Fidelity Investments vs E*TRADE Review

Comparing brokers side by side is no easy task. For our 2017 Broker Review, we assessed 16 brokers on 308 different variables to find the best online broker. Yielding a database of over 5,000 data points, let's compare E*TRADE vs Fidelity Investments.

To start this comparison, first, we will take a look at the online broker commission rates for placing regular stock and options trades. E*TRADE charges $6.95 per stock trade which is $2.00 more than Fidelity Investments which charges customers $4.95 per trade. For options trading, E*TRADE has a base fee of $6.95, and Fidelity Investments a base fee of $4.95. Fidelity Investments's per contract rate of $0.65 is less than E*TRADE which charges $0.75. It's important to note that not all brokers charge a flat fee per trade. Thus, it is important to read the full commission notes for each broker, which we include with each online broker review.

Next to commission rates, being able to trade what you want is important. Fidelity Investments supports Stock Trading, Options Trading and Mutual Funds while E*TRADE supports Stock Trading, Options Trading, Mutual Funds and Futures Trading. Looking at mutual funds, Fidelity Investments offers its clients access to 13204 different mutual funds while E*TRADE has 8652 available funds, a difference of 4,552. Commission free ETFs can also be valuable for customers, with E*TRADE having the upper hand thanks to its 133 available commission free ETFs compared to Fidelity Investments's offering of 91.

Trading access aside, by comparing popular features and functionality, we can break down relevant differences between both brokers. Fidelity Investments offers virtual trading while E*TRADE does not. Taking a look at mobile trading, E*TRADE along with Fidelity Investments both support the iPhone App, iPad App and Android App. Not to be left out, online banking is also a nice benefit for many investors, and some brokerages provide these services to clients. Checking Accounts and Debit Cards are offered by E*TRADE while Fidelity Investments offers Checking Accounts, Savings Accounts, Debit Cards and Credit Cards. On the whole, when it comes to tools, research, and mobile trading, E*TRADE posted awards Best in Class - Research and Best in Class - Mobile Trading in 2017, while Fidelity Investments found itself with Best in Class - Platforms & Tools, Best in Class - Research and Best in Class - Mobile Trading.

Overall, Fidelity Investments comes out on top with 4.50 stars over E*TRADE's 4.00 stars.