Vanguard and Fidelity are both reputable brokerages, so the better choice depends on what you're investing in and how you want to invest, not the company itself.
Vanguard is known for low-cost index funds and ETFs (its own funds average very low expense ratios) and is investor-owned, which some see as aligning incentives with shareholders.
Fidelity offers competitive or zero-expense-ratio index funds too, plus stronger customer service, a more polished trading platform, and better cash management features.
For a $300,000 portfolio, either can build a solid diversified mix of index funds at minimal cost. The bigger factors are your asset allocation, tax placement, and fees, not the brokerage name. I'm not a financial advisor, so consider consulting one for personalized guidance.
Related: Review of Fidelity's Gold IRA
Vanguard vs Fidelity
Vanguard and Fidelity are both low-cost investment giants, but they differ in focus. Vanguard, owned by its funds' shareholders, is known for pioneering index investing and consistently offers some of the industry's lowest expense ratios. Its platform is simpler, geared toward long-term, hands-off investors.
Fidelity offers similarly cheap index funds, including several with zero expense ratios, but pairs this with a more robust platform: better research tools, a more polished app, strong customer service, and features like a popular cash management account. Fidelity also tends to appeal more to active traders.
In short: choose Vanguard for simplicity and its buy-and-hold philosophy, or Fidelity for a more full-featured platform with comparable costs. Neither choice is clearly wrong.
Fidelity Money Market Rates
As of early August 2026, Fidelity's core money market funds are yielding around 3.3 to 3.4 percent. SPAXX (Government Money Market Fund) sits near 3.33 percent, while FDRXX (Government Cash Reserves) is around 3.40 percent. Fidelity's Treasury Only fund (FDLXX) runs close to 3.36 percent.
Institutional share classes like FIMM Treasury Portfolio run a bit higher, near 3.64 percent. Municipal (tax free) funds like FTEXX yield less, roughly 1.94 percent, though that's often more attractive after tax for high earners. Rates shift with Fed policy, so check Fidelity's site for the latest figures before deciding.
Fidelity CD Rates
Fidelity offers brokered CDs (not bank-issued directly), with a $1,000 minimum per CD.
As of late July 2026, new-issue CD yields run roughly in the high 3% to low 4% range, with reports citing about up to 4.05% APY around July 29, and other sources showing ranges near 3.90% to 4.35% APY for various terms from three months to five years. IRA CDs run slightly lower, roughly 3.65% to 3.90% APY.
Rates change daily and vary by term and issuer, so check Fidelity's site directly for current live pricing before buying.
Vanguard CD Rates
Vanguard doesn't offer its own CDs directly. Instead, it sells "brokered CDs," which are bank-issued CDs bought in bulk and resold through your Vanguard brokerage account. These typically require a $1,000 minimum deposit and come in $1,000 increments, with terms ranging from one month to over 10 years.
Rates vary by term and issuing bank, and interest is generally paid to your linked money market settlement fund at maturity rather than compounded within the CD. Since rates change frequently, check Vanguard's website directly for current APYs across specific terms.
Note that brokered CDs typically don't renew automatically when they mature.