E*TRADE vs. Fidelity: 2025 Comparison
Both E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley and Fidelity will appeal to investors of all types, including active traders and retirement savers.
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If you're considering opening a brokerage account at E*TRADE or Fidelity, you should know there's no wrong choice: Both brokers offer competitive features for investors, including quality trading platforms, commission-free trading of stocks and exchange-traded funds and a wide selection of no-transaction-fee mutual funds.
While Fidelity edges out E*TRADE slightly in our analysis of customer support and research and data, E*TRADE excels in other areas, including offering a wider selection of tradable securities and volume discounts on options trades that make it the lower-cost broker for options traders. Here's a direct comparison of the two brokers:
E*TRADE is best for:
Frequent traders.
Research and data.
Retirement planning assistance and educational resources.
E*TRADE at a glance
Account minimum | $0 |
Stock trading costs | $0 |
Options trades | $0.65 per contract (volume discount available) |
Account fees (annual, transfer, closing, inactivity) | Annual fee: $0 Inactivity fee: $0 Outgoing transfer fee (partial or full): $75 |
Interest rate on uninvested cash | 0.01% to 0.15% |
Number of no-transaction-fee mutual funds | Over 6,000 |
Tradable securities | Stocks, mutual funds, ETFs, options, bonds, futures |
Trading platform | Two: E*TRADE and Power E*TRADE |
Mobile app | Available for iOS and Android |
Research and data | Nine research providers, including Moodys, Refinitiv, Morningstar, MarketEdge and Smart Consensus |
Customer support options (includes how easy it is to find key details on the website) | 24/7 phone support; live chat Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern. |
» Read our full review of E*TRADE
Fidelity is best for:
Frequent traders.
Beginner investors.
Research and data.
Retirement planning assistance.
Fidelity at a glance
Account minimum | $0 |
Stock trading costs | $0 |
Options trades | $0.65 per contract |
Account fees (annual, transfer, closing, inactivity) | Annual fee: $0 Inactivity fee: $0 Outgoing transfer fee: $0 |
Interest rate on uninvested cash | Over 4%. |
Number of no-transaction-fee mutual funds | Over 3,300 |
Tradable securities | Stocks, mutual funds, ETFs, options, bonds and fixed income, precious metals, crypto |
Trading platform | Three: Fidelity.com, mobile app, Active Trader Pro |
Mobile app | Available for iOS and Android |
Research and data | Several data providers, including Argus, Zacks, CFRA and S&P Global |
Customer support options (includes how easy it is to find key details on the website) | 24/7. Hours vary by contact method, but you can get help via phone, email, chat, over social media or at a physical branch. |
» Read our full review of Fidelity
» Want to compare more options? View our full list of the best online brokers.
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