Tool Comparison
Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) vs Vanguard Brokerage
- Paid from
- —
- Free plan
- No
- Platforms
- Web, Mobile, Desktop
Best if
- Delayed quotes won't cut it; you need real-time data
- You want advanced order types, smart/direct routing, and order book / level II.
- Paid from
- —
- Free plan
- No
- Platforms
- Web, Mobile
Best if
- You want downloadable tax reports.
Start here
Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC)
Transaction-priced · Fees vary by offer and jurisdiction · Web · Mobile · Desktop
- Delayed quotes won't cut it; you need real-time data
- You want advanced order types, smart/direct routing, and order book / level II.
Pick Vanguard Brokerage instead if
Vanguard Brokerage
Transaction-priced · Fees vary by offer and jurisdiction · Web · Mobile
- You want downloadable tax reports.
Skip both if: Neither one clicks with how you research; there are strong third options.
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Our take
The bottom line
Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) and Vanguard Brokerage cover a lot of the same ground (3 shared categories, brokerage, portfolio, and watchlist), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) simply does more: 9 categories to Vanguard Brokerage's 4, including advanced order types, smart/direct routing, and order book / level II. Vanguard Brokerage counters by keeping things simpler.
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Key differences at a glance
- Real-time data
- Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC)
- Broader coverage
- Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC)9 vs 4 categories
- Desktop app
- Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC)
- Global coverage
- Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC)
- Asset coverage
- Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC)Adds cryptos
What Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) does best
- Direct access to a Fidelity brokerage account for U.S. stocks, ETFs, options, bonds, mutual funds, fractional shares, and eligible crypto rather than using a standalone market-data website.
- Online U.S. stock and most ETF trades have no Fidelity commission.
- Trading access for options with a $0 online base commission plus $0.65 per contract, with eligibility, margin, and options-approval requirements where applicable.
- Fidelity Trader+ provides real-time quotes, Level II data, charting, alerts, and trading across web, desktop, and mobile.
- Place advanced conditional orders such as Contingent, Multi-Contingent, OCO, OTO, and OTOCO from Fidelity.com or Active Trader Pro.
What Vanguard Brokerage does best
- Individual, joint, IRA, custodial, education, trust, estate, and eligible organization accounts.
- Vanguard and third-party mutual funds, ETFs, stocks, options, Treasuries, bonds, and brokered CDs.
- Dollar-based Vanguard ETF investing from $1 and recurring investment workflows.
- Choice of Vanguard Cash Deposit or VMFXX as the brokerage settlement option.
- Web and mobile portfolio administration, statements, tax forms, beneficiaries, and transfers.
Side by side
Pricing comparison
See for yourself
Side by side
Price, platforms, data, and market coverage.ShowHide
Side by side
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & plans | ||
Starting price | Transaction-priced · Fees vary by offer and jurisdiction | Transaction-priced · Fees vary by offer and jurisdiction |
Free tier | No | No |
Free trial | — | — |
Plan limits | 4 limits: Options: contract fee: $0.65 per contract, Secondary Bonds and CDs: online fee: $1 per bond or CD +2 more | — |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Desktop app | Yes | No |
Mobile app | Yes | Yes |
API access | No | No |
Broker sync | No | — |
Integrations | Quicken and QuickBooks | — |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | — | — |
Categories covered | 9 | 4 |
Regions | North America, Europe, APAC | North America |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | 3 signals: Latency: Streaming and Real-time, Granularity: Tick and EOD +1 more | — |
Capabilities | 3 signals: Multi-leg options, Greeks +1 more | — |
| Try it | Visit Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) | Visit Vanguard Brokerage |
Standout features
The best features of Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) and Vanguard Brokerage.ShowHide
Standout features
What Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) does best
- Direct access to a Fidelity brokerage account for U.S. stocks, ETFs, options, bonds, mutual funds, fractional shares, and eligible crypto rather than using a standalone market-data website.
- Online U.S. stock and most ETF trades have no Fidelity commission.
- Trading access for options with a $0 online base commission plus $0.65 per contract, with eligibility, margin, and options-approval requirements where applicable.
- Fidelity Trader+ provides real-time quotes, Level II data, charting, alerts, and trading across web, desktop, and mobile.
- Place advanced conditional orders such as Contingent, Multi-Contingent, OCO, OTO, and OTOCO from Fidelity.com or Active Trader Pro.
What Vanguard Brokerage does best
- Individual, joint, IRA, custodial, education, trust, estate, and eligible organization accounts.
- Vanguard and third-party mutual funds, ETFs, stocks, options, Treasuries, bonds, and brokered CDs.
- Dollar-based Vanguard ETF investing from $1 and recurring investment workflows.
- Choice of Vanguard Cash Deposit or VMFXX as the brokerage settlement option.
- Web and mobile portfolio administration, statements, tax forms, beneficiaries, and transfers.
All details
Every attribute we track for Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) and Vanguard Brokerage.ShowHide
All details
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | StocksETFsOptionsBondsMutual FundsCryptos | StocksETFsOptionsBondsMutual Funds |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Regions | North AmericaEuropeAPAC | North America |
Coverage details | Identifiers: Ticker | Identifiers: Ticker and CUSIP |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | StreamingReal-time | Not specified |
Data granularity | TickEOD | Not specified |
| Access & integrations | ||
Integrations | QuickenQuickBooks | Not specified |
Export formats | CSVExcelPDF | CSVPDF |
| Plans & trust | ||
Capability signals | Multi-leg optionsGreeksTax lots | Not specified |
Vendor & support | Fidelity Investments (FMR LLC) / Fidelity Brokerage Services LLCCountry: USFounded 1946Support: Chat and Phone | Vanguard Marketing CorporationCountry: United StatesSupport: Phone |
Curation ratings | Methodology 4/5Reliability 5/5UX 4/5 | Not specified |
Green tags are exclusive to that tool in this comparison.
Pricing
Plans, billing, free trials, and monthly prices.ShowHide
Pricing
| Tier | ||
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Free“Brokerage Account” | — |
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) and Vanguard Brokerage?
Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) leans toward brokerage, portfolio, and watchlist, while Vanguard Brokerage puts more weight on brokerage, portfolio, and watchlist. They overlap in 3 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
How much do Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) and Vanguard Brokerage cost?
Neither has a free plan; you'll need a paid subscription for the full feature set of either. Check each tool's current plan details before buying.
Should I choose Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) or Vanguard Brokerage?
It depends on what you're after. Pick Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) if advanced order types and smart/direct routing matter to you; go with Vanguard Brokerage if you'd rather have downloadable tax reports. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) and Vanguard Brokerage cover?
Both cover stocks, ETFs, options, and bonds. Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) also handles cryptos.
Does Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) or Vanguard Brokerage have real-time data?
Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) offers real-time data, which matters if you trade actively. Vanguard Brokerage runs on delayed or end-of-day data, which is perfectly fine for longer-term investors who don't live and die by the tick.
Which covers international markets: Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) or Vanguard Brokerage?
Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) has documented international coverage (North America, Europe, and APAC), so it's the safer bet if you hold non-US stocks. Vanguard Brokerage is more region-specific, mainly North America.
Can I export data from Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) and Vanguard Brokerage?
Yes, both export to spreadsheets (CSV), which is handy if you like running your own numbers.
Can I track my portfolio with Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) or Vanguard Brokerage?
Yes, both do portfolio tracking: holdings, performance, and allocation in one place.
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