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The comparison reads the same evidence fields used by broker profiles, so users can scan scores, regulation, costs, platforms, withdrawals, and caveats side by side.
Broker 1
Broker 2
| VS field |  |  |
|---|---|---|
Decision summary | ||
| Overall score | 78 | 91 |
| Trust score | 82 | 100 |
| Cost score | 66 | 89 |
| Platform score | 90 | 94 |
| Withdrawal score | 72 | 89 |
| Best for | Active stock and ETF traders · Options traders · Day traders | Evidence supports Fidelity as a U.S.-focused, highly regulated multi-asset broker for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, bonds/CDs, options, cash management, managed portfolios, and sepa… |
| Watch out | Needs verification | Needs verification |
Trust & regulation | ||
| Regulators | Registered with the SEC as a broker-dealer; member FINRA, NFA and SIPC. Source | Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC is SEC registered and regulated by FINRA; FBS and NFS are members of NYSE and SIPC. Source |
| License numbers | CRD#: 104369 / SEC#: 8-52843 Source | FBS CRD# 7784 / SEC# 8-23292; NFS CRD# 13041 / SEC# 801-50706, 8-26740. Source |
| Regulated entities | Lightspeed Financial Services Group LLC, U.S. broker-dealer; CRD 104369; SEC 8-52843; member FINRA, NFA and SIPC. Source | Primary securities brokerage entities are Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC (FBS) and National Financial Services LLC (NFS), each member NYSE/SIPC; advisory and crypto entities differ by product. Source |
| Negative balance protection | No explicit negative balance protection was found; margin and day-trading disclosures warn clients can lose more than they deposit and be responsible for shortfalls. Source | Not applicable/not disclosed as a CFD-style negative balance protection policy; margin trading can create debt/interest obligations. Source |
| Investor compensation | SIPC member; SIPC coverage available only for securities and cash held in connection with purchase or sale of securities in equities and equities options accounts. Source | SIPC coverage up to $500,000/$250,000 cash plus Fidelity excess SIPC; FDIC sweep coverage may apply to eligible cash programs; important exclusions apply. Source |
| Restricted countries | Country-level restricted list not found on official pages; legal disclosure lists Section 311 prohibited entities/banks for which accounts/access cannot be maintained. Source | U.S.-persons focused; sanctioned countries/prohibited parties restricted; no exhaustive country availability list found. Source |
Costs & account conditions | ||
| Minimum deposit | Lightspeed Trader Pro from $2,500 for U.S. accounts and $5,000 for non-U.S. accounts; platform comparison lists $5,000 for Trader Pro/Web & Mobile, $25,000 for Sterling/EZE, $30,000 Connect API, $50,000 DAS, $175,000 portfolio margin. Source | $0 to open a retail brokerage account; Fidelity states no account minimum and ability to invest with as little as $1; exceptions apply by account/product. Source |
| Spread from | Not applicable or not broker-level for this investment-platform profile; review if leveraged products apply. Source | Not applicable to Fidelity's core U.S. stock/ETF brokerage model; securities trade by exchange/market prices rather than quoted CFD/FX spreads. Source |
| Commission | Not disclosed in extracted official sources; needs editor review. Source | $0 online U.S. stock and ETF trades; $0 online options commission plus $0.65/contract; other product/service fees apply. Source |
| Maximum leverage | Reg T allows borrowing up to 50% of purchase price; portfolio margin may exceed 4:1 intraday/2:1 overnight; futures intraday leverage is discretionary, usually 2:1 and can be as high as 4:1. Source | No universal maximum leverage ratio disclosed for Fidelity retail brokerage; margin borrowing is available subject to approval and margin requirements/rates rather than a single max leverage figure. Source |
| Deposit fee | Lightspeed does not charge for ACH transfers and does not charge to receive incoming wire deposits; third-party transfers not accepted. Source | $0 Fidelity fee for EFT and Fidelity does not charge wire fees; external banks may charge. Source |
| Withdrawal fee | ACH withdrawals free; domestic wires $20; international wires $50; standard check free, overnight check $45; outgoing ACAT $95. Source | $0 Fidelity fee for EFT and domestic bank wire withdrawals; foreign exchange wire up to 3% of principal; receiving bank may charge. Source |
| Inactivity fee | Accounts below $15,000 are charged a $25 monthly minimum inactivity/minimum commission fee minus actual commissions if they generate less than $25 monthly commissions. Source | No explicit inactivity-fee line found in official fee schedule; official account pages state no retail brokerage account fees/no account or subscription fees. Treat as needs manual confirmation before publishing as '$0 inactivity fee'. Source |
Markets, platforms & payments | ||
| Tradable assets | Stocks, ETFs, options, futures, and futures options. Source | Stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, options, crypto, fixed income, bonds and CDs; Fidelity says stocks include domestic and international. Source |
| Trading platforms | Lightspeed Trader Pro, Lightspeed Web & Mobile, Sterling Trader Pro, Lightspeed Connect API, EZE EMS, DAS Trader Pro, and futures platforms including efutures powered by CQG, CQG Trader, CQG One. Source | Fidelity.com, Fidelity mobile app, Fidelity Trader+ Web/Desktop/Mobile mode, and legacy Active Trader Pro Classic. Source |
| Account types | Individual, Joint, Traditional/Roth/SEP/Rollover/Limited Margin IRA, Corporate, LLC, Partnership, Hedge Funds, Trusts, plus institutional account arrangements. Source | Broad account menu including taxable brokerage, retirement/IRA, cash management, HSA, custodial/youth, education, trust/business, managed and crypto accounts. Source |
| Deposit methods | ACH electronic transfers, wire transfers, and account transfers/ACAT; third-party transfers not accepted. Source | EFT/ACH, bank wire, check/mobile check, direct deposit, recurring deposit, Fidelity-to-Fidelity/account transfer, transfer of assets, and eligible payment apps. Source |
| Withdrawal methods | Withdrawals by ACH, wire, ACAT transfer to another institution, or check request. Source | EFT/ACH, bank wire, paper check, Fidelity-to-Fidelity transfers, third-party/person-to-person transfers and eligible debit card/ATM access. Source |
| Withdrawal processing time | ACH transfers take 2 business days; withdrawal requests received by 2:30 PM ET are processed same day; wires usually received same business day; checks take 3-5 business days after same-day processing. Source | EFT withdrawals 1-3 business days; bank wire same day if submitted by 4 p.m. ET; paper check about 5-6 days. Source |
BrokerVS provides broker comparison research only. Scores and evidence can vary by country, account type, and legal entity; users should verify source links before opening an account.