Fidelity vs Vanguard

Updated November 2026 · AppBreakup editorial

Fidelity

Large US brokerage for stocks, funds, retirement accounts and trading, with web, mobile and desktop platforms.

Free plan + paid

Visit Fidelity Fidelity profile

Vanguard

US investment firm known for low-cost index funds, with its own brokerage account and app.

Free plan + paid

Visit Vanguard Vanguard profile

The short answer

Fidelity suits US investors who want one broker for trading, retirement and research, with $0 online stock, ETF and options commissions, a desktop platform and 24/7 support. Vanguard suits buy-and-hold savers who mainly want its low-cost index funds and ETFs and a simpler account. The biggest difference is depth: Fidelity offers more tools and products, Vanguard keeps things plain and fund-focused.

Fidelity or Vanguard: our take

Both are large US firms with no account minimum and no commission on online stock and ETF trades, and both are strong choices for IRAs and other retirement accounts. Where they differ is in who the platform is built for.

Fidelity is a full-service brokerage. Alongside stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, bonds and CDs it offers options, cash management, workplace 401(k) plans and crypto. It runs its own zero-expense-ratio index funds, lets beginners buy fractional shares, and gives active traders Fidelity Trader+, a desktop and web platform with advanced charts and order types. Options carry a $0.65 per contract fee, secondary bond trades cost $1.00 per bond online, and transaction-fee mutual funds cost $49.95 per purchase. Phone and chat support is available 24/7, and there are walk-in investor centres. The trade-off is a dense website and app that can feel overwhelming, and margin rates on small balances are high.

Vanguard is built around its own funds. Vanguard ETFs can be bought from $1, while its mutual funds have minimums from $1,000 to $50,000. For people who don't want to pick funds, Vanguard Digital Advisor builds and rebalances a portfolio for an annual fee, with a $100 account minimum. The website and app are deliberately plain: there is no crypto, and charting and research are basic compared with trading-focused platforms. For a long-term investor, that simplicity can be a feature rather than a flaw.

Pick Fidelity if you trade options or individual stocks, want desktop tools and research, or want retirement, taxable and cash accounts in one place with round-the-clock support. Pick Vanguard if you plan to buy a few broad index funds or ETFs and leave them alone, or want a low-cost robo-advisor without much else competing for your attention. Many investors who mainly hold index funds would be well served by either.

Choose Fidelity if…

US investors who want retirement and trading accounts in one place with strong research
You need Windows and macOS, which Vanguard doesn't list
No commission on online US stock, ETF and options trades
Zero-expense-ratio index mutual funds

Choose Vanguard if…

US buy-and-hold investors who want low-cost index funds and retirement accounts
Very low-cost index funds and ETFs from the company that pioneered them
No commission on online stock and ETF trades and no account minimum

What is Fidelity?

Fidelity Investments is one of the largest US brokerages and fund managers. A Fidelity account covers stocks, ETFs, options, mutual funds, bonds and CDs, plus retirement accounts, workplace 401(k) plans, cash management and crypto. Online US stock, ETF and options trades carry no commission, retail brokerage accounts have no minimum or account fee, and Fidelity runs its own index mutual funds with a zero expense ratio. Beginners can buy fractional shares and use the mobile app; active traders get Fidelity Trader+, its desktop and web platform with advanced charts and order types. Phone and chat support is available around the clock, and there are walk-in investor centres across the US. Paid wealth management and financial advisers sit on top for people who want help. It is generally aimed at US residents and suits investors who want one place for retirement savings and taxable investing, with deeper research than app-first brokers, at the cost of a busier interface.

What is Vanguard?

Vanguard is the US fund company that popularised low-cost index investing, and its brokerage account is where many long-term investors hold Vanguard's own ETFs and mutual funds. The account also trades individual stocks, other companies' ETFs and funds, bonds and CDs, with no commission on online stock and ETF trades and no account minimum. Vanguard ETFs can be bought from $1, while its mutual funds carry higher minimums. For people who don't want to pick funds themselves, Vanguard Digital Advisor builds and rebalances a portfolio for an annual fee, starting from $100 in an account. Retirement accounts (IRAs, 401(k) rollovers) are a big part of its business. The website and app are built for buy-and-hold investors rather than active traders: there is no crypto, research and charting are basic, and the app is plain compared with Robinhood or Webull. It suits savers in the US who want cheap, diversified funds and few distractions.

Side by side

Attribute	Fidelity	Vanguard
Pricing	Free plan + paid	Free plan + paid
Open source	No	No
Self-hostable	No	No
Platforms	Web, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS	Web, iOS, Android
Best for	US investors who want retirement and trading accounts in one place with strong research	US buy-and-hold investors who want low-cost index funds and retirement accounts
Status	Active	Active

Verified facts, compared

Facts both apps publish, checked on each vendor's own site.

Fact	Fidelity	Vanguard
Account minimum	$0 (retail brokerage)	$0