UBS vs Morgan Stanley

Comparison Details

UBS vs Morgan Stanley: Which retirement plan advisor is the better fit? UBS Financial Services Inc. and Morgan Stanley are two of the most recognizable names in wealth management, and both support employers looking for institutional-grade help with workplace retirement plans. If you’re evaluating UBS vs Morgan Stanley for a 401(k) (or related plan), the decision often comes down to the specific fiduciary role you want, the breadth of plan types you need, and whether you prioritize compliance support or plan design consulting. At-a-glance comparison Headquarters: UBS (Weehawken, NJ) vs Morgan Stanley (New York, NY) Founded: UBS (1862) vs Morgan Stanley (1935) Employees: UBS (~105,132) vs Morgan Stanley (~75,000) Primary focus: Both are large, global financial services firms with dedicated workplace/retirement solutions Retirement plan services and fiduciary support Both providers offer common fiduciary support models used by plan sponsors and committees: 3(21) fiduciary services: Shared fiduciary responsibility where the advisor provides investment advice while the sponsor retains final decision-making. 3(38) investment manager services: Discretionary investment management where the advisor (or affiliated manager) can take on selection/monitoring responsibility for the investment lineup. Participant advice: Support for employee education and guidance to improve outcomes and engagement. Key difference: UBS explicitly lists compliance support as a service area, aligning with its Retirement Plan Services (RPS) and Workplace Wealth Solutions approach. Morgan Stanley highlights plan design support, which can be valuable for sponsors focused on optimizing eligibility, match structure, safe harbor considerations, and overall plan competitiveness. Plans supported: breadth and flexibility Both firms support the most common employer-sponsored and small business retirement plan types, including 401(k) , 403(b) , SEP IRA , SIMPLE IRA , defined benefit , and ESOP . UBS plan support: Includes 457 plans in addition to the categories above, which may matter for certain governmental and nonprofit employers. Morgan Stanley plan support: Covers the core lineup (401(k)/403(b)/DB/ESOP and small business plans) but does not list 457 support in the provided data. Scale, resources, and what that can mean for sponsors Both are large organizations with extensive networks, technology investment, and broad wealth management capabilities—often appealing to sponsors seeking a “one-stop” relationship for executive wealth, participant financial wellness, and institutional investment resources. UBS: Reported 2026 401(k) client count of ~2,500 in the provided dataset, suggesting meaningful plan presence within its retirement offering. Morgan Stanley: Very large overall firm AUM is shown, though the provided dataset lists 0 401(k) clients for 2026 (which may reflect incomplete reporting rather than actual market activity). Pricing and transparency Neither provider lists pricing in the provided information. In practice, advisor fees can vary based on plan size, service level (3(21) vs 3(38)), participant advice scope, and whether services are bundled with recordkeeping or delivered in an open-architecture model. When comparing UBS vs Morgan Stanley, request a written fee schedule that separates: Advisor/consulting fees 3(38) discretionary management fees (if applicable) Participant advice/managed account fees Any revenue sharing or offsets How to choose between UBS and Morgan Stanley Choose UBS if you value a retirement platform that emphasizes compliance support and you need coverage that includes 457 plan capability. Choose Morgan Stanley if your priority is plan design consulting alongside fiduciary support and participant advice, especially if you’re actively redesigning match, eligibility, or safe harbor strategy. Next step: ask each advisor for a sample fiduciary services agreement (3(21) and/or 3(38)), a proposed service calendar (investment reviews, committee support, participant education), and an all-in fee breakdown so you can compare on a true apples-to-apples basis.