Charles Schwab vs Fidelity Comparison: Fees, Features, and More (2026)
Charles Schwab and Fidelity are two leading discount brokerages offering commission-free stock and ETF trading. Use this head-to-head comparison table to evaluate fees, features, trading tools, and account options to help you decide which broker is right for you in 2026.
| Feature | Charles Schwab | Fidelity |
|---|---|---|
| Website | https://www.schwab.com/ | https://www.fidelity.com/ |
| Broker Type | Full-service | Full-service |
| Trading: Stock & ETF? | Yes | Yes |
| ETF & Stock commission | $0 online (listed stocks/ETFs) | $0 online US stocks/ETFs |
| Fractional Shares? | Yes (most U.S.-listed stocks/ETFs, from $1) | Yes (7,000+ US stocks/ETFs, $1 min) |
| Percent Allocations? | Yes (Personalized Portfolio Builder) | Yes (Fidelity Basket Portfolios) |
| Crypto Trading? | Yes, via Schwab Crypto (BTC/ETH currently; not NY/LA/territories) | Yes, via Fidelity Crypto® (BTC, ETH, SOL, LTC, FIDD) for US retail; also crypto ETPs in brokerage. |
| Crypto Fees | 0.75% of notional value (min $0.01) per buy/sell | 1% of executed market value on buys/sells (Fidelity Crypto®/IRAs); none on FIDD vs USD. |
| Options Trading? | Yes | Yes |
| Options Fee | $0 online commission + $0.65 per contract | $0 commission + $0.65/contract online; $0 for buy-to-close ≤$0.65. Extra fees for some indexes/pros. |
| Bond Trading Available? | Yes | Yes; $0 online for new issues/US Treasuries; $1 per bond secondary (caps apply). |
| Receives payment for order flow (PFOF)? | Yes (receives PFOF rebates) | Yes (receives PFOF on equities from wholesalers and on options). |
| Interface: Web trading? | Yes | Yes (Fidelity.com web; Fidelity Investments iOS/Android app; Fidelity Trader+). |
| Desktop trading? | Yes, thinkorswim desktop (Windows/Mac; free for brokerage clients) | Yes (Fidelity Trader+ Desktop, PC/Mac; Active Trader Pro Classic also available) |
| API Trading? | Yes, Trader API (Individual) for self-directed retail accounts (orders, data; via developer.schwab.com) | No (no official public retail trading API) |
| Mutual Funds: Offered? | Yes | Yes |
| Total Mutual Funds | ~14,500 from 600+ families (incl. 4,000+ NTF) | Over 10,000 |
| NTF Mutual Funds | 4,000+ (no-load via OneSource & others) | Thousands (all Fidelity funds plus many NTF third-party) |
| Non-NTF Fund Fee | Up to $74.95/buy online ($0 sell); some $49.95; 8.5% cap, <$100 exempt | $49.95 per purchase (some up to $100); $0 redemption |
| Early Redemption Fee? | No; $49.95 Schwab fee on NTF funds held ≤90 days (some exemptions) | No ($49.95 Fidelity short-term fee on most NTF funds held <60 days) |
| Redemption Hold (Days) | 90 days (NTF/OneSource funds; some Schwab Funds exempt) | 60 days (NTF FundsNetwork non-Fidelity funds) |
| Early Redemption Fee | $49.95 online/automated phone; $49.95 + $25 broker-assisted | $49.95 online (NTF funds held <60 days) |
| Accounts: Margin Accounts? | Yes ($2,000 min. cash or marginable securities) | Yes |
| IRAs Offered? | Yes (Traditional, Roth, SEP, Rollover, Inherited, Custodial, SIMPLE) | Yes (traditional, Roth, SEP) |
| HSAs Offered? | Yes (HSBA via participating HSA providers; no standalone Schwab HSA) | Yes |
| Money Market Sweep? | Yes (Cash Features Program: Bank Sweep or Schwab One Interest) | Yes |
| CDs Offered? | Yes (brokered CDs via Schwab CD OneSource) | Yes (brokered CDs) |
| Robo-Advisor: Offered | Yes | Yes |
| Robo-Advisor Service | Schwab Intelligent Portfolios® (Premium also offered) | Fidelity Go |
| Robo-Advisor Fees | $0 advisory (standard); $300 one-time + $30/mo (Premium); ETF OERs 0.02–0.15%. Mins $5k/$25k. | $0 under $25,000; 0.35%/yr for $25,000+ |
| Basics: Headquarters | Westlake, TX | Boston, MA |
| Year Founded | 1971 | 1946 |
| Clearing Firm | Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (self-clearing) | National Financial Services LLC |
| Local Branches? | Yes, more than 420 branches in 48 U.S. states | Yes, ~215 U.S. Investor Centers |
| New Account Minimum | $0 | $0 |
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