Quick answerFidelity is the gold standard for serious investors with its research depth and zero-fee funds, while Robinhood is the slick on-ramp for beginners who want to dabble in stocks and crypto without friction.
Stock & ETF Trades
$0 commission
$0 commission
Options Trading
$0 per contract
$0 per contract (Gold required for some features)
Crypto Trading
Via Fidelity Crypto (limited coins, 1% spread fee)
25+ coins, built-in, ~1.75% spread
Index Funds (zero-fee)
ZERO funds: 0.00% expense ratio
No proprietary funds
Fractional Shares
Yes, as low as $1
Yes, as low as $1
Retirement Accounts (IRA)
Traditional, Roth, SEP, SIMPLE, rollover IRA
Traditional & Roth IRA only (1% match on Gold)
Premium Subscription
No paid tier needed
Robinhood Gold: $5/month (3% IRA match, 4.5% APY)
Research Tools
50+ research providers, stock screeners, full analyst reports
Basic analyst ratings, limited screeners
Interest on Uninvested Cash
~4.5% (money market sweep, auto)
4.5% APY (Gold subscribers); 0.01% free tier
Customer Support
24/7 phone, chat, 200+ physical branches
Chat & callback only; no branches
Extended Hours Trading
Pre/after-market available
24-hour trading, 5 days/week (Gold)
Fidelity Investments
Ease of Use★★★½☆
Pricing & Fees★★★★½
Customer Support★★★★★
Features & Products★★★★★
Integrations & Tools★★★★½
Research & Education★★★★★
Retirement & Tax Tools★★★★★
Robinhood
Ease of Use★★★★★
Pricing & Fees★★★★☆
Customer Support★★½☆☆
Features & Products★★★☆☆
Integrations & Tools★★½☆☆
Research & Education★★½☆☆
Retirement & Tax Tools★★½☆☆
If you wantYou want the best all-around brokerage for long-term wealth building
Fidelity's zero-fee funds, deep research, IRAs, and 24/7 support make it hard to beat for serious investors.
→ Pick Fidelity Investments If you wantYou're a first-time investor who wants a dead-simple app to start today
Robinhood's UI is frictionless and beginner-friendly — you can buy your first stock in under 5 minutes.
→ Pick Robinhood If you wantYou want active crypto trading alongside stocks
Robinhood's crypto offering is more accessible and integrated, even if fees aren't the lowest.
→ Pick Robinhood If you wantYou're planning for retirement with IRAs or rollovers
Fidelity offers every IRA type imaginable plus world-class retirement planning tools — Robinhood simply can't compete here.
→ Pick Fidelity Investments Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you sign up through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.