Is Fidelity a good brokerage?

There's a reason Fidelity is the third largest brokerage firm in the world. It's excellent at what it does, and millions of families trust the broker with their money and investments.

Does Fidelity charge any fees?

Fidelity has no account minimums and zero commissions for U.S. stock, ETF, and options trades. However, certain mutual funds and third-party services may come with fees, so it's always good to double-check before investing.

Can I buy crypto on Fidelity?

Yes, you'll need to open a separate Fidelity Crypto account to do this. But if your primary goal is to trade crypto, you're probably better off going through a specialized crypto-exchange.

Fidelity Review 2025: Why I Recommend It to Everyone I Meet

I'm loyal to only a handful of financial companies -- and Fidelity is one of them. It's the firm I recommend to pretty much everyone, from total beginners to seasoned investors.

I've personally used Fidelity for more than 10 years, and right now, I manage 11 separate accounts on its platform. That includes:

2 brokerage accounts (a personal and a joint account with my wife)
2 IRAs (a Roth and a traditional)
A health savings account (HSA)
A cash management account
5 custodial brokerage accounts for my kids and nephews

I trust Fidelity with my family's future. And unless something wild happens, I plan to stick with it for the next decade, and likely beyond.

Here's my honest Fidelity review, and what I love most about it.

Ratings Methodology

Fidelity

Our Rating:

5.0/5

Bottom Line

Fidelity’s brokerage account offers free tools and $0 commission for online U.S. stock and ETF trades.* Investors can access a wide range of options, from stocks and mutual funds to crypto. Get an all-in-one view of live data and charts with the Fidelity Trading Dashboard, set up recurring investments, and enjoy 24/7 support from investing professionals. You can also potentially earn more on uninvested cash with a money market fund.**

Fees:

$0 commission for online U.S. stock and ETFs*. No account fees****.

Account Minimum:

$0****

How we rate stock brokers

At Motley Fool Money, brokerages are rated on a scale of one to five stars. We primarily focus on fees, available assets, and user experience; however, we also take into account features like research, education, tax-loss harvesting, and customer service. Our highest-rated brokerages generally include low fees, a diverse range of assets and account types, and useful platform features.

Our aim is to maintain a balanced best-of list featuring top-scoring brokerages from reputable brands. Ordering within lists is influenced by advertiser compensation, including featured placements at the top of a given list, but our product recommendations are NEVER influenced by advertisers. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates brokerage accounts.

How we rate stock brokers

At Motley Fool Money, brokerages are rated on a scale of one to five stars. We primarily focus on fees, available assets, and user experience; however, we also take into account features like research, education, tax-loss harvesting, and customer service. Our highest-rated brokerages generally include low fees, a diverse range of assets and account types, and useful platform features.

Our aim is to maintain a balanced best-of list featuring top-scoring brokerages from reputable brands. Ordering within lists is influenced by advertiser compensation, including featured placements at the top of a given list, but our product recommendations are NEVER influenced by advertisers. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates brokerage accounts.

What I like about Fidelity

There are a ton of reasons why I stick with Fidelity over other brokerage firms. Here are the biggest wins that keep me coming back.

No account fees, and no minimums

Account fees are a pet peeve of mine. So I only bank and invest with places that don't charge any. Fidelity offers no account minimums and no monthly maintenance fees. Better yet, many of its transaction fees for trading ETFs and funds are waived too.

This is extremely important for beginner investors. You don't want to be hit with sneaky fees that take away from the wealth pile you're trying to build.

Zero expense ratio index funds

Fidelity recently introduced zero expense ratio index mutual funds. A big chunk of my long-term investments are parked in FZROX, which is Fidelity's Total Market Index Fund that charges a 0% expense ratio.

That means every single dollar I invest is working for me. Nothing is getting skimmed off the top.

Here's a screenshot of the funds it offers with 0% expense ratio (these also have no minimums to invest!)

Image source: Fidelity.com

Amazing customer service (even on weekends)

I don't have time to call financial companies during the week, so I love that Fidelity's support lines are open on Saturdays and Sundays. Its reps have walked me through some pretty complex stuff -- like rolling over a 401(k) or transferring assets from brokerage to brokerage.

Fidelity's remote support is excellent, but it also has physical investor centers if you ever need in-person help or want to work with an advisor. I've visited a few over the years, but most of my questions get handled right over the phone.

Tons of account options for every life stage

Fidelity is one of the most beginner-friendly brokerages out there. The platform is clean and easy to navigate, and you can open an account in just a few minutes.

But it doesn't just specialize in one or two types of investing accounts. You can literally have your entire portfolio with this broker and manage it all from a single platform.

So whether you're just getting started, or managing a family's finances, Fidelity likely has something that fits. It offers:

Individual and joint brokerage accounts
Roth and traditional IRAs
Custodial accounts for kids
529 college savings plans
High-yield savings and cash management accounts
HSAs and business retirement plans
Life insurance and annuities

It's a great place to start -- and grow with -- as your financial needs evolve.

Trusted by millions (and trillions)

Fidelity is one of the largest brokerage firms in the world, managing trillions of dollars in assets. That kind of scale doesn't happen without trust and lengthy experience.

The company takes security seriously, with robust protections in place to keep your accounts safe. When you're investing your hard-earned money, it helps to know it's with a firm that's big, stable, and built to last.

Alternatives to Consider

We recommend comparing brokerage options to ensure the account you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of our best trading platforms of 2025.

Broker	Best For	Commissions	Learn More
4.5/5 Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor.	Managing your finances under one roof	$0 for stocks, $0 for options contracts	Learn More for SoFi Active Investing On SoFi Active Investing's Secure Website.
4.0/5 Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor.	Low mutual fund fees.	$0 per trade	Learn More for J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing On J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing's Secure Website.
4.5/5 Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor.	Low fees on stocks, ETFs, crypto, and options	$0 for stocks, ETFs, and options	Learn More for Robinhood On Robinhood's Secure Website.

Downsides to consider

Nobody's perfect. And Fidelity has a few limitations that could be deal breakers for certain folks.

Not ideal for day traders

If you're into trading options, stocks, bonds, options, or crypto (I'm not, and I don't recommend it), Fidelity may feel a bit vanilla. The trading tools are solid, but not as specialized or super-advanced as other trading platforms.

Limited crypto options

Fidelity lets you trade some cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin through a separate Fidelity Crypto account.

That's more than a lot of traditional brokerages offer -- but if you're deep into crypto and want access to dozens of altcoins, this probably isn't gonna cut it. These best crypto exchanges and apps might be a better fit.

Who is Fidelity good for?

Like I mentioned earlier, I personally recommend Fidelity to anyone and everyone. But here are a few specific types of people that are a perfect match:

Beginner investors
Families opening custodial or college savings accounts
Retirement-focused investors (Roth, traditional, SEP IRAs)
People rolling over old 401(k)s
Anyone who prefers hands-off, passive investing
Folks who value great customer support and flexibility

If you're looking for a trusted partner for the long haul, not just a trendy trading app, Fidelity is a great brokerage to work with.

How to open a Fidelity account

Opening a Fidelity account is super straightforward. The whole process takes about 10 to 15 minutes online.

Here's how it works:

Step 1: Choose your account type

Head over to Fidelity.com and click "Open an Account" in the top row menu bar.

You'll see a list of options like this:

Fidelity's list of account options to open.

Image source: Fidelity.com

Pick the one that fits your goal, and it'll take you to the right sign-up page.

Step 2: Enter your personal info

You'll need to provide the basics to open an account. Things like:

Full name and date of birth
Social Security number
U.S. address and phone number
Employment details and income info
A bank account to fund your Fidelity account (you can skip this part and add it later if you want)

Fidelity uses this to verify your identity and comply with financial regulations -- all standard stuff.

Step 3: Fund your account

Transferring funds can take some time, especially if you are doing a rollover or moving assets from another brokerage firm. But completing this part will get the ball rolling.

You can transfer money via:

Bank transfer (ACH)
Mobile check deposit
Wire transfer
Rolling over funds from another brokerage or retirement account

Even if you don't fund your account right away, it'll still be created and ready to use when you're ready to add money.

Step 4: Start investing

Transferring money into an account doesn't mean it's actually invested. You need to buy assets for growth to happen.

If you're stuck at any point you can just call customer service and a representative will walk you through everything. Fidelity's customer service is truly very helpful over the phone, and the team has advisors to connect you with if you need help.

Final thoughts

I've tried other brokerages. But for over a decade, Fidelity has been my main investment firm. I manage everything from my family's retirement accounts to my nephews' custodial investments all in one place. And I genuinely like using its tools and platform.

Fidelity makes long-term investing simple, efficient, and trustworthy. And that's exactly the kind of partner you want when you're building wealth over decades.

Sources
- https://www.fidelity.com/

FAQs

There's a reason Fidelity is the third largest brokerage firm in the world. It's excellent at what it does, and millions of families trust the broker with their money and investments.
Fidelity has no account minimums and zero commissions for U.S. stock, ETF, and options trades. However, certain mutual funds and third-party services may come with fees, so it's always good to double-check before investing.
Yes, you'll need to open a separate Fidelity Crypto account to do this. But if your primary goal is to trade crypto, you're probably better off going through a specialized crypto-exchange.

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