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Fidelity vs. TD Ameritrade
One is better for advanced traders, but a steep learning curve may drive new traders to its competitor.
Which one is better?
- Choose Fidelity if you’re an international trader or new to investing.
- Choose TD Ameritrade if you’re an intermediate to advanced trader.
There are few trading platforms so well-rounded as Fidelity and TD Ameritrade. They both offer commission-free stocks, extended trading hours, 24-hour customer support, robust research tools, access to robo-advisors and one-on-one coaching from a financial planner to manage your portfolio.
Little separates these well-matched platforms, but its differences throw each platform’s ideal investor into sharp relief. For active traders, the choice is TD Ameritrade, with access to futures and forex markets complimented by Thinkorswim’s trading platforms for web, desktop and mobile. It’s major drawback? It offers no direct access to international markets. That’s where Fidelity shines. While it’s missing a few tradable securities and its research software isn’t quite as extensive as TD’s, it has a more beginner-friendly platform and access to international stocks from 25 countries.
Overview
| Fidelity | TD Ameritrade | |
|---|---|---|
| Fees | ★★★★★ 3.5/5 | ★★★★★ 3.8/5 |
| Available securities | ★★★★★ 4/5 | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| Customer support | ★★★★★ 5/5 | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| Mobile app | ★★★★★ 4.8/5 | ★★★★★ 4.6/5 |
| Research and tools | ★★★★★ 4.5/5 | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| Reliability | ★★★★★ 3/5 | ★★★★★ 3/5 |
| Bonus star | ★ 1 We awarded a bonus star for offering access to precious metals. | ★ 1 We awarded a bonus star for access to paper trading. |
To learn how our star ratings are calculated, read the methodology at the bottom of the page.
How do Fidelity and TD Ameritrade compare?
| Fidelity | TD Ameritrade | |
|---|---|---|
 |  | |
| Finder’s rating | ★★★★★ 4.2/5 Fidelity Investments is a platform catering to new and active traders. Its range of trading services span wealth management services, access to international markets and actively-managed ETFs. While it lacks access to crypto, forex and futures, it has almost everything else a trader needs to get up and running, including a hybrid advisor service that combines automated portfolio management with one-on-one financial coaching. | ★★★★★ 4.4/5 TD Ameritrade is an online brokerage service designed for beginner investors and active traders. It features user-friendly trading platforms and a variety of mutual funds. It may be best for new investors, frequent traders and advanced traders. |
| Stock trade fee | $0 | $0 |
| Option trade fee | $0 + $0.65/contract | $0 + $0.65/contract or $25 Broker-assisted |
| Annual fee | 0% | 0% |
| Minimum deposit to open | $25,000 | $0 |
| Benefits |
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| Drawbacks |
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| Tools and research |
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| Reputation and customer reviews |
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| Apple App Store reviews | ★★★★★ 4.8/5 | ★★★★★ 4.5/5 |
| Google Play Store reviews | ★★★★★ 4.6/5 | ★★★★★ 3.2/5 |
| Support |
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| Learn more |
Bottom line
Both of these trading platforms have plenty to offer, and the right choice for your investments depends on where you are in your trading journey. Professional traders may prefer TD Ameritrade’s advanced analytics, while newbies may be better off using Fidelity’s beginner-friendly interface. Explore your options across multiple platforms to find the account best suited to your needs.
Frequently asked questions
How we rate trading platforms
★★★★★ 5/5 — Excellent
★★★★★ 4/5 — Good
★★★★★ 3/5 — Average
★★★★★ 2/5 — Subpar
★★★★★ 1/5 — Poor
We analyze top online trading platforms and rate them one to five stars based on factors that are most important to you. These factors include fees, securities available for trade, customer support, customer feedback, platform resources and overall reliability.
For a complete breakdown of how we score each category, read the full methodology of how we rate trading platforms.
For a complete breakdown of how we score each category, read the full methodology of how we rate trading platforms.
Paid non-client promotion. Finder does not invest money with providers on this page. If a brand is a referral partner, we're paid when you click or tap through to, open an account with or provide your contact information to the provider. Partnerships are not a recommendation for you to invest with any one company. Learn more about how we make money.
Finder is not an advisor or brokerage service. Information on this page is for educational purposes only and not a recommendation to invest with any one company, trade specific stocks or fund specific investments. All editorial opinions are our own.
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