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Fidelity vs Firstrade 2026

StockBrokers.com

Written by StockBrokers.com

November 13, 2026
  Fact Checked

In this head to head comparison of Fidelity vs Firstrade, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.

Fidelity
5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0.00
  • Stock Trades: $0.00
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.65
Firstrade
3.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0.00
  • Stock Trades: $0.00
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.00

Range of investments

Fidelity and Firstrade both give investors access to many common account and trading choices, making either platform a workable option for people who want to buy stocks, trade on margin, invest in fractional shares, and access OTC stocks, mutual funds, and options. Both brokers also support traditional IRA and Roth IRA accounts. The clearest difference is that Fidelity offers crypto trading while Firstrade does not, and Fidelity also provides advisor services, which Firstrade does not. Overall, Fidelity comes out ahead for range of investments, earning 5 out of 5 stars and a #2 ranking out of 16 brokers, compared with Firstrade’s 4-star rating and #5 ranking.

For stock trading, both Fidelity and Firstrade let you buy and sell shares of publicly traded companies. Each broker also supports margin trading for eligible accounts, along with fractional shares trading, which can help investors start with smaller amounts of money. If you want broader investing choices, both platforms include mutual funds and options trading as well as OTC stocks, so you can use either broker for a fairly wide mix of investing styles.

Where they differ most is in crypto and account support services. Fidelity offers crypto trading with 5 coins available, while Firstrade does not offer crypto at all. Neither broker offers forex or futures trading. If you want hands-on guidance, Fidelity also includes advisor services, which may appeal to investors looking for extra support beyond self-directed trading. Firstrade still covers the core investment basics well, but Fidelity has the edge for investors who want more account options and a wider overall selection.

Feature Fidelity logoFidelity
Firstrade logoFirstrade
Stock Trading Yes Yes
Account Feature - Margin Trading Yes Yes
Fractional Shares (Stocks) Yes Yes
OTC Stocks Yes Yes
Mutual Funds Yes Yes
Options Trading Yes Yes
Futures Trading No No
Crypto Trading Yes No
Crypto Trading - Total Coins 5 0
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms & Brokers for 2026, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2026

Trading platforms and tools

For traders who want more built-in tools and platform flexibility, Fidelity comes out ahead of Firstrade overall. Fidelity offers downloadable desktop platforms for both Windows and Mac, plus a browser-based platform, while Firstrade only provides web trading. Fidelity also includes a trading journal, more watch list fields, and stronger charting features, which helps make it a better choice for active investors who want more ways to track and analyze trades. StockBrokers.com also ranks Fidelity higher for trading platforms and tools, placing it at No. 4 out of 16 brokers, compared with Firstrade at No. 14.

When it comes to charting, Fidelity gives users more ways to customize their view. It offers more technical indicators and drawing tools than Firstrade, and it lets traders add notes to charts, view historical trades, and display corporate events such as earnings, splits, and dividends. Fidelity also allows open orders to be adjusted directly on a chart and supports multiple saved chart profiles, both of which can make trading easier to manage. Firstrade does match Fidelity on a few basics, such as browser trading, custom date ranges, and automated chart pattern analysis, but it lacks many of the deeper tools Fidelity provides.

Firstrade does have some chart editing flexibility, including slightly more customization fields for its SMA study settings, but its platform feature set is still narrower overall. It does not offer downloadable desktop software, a trading journal, notes on charts, or the ability to save multiple chart profiles. Neither broker offers paper trading or custom chart studies, but Fidelity’s larger set of tools and stronger ratings make it the more feature-rich option for most traders comparing these two online brokers.

Feature Fidelity logoFidelity
Firstrade logoFirstrade
Web Trading Platform Yes Yes
Desktop Trading Platform Yes No
Desktop Platform (Mac) Yes No
Paper Trading No No
Watchlists - Total Fields 92 50
Charting - Indicators / Studies 129 102
Charting - Drawing Tools 38 8
Advanced Trading 4/5 Stars 1/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Brokerage Accounts and Online Stock Brokers for 2026, Best Paper Trading Apps and Simulators for 2026

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Beginners and education

Fidelity and Firstrade both offer helpful stock and options education, along with educational videos and webinars for newer investors who want to build confidence. Fidelity goes further with learning tools for ETF, mutual fund, and bond education, plus quizzes and the ability to track your learning progress. This makes Fidelity a stronger choice for investors who want a more complete learning path and more ways to test what they know as they go.

Firstrade covers the basics well, but its education center is more limited overall. It does not offer ETF, mutual fund, or bond education, and it also lacks quizzes and learning progress tracking. Based on StockBrokers.com, Fidelity earns 5 stars for education and ranks #1 out of 16 brokers, while Firstrade is rated 2.5 stars and ranks #14. For beginner investors who value more guided education, Fidelity has the clear edge.

Feature Fidelity logoFidelity
Firstrade logoFirstrade
Education (Stocks) Yes Yes
Education (ETFs) Yes No
Education (Options) Yes Yes
Education (Mutual Funds) Yes No
Education (Fixed Income) Yes No
Videos Yes Yes
Webinars Yes Yes
Education 5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Trading Platforms for Beginners in 2026

Stock trading apps

Overall, Fidelity comes out ahead for stock trading apps thanks to a few extra mobile features and stronger app ratings. Both Fidelity and Firstrade offer iPhone and Android apps, streaming quotes, options trading, stock alerts, custom watch lists, and a wide range of charting tools. But Fidelity adds an Apple Watch app, mobile live TV, videos on demand, and more technical studies, while also earning a higher app rating and a better ranking from StockBrokers.com. For investors who want more built-in research and a slightly more polished mobile experience, Fidelity is the stronger pick.

On mobile access, both brokers make it easy to trade stocks and manage an account from a phone or tablet. Each offers apps for iPhone and Android, along with features such as after-hours charting, landscape chart views, multiple time frames, and stock comparisons on charts. Fidelity and Firstrade also both support mobile options trading, streaming quotes, stock alerts, and the ability to create and customize watch lists, so the core trading experience is well covered at either broker.

The main differences show up in the extras. Fidelity supports Apple Watch, streaming live TV, and videos on demand, which can be useful for traders who want news and market content inside the app. Its mobile charting also includes 128 technical studies, compared with 102 at Firstrade. Firstrade still offers a solid stock trading app, but with a 4-star app rating and a #9 ranking versus Fidelity’s 4.5 stars and #3 ranking, it appears better suited to investors who want a simpler mobile platform without as many add-ons.

Feature Fidelity logoFidelity
Firstrade logoFirstrade
iPhone App Yes Yes
Android App Yes Yes
Apple Watch App Yes No
Stock Alerts Yes Yes
Charting - After-Hours Yes Yes
Charting - Technical Studies 128 102
Mobile Trading Apps 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps of 2026

Fees

Overall, Fidelity and Firstrade are both low-cost choices for many everyday investors because neither one charges a minimum deposit, regular stock trade fee, IRA annual fee, IRA closure fee, options exercise fee, or options assignment fee. The biggest difference is in options and account transfers: Firstrade offers free options contracts, while Fidelity charges $0.65 per contract; on the other hand, Fidelity does not charge ACAT transfer fees, while Firstrade charges $55 for a partial transfer and $75 for a full transfer. For margin borrowing, Firstrade is slightly cheaper at the lower balance tiers, while Fidelity is lower at the $50,000 to $99,999 range.

For options traders, Firstrade has the edge on cost because it charges $0 per options contract compared with Fidelity’s $0.65 per contract. This can make a noticeable difference for active traders or anyone placing multi-leg options trades. Both brokers keep exercise and assignment fees at $0, so those parts of options trading are equally affordable.

When it comes to margin rates, Fidelity charges 12.575% for balances below $25,000, 12.075% for balances from $25,000 to $49,999, and 11.125% for balances from $50,000 to $99,999. Firstrade charges 12.25%, 12.00%, and 11.50% in those same tiers, respectively. So Firstrade is cheaper for smaller and mid-sized margin balances, while Fidelity becomes the lower-cost option at the $50,000 to $99,999 level. Neither broker charges a minimum deposit, which makes it easy to get started with either one.

Feature Fidelity logoFidelity
Firstrade logoFirstrade
Minimum Deposit $0.00 $0.00
Stock Trades $0.00 $0.00
Options (Per Contract) $0.65 $0.00
Options Exercise Fee $0.00 $0.00
Options Assignment Fee $0.00 $0.00
IRA Annual Fee $0.00 $0.00
IRA Closure Fee $0.00 $0.00

Dive deeper: Best Free Stock Trading Platforms and Commission-Free Apps for 2026

Day Trading

For anyone venturing into day trading, choosing the right online broker can significantly impact the trading experience. Fidelity stands out with its offerings tailored for active traders. It provides essential tools like streaming time and sales data for stocks and streaming live TV, which keep traders informed in real-time. Fidelity also supports direct market routing, allowing for greater control over trade execution, and includes keyboard trade entry with trading hotkeys. Notable features like level 2 quotes and a basic strategy backtesting option further enhance its appeal. Additionally, Fidelity offers a short locator tool, enabling traders to check the real-time availability of shares to short, a vital feature for those interested in short selling.

By contrast, Firstrade might face limitations for a day trader. While it serves as a functional broker, it lacks several of the advanced tools that Fidelity provides. Firstrade does not offer streaming time and sales data, live TV, or direct market routing, which could be a dealbreaker for traders seeking comprehensive market insights. Moreover, it does not support trading hotkeys, level 2 quotes, or backtesting capabilities, both basic and advanced, which might make strategy evaluation and quick trading more challenging. Additionally, the absence of a short locator tool might restrict short selling opportunities compared to Fidelity. While both brokers do not give order liquidity rebates or ladder trading options, Fidelity generally presents more resources for an active day trading environment.

Feature Fidelity logoFidelity
Firstrade logoFirstrade
Streaming Time & Sales Yes No
Streaming TV Yes No
Direct Market Routing - Equities Yes No
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks Yes No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Yes No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv No No
Short Locator Yes No

Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms and Apps for 2026

Market Research

Fidelity comes out ahead in market research overall, with a 5-star rating and a #1 ranking out of 16 brokers from StockBrokers.com, while Firstrade still performs well with a 4-star rating and a #6 ranking. Both brokers give investors the key research tools most people want, including stock, ETF, mutual fund, OTCBB/Pink Sheets, and bond research, plus portfolio allocation by asset class, social media sentiment data, ESG research, and screeners for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds. The biggest difference is depth: Fidelity offers 9 downloadable PDF stock research reports compared with just 1 at Firstrade, which can matter if you rely on detailed analyst reports when choosing investments.

When it comes to everyday research features, Fidelity and Firstrade are closely matched. Each broker lets users research stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, OTCBB/Pink Sheets securities, and bonds, and both provide downloadable PDF research reports for ETFs. They also both include portfolio allocation tools, social sentiment-based stock research, ESG data, and screeners that can help generate trade ideas across stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds.

For investors who want the stronger all-around market research experience, Fidelity has the edge because of its higher overall rating, better ranking, and much larger selection of stock PDF research reports. Firstrade still covers the basics well and offers many of the same research categories, but it does not match Fidelity’s depth in stock analysis resources.

Feature Fidelity logoFidelity
Firstrade logoFirstrade
Research - Stocks Yes Yes
Screener - Stocks Yes Yes
Research - ETFs Yes Yes
Screener - ETFs Yes Yes
Research - Mutual Funds Yes Yes
Screener - Mutual Funds Yes Yes
Research - Fixed Income Yes Yes
Screener - Fixed Income Yes Yes
Research 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

Banking

When comparing the banking features of Fidelity and Firstrade, several key differences stand out for potential customers. Firstrade offers checking accounts, while Fidelity does not, which might be a draw for those looking to manage daily finances within their brokerage. However, neither broker provides savings accounts. Both companies offer debit cards, making account access convenient, but only Fidelity provides credit cards, adding another layer of flexibility for users. When it comes to larger financial needs, Fidelity also offers mortgage loans, setting it apart from Firstrade, which does not. For those interested in investing in certificates of deposit, both Fidelity and Firstrade offer CDs as part of their banking capabilities, providing options for earning interest over time.

Feature Fidelity logoFidelity
Firstrade logoFirstrade
Checking Accounts No Yes
Savings Accounts No No
Debit Cards Yes Yes
Credit Cards Yes No
Mortgage Loans Yes No
Brokerage CDs Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokerage Accounts with Checking: Top Bank Brokers

Winner

After opening live accounts and testing 16 of the best online brokers, our research and live account testing finds that Fidelity is better than Firstrade. Fidelity finished with an overall score of 92.5%, while Firstrade finished with a score of 67.8%.

Fidelity is a value-driven online broker offering $0 trades, industry-leading research, excellent trading tools and an easy-to-use mobile app.

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with Fidelity or Firstrade?

Fidelity offers crypto trading with access to 5 coins, while Firstrade does not currently offer cryptocurrency trading. For investors who want direct exposure to digital assets, Fidelity provides a crypto option that Firstrade lacks.

Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2026

Does Fidelity or Firstrade offer IRAs?

Both Fidelity and Firstrade provide traditional and Roth IRA accounts without any annual fees and do not charge a closure fee, making them equally competitive options for investors seeking fee-free IRA account management.

Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2026

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Compare

0 of 5
Overall Rating Fidelity Firstrade
Overall 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Advanced Trading 4/5 Stars 1/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Customer Service 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Ease of Use 4.5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Fidelity Review Firstrade Review
Broker Screenshots Fidelity Firstrade
Broker Gallery (click to expand)
Trading Fees Fidelity Firstrade
Minimum Deposit $0.00 $0.00
Stock Trades $0.00 $0.00
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) $0.000 $0.000
Mutual Fund Trade Fee Varies $0
Options (Per Contract) $0.65 $0.00
Futures (Per Contract) (Not offered) (Not offered)
Broker Assisted Trade Fee $32.95 $19.95
Margin Rates Fidelity Firstrade
Margin Rate Under $25,000 12.575% 12.25%
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 12.075% 12.00%
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 11.125% 11.50%
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 11.075% 11.00%
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 10.825% 10.75%
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 8.500% 8.85%
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 8.250% 8.25%
Account Fees Fidelity Firstrade
IRA Annual Fee $0.00 $0.00
IRA Closure Fee $0.00 $0.00
Account Transfer Out (Partial) $0.00 $55.00
Account Transfer Out (Full) $0.00 $75.00
Options Exercise Fee $0.00 $0.00
Options Assignment Fee $0.00 $0.00
Investment Options Fidelity Firstrade
Stock Trading Yes Yes
Account Feature - Margin Trading Yes Yes
Fractional Shares (Stocks) Yes Yes
OTC Stocks Yes Yes
Options Trading Yes Yes
Complex Options Max Legs 4 4
Futures Trading No No
Forex Trading No No
Crypto Trading Yes No
Crypto Trading - Total Coins 5 0
Fixed Income (Treasurys) Yes Yes
Fixed Income (Corporate Bonds) Yes Yes
Fixed Income (Municipal Bonds) Yes Yes
Traditional IRAs Yes Yes
Roth IRAs Yes Yes
Advisor Services Yes No
International Countries (Stocks) 25 0
Order Types Fidelity Firstrade
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 Firstrade
Education (Stocks) Yes Yes
Education (ETFs) Yes No
Education (Options) Yes Yes
Education (Mutual Funds) Yes No
Education (Fixed Income) Yes No
Education (Retirement) Yes Yes
Retirement Calculator Yes Yes
Investor Dictionary Yes Yes
Paper Trading No No
Videos Yes Yes
Webinars Yes Yes
Progress Tracking Yes No
Interactive Learning - Quizzes Yes No
Stock Trading Apps Fidelity Firstrade
iPhone App Yes Yes
Android App Yes Yes
Apple Watch App Yes No
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 Yes
Stock App Features Fidelity Firstrade
Mobile Research - Market Movers Yes Yes
Stream Live TV Yes No
Videos on Demand Yes No
Stock Alerts Yes Yes
Option Chains Viewable Yes Yes
Watchlist (Real-time) Yes Yes
Watchlist (Streaming) Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlists - Create & Manage Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlists - Column Customization Yes Yes
Stock App Charting Fidelity Firstrade
Charting - After-Hours Yes Yes
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally Yes Yes
Charting - Multiple Time Frames Yes Yes
Charting - Technical Studies 128 102
Charting - Study Customizations Yes Yes
Charting - Stock Comparisons Yes Yes
Trading Platforms Fidelity Firstrade
Active Trading Platform Active Trader Pro N/A
Desktop Trading Platform Yes No
Desktop Platform (Mac) Yes No
Web Trading Platform Yes Yes
Paper Trading No No
Trade Journal Yes No
Watchlists - Total Fields 92 50
Stock Chart Features Fidelity Firstrade
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart Yes No
Charting - Indicators / Studies 129 102
Charting - Drawing Tools 38 8
Charting - Notes Yes No
Charting - Historical Trades Yes No
Charting - Corporate Events Yes No
Charting - Custom Date Range Yes Yes
Charting - Custom Time Bars Yes No
Charting - Automated Analysis Yes Yes
Charting - Save Profiles Yes No
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis Yes Yes
Charting - Study Customizations 5 6
Charting - Custom Studies No No
Day Trading Fidelity Firstrade
Streaming Time & Sales Yes No
Streaming TV Yes No
Direct Market Routing - Equities Yes No
Ladder Trading No No
Trade Hot Keys Yes No
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks Yes No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Yes No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv No No
Short Locator Yes No
Order Liquidity Rebates No No
Research Overview Fidelity Firstrade
Research - Stocks Yes Yes
Research - ETFs Yes Yes
Research - Mutual Funds Yes Yes
Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB Yes Yes
Research - Fixed Income Yes Yes
Screener - Stocks Yes Yes
Screener - ETFs Yes Yes
Screener - Mutual Funds Yes Yes
Screener - Fixed Income Yes Yes
Portfolio Asset Allocation Yes Yes
Stock Research Fidelity Firstrade
Stock Research - PDF Reports 9 1
Stock Research - Earnings Yes Yes
Stock Research - Insiders Yes Yes
Stock Research - Social Yes Yes
Stock Research - News Yes Yes
Stock Research - ESG Yes Yes
Stock Research - SEC Filings Yes Yes
ETF Research Fidelity Firstrade
ETFs - Investment Objective Yes Yes
ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date Yes Yes
ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio Yes Yes
ETF Fund Facts - Total 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 Firstrade
Mutual Funds - Investment Objective 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 Firstrade
Option Chains - Total Greeks 5 5
Option Analysis - P&L Charts Yes Yes
Banking Fidelity Firstrade
Bank (Member FDIC) No No
Checking Accounts No Yes
Savings Accounts No No
Credit Cards Yes No
Debit Cards Yes Yes
Mortgage Loans Yes No
Customer Service Fidelity Firstrade
Phone Support (Prospective Customers) Yes Yes
Phone Support (Current Customers) Yes Yes
Email Support Yes Yes
Live Chat (Prospective Customers) Yes Yes
Live Chat (Current Customers) Yes Yes
24/7 Support Yes Yes
Overall Fidelity Firstrade
Overall 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Advanced Trading 4/5 Stars 1/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Ease of Use 4.5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Fidelity Review Firstrade Review
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