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Vanguard vs Fidelity

Vanguard is a good choice for ETF and mutual fund investors interested in Vanguard-sponsored investments. How does it compare to Fidelity? Read our comparison chart below.

Vanguard offers $0 commission on stock and ETF online trades, $0 commission on Vanguard mutual funds, and no minimum deposit.

While Fidelity offers stock trades at $0 per trade and more than 180 branch locations. There is no minimum deposit.

Compare Vanguard with Fidelity, side-by-side. Read on for an in-depth look, including ratings, reviews, pros and cons.

 

Vanguard

Fidelity

Norton Internet Security 60-day free subscription - Learn More

Read Vanguard Review

SPECIAL OFFER
Commission-Free Trading - Online Stock, ETF and Option Trades - Learn More

Read Fidelity Review

 

Benefits and Features

Stock Trading
$0
$0 per trade
Options Trading$0 + $1-per-contract fee. Discounts available if you have more than $1 million assets invested in Vanguard ETFs and mutual funds$0 per online trade, plus $0.65 per contract
Annual Fee 
None
Cryptocurrency Trading 
No
Minimum Deposit
$0
$0
Mutual Fund Trading
$0 for Vanguard mutual funds
  • $0 transaction fee for Fidelity funds
  • $0 on purchase for NTF (no transaction fee) non-Fidelity funds. ($49.95 on redemption if held less than 60 days)
  • $49.95 on purchase for non-Fidelity funds; $0 on redemption. (Certain funds may have a $75 transaction fee).
Commission Free ETFsAround 1,800 ETFs from about 100 other companies357 including 28 Fidelity factor, sector, stock, and bond ETFs and 329 iShares® ETFs
Phone Support 
(800) 343-3548; available 24/7
Live Chat Support 
No
Email Support 
Yes
Human Advisors Optional coaching or investment management with human advisors (for added fees)
Robo Advisor Optional Fidelity Go robo-advisory service
Assets Under Management 
$4.9 Trillion
Tax Loss Harvesting 
No
Goal Tracker 
Yes
Automatic Deposits 
Yes
Broker Assisted Trades
$25.00
$32.95 per trade for representative-assisted trades.
Customer Service
Monday-Friday 8am -10pm ET
 
Good For More experienced DIY investors; Mutual fund investors
Inactivity Fee
$0
$0
Maintenance Fee$20/year. Waived if account owner signs up for e-delivery service OR have at least $10,000 in Vanguard ETFs and mutual funds
$0 account service fee
Online Platform Yes (access to Active Trader Pro is available to those who trade 36 times or more in a rolling 12 month period)
iPhone App 
Yes (4.8 stars, 1.7m ratings)
Android App 
Yes (4.5 stars, 97k ratings)
Banking
No
Fidelity Cash Management Account includes reimbursed ATM fees, no monthly fee, no minimum balance requirement, FDIC insurance, mobile check deposit, free billpay and free checkwriting.
Mobile App
Yes
Check
Desktop App
Yes
 
Two-Factor Authentication 
Yes
Forex Trading
Yes
 
Futures Trading
No
 
Locations
No
More than 180
Online Community
No
Yes, it has an investor forum
Seminars
Yes
Yes, frequent webinars and courses for beginners
Virtual Trading
No
No
Fractional Shares 
Yes
Taxable Accounts 
Yes
401k Plans 
Yes
IRA Accounts 
Yes
Roth IRA Accounts 
Yes
SEP IRA Accounts 
Yes
Trust Accounts 
Yes
529 Plans 
Yes
 

CreditDonkey® Reviews

Stock TradingStarStarStarEmpty StarEmpty StarStarStarStarStarEmpty Star
Options TradingStarStarStarStarEmpty StarStarStarStarStarEmpty Star
Mutual Fund TradingStarStarStarStarStarStarStarStarStarHalf Star
Mobile AppStarStarStarEmpty StarEmpty StarStarStarStarStarEmpty Star
Commissions and FeesStarStarStarStarEmpty StarStarStarStarStarEmpty Star
Ease of UseStarStarStarStarStar
ResearchStarStarStarHalf StarEmpty StarStarStarStarStarStar
BankingStarStarStarStarStar
Pros & ConsPros:
  • Large selection of mutual funds and commission-free ETFs
  • Broker assistance is available at no additional cost
  • Easy to use
Cons:
  • Commission structure penalizes frequent traders
  • Customer service wait times
  • Commission costs on non-Vanguard investment options
Pros:
  • Research reports
  • Beginner-friendly tools
  • Mobile app
Cons:
  • Restricted platform
Bottom LineGood choice for ETF and mutual fund investors interested in Vanguard-sponsored investments... Read full reviewComprehensive online broker with in-depth research... Read full review

Blank fields may indicate the information is not available, not applicable, or not known to CreditDonkey. Please visit the product website for details.

Vanguard: Pricing information from published websites as of 09/15/2019.

Fidelity: Pricing information from published website as of 12/05/2020.

Which is Better: Vanguard or Fidelity?

Still need help deciding which investing is better? Read the in-depth reviews below. You may also be interested in comparing Vanguard or eToro.

In short: Fidelity's stock trading, mobile app, and research are notable. In particular, the research is excellent.


Articles on Vanguard

Vanguard Brokerage Review

Vanguard Brokerage may be a full-service broker, but typically long-term investors preferring ETFs and mutual funds see the greatest return on their investment with them.

Articles on Fidelity

Fidelity Investments

Thinking of opening a brokerage account with Fidelity? There are many reasons to love Fidelity and a few reasons to think about going elsewhere.

Which Do You Think is Best?





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