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Fidelity Review: The Platform That Grows With Your Portfolio

Review Updated
Alice Hoekstra
Author: Alice Hoekstra
Alice Hoekstra
Alice Hoekstra

Alice is a content strategist for Motley Fool Money, where she has worked full-time for almost five years. Throughout her five years at The Motley Fool, Alice has worked on content across a wide range of financial topics, including credit cards, brokerages, banks, mortgages, personal loans, and auto insurance, helping readers make informed decisions with confidence. Her top financial priorities are funding her world travels and giving her cat the luxurious life she deserves. When she’s not working, traveling, or watching Friends reruns, you’ll find her at the nearest concert or Broadway show.

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Nathan Alderman
Fact Checked: Nathan Alderman
Nathan Alderman
Nathan Alderman
Fact checker

Nathan Alderman has been a full-time Motley Fool employee since 2005, making errors his arch-enemies in a variety of roles including a six-year stint as the dedicated fact-checker for The Motley Fool's premium newsletter services. As Motley Fool Money's Compliance Lead, he makes sure that all the site's information is accurate and up to date, which ensures we always steer readers right and keeps various financial partners happy. A graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, Nathan spends his spare time volunteering for civic causes, writing and podcasting for fun, adoring his wife, and wrangling his two very large young children.

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When it comes to investing, finding the right platform can make all the difference. Fidelity is one of the most popular brokerage firms for a reason -- it offers low fees and a broad selection of investments. Fidelity offers resources for both beginners and advanced traders, ensuring it remains a strong choice as your investing skills develop. Let's break down what makes Fidelity stand out.

Ratings Methodology
Fidelity

Fidelity

Our Rating:

Rating image, 5.0 out of 5 stars.
5.0/5 Circle with letter I in it. 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. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Bottom Line

Fidelity is massively popular because it works for beginners and advanced investors. You get $0 commission trades, tons of investment types, and good customer services you can meet in-person. Fidelity's research is top-notch without being overwhelming. Open an account with Fidelity to invest on an affordable platform that grows with you.

Fees:

$0 commission for online U.S. stock and ETF trades. No fees to buy fractional shares.

Account Minimum:

$0, ($1 minimum per fractional share transaction)

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.

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.

Who should consider Fidelity?

Fidelity offers a winning combination of low fees, diverse investment choices, and solid research tools, making it a standout choice for most investors. Whether you're a beginner building your first portfolio or an experienced investor seeking a reliable platform, Fidelity has plenty to offer. If you're looking for a cost-effective, easy-to-use platform to grow your wealth, Fidelity is worth considering.

If you're looking as a new investor and you'd like to compare Fidelity with other platforms, consider checking out our list of best online stock brokers for beginners.

What I like about Fidelity

Low fees

If saving money on fees is important to you, Fidelity is hard to beat. With $0 commissions, it's one of the best brokers for low fees.

Plus, Fidelity skips many of the fees other brokers charge, like those for closing an IRA. If you're considering retirement investing, you might want to explore the best IRA accounts to compare Fidelity with other top options.

There is one fee to keep in mind: If you sell a non-Fidelity no-transaction-fee mutual fund within 60 days, you'll be hit with a $49.95 fee. Hold your investments a little longer to avoid this charge.

Wide selection of funds and ETFs

Mutual funds and ETFs are great for new investors and investors interested in hands-off strategies. These are curated collections of investments created and monitored by experienced advisors, often grouped by theme or risk level. Buying into one allows you to diversify your portfolio with very little research. Fidelity offers an impressive lineup of these funds, so anyone can build a robust portfolio.

Excellent research tools

If you prefer digging into the details before making investment decisions or think you'll be interested in complex trading strategies in the future, Fidelity is a standout brokerage. Users can view research from over a dozen firms, monitor top-notch stock screeners, and dig into plenty of reports. If you're interested in platforms with advanced features, you may also want to explore the best stock trading apps.

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
Logo for SoFi Active Investing
Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
4.5/5 Circle with letter I in it. 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. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
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Managing your finances under one roof $0 for stocks,¹ $0 for options contracts⁴
Learn More for SoFi Active Investing

On SoFi Active Investing's Secure Website.

Logo for J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
Rating image, 4.0 out of 5 stars.
4.0/5 Circle with letter I in it. 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. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= 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.

Logo for Robinhood
Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
4.5/5 Circle with letter I in it. 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. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= 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 you should consider

Not the best for day traders

Fidelity has a solid platform for most investors, but it's not the best for very active traders. While Fidelity's Active Trader Pro platform is helpful, it might not be enough for those who rely on split-second trades or advanced strategies. For buy-and-hold investors, though, Fidelity is more than capable.

Is it worth the cost?

With low costs, a huge selection of investments, and top-tier research, Fidelity is an excellent option for most investors. Whether you're buying stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, or even bonds and precious metals, it's a great place to build and manage your portfolio.

How to open a Fidelity account

Getting started is simple:

  1. Go to Fidelity's website.
  2. Choose the type of account you want (like a retirement account or a standard brokerage account).
  3. Have your ID, personal details (like your address), and bank information ready to fund your account.

Opening an account online is quick, but if you'd rather talk to someone, you can visit a Fidelity branch for help.

Final thoughts

Fidelity shines as an all-around platform for most investors. Its low costs, variety of investment options, and research tools make it a strong choice for growing your portfolio. It's a great stock app for beginners and advanced traders alike.

While it may not be the best fit for highly active traders, it more than meets the needs of buy-and-hold investors and those looking to build a diversified portfolio. Whether you're just starting out or looking to switch brokers, Fidelity is definitely worth a closer look.

FAQs

  • There's no minimum to open a Fidelity brokerage account, and you can buy into many investments with just $1.

  • Yes, Fidelity offers fractional shares of stock. These shares allow investors to own stocks in large companies, even with a small budget.