Compare brokers side by side before you choose.

Compare trust, fees, platforms, and withdrawals. See the trade-offs and details worth checking before you choose.

Choose brokers

Pick 2-4 brokers to compare

The comparison reads the same evidence fields used by broker profiles, so users can scan scores, regulation, costs, platforms, withdrawals, and caveats side by side.

Broker 1

Broker 2

VS field	Bell Direct belldirect.com.au ETF BrokerOptions BrokerOption	Fidelity fidelity.com Stock BrokerETF BrokerETF
Decision summary
Overall score

Trust score	84	100

Cost score	78	89

Platform score	82	94

Withdrawal score	74	89

Best for	Australian ASX stock and ETF investors · Frequent traders who can use Direct Investment Account tiered brokerage · Investors who value Bell Potter research, ETF filters, tax repor…	Evidence supports Fidelity as a U.S.-focused, highly regulated multi-asset broker for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, bonds/CDs, options, cash management, managed portfolios, and sepa…

Watch out	Needs verification	Needs verification

Trust & regulation
Regulators	Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) via Australian Financial Services Licence regime Source	Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC is SEC registered and regulated by FINRA; FBS and NFS are members of NYSE and SIPC. Source
License numbers	AFSL 314341; ABN 74 121 227 905 Source	FBS CRD# 7784 / SEC# 8-23292; NFS CRD# 13041 / SEC# 801-50706, 8-26740. Source
Regulated entities	Third Party Platform Pty Ltd trading as Bell Direct; ABN 74 121 227 905 Source	Primary securities brokerage entities are Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC (FBS) and National Financial Services LLC (NFS), each member NYSE/SIPC; advisory and crypto entities differ by product. Source
Negative balance protection	Negative-balance protection is not a stated feature for this stockbroker; margin lending carries margin-call risk. Source	Not applicable/not disclosed as a CFD-style negative balance protection policy; margin trading can create debt/interest obligations. Source
Investor compensation	Australian compensation includes PI insurance/possible NGF claims; US DriveWealth holdings have SIPC protection limits. Source	SIPC coverage up to $500,000/$250,000 cash plus Fidelity excess SIPC; FDIC sweep coverage may apply to eligible cash programs; important exclusions apply. Source
Restricted countries	Primarily Australia-oriented; full country availability not disclosed Source	U.S.-persons focused; sanctioned countries/prohibited parties restricted; no exhaustive country availability list found. Source

Trust & regulation

Regulators

Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) via Australian Financial Services Licence regime

Source

Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC is SEC registered and regulated by FINRA; FBS and NFS are members of NYSE and SIPC.

Source

License numbers

AFSL 314341; ABN 74 121 227 905

Source

FBS CRD# 7784 / SEC# 8-23292; NFS CRD# 13041 / SEC# 801-50706, 8-26740.

Source

Regulated entities

Third Party Platform Pty Ltd trading as Bell Direct; ABN 74 121 227 905

Source

Primary securities brokerage entities are Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC (FBS) and National Financial Services LLC (NFS), each member NYSE/SIPC; advisory and crypto entities differ by product.

Source

Negative balance protection

Negative-balance protection is not a stated feature for this stockbroker; margin lending carries margin-call risk.

Source

Not applicable/not disclosed as a CFD-style negative balance protection policy; margin trading can create debt/interest obligations.

Source

Investor compensation

Australian compensation includes PI insurance/possible NGF claims; US DriveWealth holdings have SIPC protection limits.

Source

SIPC coverage up to $500,000/$250,000 cash plus Fidelity excess SIPC; FDIC sweep coverage may apply to eligible cash programs; important exclusions apply.

Source

Restricted countries

Primarily Australia-oriented; full country availability not disclosed

Source

U.S.-persons focused; sanctioned countries/prohibited parties restricted; no exhaustive country availability list found.

Source

Costs & account conditions
Minimum deposit	No minimum balance for Direct Investment Account; US trading has US$300 transfer and buy minimums. Source	$0 to open a retail brokerage account; Fidelity states no account minimum and ability to invest with as little as $1; exceptions apply by account/product. Source
Spread from	Not applicable or not broker-level for this investment-platform profile; review if leveraged products apply. Source	Not applicable to Fidelity's core U.S. stock/ETF brokerage model; securities trade by exchange/market prices rather than quoted CFD/FX spreads. Source
Commission	Direct Investment Account Australian equities/ETF brokerage starts at AUD $5 for trades up to $1,000 and scales by size/monthly activity. Source	$0 online U.S. stock and ETF trades; $0 online options commission plus $0.65/contract; other product/service fees apply. Source
Maximum leverage	No broker-wide maximum leverage disclosed; margin lending terms are portfolio/security dependent. Source	No universal maximum leverage ratio disclosed for Fidelity retail brokerage; margin borrowing is available subject to approval and margin requirements/rates rather than a single max leverage figure. Source
Deposit fee	Standard deposit fees were not disclosed in checked public fee pages. Source	$0 Fidelity fee for EFT and Fidelity does not charge wire fees; external banks may charge. Source
Withdrawal fee	Standard domestic withdrawal fees were not disclosed in checked public fee pages. Source	$0 Fidelity fee for EFT and domestic bank wire withdrawals; foreign exchange wire up to 3% of principal; receiving bank may charge. Source
Inactivity fee	No inactivity fee found in checked public fee schedules. Source	No explicit inactivity-fee line found in official fee schedule; official account pages state no retail brokerage account fees/no account or subscription fees. Treat as needs manual confirmation before publishing as '$0 inactivity fee'. Source

Costs & account conditions

Minimum deposit

No minimum balance for Direct Investment Account; US trading has US$300 transfer and buy minimums.

Source

$0 to open a retail brokerage account; Fidelity states no account minimum and ability to invest with as little as $1; exceptions apply by account/product.

Source

Spread from

Not applicable or not broker-level for this investment-platform profile; review if leveraged products apply.

Source

Not applicable to Fidelity's core U.S. stock/ETF brokerage model; securities trade by exchange/market prices rather than quoted CFD/FX spreads.

Source

Commission

Direct Investment Account Australian equities/ETF brokerage starts at AUD $5 for trades up to $1,000 and scales by size/monthly activity.

Source

$0 online U.S. stock and ETF trades; $0 online options commission plus $0.65/contract; other product/service fees apply.

Source

Maximum leverage

No broker-wide maximum leverage disclosed; margin lending terms are portfolio/security dependent.

Source

No universal maximum leverage ratio disclosed for Fidelity retail brokerage; margin borrowing is available subject to approval and margin requirements/rates rather than a single max leverage figure.

Source

Deposit fee

Standard deposit fees were not disclosed in checked public fee pages.

Source

$0 Fidelity fee for EFT and Fidelity does not charge wire fees; external banks may charge.

Source

Withdrawal fee

Standard domestic withdrawal fees were not disclosed in checked public fee pages.

Source

$0 Fidelity fee for EFT and domestic bank wire withdrawals; foreign exchange wire up to 3% of principal; receiving bank may charge.

Source

Inactivity fee

No inactivity fee found in checked public fee schedules.

Source

No explicit inactivity-fee line found in official fee schedule; official account pages state no retail brokerage account fees/no account or subscription fees. Treat as needs manual confirmation before publishing as '$0 inactivity fee'.

Source

Markets, platforms & payments
Tradable assets	ASX securities, equities, ETFs, warrants, interest-rate securities/XTBs, ETOs, IPOs, US shares/ETFs/ETNs/ADRs, and mFunds subject to transition. Source	Stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, options, crypto, fixed income, bonds and CDs; Fidelity says stocks include domestic and international. Source
Trading platforms	Website, supported mobile devices/smartphone app and WebIRESS are disclosed order channels. Source	Fidelity.com, Fidelity mobile app, Fidelity Trader+ Web/Desktop/Mobile mode, and legacy Active Trader Pro Classic. Source
Account types	Domestic accounts support investors, companies, trusts and SMSFs; US trading currently limited to eligible individual accounts. Source	Broad account menu including taxable brokerage, retirement/IRA, cash management, HSA, custodial/youth, education, trust/business, managed and crypto accounts. Source
Deposit methods	Funding is via Direct Investment Account/Bell Financial Trust or Macquarie CMA; US trading uses AUD-to-USD transfer inside the platform. Source	EFT/ACH, bank wire, check/mobile check, direct deposit, recurring deposit, Fidelity-to-Fidelity/account transfer, transfer of assets, and eligible payment apps. Source
Withdrawal methods	Withdrawals go to a nominated external bank account; USD can be converted back to AUD before domestic withdrawal. Source	EFT/ACH, bank wire, paper check, Fidelity-to-Fidelity transfers, third-party/person-to-person transfers and eligible debit card/ATM access. Source
Withdrawal processing time	Domestic withdrawal processing is same day before 2:30pm AEDT, with funds expected next working day; after cutoff, processed next business day. Source	EFT withdrawals 1-3 business days; bank wire same day if submitted by 4 p.m. ET; paper check about 5-6 days. Source

Markets, platforms & payments

Tradable assets

ASX securities, equities, ETFs, warrants, interest-rate securities/XTBs, ETOs, IPOs, US shares/ETFs/ETNs/ADRs, and mFunds subject to transition.

Source

Stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, options, crypto, fixed income, bonds and CDs; Fidelity says stocks include domestic and international.

Source

Trading platforms

Website, supported mobile devices/smartphone app and WebIRESS are disclosed order channels.

Source

Fidelity.com, Fidelity mobile app, Fidelity Trader+ Web/Desktop/Mobile mode, and legacy Active Trader Pro Classic.

Source

Account types

Domestic accounts support investors, companies, trusts and SMSFs; US trading currently limited to eligible individual accounts.

Source

Broad account menu including taxable brokerage, retirement/IRA, cash management, HSA, custodial/youth, education, trust/business, managed and crypto accounts.

Source

Deposit methods

Funding is via Direct Investment Account/Bell Financial Trust or Macquarie CMA; US trading uses AUD-to-USD transfer inside the platform.

Source

EFT/ACH, bank wire, check/mobile check, direct deposit, recurring deposit, Fidelity-to-Fidelity/account transfer, transfer of assets, and eligible payment apps.

Source

Withdrawal methods

Withdrawals go to a nominated external bank account; USD can be converted back to AUD before domestic withdrawal.

Source

EFT/ACH, bank wire, paper check, Fidelity-to-Fidelity transfers, third-party/person-to-person transfers and eligible debit card/ATM access.

Source

Withdrawal processing time

Domestic withdrawal processing is same day before 2:30pm AEDT, with funds expected next working day; after cutoff, processed next business day.

Source

EFT withdrawals 1-3 business days; bank wire same day if submitted by 4 p.m. ET; paper check about 5-6 days.

Source

Loading broker comparison

Compare brokers side by side before you choose.

Pick 2-4 brokers to compare