menuclose
StockBrokers.com is committed to the highest ethical standards and reviews services independently. Learn how we make money.

Fidelity vs Vanguard 2023

StockBrokers.com

Written by StockBrokers.com

April 11, 2023

Is Fidelity better than Vanguard? After testing 17 of the best online brokers over three months, Fidelity (98.22%) is better than Vanguard (71.94%). Our top pick overall for 2023, Fidelity is a value-driven online broker offering $0 trades, industry-leading research, excellent trading tools and an easy-to-use mobile app.

Select Brokers

↓×
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxAlly Invest
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCharles Schwab
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxE*TRADE
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxeToro
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFidelity
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFirstrade
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxInteractive Brokers
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxJ.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxMerrill Edge
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxRobinhood
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxSofi Invest
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxtastytrade
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTD Ameritrade
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTradeStation
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTradier
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxVanguard
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxWebull

Compare

0 of 5
× Fidelity

Trade at Fidelity. 1

Visit Site

× Vanguard
Sponsored

+ Add Broker

Close Menu ×
navigate_before navigate_next
Overall RatingFidelityVanguard
Overall 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Investment Options 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 4.5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 5/5 Stars 2/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Customer Service 4.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Education 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Ease Of Use 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Fidelity Review Vanguard Review
Trading FeesFidelityVanguard
Minimum Deposit $0.00 $0.00
Stock Trades $0.00 $0.00
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) $0.00 $0.00
Mutual Fund Trade Fee $49.95 Varies
Options (Base Fee) $0.00 $0.00
Options (Per Contract) $0.65 $1.00
Futures (Per Contract) N/A N/A
Broker Assisted Trade Fee $32.95 $25
Margin RatesFidelityVanguard
Margin Rate Under $25,000 13.08% 13.25% info
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 12.58% 12.75%
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 11.63% 12.25%
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 11.58% 11.75%
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 11.33% 11.25%
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 9.00% 10.00%
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 8.75% Varies info
Account FeesFidelityVanguard
IRA Annual Fee $0.00 $20.00
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 OptionsFidelityVanguard
Stock Trading Yes Yes
Margin Trading Yes Yes
Fractional Shares Yes No
OTC Stocks Yes Yes
Options Trading Yes Yes
Complex Options Max Legs 4 4
Futures Trading No No
Forex Trading No No
Crypto Trading No No
Crypto Trading - Total Coins 0 0
Mutual Funds (No Load) 5843 N/A
Mutual Funds (Total) 10000 N/A
Bonds (US Treasury) Yes Yes
Bonds (Corporate) Yes Yes
Bonds (Municipal) Yes Yes
Advisor Services Yes Yes
International Countries (Stocks) 25 0
Order TypesFidelityVanguard
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 No
Order Type - OCO Yes No
Order Type - OTO Yes No
Order Type - Broker Assisted Yes Yes
BeginnersFidelityVanguard
Education (Stocks) Yes Yes
Education (ETFs) Yes No
Education (Options) Yes No
Education (Mutual Funds) Yes No
Education (Bonds) Yes No
Education (Retirement) Yes Yes
Retirement Calculator Yes Yes
Investor Dictionary Yes No
Paper Trading No No
Videos Yes Yes
Webinars Yes No
Webinars (Archived) Yes No
Progress Tracking Yes No
Interactive Learning - Quizzes Yes No
Stock Trading AppsFidelityVanguard
iPhone App Yes Yes
Android App Yes Yes
Apple Watch App Yes No
Trading - Stocks Yes Yes
Trading - After-Hours Yes No
Trading - Simple Options Yes No
Trading - Complex Options Yes No
Order Ticket RT Quotes Yes Yes
Order Ticket SRT Quotes Yes No
SB Gallery - Mobile Apps
Stock App FeaturesFidelityVanguard
Market Movers (Top Gainers) Yes No
Stream Live TV Yes No
Videos on Demand Yes No
Stock Alerts Yes No
Option Chains Viewable Yes No
Watch List (Real-time) Yes No
Watch List (Streaming) Yes No
Watch Lists - Create & Manage Yes No
Watch Lists - Column Customization Yes No
Watch Lists - Total Fields 92 9
Stock App ChartingFidelityVanguard
Charting - After-Hours Yes No
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally Yes No
Charting - Multiple Time Frames Yes Yes
Charting - Technical Studies 129 0
Charting - Study Customizations Yes No
Charting - Stock Comparisons Yes No
Trading PlatformsFidelityVanguard
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
Watch Lists - Total Fields 92 9
Stock Chart FeaturesFidelityVanguard
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart Yes No
Charting - Indicators / Studies 129 9
Charting - Drawing Tools 37 0
Charting - Notes Yes No
Charting - Index Overlays Yes Yes
Charting - Historical Trades Yes No
Charting - Corporate Events Yes Yes
Charting - Custom Date Range Yes No
Charting - Custom Time Bars Yes No
Charting - Automated Analysis Yes No
Charting - Save Profiles Yes No
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis Yes No
Charting - Study Customizations 5 1
Charting - Custom Studies No No
Day TradingFidelityVanguard
Streaming Time & Sales Yes No
Streaming TV Yes No
Direct Market Routing - Stocks 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 OverviewFidelityVanguard
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 ResearchFidelityVanguard
Stock Research - PDF Reports 11 2
Stock Research - Earnings Yes Yes
Stock Research - Insiders Yes No
Stock Research - Social Yes No
Stock Research - News Yes Yes
Stock Research - ESG Yes No
Stock Research - SEC Filings Yes No
ETF ResearchFidelityVanguard
ETFs - Strategy Overview Yes No
ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date Yes No
ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio Yes No
ETF Fund Facts - Net Assets Yes No
ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings Yes No
ETFs - Top 10 Holdings Yes No
ETFs - Sector Exposure Yes No
ETFs - Risk Analysis Yes No
ETFs - Ratings Yes No
ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap Yes No
ETFs - PDF Reports Yes No
Mutual Fund ResearchFidelityVanguard
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 No
Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown Yes Yes
Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings Yes Yes
Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation Yes No
Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation Yes Yes
Mutual Funds - Country Allocation Yes No
Mutual Funds - StyleMap Yes Yes
Options TradingFidelityVanguard
Option Chains - Basic View Yes Yes
Option Chains - Strategy View Yes No
Option Chains - Streaming Yes No
Option Chains - Total Columns 26 9
Option Chains - Greeks 5 0
Option Chains - Quick Analysis Yes No
Option Analysis - P&L Charts Yes No
Option Probability Analysis Yes No
Option Probability Analysis Adv Yes No
Option Positions - Greeks Yes No
Option Positions - Greeks Streaming Yes No
Option Positions - Adv Analysis Yes No
Option Positions - Rolling Yes No
Option Positions - Grouping Yes No
BankingFidelityVanguard
Bank (Member FDIC) No No
Checking Accounts No No
Savings Accounts No No
Credit Cards Yes No
Debit Cards Yes No
Mortgage Loans No No
Customer ServiceFidelityVanguard
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 No
24/7 Support Yes No
OverallFidelityVanguard
Overall 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Investment Options 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 4.5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 5/5 Stars 2/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Education 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Ease Of Use 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Fidelity Review Vanguard Review
arrow_upward

Fidelity vs Vanguard Comparison

Comparing brokers side by side is no easy task. For our 2023 annual broker review, we spent hundreds of hours assessing 17 brokerages to find the best online broker. Let's compare Fidelity vs Vanguard.

Is Fidelity or Vanguard better for beginners?

Fidelity offers more comprehensive new investor education for beginner investors than Vanguard. Fidelity offers investors access to Videos, Education (Stocks), Education (ETFs), Education (Options), Education (Mutual Funds), Education (Bonds) and Education (Retirement), while Vanguard offers investors access to Videos, Education (Stocks) and Education (Retirement). Neither have Paper Trading. See our guide to Best Paper Trading Platforms for more.

What about Fidelity vs Vanguard pricing?

Fidelity and Vanguard charge the same amount for regular stock trades, $0.00. Option contracts are pricier at Vanguard, costing $1.00 per contract versus $0.65 per contract at Fidelity. For a complete commissions summary, see our best brokers for free stock trading guide.

Does Fidelity or Vanguard offer a wider range of investment options?

Fidelity offers investors access to Stock Trading, Fractional Shares, Options Trading, OTC Stocks, Mutual Funds and Advisor Services, while Vanguard offers investors access to Stock Trading, Options Trading, OTC Stocks, Mutual Funds and Advisor Services. Neither have Futures Trading and Forex Trading. Looking at Mutual Funds, Vanguard trails Fidelity in its offering of no transaction fee (NTF) mutual funds, with Fidelity offering 3401 and Vanguard offering .

Which trading platform is better: Fidelity or Vanguard?

To compare the trading platforms of Fidelity and Vanguard, 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.

Does either broker offer banking?

Online banking can be a benefit for investors, and some brokerages do provide banking services to customers. Debit Cards and Credit Cards are offered by Fidelity while Vanguard offers none. Neither have Checking Accounts, Savings Accounts and Mortgage Loans.

Is Fidelity good?

Our top pick overall for 2023, Fidelity is a value-driven online broker offering $0 trades, industry-leading research, excellent trading tools and an easy-to-use mobile app.

Is Vanguard good?

Vanguard is aimed squarely at buy-and-hold investors, and its platform reflects that focus. Vanguard is known for its low-cost funds, and the investment platform is really built for those looking to invest solely in mutual funds and ETFs.

Fidelity vs Vanguard Winner

Overall winner: Fidelity

Read Next

Explore our other online trading guides:

More Comparisons

Fidelity vs Interactive Brokers Fidelity vs Tradier Fidelity vs Ally Invest Fidelity vs TD Ameritrade Fidelity vs TradeStation Fidelity vs Robinhood Vanguard vs Tradier Vanguard vs Charles Schwab Vanguard vs Firstrade Vanguard vs J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing Vanguard vs Webull Vanguard vs TradeStation

Show all

1 Fidelity Sell orders are subject to an activity assessment fee from $0.01 to $0.03 per $1,000 of principal. Options trading entails significant risk and is not appropriate for all investors. Certain complex options strategies carry additional risk. Before trading options, please read Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options. Supporting documentation for any claims, if applicable, will be furnished upon request.

close
navigate_before navigate_next