Compare brokers side by side before you choose.
Pick up to four brokers and quickly spot the differences that change a decision: trust, fees, platforms, withdrawals, restrictions, and notes you should verify.
Built for final-shortlist moments: select brokers, scan the trade-offs, then open the profile for deeper source notes.
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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 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
Decision summary | ||
| Overall score | 85 | 91 |
| Trust score | 86 | 100 |
| Cost score | 94 | 89 |
| Platform score | 79 | 94 |
| Withdrawal score | 73 | 89 |
| Best for | Cost-sensitive options traders · Self-directed U.S. stock and ETF investors · Investors seeking no-minimum brokerage or IRA accounts | 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 | Broker-dealer regulated by FINRA; SEC broker-dealer registration shown on BrokerCheck. Source | Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC is SEC registered and regulated by FINRA; FBS and NFS are members of NYSE and SIPC. Source |
| License numbers | CRD# 16843; SEC# 8-34642 Source | FBS CRD# 7784 / SEC# 8-23292; NFS CRD# 13041 / SEC# 801-50706, 8-26740. Source |
| Regulated entities | Firstrade Securities Inc. 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 | No CFD-style negative balance protection; margin trading losses may exceed deposited principal. Source | Not applicable/not disclosed as a CFD-style negative balance protection policy; margin trading can create debt/interest obligations. Source |
| Investor compensation | SIPC up to $500,000 including $250,000 cash; excess coverage via Apex up to aggregate $150 million / $37.5 million per customer including $900,000 cash. 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 | Full restricted-country list not disclosed; international page lists supported regions and site disclaims jurisdictions where Firstrade is not authorized. Source | U.S.-persons focused; sanctioned countries/prohibited parties restricted; no exhaustive country availability list found. Source |
Costs & account conditions | ||
| Minimum deposit | $0 minimum initial deposit / no 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 | $0 online stock, ETF, options, and mutual fund trades; $0 options contract fee; most fixed income on net-yield basis; primary market CDs $30. 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 | Maximum leverage not disclosed as a simple ratio; U.S. margin accounts are subject to margin rules and product-level requirements. 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 | ACH electronic transfer $0; incoming wire/account transfer fees not explicitly disclosed on checked fee page. Source | $0 Fidelity fee for EFT and Fidelity does not charge wire fees; external banks may charge. Source |
| Withdrawal fee | ACH $0; regular check $0; domestic/foreign outgoing wire $25; overnight check $50; ACAT transfer out $75; partial ACAT transfer out $55. 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 fees. 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 | Stocks, ETFs, options, mutual funds, fixed income including Treasuries, municipal bonds, agency bonds, zeros/strips, and CDs. Source | Stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, options, crypto, fixed income, bonds and CDs; Fidelity says stocks include domestic and international. Source |
| Trading platforms | Web platform, iOS app, Android app, and Options Wizard/OptionsPlay analytics. Source | Fidelity.com, Fidelity mobile app, Fidelity Trader+ Web/Desktop/Mobile mode, and legacy Active Trader Pro Classic. Source |
| Account types | Individual/joint/custodial brokerage; Traditional/Roth/Rollover/SEP/SIMPLE IRA; Coverdell ESA; trust/estate; international individual; cash management. Source | Broad account menu including taxable brokerage, retirement/IRA, cash management, HSA, custodial/youth, education, trust/business, managed and crypto accounts. Source |
| Deposit methods | ACH electronic funds transfer, wire transfer, and ACAT/account transfer. 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 | ACH transfer, outgoing domestic/international wire, regular check, and overnight check. 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 | Withdrawal processing time not found in checked official public funding and fee pages. 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 |
BrokerVS provides broker comparison research only. Scores and evidence can vary by country, account type, and legal entity; users should verify source links before opening an account.