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Personal Finance · head to head

Fidelity vs GnuCash

Fidelity logo

Fidelity

Personal Finance

Building a better financial future

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
GnuCash logo

GnuCash

Personal Finance

Personal finance and accounting software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only GnuCash has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Fidelity options trades carry a 0.65 USD per contract fee on top of zero commission; GnuCash desktop only, with no mobile application
  • They diverge on capability: Fidelity covers Commission-free trading, GnuCash covers Double-entry bookkeeping.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fidelity and GnuCash actually diverge.

Attributes where Fidelity and GnuCash differ
AttributeFidelityGnuCash
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modeltransactionopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, IOS, AndroidWindows, Mac, Linux
Founded19461997

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

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 Fidelity

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

Only in GnuCash

  • Double-entry bookkeeping
  • Multi-currency support
  • Reports and graphs
  • Budget tracking
  • Import/Export
  • OFX format
  • Windows support
  • Mac support

What people use each for

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

Fidelity

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

GnuCash

  • Personal finance tracking with a checkbook register interfacenot Fidelity
  • Double-entry bookkeeping for a small businessnot Fidelity
  • Tracking stocks, bonds and mutual fund accountsnot Fidelity
  • Importing transactions via QIF, OFX or HBCInot Fidelity
  • Scheduled recurring transactions and financial reportsnot Fidelity

Where each one falls short

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

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

GnuCash

  • Desktop only, with no mobile application
  • Version 3.11 is the last release supporting Windows 7 and macOS 10.12 and earlier
  • Uses strict double-entry accounting, so every transaction needs two sides

Pricing, plan by plan

Fidelity

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

GnuCash

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Double-entry bookkeeping
    • Multi-currency support
    • Reports and graphs

Which should you pick?

Choose Fidelity if

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

Choose GnuCash if

  • You need double-entry bookkeeping.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Mac, Linux.
  • You also want multi-currency support.
GnuCash review

Questions people ask

Is Fidelity or GnuCash better?
Neither clearly leads. Fidelity starts at On request and GnuCash at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fidelity or GnuCash?
GnuCash has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Fidelity and Free for GnuCash.
Does Fidelity or GnuCash run on more platforms?
Fidelity runs on Web, IOS, Android. GnuCash runs on Windows, Mac, Linux.
Can I use GnuCash for free?
Yes. GnuCash has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Fidelity starts at On request.
What is Fidelity best used for?
Fidelity is most often used for commission free trading of us stocks and etfs, holding iras, 401(k) plans and taxable brokerage accounts, trading bonds, options and mutual funds from one account. Of those, commission free trading of us stocks and etfs and holding iras, 401(k) plans and taxable brokerage accounts are not what GnuCash is typically brought in for.
What can Fidelity do that GnuCash cannot?
Fidelity covers Commission-free trading, Retirement planning, Advisory services, Research tools. GnuCash covers Double-entry bookkeeping, Multi-currency support, Reports and graphs, Budget tracking.
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