Introduction
Fidelity and J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. are two mammoths in the financial services industry with
trillions of dollars in client assets (yes, trillions with a t). So, can we simply recommend both
without reservations? These two may be more different than you think.
Cost
| Broker Fees |
Stock/ETF
Commission |
Mutual Fund
Commission |
Options
Commission |
Maintenance
Fee |
Annual IRA
Fee |
|
Fidelity
|
$0
|
$49.95
|
$0 + $0.65 per contract
|
$0
|
$0
|
|
Chase
|
$0
|
$0
|
$0.65 per contract
|
$0
|
$0
|
Services
| Broker Review |
Cost |
Investment Products |
Trading Tools |
Customer Service |
Research |
Overall Rating |
|
Fidelity
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chase
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Up First Is Investment Styles
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing is J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.’s discount brokerage service. As its name suggests, it offers self-directed brokerage accounts. J.P. Morgan Wealth Management separately offers advisor-managed investment services.
Self-directed clients get a large selection of tradable instruments. These include:
- U.S. equities
- Mutual funds
- ETFs
- Closed-end funds
- Bonds and bond equivalents
- Option contracts
Fidelity has the same investment vehicles that J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing offers. But
Fidelity adds life insurance, foreign stocks on several exchanges around the globe, and annuities.
On the automated side, Fidelity Go charges no advisory fee for balances below $25,000 and 0.35% annually for balances of $25,000 or more. The program primarily uses Fidelity mutual funds with zero expense ratios. There is no minimum to open an account, although $10 is required before Fidelity begins investing.
Winner: Fidelity
Next Is Website Technology
J.P. Morgan customers use the Chase Bank website. Bank and brokerage accounts are linked automatically. The site does have a lot of banking tools, and this could be an advantage or a disadvantage, depending on how you look at it. The downside is that the additional tools can clutter up the site.
The investment section of the website now delivers interactive advanced charts with technical indicators such as moving averages, Bollinger Bands, RSI, and MACD. The order ticket remains simpler than Fidelity’s, and Fidelity offers advanced order types such as trailing orders.
Charts on Fidelity’s website are also advanced, delivering full-screen mode, several plot styles, tons of drawing tools, and the ability to export a graph as a spreadsheet or an image.
Fidelity’s website also has a Virtual Assistant, something we didn’t find on the J.P. Morgan Investing website.
Winner: Fidelity
Third Is Other Software
Besides its very good website, Fidelity has an advanced desktop platform named Fidelity Trader+ Desktop. Active Trader Pro Classic remains available as Fidelity’s legacy desktop platform. Fidelity Trader+ Desktop delivers many useful tools, including:
- Real-time streaming market data and news
- Customizable layouts with multi-monitor support
- Level II quotes and time & sales data
- Advanced charting with many tools
- Advanced option tools
Fidelity’s mobile app is another great trading platform with many tools, including horizontal charting, mobile check deposit, and integrated option spreads.
J.P. Morgan Investing doesn’t have a desktop program, but it does have a mobile app. The software delivers option chains with calls and puts, vertical charting, and a watchlist. The app’s Chase QuickDeposit tool can deposit checks directly into a J.P. Morgan general investment account or IRA.
J.P. Morgan doesn’t have a separate advanced browser trading platform beyond chase.com. Fidelity, on the other hand, offers Fidelity Trader+ Web, a customizable browser platform with streaming data, advanced charting, and integrated trading. Fidelity also has an app for Apple Watch. The watch platform shows market news, watchlists, account details, quotes, and portfolio information.
Winner: Fidelity
Fourth Is Margin
A self-directed account at Fidelity can be set up as either a cash account or a margin account.
The broker’s software unfortunately doesn’t display margin details on specific assets, although
margin balances for an account are displayed.
On Fidelity Investments’ browser trade ticket, there is a toggle switch that allows an order to be set to
either a margin or cash transaction. The company’s margin rates start at
11.825% and drop to 7.825%.
Traders at J.P. Morgan Investing pay 11.5% to 6.5%.
Winner: J.P. Morgan
Fifth Is Security Research
Through its mobile app and website, J.P. Morgan Investing provides details on stocks, funds, and options. Equity reports are available from CFRA and its own in-house research. These can be downloaded in PDF format.
A stock’s profile has other pieces of information, like earnings and earnings predictions, news articles, and dividend payments.
Fidelity’s website and mobile app have even more information. During our investigation, we found social sentiment scores, data from Trefis for a stock’s valuation, ownership information, ESG details, and technical analysis scores from Recognia.
Fidelity uses no less than 9 analysts for stock reports. Unfortunately, these can only be downloaded on the website.
Winner: Fidelity
Sixth Is Miscellaneous Services
DRIP Service: Automatic dividend reinvesting is available free of charge at both Fidelity and J.P. Morgan Investing.
Extended Hours Trading: Both firms have it. Fidelity offers premarket trading from 7:00 a.m. to 9:28 a.m. ET and after-hours trading from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET. J.P. Morgan offers premarket trading from 7:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. ET and after-hours trading from 4:00 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. ET.
Banking Tools: Fidelity has lower fees and minimums and more perks.
Individual Retirement Accounts: Only Fidelity has an Inherited IRA, Roth IRA for Kids, and small business retirement plans. Only J.P. Morgan Investing has a $75 retirement-account transfer and termination fee.
Initial Public Offerings: Fidelity customers can participate in forthcoming IPOs. J.P. Morgan Investing customers cannot.
Periodic Mutual Fund Investing: Systematic purchases of mutual funds can be made at either Fidelity or J.P. Morgan Investing.
Fractional Shares: Both brokers offer fractional-share trading. Fidelity permits purchases of eligible U.S. stocks and ETFs starting at $1. J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing permits purchases of eligible stocks and ETFs starting at $5.
Winner: Fidelity
Now, Our Recommendations
Mutual Fund Trading: Fidelity has three times as many mutual funds as its rival does. Furthermore, Fidelity has a better fund screener and more detailed fund profiles. We endorse Fidelity.
ETF/Stock Trading: Only Fidelity has an advanced desktop program. Plus, it has broader fractional-share availability and better stock research. Easy choice.
Long-Term Investors & Retirement Savers: Fidelity has more IRA choices. Combined with old-school retirement planning, annuities, lots of retirement education through the website and mobile app, and solo 401(k) accounts, it’s another easy pick.
Small Accounts: Both brokers can work for small accounts. Fidelity Go has no minimum to open, although $10 is required to begin investing. For self-directed trading, Fidelity offers fractional shares starting at $1, while J.P. Morgan offers eligible fractional shares starting at $5. Additionally, some of Fidelity’s
mutual funds have no minimum investment amount.
Beginners: We suggest Fidelity for its larger selection of learning materials and better customer service. Fidelity also provides extensive learning resources for its Fidelity Trader+ platforms.
J.P. Morgan Chase vs Fidelity: Results
Although J.P. Morgan Investing comes from a famous financial institution, it is no match for
Fidelity.
Written by Alex Bost
Updated on 8/25/2026.
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