Robinhood vs Fidelity Investments
Fidelity Investments wins — Fidelity wins for any investor building long-term wealth — better order execution, broader investment universe, free res…
Scores: Robinhood 7/10 · Fidelity Investments 10/10
Fidelity wins for any investor building long-term wealth — better order execution, broader investment universe, free research, and 24/7 support with 75+ years of institutional trust. Robinhood is the right entry point for first-time investors learning with small amounts, but should graduate to Fidelity once you're investing seriously.
Spec-by-spec comparison
| Robinhood | Fidelity Investments |
|---|
| commissions | Zero commission stocks, ETFs, options, crypto | Zero commission stocks, ETFs, options |
|---|
| account_types | Taxable, IRA, Roth IRA | Taxable, IRA, Roth IRA, 401k, 529, HSA, trust |
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| margin | Robinhood Gold: $5/month for margin + 4.9% APY on cash | Standard margin at competitive rates |
|---|
| fractional | Yes, $1 minimum | Yes, $1 minimum on select ETFs |
|---|
| crypto | Yes, 15+ coins including BTC, ETH, DOGE | — |
|---|
| research | Basic — no third-party research integration | Morningstar, Reuters, S&P, Argus reports included |
|---|
Robinhood
What works
- Fractional shares from $1 makes dollar-cost averaging accessible with any budget
- Cleanest mobile interface in the industry — beginners can buy their first stock in 4 minutes
- 4.9% APY on uninvested cash for Gold subscribers is genuinely competitive vs HYSA
What doesn't
- Payment for order flow (PFOF) means your market orders may execute at worse prices vs direct routing
- No access to mutual funds, bonds, CDs, or advanced fixed income products
- Customer support is app-only — no phone support for urgent account issues
Fidelity Investments
What works
- No payment for order flow — orders route for best execution rather than highest rebate
- Full investment universe: stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, bonds, CDs, 529 plans in one account
- SIPC + additional insurance coverage and 24/7 phone support for serious account issues
What doesn't
- Mobile app is functional but less polished than Robinhood — learning curve for first-time users
- No crypto trading — Bitcoin and Ethereum not available in taxable accounts
- Fidelity's mutual fund ecosystem (ZERO funds) is excellent but can confuse investors used to ETF-only
Bottom line
Our pick: Fidelity Investments.
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