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Fidelity vs Interactive Brokers 2026

StockBrokers.com

Written by StockBrokers.com

September 17, 2025
  Fact Checked

In this head to head comparison of Fidelity vs Interactive Brokers, 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
Interactive Brokers
5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0.00
  • Stock Trades: $0.00
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.65 info

Range of investments

Fidelity and Interactive Brokers both give investors a wide choice of account and trading options, so either platform can work well for many types of users. Each one offers stock trading, margin trading, fractional shares, OTC stocks, mutual funds, options, forex, crypto, traditional IRA accounts, and Roth IRA accounts. Both are also rated 5 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments, with Interactive Brokers ranked #1 out of 14 brokers by StockBrokers.com and Fidelity ranked #2, making them two of the strongest choices for investors who want access to many markets. Fidelity does stand out for offering advisor services, which Interactive Brokers does not.

When it comes to everyday investing, Fidelity covers the basics well with stocks, mutual funds, options, and fractional shares, making it a familiar choice for long-term investors and retirement savers. It also supports forex trading and crypto trading, though its crypto selection is limited to 5 coins. Investors looking for hands-on guidance may also value Fidelity’s advisor services, especially if they prefer help building and managing a portfolio.

Interactive Brokers matches Fidelity in most major account and trading categories, including stocks, margin, OTC stocks, mutual funds, options, forex, crypto, and both IRA types. One key difference is that Interactive Brokers also offers futures trading, which Fidelity does not. Its crypto offering is larger too, with 11 coins available. For traders who want a broader set of markets and investment choices, Interactive Brokers may be the better fit, while Fidelity may appeal more to investors who want advisor support.

Feature Fidelity logoFidelity
Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
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 Yes
Crypto Trading Yes Yes
Crypto Trading - Total Coins 5 11
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars

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

Trading platforms and tools

Bottom line: Interactive Brokers edges out Fidelity for trading platforms and tools, earning 4.5 stars and a #2 ranking from StockBrokers.com versus Fidelity’s 4 stars and #4 ranking. Both offer Windows and Mac desktop apps plus a browser-based platform, but Interactive Brokers stands out for deeper customization, more data fields, and paper trading. Fidelity remains an excellent choice for everyday investors who want capable charting, an easy path to trade management, and a built-in trading journal.

Platform access is a draw: both Fidelity and Interactive Brokers provide downloadable software for Windows and Mac, along with a web platform. Each includes a trading journal and lets you adjust open orders directly on a stock chart. Paper trading is a key difference—Interactive Brokers offers it, while Fidelity does not.

For tools, Interactive Brokers supplies more breadth: 659 watchlist columns (vs. Fidelity’s 92), 155 technical indicators (vs. 129), and 85 drawing tools (vs. 38). Both brokers let you add notes to charts, show historical trades, display corporate events, set custom date ranges, run automated technical analysis, and save multiple chart profiles. Editing an SMA study provides six fields with Interactive Brokers and five with Fidelity. Neither broker supports creating custom studies.

Feature Fidelity logoFidelity
Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
Web Trading Platform Yes Yes
Desktop Trading Platform Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Mac) Yes Yes
Paper Trading No Yes
Watchlists - Total Fields 92 659
Charting - Indicators / Studies 129 155
Charting - Drawing Tools 38 85
Advanced Trading 4/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Brokers for 2026, Best Paper Trading Apps & Platforms for 2026

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Beginners and education

Fidelity and Interactive Brokers both deliver strong education for beginners and long-term investors. Each offers learning on stocks, ETFs, options, mutual funds, and bonds, along with on-demand videos, live webinars, quizzes, and tools to track your progress. That mix makes it easier to build skills step by step, whether you’re just starting or polishing what you already know.

The biggest difference is practice: Interactive Brokers includes paper trading so you can test ideas without risking real money, while Fidelity does not. For overall quality, Fidelity earns 5 stars and ranks #1 out of 14 brokers for education on StockBrokers.com, while Interactive Brokers earns 4 stars and ranks #3. Choose Interactive Brokers if a practice account is important; choose Fidelity if you want the highest-rated learning library and guidance.

Feature Fidelity logoFidelity
Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
Education (Stocks) Yes Yes
Education (ETFs) Yes Yes
Education (Options) Yes Yes
Education (Mutual Funds) Yes Yes
Education (Fixed Income) Yes Yes
Videos Yes Yes
Webinars Yes Yes
Education 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms & Apps for Beginners in 2026

Stock trading apps

In a Fidelity vs Interactive Brokers app comparison, both deliver excellent mobile stock trading, but Interactive Brokers gets the overall nod. StockBrokers.com rates Interactive Brokers 5 stars and #2 out of 14 brokers, while Fidelity earns 4.5 stars and ranks #3. Choose Interactive Brokers if you want the highest-rated app; choose Fidelity if you want more built-in chart studies.

Both the Fidelity app and the Interactive Brokers app are available on iPhone, Android, and Apple Watch. Each supports streaming quotes, streaming live TV, videos on demand, mobile options trading, stock alerts, and custom watch lists with adjustable columns. Mobile after-hours trading is confirmed for Fidelity; the provided data does not confirm this for Interactive Brokers.

Charting is powerful on both, with after-hours charting, landscape mode, multiple time frames, and stock-to-stock comparisons. Fidelity offers 128 technical studies in its mobile charts versus 97 for Interactive Brokers, giving Fidelity more built-in indicators for on-the-go analysis.

Feature Fidelity logoFidelity
Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
iPhone App Yes Yes
Android App Yes Yes
Apple Watch App Yes Yes
Stock Alerts Yes Yes
Charting - After-Hours Yes Yes
Charting - Technical Studies 128 97
Mobile Trading Apps 4.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2026

Fees

Fidelity and Interactive Brokers look almost identical on most headline fees—both have a $0 minimum deposit, $0 commissions for stock trades, and a $0.65 per-contract options fee. They also charge $0 for IRA annual and closure fees, $0 for ACAT transfers (partial and full), and $0 for options exercise and assignment. The standout difference is margin pricing: Interactive Brokers’ margin rates are far lower than Fidelity’s across common balance tiers, so anyone who plans to borrow on margin will likely save more with Interactive Brokers. If you don’t use margin, their fees are effectively the same.

Shared costs are straightforward. Minimum deposit: Fidelity $0, Interactive Brokers $0. Regular stock trades: Fidelity $0, Interactive Brokers $0. Options pricing: both $0.65 per contract, with no extra fee for exercise or assignment. Retirement accounts are also fee-friendly at both firms, with $0 IRA annual fees and $0 IRA closure fees. Moving your account is equally painless: both charge $0 for partial and full ACAT transfers.

Margin is where they diverge. For balances under $25,000, Fidelity lists 12.575% vs. Interactive Brokers at 6.83%. From $25,000 to $49,999, Fidelity is 12.075% vs. 6.83% at Interactive Brokers. From $50,000 to $99,999, Fidelity is 11.125% vs. 6.83% at Interactive Brokers. In short, margin borrowers will generally find lower financing costs with Interactive Brokers, while non-margin traders will find fee parity between the two.

Feature Fidelity logoFidelity
Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
Minimum Deposit $0.00 $0.00
Stock Trades $0.00 $0.00
Options (Per Contract) $0.65 $0.65
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 Trading Platforms for 2026

Day Trading

Both Fidelity and Interactive Brokers check the big boxes day traders expect. Each platform offers streaming time and sales, streaming live TV, Level II quotes, direct market routing, hotkeys for fast order entry, basic strategy backtesting, and a short locator to see real-time borrow availability for short selling. If you need the essentials to read the tape, route orders, and act quickly, both brokers deliver.

The differences matter if you want more advanced tools. Interactive Brokers adds ladder trading (a depth-of-market “price ladder” for rapid order changes), advanced strategy backtesting, and access to maker/taker liquidity rebates—features that can help active traders fine-tune entries, test complex ideas, and potentially improve costs. Fidelity lacks ladder trading, advanced backtesting, and liquidity rebates, but still suits day traders who want strong core features without those extras.

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

Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms and Apps for 2026

Market Research

For market research, Fidelity takes the overall win. It earns 5 stars and ranks #1 out of 14 brokers on StockBrokers.com, while Interactive Brokers scores 4.5 stars and ranks #5. Both offer broad coverage and helpful tools, but their strengths differ: Interactive Brokers delivers more downloadable reports (17 stock PDFs vs. Fidelity’s 7) and includes mutual fund PDFs, while Fidelity matches key features across categories and remains the higher-rated pick overall.

Both Fidelity and Interactive Brokers provide research on stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, pink sheets/OTCBB, and bonds. Each platform lets you view portfolio allocation by asset class, access stock research using social media sentiment, and review ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) research. Both also include built-in screeners for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds to help find trade ideas.

When it comes to downloadable reports, Fidelity offers seven PDF stock research reports and ETF PDFs, but no mutual fund PDFs. Interactive Brokers offers 17 PDF stock reports, ETF PDFs, and adds mutual fund PDFs. If you prioritize a larger library of downloadable reports, Interactive Brokers has an advantage; if you value the top-rated overall research experience, Fidelity is the better choice.

Feature Fidelity logoFidelity
Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
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 4.5/5 Stars

Banking

When comparing Fidelity vs. Interactive Brokers for banking features, neither broker offers traditional checking or savings accounts, so you can’t treat them like full-service banks. Fidelity does provide a debit card, while Interactive Brokers does not. Both brokers offer credit cards and access to certificates of deposit (CDs). For lending, Fidelity also offers mortgage loans, but Interactive Brokers does not. Overall, Fidelity has more bank-like options thanks to its debit card and mortgages, while Interactive Brokers sticks to investment services alongside CDs and a credit card.

Feature Fidelity logoFidelity
Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
Checking Accounts No No
Savings Accounts No No
Debit Cards Yes No
Credit Cards Yes Yes
Mortgage Loans Yes No
Brokerage CDs Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokerage Checking Accounts for 2026

Winner

After opening live accounts and testing 14 of the best online brokers, our research and live account testing finds that Fidelity is better than Interactive Brokers. Fidelity finished with an overall score of 92.5%, while Interactive Brokers finished with a score of 90.6%.

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 Interactive Brokers?

Fidelity and Interactive Brokers both offer crypto trading, but Interactive Brokers supports a wider selection with 11 coins compared with Fidelity’s 5. If you want more cryptocurrency options through an online broker, Interactive Brokers has the edge.

Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2026

Does Fidelity or Interactive Brokers offer IRAs?

Both Fidelity and Interactive Brokers offer traditional and Roth IRA accounts with no annual fees or closure fees, making them affordable options for investors seeking versatile and cost-effective retirement savings solutions.

Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2026

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Compare

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Overall Rating Fidelity Interactive Brokers
Overall 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Advanced Trading 4/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 4.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Customer Service 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Education 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Ease of Use 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Fidelity Review Interactive Brokers Review
Broker Screenshots Fidelity Interactive Brokers
Broker Gallery (click to expand)
Trading Fees Fidelity Interactive Brokers
Minimum Deposit $0.00 $0.00
Stock Trades $0.00 $0.00
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) $0.00 $0.01
Mutual Fund Trade Fee Varies $14.95
Options (Per Contract) $0.65 $0.65
Futures (Per Contract) (Not offered) $0.85
Broker Assisted Trade Fee $32.95 Varies
Margin Rates Fidelity Interactive Brokers
Margin Rate Under $25,000 12.575% 6.83%
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 12.075% 6.83%
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 11.125% 6.83%
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 11.075% 6.83%
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 10.825% 6.83%
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 8.500% 6.83%
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 8.250% 6.83%
Account Fees Fidelity Interactive Brokers
IRA Annual Fee $0.00 $0.00
IRA Closure Fee $0.00 $0.00
Account Transfer Out (Partial) $0.00 $0.00
Account Transfer Out (Full) $0.00 $0.00
Options Exercise Fee $0.00 $0.00
Options Assignment Fee $0.00 $0.00
Investment Options Fidelity Interactive Brokers
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 6
Futures Trading No Yes
Forex Trading Yes Yes
Crypto Trading Yes Yes
Crypto Trading - Total Coins 5 11
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 36
Order Types Fidelity Interactive Brokers
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 Interactive Brokers
Education (Stocks) Yes Yes
Education (ETFs) Yes Yes
Education (Options) Yes Yes
Education (Mutual Funds) Yes Yes
Education (Fixed Income) Yes Yes
Education (Retirement) Yes Yes
Retirement Calculator Yes Yes
Investor Dictionary Yes Yes
Paper Trading No Yes
Videos Yes Yes
Webinars Yes Yes
Progress Tracking Yes Yes
Interactive Learning - Quizzes Yes Yes
Stock Trading Apps Fidelity Interactive Brokers
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 Yes
Stock App Features Fidelity Interactive Brokers
Mobile Research - Market Movers Yes Yes
Stream Live TV Yes Yes
Videos on Demand Yes Yes
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 Interactive Brokers
Charting - After-Hours Yes Yes
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally Yes Yes
Charting - Multiple Time Frames Yes Yes
Charting - Technical Studies 128 97
Charting - Study Customizations Yes Yes
Charting - Stock Comparisons Yes Yes
Trading Platforms Fidelity Interactive Brokers
Active Trading Platform Active Trader Pro IBKR Desktop and Trader Workstation (TWS)
Desktop Trading Platform Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Mac) Yes Yes
Web Trading Platform Yes Yes
Paper Trading No Yes
Trade Journal Yes Yes
Watchlists - Total Fields 92 659
Stock Chart Features Fidelity Interactive Brokers
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies 129 155
Charting - Drawing Tools 38 85
Charting - Notes Yes Yes
Charting - Historical Trades Yes Yes
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 6
Charting - Custom Studies No No
Day Trading Fidelity Interactive Brokers
Streaming Time & Sales Yes Yes
Streaming TV Yes Yes
Direct Market Routing - Equities Yes Yes
Ladder Trading No Yes
Trade Hot Keys Yes Yes
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks Yes Yes
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Yes Yes
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv No Yes
Short Locator Yes Yes
Order Liquidity Rebates No Yes
Research Overview Fidelity Interactive Brokers
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 Interactive Brokers
Stock Research - PDF Reports 7 17
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 Interactive Brokers
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 Interactive Brokers
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 Interactive Brokers
Option Chains - Total Greeks 5 5
Option Analysis - P&L Charts Yes Yes
Banking Fidelity Interactive Brokers
Bank (Member FDIC) No No
Checking Accounts No No
Savings Accounts No No
Credit Cards Yes Yes
Debit Cards Yes No
Mortgage Loans Yes No
Customer Service Fidelity Interactive Brokers
Phone Support (Prospective Customers) Yes Yes
Phone Support (Current Customers) Yes Yes
Email Support Yes Yes
Live Chat (Prospective Customers) Yes No
Live Chat (Current Customers) Yes Yes
24/7 Support Yes Yes
Overall Fidelity Interactive Brokers
Overall 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Advanced Trading 4/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 4.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Education 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Ease of Use 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Fidelity Review Interactive Brokers Review
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