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Interactive Brokers vs Fidelity Investments Review
By Blain Reinkensmeyer / June 13th, 2019
The StockBrokers.com annual review (9 years running) takes six months to complete and produces over 30,000 words of research each year. Here's how we test.
Is Fidelity Investments better than Interactive Brokers? Based on over 4,000 data points from our 2019 annual broker review, Fidelity Investments (86.62%) is better than Interactive Brokers (80.99%). From industry-leading research to excellent trading tools, mobile apps, and retirement services, Fidelity defines “value” and provides investors with everything they need to succeed, and more.
Overall
Trading Fees
Minimum Deposit
Stock Trade Fee (per trade)
Options Base Fee
Options Per Contract Fee
Mutual Fund Trade Fee
Broker Assisted Trades Fee
IRA Annual Fee
IRA Closure Fee
Commissions & Fees
Winner
Margin Rates
Under $24,999.99
$25,000.00 to $49,999.99
$50,000.00 to $99,999.99
$100,000.00 to $249,999.99
$250,000.00 to $499,999.99
$500,000.00 to $999,999.99
Above $1,000,000.00
Commissions & Fees
Winner
Trading Platforms
Desktop Platform (Windows)
Desktop Platform (Mac)
Web Platform
Paper Trading
Trade Journal
Watch Lists - Total Fields
Two-Factor Authentication Login
Heat Mapping
Platforms & Tools
Winner
Charting Features
Charting - Trade Off Chart
Charting - Indicators / Studies
Charting - Drawing Tools
Charting - Historical Trades
Charting - Corporate Events
Charting - Automated Analysis
Charting - Save Profiles
Charting - Study Customizations
Charting - Custom Studies
Platforms & Tools
Winner
Day Trading
Stock Alerts - Basic Fields
Stock Alerts - Advanced Fields
Streaming Time & Sales
Streaming TV
Direct Market Routing - Stocks
Direct Market Routing - Options
Ladder Trading
Trade Hot Keys
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks
Level 2 Quotes - Options
Trade Ideas - Backtesting
Short Locator
Client Liquidity Rebates
Winner
Mobile Trading
iPhone App
Android App
Apple Watch App
Trading - Stocks
Trading - After-Hours
Trading - Conditional Orders
Trading - Mutual Funds
Trading - Simple Options
Trading - Complex Options
Trading - Option Rolling
Touch / Face ID
Watch List Syncing
Stock Alerts - Basic Fields
Stock Alerts - Advanced Fields
Charting - After Hours
Charting - Drawing
Charting - Study Customizations
Customizable Homescreen
Heatmapping
Stream Live TV
Barcode Lookup
Mobile Trading
Winner
Research Overview
Research - Stocks
Research - ETFs
Research - Mutual Funds
Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB
Research - Fixed Income
Research - Futures
Research - Forex
Screener - Stocks
Screener - ETFs
Screener - Mutual Funds
Screener - Options
Screener - Bonds
Misc - Portfolio Builder
Misc - Portfolio Allocation
Research
Winner
Stock Research
Stock Research - Reports
Stock Research - Earnings
Stock Research - Insiders
Stock Research - Metric Comp
Stock Research - SEC Filings
Stock Research - Social
Stock Research - Balance Sheet
Stock Research - Cash Flows
Stock Research - News
Stock Research - ESG
Research
Winner
Fund Research
ETFs - Strategy Overview
ETFs - Top 10 Holdings
ETFs - Sector Exposure
ETFs - Risk Analysis
ETFs - Performance Analysis
ETFs - Ratings
ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap
ETFs - Reports
Mutual Funds - Strategy Overview
Mutual Funds - Prospectus
Mutual Funds - Reports
Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown
Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings
Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation
Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation
Mutual Funds - Country Allocation
Mutual Funds - StyleMap
Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings
Research
Winner
Options Trading
Option Chains - Streaming
Option Chains - Total Columns
Option Chains - Greeks
Option Chains - Quick Analysis
Option Analysis - P&L Charts
Option Probability Analysis
Option Probability Analysis Adv
Option Positions - Greeks
Option Positions - Adv Analysis
Option Positions - Rolling
Option Positions - Grouping
Platforms & Tools
Winner
Investments
Stock Trading
OTCBB / Pink Sheets
Options Trading
Complex Options Max Legs
Futures Trading
Forex Trading
Commission-Free ETFs
Mutual Funds (No Load)
Mutual Funds (Total)
Bonds (US Treasury)
Bonds (Corporate)
Bonds (Municipal)
Advisor Services
International Trading
Offering of Investments
Winner
Order Types
Order Type - Market
Order Type - Limit
Order Type - Stop
Order Type - Trailing Stop
Order Type - Contingent
Order Type - MultiContingent
Order Type - OCO
Order Type - OTO
Order Type - OTOCO
Offering of Investments
Winner
Beginners
Has Education - Stocks
Has Education - ETFs
Has Education - Options
Has Education - Mutual Funds
Has Education - Fixed Income
Has Education - Retirement
Paper Trading
Videos
Webinars (Monthly Avg)
Webinars (Archived)
Live Seminars
Progress Tracking
Interactive Learning - Quizzes
Investor Magazine
Education
Winner
Banking
Retail Locations
Member FDIC
Checking Accounts
Savings Accounts
Credit Cards
Debit Cards
Mortgage Loans
No Fee Banking
Banking
Winner
Overall
Overall
Winner
Exclusive Offer
New clients that open an account today receive a special margin rate Learn More
$0.00
N/A
$0.00
$0.70
$14.95
$30.00
$0.00
$0.00
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3.68%
3.68%
3.68%
3.18%
3.18%
3.18%
2.68%
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Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
453
Yes
Yes
check_circle
Yes
121
9
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
6
No
check_circle
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
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Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
1
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
Yes
37
4
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
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Yes
Yes
Yes
8
Yes
No
48
7558
11000
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
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Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
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Yes
No
Yes
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
20
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
0
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
No
Exclusive Offer
Get 300 commission-free trades and 2 years to use them Learn More
$0.00
$4.95
$4.95
$0.65
$49.95
$32.95
$0.00
$0.00
9.58%
9.08%
8.13%
8.08%
7.83%
5.50%
5.25%
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
91
Yes
Yes
Yes
166
22
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
5
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
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Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
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12
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
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Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
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Yes
26
5
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
4
No
No
500
4031
11782
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
8
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
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197
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
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The StockBrokers.com annual broker review assesses more than a dozen different brokers over six months, surfacing the best online stock brokers. This review compares Fidelity Investments vs Interactive Brokers. Is Fidelity Investments or Interactive Brokers a better online broker?
First, we will make a comparison of the stock and option trading fees for trading with both brokers. Fidelity Investments charges $4.95 per stock trade which is $4.95 more than Interactive Brokers which charges customers $0 (the broker charges a per share rate instead) per trade. For options trading, Fidelity Investments has a base fee of $4.95, and Interactive Brokers a base fee of $0. Fidelity Investments's per contract rate of $0.65 is less than Interactive Brokers which charges $0.70. Note that some brokers charge a per-share fee instead of a flat-fee commission. For a full breakdown of commissions, read our online broker reviews.
For our next comparison of these two brokers, being able to trade the way you want is a must. Interactive Brokers supports Stock Trading, Options Trading, Mutual Funds and Futures Trading while Fidelity Investments supports Stock Trading, Options Trading and Mutual Funds. When it comes to mutual funds, Fidelity Investments boasts an offering of 11782 mutual funds compared to Interactive Brokers's 11000 available funds.
Last but not least, by breaking down important features, tools, etc that each broker offers, we can really help to separate the two. Interactive Brokers offers virtual trading while Fidelity Investments does not. For mobile trading, Fidelity Investments and Interactive Brokers both have a iPhone App, iPad App and Android App. Furthermore, some investors like to bank online, and multiple brokerages provide these services to clients. Clients can have Checking Accounts and Debit Cards at Interactive Brokers while customers at Fidelity Investments can have Checking Accounts, Savings Accounts, Debit Cards and Credit Cards.
Overall, between Fidelity Investments and Interactive Brokers, Fidelity Investments is the winner.
Fidelity Investments Review
Interactive Brokers Review
First, we will make a comparison of the stock and option trading fees for trading with both brokers. Fidelity Investments charges $4.95 per stock trade which is $4.95 more than Interactive Brokers which charges customers $0 (the broker charges a per share rate instead) per trade. For options trading, Fidelity Investments has a base fee of $4.95, and Interactive Brokers a base fee of $0. Fidelity Investments's per contract rate of $0.65 is less than Interactive Brokers which charges $0.70. Note that some brokers charge a per-share fee instead of a flat-fee commission. For a full breakdown of commissions, read our online broker reviews.
For our next comparison of these two brokers, being able to trade the way you want is a must. Interactive Brokers supports Stock Trading, Options Trading, Mutual Funds and Futures Trading while Fidelity Investments supports Stock Trading, Options Trading and Mutual Funds. When it comes to mutual funds, Fidelity Investments boasts an offering of 11782 mutual funds compared to Interactive Brokers's 11000 available funds.
Last but not least, by breaking down important features, tools, etc that each broker offers, we can really help to separate the two. Interactive Brokers offers virtual trading while Fidelity Investments does not. For mobile trading, Fidelity Investments and Interactive Brokers both have a iPhone App, iPad App and Android App. Furthermore, some investors like to bank online, and multiple brokerages provide these services to clients. Clients can have Checking Accounts and Debit Cards at Interactive Brokers while customers at Fidelity Investments can have Checking Accounts, Savings Accounts, Debit Cards and Credit Cards.
Overall, between Fidelity Investments and Interactive Brokers, Fidelity Investments is the winner.
Fidelity Investments Review
Interactive Brokers Review
Related Comparisons
All pricing data was obtained from a published web site as of 02/18/2019 and is believed to be accurate, but is not guaranteed. For stock trade rates, advertised pricing is for a standard order size of 500 shares of stock priced at $30 per share. For options orders, an options regulatory fee per contract may apply.
