Webull vs Fidelity title card reading Fees and Features Compared, costs, margin, cash and safety checked October 31, 2026

Webull vs Fidelity 2026: Fees and Features Compared

ByStock Moe

Last updated October 31, 2026. By Stock Moe, former financial advisor, MBA and finance teacher.

Disclosure: Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you open an account through them, Stock Moe gets paid by Webull or Kalshi at no extra cost to you. I only link to products I use myself. This is not financial advice.

Webull vs Fidelity comes down to whether you trade or you build. Both charge $0 commissions on U.S. stocks and ETFs. Fidelity charges $0.65 per options contract, while Webull charges $0 on options listed on U.S. exchanges, and Webull standard margin starts at 8.74% against 12.075% at Fidelity on balances under $25,000. Fidelity charges $0 to transfer your account out, and Webull charges $75, according to each broker’s own pages as of October 31, 2026.

I place my own trades on Webull, and I tell people that up front because it is a bias. I also spent years as a financial advisor, and I have sent a lot of retirement money to Fidelity accounts. Both of those things are true. So this comparison only uses numbers I could confirm on each company’s own pages, it shows where Fidelity wins, and it ends with who should pick which one.

Key takeaways

  • Both are SEC registered broker dealers and members of FINRA and SIPC, so securities and cash are protected up to $500,000, including $250,000 of cash, if the firm fails. Neither covers market losses.
  • Stocks and ETFs trade for $0 at both. Options cost $0.65 per contract at Fidelity and $0 at Webull, except $0.50 per contract on certain index options.
  • Margin under $25,000 costs 12.075% at Fidelity. Webull lists 8.74% standard and as low as 4.15% with its $40 a year Premium plan.
  • Cash: Fidelity’s SPAXX money market fund showed a 3.33% 7 day yield on October 31, 2026. Webull pays 0.5% APY standard and 3.6% APY with Premium.
  • Leaving costs $0 at Fidelity and $75 per outgoing stock transfer at Webull.
  • Webull has futures, prediction markets and paper trading. Fidelity has thousands of mutual funds, $0 expense ratio ZERO index funds and live reps 24/7.
  • Investing can lose money. Past results do not predict future results.

Is Webull or Fidelity better?

Fidelity is better for long term investors who want mutual funds, retirement planning and a person on the phone. Webull is better for active traders who want options without a per contract fee, futures, prediction markets and a practice account. Most of the big comparison sites land in the same place, and so do I.

Here is my one sentence version for each type of investor. If you buy index funds every month for retirement and rarely sell, pick Fidelity. If you trade options, want to learn charts with fake money first, or want stocks, futures and event contracts in one app, pick Webull. If you do both, there is nothing wrong with holding an account at each, and plenty of my students do exactly that.

The size gap is huge. Fidelity reported $19.9 trillion of assets under administration as of June 30, 2026 in its second quarter business update. Webull Corporation is a much younger company listed on the Nasdaq under BULL. Size does not make a broker right for you, but it does tell you Fidelity is not going anywhere, and it explains why Fidelity can afford so many free services.

Is Webull as safe as Fidelity?

On the basic protection, yes. Webull Financial LLC, Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC and Fidelity’s clearing firm, National Financial Services LLC, are all members of SIPC. SIPC protects up to $500,000 in securities and cash per account, with a $250,000 limit on cash, if a member firm fails and customer assets are missing. You can look up both firms on FINRA BrokerCheck.

Fidelity adds more on top. Its account protection FAQ says its excess of SIPC policy has a $1 billion aggregate limit, no per account dollar limit on securities, and a $1.9 million per account limit on cash awaiting investment. Webull also carries excess coverage, which I break down in my full Webull review. Both kinds of coverage only kick in if the firm fails. Neither one protects you from a stock going down.

Is Fidelity FDIC insured? Your stocks and funds are not, and neither are money market funds like SPAXX. Fidelity’s FDIC Insured Deposit Sweep Program is an option for the cash in retirement accounts, where uninvested cash goes into interest bearing accounts at program banks. Webull sweeps Cash Management balances to partner banks for FDIC coverage too. Check which one your cash is actually in before you count on it.

Webull vs Fidelity fees: every fee I could confirm

For a buy and hold investor, both cost close to nothing. The differences show up when you trade options, borrow, buy funds from other companies or leave. Here is the side by side from Fidelity’s commissions and fees page and Webull’s fee schedule, both checked October 31, 2026.

  • Stocks and ETFs: $0 online commission at both. Fidelity notes that a limited number of ETFs carry a $100 transaction based fee.
  • Options: Fidelity charges $0 commission plus $0.65 per contract, and buy to close orders of $0.65 or less are free. Webull charges nothing per contract on options listed on U.S. exchanges, except $0.50 per contract on certain index options.
  • Transfer your account out: $0 at Fidelity. $75 per outgoing stock transfer at Webull.
  • Mutual funds: Fidelity funds trade for $0. Non Fidelity transaction fee funds cost $49.95 per purchase, and no transaction fee funds cost $49.95 if you sell within 60 days.
  • Bonds: Fidelity charges $1 per bond on secondary trades and $0 for U.S. Treasuries traded online.
  • Wires: Fidelity lists $0 for a domestic bank wire.
  • Market data: Webull charges $2.99 a month each for Level 2 and OPRA options data on a standard account, and $0 with Premium.
  • Minimums: neither one has a minimum to open a regular brokerage account.

Run the options math, because it is the biggest everyday difference. Ten contracts in and ten contracts out is 20 contracts. At Fidelity that is $13 in contract fees. At Webull it is $0 on regular equity options. If you trade options every week, that adds up to hundreds of dollars a year. If you never trade options, it costs you nothing either way.

How do they make money if trades are free? Fidelity earns from its own funds, interest on cash, margin and advice. Webull’s Form CRS lists payment for order flow, interest, stock lending and subscriptions. Fidelity also says on its comparison page that its price improvement saved investors $24.50 on average for a 1,000 share order, based on SEC Rule 605 data from April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026. That number is Fidelity’s own claim, but it is the right thing to look at, because the price you get on a fill matters more than a $0 commission.

Webull vs Fidelity: which pays more on cash?

Fidelity pays more on cash if you do not want to pay for a plan, and Webull pays a little more if you do. The difference is how each one handles cash that is sitting and waiting to be invested.

At Fidelity, cash in a regular brokerage account sits in a core position you choose. The two common choices are SPAXX, a government money market fund, and FCASH. When I checked Yahoo Finance on October 31, 2026, SPAXX showed a 3.33% 7 day yield. Fidelity listed FCASH at 1.94% as of September 18, 2026. A money market yield moves with short term rates and is not guaranteed.

At Webull, cash in Cash Management earns 0.5% APY on a standard account and 3.6% APY with Premium, according to Webull’s offer page (affiliate link) on October 31, 2026. Premium costs $3.99 a month or $40 a year, per Webull’s help center. The offer page also lists a promotional 1.4% APY Booster for 30 days on up to $10,000 of eligible cash, subject to Webull’s terms.

Here is the math on $10,000 of cash for a year. SPAXX at 3.33% earns about $333 if the yield held all year. Webull Premium at 3.6% earns about $360, or about $320 after the $40 plan. Webull standard at 0.5% earns about $50. So the honest answer is that Fidelity wins for most people who do not want a subscription, and the two are close if you already pay for Premium for the data and margin rates.

Want to see the Webull app for yourself? Open a Webull account through my link (affiliate link, I get paid if you sign up). Any new account offer is subject to Webull’s current terms and eligibility, so check the offer page for the current terms before you deposit. Investing involves risk, including the loss of money you put in, and past results do not predict future results.

Webull vs Fidelity margin rates: which is cheaper?

Webull is cheaper on margin, and on small loans it is not close. Fidelity’s base margin rate has been 10.825% since September 18, 2026. Balances under $25,000 pay the base plus 1.25%, or 12.075%. From $25,000 to $49,999 the rate is 11.575%, and it falls to 10.325% from $250,000 to $499,999.

Webull’s offer page listed margin as low as 8.74% on a standard account and as low as 4.15% with Premium. The words “as low as” matter, because the posted rate is the best tier. Check the rate your balance gets inside the app before you borrow.

Webull vs Fidelity margin interest chart: a $10,000 loan for one year costs about $1,208 at Fidelity at 12.075%, $874 at Webull standard at 8.74%, and $415 at Webull Premium at 4.15%
Yearly interest on a $10,000 margin loan at posted rates. Webull posts its best tier, and Premium costs $40 a year.

On a $10,000 loan held for a year, that is about $1,208 at Fidelity, $874 at Webull’s standard rate and about $415 at Webull’s best Premium rate before the $40 fee. My advice as a former advisor is the same at both brokers. If margin interest is a big line in your budget, the broker is not your problem. Margin can lose more than you put in, and Fidelity charges $32.95 per margin liquidation on top of the loss.

What can you trade on Webull vs Fidelity?

Both cover U.S. stocks, ETFs, options, fractional shares, crypto and IRAs. The differences are at the edges, and they tell you who each broker was built for.

  • Mutual funds: Fidelity is one of the biggest fund companies in the world, and its Fidelity funds trade for $0. Its ZERO index funds have a 0% expense ratio. Webull’s Form CRS lists mutual funds too, but Fidelity’s menu is far deeper.
  • Bonds and CDs: Fidelity has a deep bond desk with $0 online Treasuries. Webull’s Form CRS lists bonds as well.
  • Fractional shares: Fidelity lets you buy more than 7,000 U.S. stocks and ETFs from $1. Webull also starts at $1. My guide on how to buy fractional shares walks through it step by step.
  • Futures: Webull lists $0.25 per contract for micros, $0.70 for minis and $1.25 for regular contracts on its futures page. Fidelity’s commissions page did not list futures when I checked on October 31, 2026.
  • Prediction markets: Webull offers event contracts from Kalshi for $0.01 commission plus a $0.01 exchange fee per contract, per its event contract fees page. I did not find event contracts on Fidelity’s pages.
  • Crypto: Fidelity Crypto says its trading fee will not exceed 1% of the market value of your order. Webull offers crypto through a separate crypto company. Availability depends on your state at both.
  • Paper trading: Webull has a built in simulator for practice with fake money. I did not find a paper trading mode on Fidelity’s pages.

If you want prediction markets in the same app as your stocks, I walk through placing a trade in my Webull prediction markets guide. Event contracts can lose money, Kalshi is available only where it operates and to adults, and you should trade only money you can afford to lose.

Is Webull or Fidelity better for day trading?

Webull was built for traders, and it shows the second you open it. You get real time charts with dozens of indicators, Level 2 data, a desktop app, a browser version and paper trading. When I draw my 5, 13 and 50 EMAs and my panic lines, I do it on Webull. Fidelity has capable trading tools too, and its price improvement claim matters for big orders, but the experience feels like a bank that added trading rather than a trading app.

The rule change this year matters more than the app. On April 14, 2026, the SEC approved FINRA’s plan to end the $25,000 pattern day trader minimum, according to Schwab’s summary. The new rules took effect June 4, 2026, and brokers have until October 20, 2027 to put them in place. Check the day trading rules shown in your own account before you place a trade.

My warning is the same at both brokers. Most people who day trade lose money, and leverage makes it happen faster. Practice first, size small, and write your rules down before the market opens.

Is Fidelity or Webull better for retirement accounts?

Fidelity is the stronger retirement broker for most people, and I say that as a Webull user. It has thousands of funds, $0 expense ratio index funds, planning tools, no account fees and no minimum to open an IRA. Its comparison page also lists reps available 24/7, which matters more than people think the first time something goes wrong with a rollover. Fidelity Go, its robo advisor, has no minimum to open and starts investing at $10.

Webull’s answer is the IRA match. Its offer page listed a 1% match on IRA contributions on a standard account and 3.5% with Premium, plus a 1% match on IRA transfers with Premium. On a $7,000 contribution, a 3.5% match is $245. That is real money, but it comes with rules and it can change, so read the terms in the app first. I did not see an IRA match on Fidelity’s pricing pages.

Is Webull or Fidelity better for beginners?

It depends on what kind of beginner you are. If you want to set up automatic investing into a broad index fund and not look at it for 20 years, Fidelity is the easier and calmer home. If you want to learn how the market actually moves, Webull is the better classroom.

Here is why I still send a lot of beginners to Webull. Paper trading lets you make your first hundred mistakes with fake money. The charts let you learn real technical analysis instead of guessing. And because I teach on Webull, what you see in my videos looks like what is on your screen. When I taught finance in the classroom, the students who practiced first did better than the ones who jumped in.

What matters more than the app: start small, buy broad funds before single stocks, and do not touch options or margin until you can explain how you could lose money on them. If you want a weekly plan in plain English, my free Sunday Letter is built for that.

How to transfer stocks between Fidelity and Webull

You do not have to sell to switch in either direction. Brokers move stocks through the ACATS system, and your shares and cost basis go with them. The cost depends on which way you go: Fidelity charges $0 to transfer assets out, and Webull charges $75 per outgoing stock transfer. Can you transfer stocks from Webull to Fidelity? Yes, you start it at Fidelity and Webull charges its $75 fee. Here is the other direction, from Fidelity to Webull.

How to transfer stocks from Fidelity to Webull without selling.

  1. Open and verify your Webull account

    Sign up, verify your identity and wait for approval. Match the account type, so an individual account goes to an individual account and an IRA goes to an IRA.

  2. Find your Fidelity account details

    Log in to Fidelity, write down your account number and download a recent statement. The name and address on both accounts should match.

  3. Check what can move

    Look at your positions. Fidelity mutual funds and some other holdings may not be able to move to Webull, so sell those first or leave them where they are.

  4. Start the transfer from Webull

    In the Webull app, open the transfer in section, choose a full or partial ACATS transfer, pick Fidelity as the other broker and enter your Fidelity account number.

  5. Watch for open orders and margin

    Cancel open orders at Fidelity and pay off any margin balance first so the transfer is not held up.

  6. Confirm when it lands

    When the shares show up at Webull, check every position and the cost basis against your Fidelity statement.

Plenty of investors keep both. A common setup I see is a Fidelity IRA for the long term money and a Webull account for trading. That is a perfectly good answer, as long as you track your taxes and do not let the trading account take over the retirement money.

Ready to try Webull? Open your Webull account here (affiliate link, I get paid if you sign up). Any offer is subject to Webull’s current terms and eligibility, so check the offer page for the current terms before you deposit. Investing can lose money, and past results do not predict future results.

My verdict on Webull vs Fidelity

If I could only give one broker to a 25 year old who wants to retire well and never think about it, I would pick Fidelity. If I could only give one to someone who wants to learn to trade, I would pick Webull. That is not a cop out. They were built for different jobs.

  • Pick Fidelity if you mostly buy funds, want a strong IRA home, want free transfers out, want cash to earn a money market yield without a subscription, or want a person on the phone.
  • Pick Webull if you trade options often, want cheaper margin, want futures and prediction markets in one app, or want to practice with paper trading before you risk a dollar.
  • Use both if you have long term money and trading money. Keep them separate on purpose.

If you are still deciding between the trading apps, read my Webull vs Robinhood comparison next, because that is the closer fight.

Common questions about Webull vs Fidelity

Is Webull or Fidelity better?

Fidelity is better for long term investors who want mutual funds, retirement accounts, free transfers out and phone support. Webull is better for active traders who want $0 per contract options, lower margin rates, futures, prediction markets and paper trading, as of October 31, 2026.

Can you transfer stocks from Webull to Fidelity?

Yes. Start an ACATS transfer at Fidelity and enter your Webull account number. Your shares and cost basis move without selling. Webull charges $75 per outgoing stock transfer.

How do I transfer from Fidelity to Webull?

Open and verify a Webull account of the same type, then start a full or partial ACATS transfer in the Webull app, pick Fidelity and enter your Fidelity account number. Fidelity charges $0 to transfer assets out.

Is Fidelity FDIC insured?

Stocks, ETFs and money market funds at Fidelity are not FDIC insured. They are covered by SIPC up to $500,000, including $250,000 of cash, plus Fidelity’s excess of SIPC policy. Fidelity’s FDIC Insured Deposit Sweep Program is an option for cash in retirement accounts.

Does Fidelity charge fees?

Fidelity charges $0 for online U.S. stock and ETF trades and has no account fees or minimums. It charges $0.65 per options contract, 12.075% margin on balances under $25,000, and $49.95 to buy non Fidelity transaction fee funds.

Can you buy bitcoin on Fidelity?

Yes, through Fidelity Crypto, where Fidelity says the trading fee will not exceed 1% of the market value of your order. Webull also offers crypto through a separate company. Availability depends on your state.

Is Webull as safe as Fidelity?

Both are SIPC members, so securities and cash are protected up to $500,000, including $250,000 of cash, if the firm fails. Fidelity is far larger, with $19.9 trillion of assets under administration as of June 30, 2026, and has a $1 billion aggregate excess of SIPC policy.

Does Fidelity have paper trading?

I did not find a paper trading mode on Fidelity’s pages when I checked on October 31, 2026. Webull has a paper trading simulator built into its app.

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Sources

I am not a financial advisor and nothing in this article is financial advice. Everything here is my own opinion, for educational and entertainment purposes only. Do your own research and talk to a licensed professional before you make any financial decision.

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Stock Moe is a former financial advisor who worked at one of the largest financial firms in the country before moving into teaching. He holds an M.B.A. and an M.Ed. in Business Education, taught college and high school finance, and has coached teams to 15 state and 2 back to back national Stock Market Game championships. He runs the Stock Moe YouTube channel with over 720,000 subscribers, where he breaks down stocks, crypto, housing and the economy in plain English.

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