Edward Jones vs. Fidelity, Schwab and Vanguard
In this comparison, we’ll cover:
• Brokerage and investment-advisory accounts can be opened at Edward Jones, Vanguard, Fidelity, and Charles Schwab.
• Financial planning is available at all four firms as well.
• Only Schwab and Fidelity offer strong software for advanced self-directed trading.
Fidelity vs. Schwab, Edward Jones, and Vanguard Introduction
If you want more than basic brokerage services, you should take a serious look at Edward Jones, Charles Schwab, Vanguard, and Fidelity. These four financial giants offer cash-management tools, financial planning, investment advice, and more.
Edward Jones and Competitors: Fees
| Broker Fees |
Stock/ETF
Commission |
Mutual Fund
Commission |
Margin
Rate |
Maintenance
Fee |
Annual IRA
Fee |
|
Charles Schwab
|
$0
|
$49.95 ($0 to sell)
|
11.825%
|
$0
|
$0
|
|
Fidelity
|
$0
|
$49.95
|
11.825%
|
$0
|
$0
|
|
Vanguard
|
$0
|
$20
|
12%
|
$25*
|
$25*
|
|
Edward Jones
|
$0
|
$0
|
$0
|
0.50% to 1.50% + $300
|
0.50% to 1.50% + $300
|
Edward Jones and Competitors: Services
Charles Schwab: $0 commissions + ACAT rebate + satisfaction guarantee at Charles Schwab.
Visit Schwab Website
Fidelity, Vanguard, and Edward Jones: none
Brokerage and Managed Accounts
All four investment firms in this comparison offer both advisory and brokerage accounts. At Edward Jones, brokerage accounts are available only through the firm’s full-service model. That means every brokerage account is opened through a local financial advisor. At the other three firms, a brokerage account can be opened either as self-directed or as full-service.
Managed accounts are available at all four companies, too. These come in several forms, including robo programs at Schwab, Vanguard, and Fidelity. All four companies also provide wealth-management services for investors who want the highest level of guidance.
In their brokerage and advisory accounts, all four companies offer the standard lineup of securities, including equities, bonds, and funds. Everyone except Edward Jones provides trading in option contracts. Fidelity offers cryptocurrencies, while Schwab adds futures and forex. Both Schwab and Fidelity customers can access foreign stock exchanges.
Winner: Draw between Schwab and Fidelity
Cash Management
These four financial giants go well beyond investing. Edward Jones offers Everyday Solutions Checking and Visa Debit through U.S. Bank, and it also has the Insured Bank Deposit program with up to $5 million in FDIC coverage for individual accounts and up to $10 million for joint accounts. Check writing, debit-card access, bill pay, and other cash tools are available.
Fidelity has a similar arrangement with an FDIC-insured sweep option and a long list of banking tools and perks. It also has Bloom accounts, which are brokerage accounts with cash-management extras that Edward Jones doesn’t provide, such as round ups and cash-back shopping.
Schwab has its own FDIC-insured bank. Through this banking unit, the financial conglomerate offers checking and savings accounts with valuable perks, including unlimited ATM fee refunds worldwide and pledged asset lines.
Vanguard has something called the Cash Plus Account. It pays 3.1% APY on idle cash but doesn’t come with standard banking tools like checks or a debit card. It does provide access to brokered CDs and money market funds, and the other three firms do as well.
Winner: Pretty close between Schwab and Fidelity
Margin
All four broker-dealers offer margin trading. Ranges on interest rates are as follows:
Edward Jones: 5.5% to 8.75%*
Schwab: 10.075% to 11.825%*
Fidelity: 10.075% to 11.825%
Vanguard: 10% to 12%*
*Both Vanguard and Schwab have negotiated rates on margin loans above $500k.
Winner: Edward Jones may look appealing based on interest rates, but without self-directed accounts, we would go with Schwab
Websites
Of the four websites in this comparison, Vanguard and Edward Jones are the most basic. The Edward Jones site doesn’t even offer trading capability. It does provide a good collection of account-management tools, though. These include funds transfer, goals and their progress, and links to the associated financial advisor.
Vanguard’s site does have trading capability, although its charts and order ticket are fairly simple. A more advanced experience will be found at Schwab and Fidelity, both of which offer advanced order types and very good research tools. Schwab has a browser-based platform for a more sophisticated experience. Features we like include Level II quotes, pro-level order types, and time & sales data.
Winner: Schwab
Mobile Apps
Moving to mobile trading, we find a similar pattern. The Vanguard app is actually more basic than its website counterpart. For example, there is no options trading on the app. The Edward Jones app is centered on account management instead of trading. Many of the same account-management tools are there, though.
Fidelity has multiple mobile apps, including its main investing app and Bloom. The main app delivers advanced charting, in-depth quotes, options tools, and a wide range of trading and cash-management features.
Schwab has two apps, and both can be used for trading. Like Fidelity, Schwab manages to pack in lots of charting features, option tools, and trade capability. We also really like the large selection of built-in watchlists.
Winner: Schwab
Desktop Platforms
Schwab and Fidelity have desktop programs that take trading to a very high level. Both offer live streaming video news, multiple trade tickets, highly advanced charting, and resources for options trading. Schwab’s platform sits a little higher with tools for probability analysis and backtesting.
Winner: Schwab
Additional Services
Periodic Mutual Fund Investing: Possible at Schwab, Fidelity, Edward Jones, and Vanguard. Vanguard restricts its service to Vanguard funds. Fidelity and Edward Jones offer the same service for stocks. The latter firm charges 2% per transaction.
Extended-Hours Trading: Post-market trading is available at Vanguard, Schwab, and Fidelity. The latter two also have pre-market trading.
IPOs: Initial Public Offerings can be traded only at Fidelity and Schwab.
Fractional Shares: Vanguard offers whole-dollar trading in Vanguard ETFs. Schwab offers the same for stocks and ETFs trading in the U.S. exchanges. Fidelity offers fractional-share trading in most U.S.-listed equities.
DRIP Service: Available at all four.
Fully-Paid Securities Lending Program: Traders at Vanguard, Schwab, and Fidelity can loan out their equity shares to earn extra cash.
IRAs: Individual Retirement Accounts can be opened at all four securities firms. Edward Jones charges annual IRA fees, and Vanguard has fees in some situations on business IRAs.
Winner: Fidelity
Find a Financial Advisor
Find a Financial Advisor
Recommendations
Active ETF and Stock Trading: Schwab.
Mutual Funds: We suggest Fidelity or Schwab.
Small Accounts: Again, we suggest Fidelity or Schwab.
Beginning Investors: A managed account at any of the four.
Retirement Savers and Long-Term Investors: For self-directed investing, we suggest Schwab.
For full-service investing, Edward Jones, Fidelity, or Schwab.
Verdict
Although Edward Jones focuses on traditional in-person service, Schwab and Fidelity provide
that as well—plus a lot more.
Charles Schwab: $0 commissions + ACAT rebate + satisfaction guarantee at Charles Schwab.
Visit Schwab Website
Fidelity, Vanguard, and Edward Jones: none
Updated on 4/2/2026.
Chad Morris is a financial writer with more than 20 years experience
as both an English teacher and an avid trader. When he isn’t writing
expert content for Brokerage-Review.com, Chad can usually be found
managing his portfolio or building a new home computer.
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