Fidelity maintains its position as our top option for the best broker overall and the best broker for low costs, a position it has held for a number of years. In addition, the company has been given the top spot for the very first time in our Best Broker for ETFs category, beating out Charles Schwab in the process. Fidelity offers its institutional and retail customers an experience similar to that of a full-service financial institution by providing them with sophisticated tools that are delivered in an easy-to-follow workflow at an affordable cost.
Fidelity Investments Overview.
Our top option for overall service, as well as our top pick for Best Low-Cost Broker and Best Broker for ETFs, is Fidelity. This is due to the company’s consistent product improvements, excellent customer assistance, unparalleled value, and extensive research and educational tools.
The eventful history of Fidelity began with the company’s foundation in 1946. As of December 2022, the Boston-based corporation was among the top brokerage firms in terms of assets under management thanks to the fact that it controlled a discretionary portfolio worth $3.6 trillion.
Fidelity is a company that is constantly working to improve its products and services. In 2022, the company made headlines when it launched a Digital Assets Account (DAA). This account will allow plan sponsors to provide their participants with access to Bitcoin by including Bitcoin as an investment option in the core lineup of their plan.
In addition, the company launched a new exchange-traded fund known as the Fidelity Crypto Industry and Digital Payments ETF (FDIG), as well as a new ETF known as the Fidelity Metaverse ETF (FMET). The institutional side of the business also saw improvements, such as increased access to the company’s own tools like the Fidelity Bond Beacon, as the company worked to improve its operations.
Fidelity has expanded its product offerings to include digital direct indexing accounts referred to as Fidelity Managed FidFolios. These accounts are targeted toward investors who are looking for individual assistance.
The FidFolios use fractional shares to replicate indexes with ownership of the actual stock rather than an ETF, which enables greater levels of customization. This is made possible by the FidFolios. The enhancements, however, do not end there because Fidelity has also enhanced its mobile experience by redesigning the app dashboard. The new dashboard includes streaming quotes on the home page and additional personalization options for the news feed.
This year, after years of very close competition, we found that Fidelity is now our best broker for exchange-traded funds (ETFs), surpassing Charles Schwab in that regard.
Fidelity, much like Schwab, provides a wealth of educational material centered on exchange-traded funds (ETFs), effective tools for screening ETFs, and a sizable selection of ETFs from which to choose. However, Fidelity’s ability to trade fractional shares in ETFs was a key factor in the company’s rise to the top.
Fidelity has been a leader in the business when it comes to decreasing fees, and it has a stellar reputation as a broker with a big customer care network to support its low-cost, high-value product. Fidelity has been a pioneer in the industry when it comes to cutting prices. If an investor is seeking for an online broker that maintains cheap expenses while yet providing value, they will have a difficult time finding a broker that is superior to Fidelity.
Pros & Cons Fidelity Investments
Pros
- resolute in our efforts to do away with common account fees
- Powerful examination of the portfolio and user-friendly account features
- Excellent order execution
- Active Trader Pro provides a robust platform.
- indexing done directly
- Trading of fractional shares in over 7,000 equities and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the United States
Cons
- Costs associated with broker assistance will be raised.
- Minimum required balance for certain types of index trading
- Non-Americans will not be allowed entry.
- It’s possible that accessing all tools will necessitate using multiple platforms.