Fidelity Investments
Worth it
Confidence: Medium
Buy if you're a US investor wanting a low-cost, full-service brokerage with strong research and retirement tools.
New check
Comparison
Fidelity Investments vs Vanguard
Fidelity Investments and Vanguard both land on Worth it.
Vanguard
Worth it
Confidence: Medium
Buy if you're a buy-and-hold investor who wants low-fee funds, IRAs, and rollovers in one place.
| Compare | Fidelity Investments | Vanguard |
|---|---|---|
| Verdict | Worth it | Worth it |
| Best for | Long-term index investors | Buy-and-hold index investors |
| Who it's not for | Self-directed investors who'd regret paying advisory fees | Active traders needing fast, reliable execution |
| Privacy | Mature security program (bug bounty, MFA guidance) marred by an October 2024 breach affecting 77,000 customers and a $2.5M settlement.⁵ | Widely viewed as safe; Vanguard runs a dedicated Security Center for fraud reporting. |
| Support quality | BBB complaints and mixed Trustpilot feedback | Excessively long wait times reported |
| Public sentiment | Long-term retail investors broadly praise Fidelity's low costs and tools, while some advisory clients regret the managed service and support complaints persist on Trustpilot and BBB.³ | Long-time investors vouch for the low-cost funds, but users flag long support waits, site glitches, and a mediocre app. |
| Biggest gotcha | Breach settlement had claim deadlines; affected customers had to act for up-to-$5,000 payouts⁶ | Support means long waits; some users say they can't reach anyone at all.14 |
Pick Fidelity Investments when
- Long-term index investors
- Beginners wanting free education
- Retirement savers
- Self-directed traders wanting free research
When Fidelity Investments is not a fit
- Self-directed investors who'd regret paying advisory fees
- Privacy-cautious users worried by the 2024 breach
- Non-US residents (service is US-focused)
- Anyone needing only a simple portfolio tracker . overkill
Pick Vanguard when
- Buy-and-hold index investors
- Retirement savers (IRAs, 401(k) rollovers)
- Low-fee, set-and-forget portfolios
- UK investors (4.8/5 Trustpilot)
When Vanguard is not a fit
- Active traders needing fast, reliable execution
- Mobile-first investors
- Anyone who phones support often
- Investors wanting a slick modern interface
Sources
review
- Fidelity Review . Investopediainvestopedia.comreview
- Why Is Fidelity So Great? . r/Bogleheadsreddit.comreview
review
news
- Fidelity data breach settlement deadline . Yahoo Financefinance.yahoo.comnews
- Fidelity HackerOne response policyhackerone.comsecurity
- Brokerage Commission and Fee Schedule . Fidelityfidelity.comofficial
official
review
- Should You Use Vanguard to Invest in 2026? - U.S. Newsmoney.usnews.comreview
- Vanguard Review 2026 - Unbiasedunbiased.comreview
- Vanguard customer service reviews - Trustpilottrustpilot.comreview
- Vanguard Asset Management Ltd Reviews - Trustpilot UKtrustpilot.comreview
- Vanguard: Save, Invest, Retire - Google Playplay.google.comreview