Fidelity says stocks include domestic and international. Source
Trading platforms	Pearler website and Pearler mobile app. Source	Fidelity.com, Fidelity mobile app, Fidelity Trader+ Web/Desktop/Mobile mode, and legacy Active Trader Pro Classic. Source
Account types	ASX Invest supports multiple accounts (individual, joint, trust or minor); Pearler also offers Micro, Super, HomeSoon and Headstart products. Source	Broad account menu including taxable brokerage, retirement/IRA, cash management, HSA, custodial/youth, education, trust/business, managed and crypto accounts. 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	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	Withdraw cash from AUD Cash to linked primary bank account through website or mobile app. 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	After a sell order, funds must settle for 2 business days before they are available for withdrawal; deposit holds can apply. 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

Markets, platforms & payments

Tradable assets

ASX shares/ETFs, US shares/ETFs, managed-fund Micro options and self-directed super investments.

Source

Stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, options, crypto, fixed income, bonds and CDs; Fidelity says stocks include domestic and international.

Source

Trading platforms

Pearler website and Pearler mobile app.

Source

Fidelity.com, Fidelity mobile app, Fidelity Trader+ Web/Desktop/Mobile mode, and legacy Active Trader Pro Classic.

Source

Account types

ASX Invest supports multiple accounts (individual, joint, trust or minor); Pearler also offers Micro, Super, HomeSoon and Headstart products.

Source

Broad account menu including taxable brokerage, retirement/IRA, cash management, HSA, custodial/youth, education, trust/business, managed and crypto accounts.

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

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

Withdraw cash from AUD Cash to linked primary bank account through website or mobile app.

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

After a sell order, funds must settle for 2 business days before they are available for withdrawal; deposit holds can apply.

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

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