Is Fidelity better than Charles Schwab? After testing 15 of the best online brokers over six months, Fidelity (95.57%) is better than Charles Schwab (89.63%). Fidelity is a value-driven online broker offering $0 trades, industry-leading research, excellent trading tools, an easy-to-use mobile app, and comprehensive retirement services. Serving over 40 million customers, Fidelity is a winner for everyday investors.
| Overall Rating | Fidelity | Charles Schwab |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | ||
| Commissions & Fees | ||
| Offering of Investments | ||
| Platforms & Tools | ||
| Mobile Trading Apps | ||
| Research | ||
| Education | ||
| Ease Of Use | ||
| Winner | check_circle | |
| Review | Fidelity Review | Charles Schwab Review |
| Trading Fees | Fidelity | Charles Schwab |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Mutual Fund Trade Fee | $49.95 | $49.95 |
| Options (Base Fee) | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Options (Per Contract) | $0.65 | $0.65 |
| Futures (Per Contract) | N/A | $2.25 |
| Broker Assisted Trade Fee | $32.95 | $25.00 |
| Margin Rates | Fidelity | Charles Schwab |
|---|---|---|
| Margin Rate Under $24,999.99 | 8.33% | 8.33% |
| Margin Rate $25,000.00 to $49,999.99 | 7.83% | 7.83% |
| Margin Rate $50,000.00 to $99,999.99 | 6.88% | 6.88% |
| Margin Rate $100,000.00 to $249,999.99 | 6.83% | 6.83% |
| Margin Rate $250,000.00 to $499,999.99 | 6.58% | 6.58% |
| Margin Rate $500,000.00 to $999,999.99 | 4.25% | 5.08% |
| Margin Rate Above $1,000,000.00 | 4.00% | 4.75% |
| Account Fees | Fidelity | Charles Schwab |
|---|---|---|
| IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| IRA Closure Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Account Transfer Out (Partial) | $0.00 | $25.00 |
| Account Transfer Out (Full) | $0.00 | $50.00 |
| Options Exercise Fee | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Options Assignment Fee | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Investment Options | Fidelity | Charles Schwab |
|---|---|---|
| Stock Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Fractional Shares | Yes | Yes |
| OTCBB / Pink Sheets | Yes | Yes |
| Options Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Complex Options Max Legs | 4 | 4 |
| Futures Trading | No | Yes |
| Forex Trading | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 0 | 0 |
| Mutual Funds (No Load) | 5768 | 7537 |
| Mutual Funds (Total) | 9615 | 10228 |
| Bonds (US Treasury) | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds (Corporate) | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds (Municipal) | Yes | Yes |
| Advisor Services | Yes | Yes |
| International Countries (Stocks) | 25 | 28 |
| Order Types | Fidelity | Charles Schwab |
|---|---|---|
| Order Type - Market | Yes | Yes |
| Order Type - Limit | Yes | Yes |
| Order Type - After Hours | Yes | Yes |
| Order Type - Stop | Yes | Yes |
| Order Type - Trailing Stop | Yes | Yes |
| Order Type - OCO | Yes | Yes |
| Order Type - OTO | Yes | Yes |
| Order Type - Broker Assisted | Yes | Yes |
| Beginners | Fidelity | Charles Schwab |
|---|---|---|
| Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (ETFs) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Options) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Mutual Funds) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Bonds) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Retirement Calculator | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary | Yes | Yes |
| Paper Trading | No | No |
| Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Progress Tracking | Yes | No |
| Interactive Learning - Quizzes | Yes | No |
| Stock Trading Apps | Fidelity | Charles Schwab |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes |
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple Watch App | Yes | Yes |
| Trading - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| Trading - After-Hours | Yes | Yes |
| Trading - Simple Options | Yes | Yes |
| Trading - Complex Options | Yes | Yes |
| Order Ticket RT Quotes | Yes | Yes |
| Order Ticket SRT Quotes | Yes | No |
| Stock App Features | Fidelity | Charles Schwab |
|---|---|---|
| Market Movers (Top Gainers) | Yes | Yes |
| Stream Live TV | Yes | Yes |
| Videos on Demand | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | No |
| Option Chains Viewable | Yes | Yes |
| Watch List (Real-time) | Yes | Yes |
| Watch List (Streaming) | Yes | No |
| Watch Lists - Create & Manage | Yes | Yes |
| Watch Lists - Column Customization | Yes | No |
| Watch Lists - Total Fields | 91 | 130 |
| Stock App Charting | Fidelity | Charles Schwab |
|---|---|---|
| Charting - After-Hours | Yes | No |
| Charting - Can Turn Horizontally | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Technical Studies | 7 | 32 |
| Charting - Study Customizations | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Stock Comparisons | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Fidelity | Charles Schwab |
|---|---|---|
| Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Paper Trading | No | No |
| Trade Journal | Yes | Yes |
| Watch Lists - Total Fields | 91 | 130 |
| Stock Chart Features | Fidelity | Charles Schwab |
|---|---|---|
| Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 129 | 41 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 22 | 15 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Historical Trades | Yes | No |
| Charting - Corporate Events | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Custom Date Range | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Custom Time Bars | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Automated Analysis | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Save Profiles | Yes | Yes |
| Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Study Customizations | 5 | 7 |
| Charting - Custom Studies | No | No |
| Day Trading | Fidelity | Charles Schwab |
|---|---|---|
| Streaming Time & Sales | No | Yes |
| Streaming TV | Yes | Yes |
| Direct Market Routing - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| Ladder Trading | No | No |
| Trade Hot Keys | Yes | Yes |
| Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting | Yes | Yes |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | No | No |
| Short Locator | Yes | Yes |
| Order Liquidity Rebates | No | No |
| Research Overview | Fidelity | Charles Schwab |
|---|---|---|
| Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | Yes |
| Screener - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| Screener - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Screener - Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Screener - Bonds | Yes | Yes |
| Misc - Portfolio Allocation | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Research | Fidelity | Charles Schwab |
|---|---|---|
| Stock Research - PDF Reports | 11 | 8 |
| Stock Research - Earnings | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Research - Insiders | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Research - Social | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Research - News | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Research - ESG | Yes | No |
| Stock Research - SEC Filings | Yes | Yes |
| ETF Research | Fidelity | Charles Schwab |
|---|---|---|
| ETFs - Strategy Overview | Yes | Yes |
| ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date | Yes | Yes |
| ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio | Yes | Yes |
| ETF Fund Facts - Net Assets | Yes | Yes |
| ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs - Top 10 Holdings | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs - Sector Exposure | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs - Risk Analysis | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs - Ratings | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs - PDF Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Fund Research | Fidelity | Charles Schwab |
|---|---|---|
| Mutual Funds - Strategy Overview | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds - Performance Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds - Prospectus | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds - Country Allocation | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds - StyleMap | Yes | Yes |
| Options Trading | Fidelity | Charles Schwab |
|---|---|---|
| Option Chains - Basic View | Yes | Yes |
| Option Chains - Strategy View | Yes | Yes |
| Option Chains - Streaming | Yes | Yes |
| Option Chains - Total Columns | 26 | 44 |
| Option Chains - Greeks | 5 | 5 |
| Option Chains - Quick Analysis | Yes | Yes |
| Option Analysis - P&L Charts | Yes | Yes |
| Option Probability Analysis | Yes | Yes |
| Option Probability Analysis Adv | Yes | Yes |
| Option Positions - Greeks | Yes | Yes |
| Option Positions - Greeks Streaming | Yes | Yes |
| Option Positions - Adv Analysis | Yes | Yes |
| Option Positions - Rolling | Yes | Yes |
| Option Positions - Grouping | Yes | Yes |
| Banking | Fidelity | Charles Schwab |
|---|---|---|
| Bank (Member FDIC) | No | Yes |
| Checking Accounts | Yes | Yes |
| Savings Accounts | Yes | Yes |
| Credit Cards | Yes | Yes |
| Debit Cards | Yes | Yes |
| Mortgage Loans | No | Yes |
| Customer Service | Fidelity | Charles Schwab |
|---|---|---|
| Phone Support (Prospect Customers) | Yes | Yes |
| Phone Support (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes |
| Email Support | Yes | Yes |
| Live Chat (Prospect Customers) | Yes | No |
| Live Chat (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes |
| 24/7 Support | Yes | Yes |
| Overall | Fidelity | Charles Schwab |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | ||
| Commissions & Fees | ||
| Offering of Investments | ||
| Platforms & Tools | ||
| Mobile Trading Apps | ||
| Research | ||
| Education | ||
| Ease Of Use |
Comparing brokers side by side is no easy task. For our 2022 annual broker review, we spent hundreds of hours assessing 15 brokerages to find the best online broker. Let's compare Fidelity vs Charles Schwab.
Fidelity offers more comprehensive new investor education for beginner investors than Charles Schwab. Both Fidelity and Charles Schwab offer Videos, Education (Stocks), Education (ETFs), Education (Options), Education (Mutual Funds), Education (Bonds) and Education (Retirement), neither have Paper Trading.
Fidelity and Charles Schwab charge the same amount for regular stock trades, $0.00. Fidelity and Charles Schwab both charge $0.65 per option contract. For a complete commissions summary, see our best brokers for free stock trading guide.
Fidelity offers investors access to Stock Trading, Fractional Shares, Options Trading, OTCBB / Pink Sheets, Mutual Funds and Advisor Services, while Charles Schwab offers investors access to Stock Trading, Fractional Shares, Options Trading, OTCBB / Pink Sheets, Mutual Funds, Futures Trading and Advisor Services, neither have Forex Trading. Looking at Mutual Funds, Fidelity trails Charles Schwab in its offering of no transaction fee (NTF) mutual funds, with Charles Schwab offering 4294 and Fidelity offering 3412.
To compare the trading platforms of Fidelity and Charles Schwab, we tested each broker's trading tools, research capabilities, and mobile apps. For trading tools, Fidelity offers a better experience. With research, Fidelity offers superior market research. Finally, we found Fidelity to provide better mobile trading apps.
Online banking can be a benefit for investors, and some brokerages do provide banking services to customers. Checking Accounts, Savings Accounts, Debit Cards and Credit Cards are offered by Fidelity while Charles Schwab offers Checking Accounts, Savings Accounts, Debit Cards, Credit Cards and Mortgage Loans.
Fidelity is a value-driven online broker offering $0 trades, industry-leading research, excellent trading tools, an easy-to-use mobile app, and comprehensive retirement services. Serving over 40 million customers, Fidelity is a winner for everyday investors.
With nearly $8 trillion in client assets, Charles Schwab understands how to consistently deliver value to its customers. Highlights include $0 trades, excellent stock research, a diverse selection of trading tools, and an industry-leading offering of financial planning services.
Overall winner: Fidelity
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