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Personal Finance · head to head

Fidelity vs Wise

Fidelity logo

Fidelity

Personal Finance

Building a better financial future

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Wise logo

Wise

Personal Finance

International money transfers at the real exchange rate

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Wise 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; Wise exchange rate fees start at 0.31% plus corridor-specific transfer fees
  • They diverge on capability: Fidelity covers Commission-free trading, Wise covers International transfers.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fidelity and Wise actually diverge.

Attributes where Fidelity and Wise differ
AttributeFidelityWise
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modeltransactionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
Founded19462011

Identical on both: platforms (Web, IOS, Android), 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
  • Investment accounts

Only in Wise

  • International transfers
  • Real exchange rates
  • Multi-currency accounts
  • Bill payments
  • Cryptocurrency

Both cover

  • Bank accounts
  • Web support
  • IOS support
  • Android 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 Wise
  • Holding IRAs, 401(k) plans and taxable brokerage accountsnot Wise
  • Trading bonds, options and mutual funds from one accountnot Wise

Wise

  • Budget Managementnot Fidelity
  • Expense Trackingnot Fidelity
  • Investment Trackingnot 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

Wise

  • Exchange rate fees start at 0.31% plus corridor-specific transfer fees
  • Transfer speed dependent on destination country banking infrastructure
  • No published documentation of maximum transfer limits
  • Multi-currency account features may have regional restrictions

Pricing, plan by plan

Fidelity

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

Wise

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Wise review.

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 Wise if

  • You need international transfers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want real exchange rates.
Wise review

Questions people ask

Is Fidelity or Wise better?
Neither clearly leads. Fidelity starts at On request and Wise at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fidelity or Wise?
Wise has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Fidelity and Free for Wise.
Does Fidelity or Wise run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, IOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Wise for free?
Yes. Wise 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 Wise is typically brought in for.
What can Fidelity do that Wise cannot?
Fidelity covers Commission-free trading, Retirement planning, Advisory services, Research tools. Wise covers International transfers, Real exchange rates, Multi-currency accounts, Bill payments. Both handle Bank accounts, Web support, IOS support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Wise: What are Wise's transfer fees and exchange rates?

Wise uses mid-market exchange rates without hidden markups and charges a flat fee starting from 0.31% plus a currency transfer fee depending on the corridor. Volume discounts are available for larger transfers.

Source
Wise: How long do international transfers take with Wise?

Transfers can arrive same-day within seconds according to Wise marketing materials, though actual timing depends on the destination country and banking infrastructure.

Source
Wise: Is there a cost for a Wise account or monthly subscription?

Opening a Wise account is free with no monthly subscription. You only pay fees when you send money or convert currency.

Source
Wise: Can I send money between Wise users for free?

Sending or receiving the same currency between Wise contacts is free. Converting to a different currency costs less than standard rates but is not free.

Source
Wise: What security features does Wise offer?

Wise includes two-factor authentication for account protection, holds funds with established financial institutions, maintains 24/7 customer support, and has dedicated fraud and security teams.

Source
Wise: How much money can I transfer with Wise?

Wise does not publicly specify transfer limits on the main site. Limits may vary by country, sender verification level, and corridor.

Source
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