Charles Schwab vs Plum - BrokerCue
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Broker Comparison

Charles Schwab vs Plum

Compare Charles Schwab and Plum side by side: fees, regulation, platforms.

Charles Schwab

Charles Schwab

Investors who want brokerage, trading, and advice options

Charles Schwab combines $0 online listed stock and ETF commissions with thinkorswim platforms, fractional S&P…

VS
Plum

Plum

Automated savings and beginner investors

Plum is a UK savings and investment app that automates saving, offers ISA, SIPP, mutual funds, and 3,000+ ind…

Head-to-head comparison

Charles Schwab vs Plum
Feature Charles Schwab Plum
Minimum deposit - -
Stock trading fee $0 online commission for listed stocks and ETFs; US OTC equities $6.95 2 free lifetime trades then: £0.50/trade (Basic), £0.15/trade (Plus), £0.05/trade (Boost), £0.00/trade (Max); FX fee 0.60% (Basic), 0.45% (Plus), 0.30% (Boost), 0.15% (Max) per trade
Regulators SIPC, FDIC, CFTC, NFA FCA
Best for Investors who want brokerage, trading, and advice options Automated savings and beginner investors
Markets & account
Stocks
ETFs
-
Forex
-
Crypto
-
Bonds
-
Options
-
Futures
-
Funds
Fractional Shares
Ready Made Portfolios
Money Market Funds
Margin
-
Demo Account
-
Investment Plans
-
Isa
-
Sipp
-
Savings Vaults
-

Pros & cons

Charles Schwab

Charles Schwab

Pros

  • $0 online listed stock and ETF commissions reduce trading costs
  • $0 brokerage opening, maintenance, and account minimums
  • Stock Slices let clients buy S&P 500 fractional shares from $5
  • paperMoney offers simulated trading on thinkorswim platforms
  • Schwab Intelligent Portfolios has no advisory fee or commissions
  • Treasuries trade online for $0 commission
  • Investor Checking has no monthly service or foreign transaction fees

Cons

  • Options carry a $0.65 per-contract fee
  • Broker-assisted stock and ETF trades add a $25 service charge
  • US OTC equities cost $6.95 online
  • Other mutual funds can cost up to $74.95 per purchase
  • Stock Slices are limited to S&P 500 companies
  • Day trading on thinkorswim requires margin approval and $25,000 equity
  • Futures and forex accounts are not protected by SIPC
  • Direct crypto cannot currently be traded in a Schwab brokerage account
Plum

Plum

Pros

  • Free Basic plan with automated savings and stock access
  • Stocks and Shares ISA and SIPP available on paid tiers
  • Fractional stock investing from £1
  • 3,000+ individual US company stocks available
  • 26 curated mutual funds from Vanguard and BlackRock
  • FCA-regulated with FSCS protection up to £85,000 on investments
  • Automated savings powered by spending analysis
  • Multiple savings account types including Cash ISA and Lifetime ISA

Cons

  • Individual stocks cannot be held inside the Stocks and Shares ISA - only mutual funds are ISA-eligible, leaving stock gains potentially subject to capital gains tax
  • Only 26 mutual funds available, a narrower range than dedicated investment platforms
  • Stacked fees on paid tiers: subscription fee plus platform fee plus fund manager fee
  • Two free lifetime trades then a per-trade charge on Basic and Plus plans
  • Crypto available only for EU/Cyprus users via Bitpanda; not available to UK customers
  • No demo or practice account
  • Fund access requires a paid subscription; Basic plan is limited
Charles Schwab

Charles Schwab

Charles Schwab combines $0 online listed stock and ETF commissions with thinkorswim platforms, fractional S&P 500 Stock Slices, and automated portfolios.

Visit Charles Schwab Read review

Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply.

Plum

Plum

Plum is a UK savings and investment app that automates saving, offers ISA, SIPP, mutual funds, and 3,000+ individual stocks via a tiered subscription model.

Visit Plum Read review

Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply.

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