Fidelity review
Updated September 28, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
Fidelity is a US brokerage that suits investors who want to hold and trade without a standing charge: its minimum deposit, account fee and inactivity fee all sit at $0, $0 and $0. Stock dealing is commission-free, with SIPC protection recorded as SIPC up to USD 500,000.
Key facts
- Best for
- US investors who want commission-free stock dealing with no standing account charge.
- Minimum deposit
- $0 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Stock trade fee
- $0 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Account fee
- $0 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Inactivity fee
- $0 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Markets
- Stocks, ETFs, Options, Bonds, Funds, Futures, Forex (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Regulators
- SEC, FINRA, SIPC (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Investor protection
- SIPC up to USD 500,000 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Margin rate
- 12.375% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Options contract fee
- $0.65 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Account types
- IRA, Roth-IRA, Joint (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- FIDELITY BROKERAGE SERVICES LLC (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- United States (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Founded
- 1946 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Phone, Community (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Features
- Fractional shares, Demo account, Mobile app, Crypto, Options, Futures
- Pricing model
- Commission-free
- Audience
- Beginners, Experienced traders
- Official website
- fidelity.com
Robo-advisors
- Regulators
- SEC, FINRA, SIPC (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Investor protection
- SIPC up to USD 500,000 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Account types
- IRA, Roth-IRA, Joint (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Portfolio types
- ETF, ESG, Crypto (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- FIDELITY BROKERAGE SERVICES LLC (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- United States (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Founded
- 1946 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Phone, Community (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Pros and cons
Pros
- Costs sit at the floor: stock trade fee $0, account fee $0, inactivity fee $0 and minimum deposit $0
- The client entity is listed on the SIPC register as SIPC member 23292, with protection recorded at SIPC up to USD 500,000
- Account types cover retirement and shared holdings: ira, roth ira and joint
- One account covers stocks, etfs and options, with fractional shares and a mobile app in fractional shares, demo account and mobile app
Cons
- Support runs on phone and community only, so that list carries no chat or email channel
- Options contracts cost $0.65 each, the main charge where stock dealing is free
- Margin borrowing is priced at 12.375%, a cost on top of the free equity dealing
Who it suits
- Retirement savers, since ira, roth ira and joint are all listed as account types
- Buyers investing small amounts, as fractional shares sit in fractional shares, demo account and mobile app
- Traders who want stocks, bonds, funds, options, futures and forex in one place, as stocks, etfs and options shows
Who should look elsewhere
- Traders who want CFDs, since stocks, etfs and options leaves them out and CFI lists stocks, etfs and forex
- Anyone who prefers a required opening deposit, since $0 sets none where Vantage asks $5
How your money is protected
Fidelity is regulated in the US by SEC, FINRA and SIPC. The client entity is FIDELITY BROKERAGE SERVICES LLC, and it appears on the SIPC register as SIPC member 23292. Investor protection is recorded as SIPC up to USD 500,000, a limit on missing customer property rather than a cover for market losses, so a holding that falls in value is not protected by the scheme.
The company behind it
The brokerage behind the accounts is FIDELITY BROKERAGE SERVICES LLC, based in the United States and founded in 1946. Support runs on phone and community, meaning phone and a community forum, and the account types listed are ira, roth ira and joint. Its member entry reads SIPC member 23292, which ties the account to the US protection scheme.
How Fidelity compares
Fidelity vs Nexo9.5 vs 9.0
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MarketScreener
9.5 vs 9.4
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9.5 vs 9.0
Fidelity vs XTB9.5 vs 9.3
Fidelity vs NAGA9.5 vs 8.7
Fidelity vs UNest9.5 vs 8.6
Fidelity vs eToro9.5 vs 9.2eToro lists stocks, etfs and forex, adding contracts and futures where stocks, etfs and options leans on bonds and funds
9.5 vs 8.7
Kitco
9.5 vs 9.1
Fidelity vs EBC Financial Group9.5 vs 9.0
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Vaulted
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XM VN
- Fidelity vs Nexo
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- Fidelity vs UNest
- Fidelity vs eToro
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- Fidelity vs bunq
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- Fidelity vs Lightyear
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Where Fidelity is available
- Available
- United States
- Licence in United States
- SEC, checked September 26, 2026
- Licence in United States
- FINRA, checked September 26, 2026
- Licence in United States
- SIPC (SIPC member 23292), checked September 26, 2026
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What does it cost to trade stocks at Fidelity?+
Stock dealing is commission-free, with a stock trade fee of $0. The account fee is $0 and the minimum deposit is $0, so there is no standing charge to hold the account. Options contracts are the exception, at $0.65 each.
Is there an inactivity fee if I stop trading?+
The inactivity fee is $0, so an idle account is not charged for sitting still. On the site it ranks 1 of 56 brands measured for that fee. With the account fee at $0, a dormant account carries no listed running cost.
How much investor protection do I get in the US?+
Fidelity is regulated in the US by the bodies named in SEC, FINRA and SIPC. Investor protection is recorded as SIPC up to USD 500,000, and the client entity appears on the SIPC register as SIPC member 23292. That scheme covers missing customer property, not market losses on a holding that falls in value.
Which account types can I open?+
The account types listed are ira, roth ira and joint, so retirement accounts and a joint account are available. The minimum deposit is $0 and the account fee is $0, so the cost side does not shift with the account type. Model portfolios cover the categories in etf, esg and crypto.
What can I actually trade?+
The markets list covers stocks, etfs and options, from shares and ETFs through bonds, funds, options, futures and forex. Crypto and fractional shares sit in fractional shares, demo account and mobile app alongside a mobile app and a demo account. Margin borrowing is priced at 12.375%.
Is Fidelity a good fit for a beginner?+
It suits a first account because the minimum deposit is $0 and fractional shares let small sums be invested, both of which lower the entry bar. The audience listing in beginners and experienced covers beginners and experienced traders, and a mobile app is in fractional shares, demo account and mobile app for running the account away from a desk.
How do I get help if something goes wrong?+
Support runs on phone and community, which lists phone and a community forum. That list carries no chat or email channel, so questions go through phone or the community. The US regulators in SEC, FINRA and SIPC are the route for a formal complaint about the firm.
Sources
- sipc.org/list-of-members checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Legal entity, Licences
“reportingFileNumber=23292; name=FIDELITY BROKERAGE SERVICES LLC”
- about.fidelity.com checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Portfolio types
“ETFs; Sustainable Investing; Crypto”
- editorialge.com/us-brokerage-accounts-by-fees-and-features checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Audience, Features, Account fee, Minimum deposit, Markets
“strong research, retirement tools - Fidelity Brokerage Account”
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fidelity_Investments checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Founded, Headquarters, Investor protection, Regulators
“Fidelity Investments founded 1946”
- brokerage-review.com/better-compare/fidelity-vs-thinkorsw... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Margin rate
“Fidelity Margin Rate 12.375%”
- brokerage-review.com/better-compare/fidelity-vs-vanguard.... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Inactivity fee, Pricing model, Options contract fee, Stock trade fee, Account types
“Fidelity Maintenance Fee $0 - Fidelity Brokerage Account”
- fidelity.com checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Support channels
“For 24x7 support, please call 800-544-6666”
Compiled from 7 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Retail accounts that lose money.
Fidelity
US investors who want commission-free stock dealing with no standing account charge.