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Goodbudget vs Fidelity

Goodbudget logo

Goodbudget

Software

Digital envelope budgeting app

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Fidelity logo

Fidelity

Software

Building a better financial future

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Goodbudget has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Goodbudget free plan is capped at 10 regular envelopes, 10 more envelopes, 1 account, 2 devices and 1 year of history; Fidelity options trades carry a 0.65 USD per contract fee on top of zero commission
  • They diverge on capability: Goodbudget covers Envelope budgeting, Fidelity covers Commission-free trading.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Goodbudget and Fidelity actually diverge.

Attributes where Goodbudget and Fidelity differ
AttributeGoodbudgetFidelity
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumtransaction
Free tierYesNo
Founded20121946

Identical on both: platforms (Web, IOS, Android), 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 Goodbudget

  • Envelope budgeting
  • Shared budgets
  • Receipt scanning
  • Expense tracking

Only in Fidelity

  • Commission-free trading
  • Retirement planning
  • Advisory services
  • Research tools
  • Investment accounts

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.

Goodbudget

  • Envelope method budgetingnot Fidelity
  • Sharing a household budget across a couple's devicesnot Fidelity
  • Tracking debt payoff alongside envelopesnot Fidelity

Fidelity

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

Where each one falls short

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

Goodbudget

  • Free plan is capped at 10 regular envelopes, 10 more envelopes, 1 account, 2 devices and 1 year of history
  • Automatic bank sync is Premium only and works with US banks only
  • Premium is limited to 5 devices and 7 years of history
  • Free plan gets community support only; email support requires Premium
  • Premium costs $10 per month or $80 per year

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

Goodbudget

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 10 envelopes
    • Basic tracking
  • Plus$5.99/month
    • Unlimited envelopes
    • Advanced reports
    • Receipt capture

Fidelity

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Goodbudget if

  • You need envelope budgeting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want shared budgets.
Goodbudget 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 Goodbudget or Fidelity better?
Neither clearly leads. Goodbudget 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, Goodbudget or Fidelity?
Goodbudget has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Goodbudget and On request for Fidelity.
Does Goodbudget or Fidelity run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, IOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Goodbudget for free?
Yes. Goodbudget has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Fidelity starts at On request.
What is Goodbudget best used for?
Goodbudget is most often used for envelope method budgeting, sharing a household budget across a couple's devices, tracking debt payoff alongside envelopes. Of those, envelope method budgeting and sharing a household budget across a couple's devices are not what Fidelity is typically brought in for.
What can Goodbudget do that Fidelity cannot?
Goodbudget covers Envelope budgeting, Shared budgets, Receipt scanning, Expense tracking. Fidelity covers Commission-free trading, Retirement planning, Advisory services, Research tools. Both handle Bank accounts, Web support, IOS support, Android support.
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