Fidelity Review 2026 — Fees, Research & Features
Fidelity is one of the largest and most trusted brokerages in the world, with $14.5 trillion in assets under administration. It offers zero-commission trading, excellent research, and industry-leading retirement accounts. Fidelity is also one of the few traditional brokers to offer spot Bitcoin and Ethereum trading directly.
At a Glance
| Founded | 1946 |
| Headquarters | Boston, MA |
| Regulation | SEC, FINRA, SIPC insured ($500K) |
| Commission | $0 stocks/ETFs, $0 options ($0.65/contract) |
| Mutual Funds | 3,500+ no-transaction-fee funds |
| Crypto | Bitcoin and Ethereum (spot, not futures) |
| Account Minimum | $0 |
| Mobile App | iOS & Android (4.8★) |
Fees
Fidelity charges $0 for stock and ETF trades, $0.65 per options contract, and offers 3,500+ no-transaction-fee mutual funds. This is competitive with Schwab and better than Vanguard (which charges $0 for stocks but $20/year for accounts under $5M unless you opt for electronic delivery). Fidelity's money market funds (e.g., FDRXX, SPAXX) offer competitive yields (4.5%+) as a default cash position — a feature Schwab and Vanguard lack.
Research & Tools
Fidelity's research is best-in-class. It offers full-length analyst reports from 20+ third-party providers (Zacks, Argus, Ned Davis, etc.), advanced screeners, technical analysis charting with 100+ indicators, and fixed-income analysis tools. The Active Trader Pro desktop platform is powerful, though the interface feels dated compared to newer brokers like Robinhood.
Retirement Accounts
Fidelity dominates retirement investing. Its IRAs have no minimums, no annual fees, and offer fractional shares of stocks and ETFs. The Solo 401(k) and SEP IRA options for self-employed are among the best. Fidelity also offers a unique "Fidelity Crypto" feature allowing direct Bitcoin and Ethereum investment within retirement accounts — the first major broker to do so. Roth IRA conversions, backdoor Roth, and Mega Backdoor Roth are all supported.
Crypto Trading
Fidelity offers direct spot Bitcoin and Ethereum trading through Fidelity Crypto. Fees are 1% (higher than Coinbase or Kraken, but competitive for a traditional brokerage). The feature is integrated directly into the Fidelity app and retirement accounts. This is ideal for investors who want a single platform for stocks, bonds, and crypto, but active crypto traders will prefer dedicated exchanges.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Excellent research (20+ providers)
- Best-in-class retirement accounts
- Direct crypto trading in IRAs
- Competitive money market yields
- $0 commissions, no minimums
- Fractional shares for stocks and ETFs
Cons
- Crypto fees (1%) are high
- Active Trader Pro feels dated
- No futures or forex trading
- Customer service wait times have increased
- International trading limited
Verdict
Fidelity is the best all-around broker for most investors. Its combination of $0 commissions, outstanding research, excellent retirement accounts, and unique crypto integration make it hard to beat. The only reason to choose Schwab or Vanguard over Fidelity is if you prefer their specific research platforms or mutual fund families. For the vast majority of long-term investors, Fidelity is the clear first choice.
Best for: Long-term investors, retirement savers, buy-and-hold ETF investors, combined stock + crypto portfolios.
Not ideal for: Active day traders (IBKR has better margin rates), traders needing futures/forex.