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Software · head to head

Compound vs Fidelity

Compound logo

Compound

Software

Autonomous interest rate protocol

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Fidelity logo

Fidelity

Software

Building a better financial future

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Compound has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Compound compound is a decentralized, non-custodial protocol governed by COMP token holders rather than a company; interest rates on supplied and borrowed assets are set algorithmically by pool utilization rather than published as a price list, so there is no vendor pricing page to compare against; Fidelity options trades carry a 0.65 USD per contract fee on top of zero commission
  • They diverge on capability: Compound covers Lending, Fidelity covers Commission-free trading.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Compound and Fidelity actually diverge.

Attributes where Compound and Fidelity differ
AttributeCompoundFidelity
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknowntransaction
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsEthereumWeb, IOS, Android
Founded20171946

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Compound

  • Lending
  • Borrowing
  • cTokens
  • Governance
  • COMP Token
  • Ethereum

Only in Fidelity

  • Commission-free trading
  • Retirement planning
  • Advisory services
  • Research tools
  • Bank accounts
  • Investment accounts
  • IOS support
  • Android support

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Compound

  • Decentralised finance (DeFi) lending and borrowing protocol on Ethereumnot Fidelity
  • Cryptocurrency collateral management for USDC borrowingnot Fidelity
  • Interest earning through crypto asset supplynot Fidelity
  • Algorithmic interest rate determination based on supply and demandnot Fidelity

Fidelity

  • Commission free trading of US stocks and ETFsnot Compound
  • Holding IRAs, 401(k) plans and taxable brokerage accountsnot Compound
  • Trading bonds, options and mutual funds from one accountnot Compound

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Compound

  • Compound is a decentralized, non-custodial protocol governed by COMP token holders rather than a company; interest rates on supplied and borrowed assets are set algorithmically by pool utilization rather than published as a price list, so there is no vendor pricing page to compare against

Fidelity

  • Options trades carry a 0.65 USD per contract fee on top of zero commission
  • Non Fidelity mutual funds carry a 49.95 USD transaction fee per purchase
  • Secondary market bonds cost 1.00 USD per bond, while new issues are free
  • A foreign settlement fee of 50 USD applies per trade
  • Margin rates are tiered by debit balance, from 11.825 percent below 25,000 USD down to 7.50 percent at 1 million USD or more, against a base rate of 10.575 percent effective 12 December 2025
  • Margin liquidation by the broker costs 32.95 USD per liquidation

Pricing, plan by plan

Compound

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Compound review.

Fidelity

On request
  • Brokerage$undefined/month
    • Commission-free trading
    • Research tools
  • Advisory$undefined/month
    • Personal advisor
    • Wealth management

Which should you pick?

Choose Compound if

  • You need lending.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Ethereum.
  • You also want borrowing.
Compound review

Choose Fidelity if

  • You need commission-free trading.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want retirement planning.
Fidelity review

Questions people ask

Is Compound or Fidelity better?
Neither clearly leads. Compound starts at Free and Fidelity at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Compound or Fidelity?
Compound has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Compound and On request for Fidelity.
Does Compound or Fidelity run on more platforms?
Compound runs on Ethereum. Fidelity runs on Web, IOS, Android.
Can I use Compound for free?
Yes. Compound has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Fidelity starts at On request.
What is Compound best used for?
Compound is most often used for decentralised finance (defi) lending and borrowing protocol on ethereum, cryptocurrency collateral management for usdc borrowing, interest earning through crypto asset supply, algorithmic interest rate determination based on supply and demand. Of those, decentralised finance (defi) lending and borrowing protocol on ethereum and cryptocurrency collateral management for usdc borrowing are not what Fidelity is typically brought in for.
What can Compound do that Fidelity cannot?
Compound covers Lending, Borrowing, cTokens, Governance. Fidelity covers Commission-free trading, Retirement planning, Advisory services, Research tools. Both handle Web support.
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