Vanguard vs. Fidelity: 2024 Comparison

Vanguard and Fidelity are both retirement powerhouses, but Fidelity offers a more well-rounded platform that also caters to active traders.

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Updated · 1 min read
Profile photo of Arielle O'Shea
Written by Arielle O'Shea
Lead Assigning Editor

If you’re on the hunt for a new brokerage account, the two biggest names in the field — Vanguard and Fidelity — might come to mind first.

You might be curious, as we were, about how these two stack up side by side. We’ve put Vanguard and Fidelity in a head-to-head battle to help you decide who should win your money.

There’s one thing to get clear right upfront. Both Vanguard and Fidelity are retirement powerhouses — their proprietary mutual funds line many 401(k)s, and Fidelity is a leading 401(k) record-keeper. (View our list of the best IRA accounts.)

But Fidelity also caters to active traders, with robust trading platforms and tools. Vanguard, not so much: The company doesn’t offer a trading platform. So some people may be able to quit this comparison right here: Are you an active stock or options trader? Fidelity is your answer.

» See our roundup of the best brokers for stock trading

The tension between these two starts for those investors who are looking to compare mutual funds, fees, account minimums and investment offerings. For that, read below.

Side note: Both Vanguard and Fidelity offer robo-advisor services, but we're focusing on their self-directed brokerage accounts here. To learn more about the robo-advisors, read our reviews of Fidelity Go and Vanguard Digital Advisor.

More Nerdy Perspective
Fidelity
NerdWallet rating 

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.

Vanguard
NerdWallet rating 
Learn More

on Vanguard's website

Vanguard is best for:

  • Long-term or retirement investors.

  • Those who prefer low-cost investments.

  • Index fund and ETF investors.

Vanguard at a glance

Account minimum

$0; however some fund minimums are as high as $1,000

Stock trading costs

$0

Options trades

$1 per contract

Account fees (annual, transfer, closing, inactivity)

Annual fee: $25 Inactivity fee: $0 Outgoing transfer fee (partial): $0 Outgoing transfer fee (full): $100

Interest rate on uninvested cash

Over 4%

Number of no-transaction-fee mutual funds

Over 3,600

Tradable securities

Stocks, mutual funds, ETFs, options, bonds, CDs

Trading platform

Two: Website and mobile app

Mobile app

Available for iOS and Android

Research and data

Two: Argus and Market Grader

Customer support options (includes how easy it is to find key details on the website)

Phone support Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern; email support

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NerdWallet rating 

4.8

/5
NerdWallet rating 

5.0

/5
NerdWallet rating 

4.6

/5

Fees 

$0

per online equity trade

Fees 

$0.005

per share; as low as $0.0005 with volume discounts

Fees 

$0

Account minimum 

$0

Account minimum 

$0

Account minimum 

$0

Promotion 

None

no promotion available at this time

Promotion 

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Promotion 

Earn up to $10,000

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Methodology

How do we review brokers?

NerdWallet’s comprehensive review process evaluates and ranks the largest U.S. brokers by assets under management, along with emerging industry players. Our aim is to provide an independent assessment of providers to help arm you with information to make sound, informed judgments on which ones will best meet your needs. Our highest priority is maintaining editorial integrity.

We collect data directly from providers through detailed questionnaires, and conduct first-hand testing and observation through provider demonstrations. The questionnaire answers, combined with demonstrations, interviews of personnel at the providers and our specialists’ hands-on research, fuel our proprietary assessment process that scores each provider’s performance across more than 20 factors. The final output produces star ratings from poor (one star) to excellent (five stars).

For more details about the categories considered when rating brokers and our process, read our full methodology.

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