Schwab Intelligent Advisory, which includes unlimited guidance from a certified financial planner and an in-depth financial plan, will charge new customers an upfront fee and a flat monthly fee starting on April 1. (Photo: Shutterstock)

(Bloomberg) –It's not just Apple Inc. that's betting big on subscriptions.

Charles Schwab Corp., the low-cost investing pioneer that now handles more than $3.5 trillion in assets, is switching to a subscription-based financial planning option to its digital advisory service that offers more hands-on help, the company said Thursday.

“We are making this change on behalf of our clients to be simpler and more transparent, but we're also paying attention to the broader landscape,'' Cynthia Loh, vice president of digital advice at San Francisco-based Schwab, said in an interview. “Customers are used to engaging with subscription services.''