Overview
Fidelity is one of the big US investment houses, based in Boston, and its brokerage side is a favourite with long-term investors who also like to trade now and then. It suits people who want stocks, ETFs, options, bonds and retirement accounts under one roof, with plenty of research to lean on. The brokerage arm, Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC, is registered with the SEC and listed on FINRA's BrokerCheck. The main site is for US residents, so most people outside the US will need to look elsewhere.
Accounts and costs
There's no minimum to open a brokerage account, and you can pick from the standard Fidelity Account, IRAs and other retirement accounts, plus accounts for children. Online US stock and ETF trades cost $0, options are $0.65 per contract, online Treasuries are free and secondary bonds cost $1 each. Placing a trade over the phone with a rep costs $32.95. Reviewers say there are no account or inactivity fees, though a small quarterly fee can apply to tiny uninvested balances. Margin trading and short selling are available on approved accounts.
Platforms and markets
You trade on Fidelity's own web platform, mobile app or the more advanced Fidelity Trader+, which has real-time quotes, charting and alerts. There's no MetaTrader and you can't connect TradingView. Markets cover US stocks, ETFs, options, mutual funds, bonds, CDs and crypto, with fractional shares too. Fidelity doesn't offer futures or forex.
Money in and out
You can fund by electronic bank transfer, bank wire or cheque, and reviewers note digital wallets such as PayPal and Apple Pay. Withdrawals by ACH or USD wire are free. Brokerage accounts carry SIPC coverage.
Good
- $0 commission on online US stock and ETF trades
- No minimum deposit and no account or inactivity fees
- Fractional shares on US stocks
- Wide choice of account types, including IRAs and accounts for children
- Strong research and education, rated among the best in reviews
- Stocks, ETFs, options, bonds, mutual funds and crypto in one place
Watch for
- Website and accounts are aimed at US residents
- No futures or forex trading
- Options cost $0.65 per contract
- No MetaTrader or TradingView connection
- Broker-assisted trades cost $32.95
Accounts and costs
What each account needs to open and what you pay to trade on it.
| Account | Min deposit | Pricing | Max leverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Fidelity Account (brokerage) | None | $0 commission on online US stock, ETF and option trades plus $0.65 per options contract; $1 per secondary bond, online Treasuries free | — |
| Retirement accounts (IRA) | None | Same $0 online US stock and ETF commissions as the brokerage account | — |
Regulation
Which entity holds which licence. Your protection depends on the entity you open an account with.
Investor protection: SIPC coverage on brokerage accounts
Platforms and markets
Platforms
Markets
Deposits and withdrawals
- Methods
- Bank transfer, PayPal, Apple Pay
- Minimum deposit
- None
What traders say
Scores from the sites traders use, and our summary of what they're saying, checked 6 October 2026.
Fidelity's reviews depend heavily on where you look. On consumer complaint sites the scores are low: 1.7 on Sitejabber from about 120 reviews and 1.4 on ComplaintsBoard. Its Trustpilot page has about 1,100 reviews, but no score shows in our evidence. On Reddit, where many long-term investors discuss it, Fidelity is widely recommended. Complaint sites tend to draw people with a problem, and most of the low reviews there are about service disputes.
What traders like
One place for everything. Reddit users often praise holding brokerage, IRA, 401(k), HSA, cash management and a credit card under one login.
Low costs. Many mention $0 stock trades, zero-fee index funds and fractional shares.
Long-term trust. Several Reddit users say they have been with Fidelity for 20 years or more and moved other accounts there.
Good service for many. Some long-standing clients describe customer service as consistently good.
Common complaints
Restricted accounts and held funds. The most frequent complaint on Trustpilot, Sitejabber, ConsumerAffairs and Reddit is accounts locked or withdrawals held for fraud checks, sometimes with repeated requests for bank statements and little notice.
Withdrawal delays. Reddit threads from 2024 and 2025 describe holds of up to several weeks on newly deposited money before it can be withdrawn.
Hard to reach support. Many reviewers say phone waits are long and that different agents give different answers.
Clunky website and options tools. Some active traders find the site confusing and prefer other platforms for options.
Retirement admin. ComplaintsBoard and ConsumerAffairs reviewers describe errors with 401(k) hardship withdrawals, required distributions and tax forms.
Recently
August 2026: a Trustpilot reviewer says about $7,000 was locked after repeated document requests and that they filed FINRA and CFPB complaints. ZeroStars' summary of complaints the same month also centres on account restrictions.
September 2026: a ConsumerAffairs reviewer says they like Fidelity but miss the options trade builder that was removed from the site.
Where this comes from
Trustpilot: the fidelity.com review page.
Sitejabber: consumer reviews.
ConsumerAffairs: consumer reviews, many about retirement accounts.
ComplaintsBoard: complaints about Fidelity Brokerage Services.
Better Business Bureau: formal complaints.
Forex Peace Army: a stock broker listing.
Reddit: the r/fidelityinvestments community, plus threads in r/investing and r/Bogleheads.
Verified reviews
Reviews from traders who've connected an account at Fidelity to Chartnaut, so you know they actually traded there. Opening soon.