# Fidelity Alternatives: Best Trading Platforms in 2026 > Comparing Fidelity alternatives by fees, custody, trading hours and market coverage — including a non-custodial, 24/7 perps platform. - Canonical: https://www.liquid.trade/learn/fidelity-alternatives - Published: 2026-09-24 - Updated: 2026-09-24 - Category: Education - Tags: Guide, Perps, Beginner --- ## The short answer The best Fidelity alternatives in 2026 are **Liquid** for 24/7, non-custodial, multi-asset perpetual trading with up to 50x multipliers; **Charles Schwab** for full-service brokerage and thinkorswim's 24/5 overnight sessions; **Interactive Brokers** for global market access at low commissions; and **Webull** for commission-free stocks with overnight trading. Fidelity still suits long-term investors and retirement accounts. ## Why traders look beyond Fidelity - **Custodial model.** Fidelity holds customer assets, so access depends on a centralized broker-dealer rather than self-custody. [Fidelity commissions](https://www.fidelity.com/trading/commissions) (accessed 2026-09-24). - **No weekend trading.** Fidelity's extended-hours trading runs as a Premarket session and an After Hours session through an ECN — premarket orders can be placed from 7:30 a.m. ET and after-hours orders from 4 to 8 p.m. ET — but markets close for the weekend. [Fidelity extended hours](https://www.fidelity.com/webxpress/help/topics/help_notes_ecn.shtml) (accessed 2026-09-24). - **Per-contract options fee.** Online US stock and ETF trades are $0, but online options trades carry a $0.65 per-contract fee. [Fidelity commissions](https://www.fidelity.com/trading/commissions) (accessed 2026-09-24). - **Full-service focus.** Fidelity is built around long-term investing, retirement accounts, and advisory services rather than around 24/7 leveraged or multi-asset derivatives trading. [Fidelity commissions](https://www.fidelity.com/trading/commissions) (accessed 2026-09-24). - **Foreign and specialty costs.** Foreign exchange wires can cost up to 3% of principal, and a $50 foreign settlement fee applies per trade on foreign ordinary stock that is not DTC-eligible. [Fidelity commissions](https://www.fidelity.com/trading/commissions) (accessed 2026-09-24). ## Compare Fidelity alternatives at a glance | Platform | Custody | Trading hours | Max multiplier | Asset classes | AI assistant | Best for | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | **Liquid** | **Non-custodial** | **24/7 incl. weekends** | **Up to 50x** | Stocks, pre-IPO, commodities, FX, indices, crypto — as perps | Yes (Co-Invest) | 24/7 multi-asset perps + AI | | **Charles Schwab** | Custodial | 24/5 overnight (thinkorswim) | Margin (varies) | Stocks, ETFs, options, futures, funds | No | Full-service + thinkorswim | | **Interactive Brokers** | Custodial | Extended hours 04:00–20:00 ET | Margin (varies) | Global stocks, options, futures, FX, bonds, funds | No | Global access, low cost | | **Webull** | Custodial | 24/5 overnight (select) | Margin (varies) | Stocks, ETFs, options, futures | Yes (Agentic) | Commission-free + overnight | | **Fidelity** | Custodial | Premarket + after-hours ECN; no weekends | Margin (varies) | Stocks, ETFs, options, funds, bonds | No | Full-service + retirement | ## Fees compared Fees differ by product, so we show every platform's published schedule in the **same format**: headline rate, structure, and other costs. Compare like-for-like — a stock commission and a perpetual-contract fee are not the same product. | Platform | Product basis | Headline rate | Structure | Other costs | |---|---|---|---|---| | **Liquid** | Perps & spot | Perps 0.095% taker / 0.065% maker (Tier 0); spot 0.070% / 0.040% | Tiered by 14-day weighted volume; maker rebates paid continuously | Funding on perps; spreads | | **Charles Schwab** | Stocks/ETFs/options | $0 online; options $0.65/contract | Flat | Broker-assisted trades +$25; regulatory/industry fees | | **Interactive Brokers** | Stocks/ETFs | $0 (Lite); $0.0005–$0.0035/share (Pro Tiered) or $0.005 fixed | Tiered or fixed | Regulatory fees; market data | | **Webull** | Stocks/ETFs/options | $0; index options from $0.50/contract | Flat | Regulatory pass-throughs; $75 outgoing stock transfer | | **Fidelity** | Stocks/ETFs/options | $0 online; options $0.65/contract | Flat — no tiers | Additional Assessment on sells (~$0.01–$0.03 per $1,000); margin interest | **Full published schedules:** [Liquid](/learn/perpetual-futures-fees) · [Charles Schwab](https://www.schwab.com/pricing) · [Interactive Brokers](https://www.interactivebrokers.com/en/pricing/commissions-home.php) · [Webull](https://www.webull.com/pricing) · [Fidelity](https://www.fidelity.com/trading/commissions) --- ## 1. Liquid **Overview:** AI-native, non-custodial platform for perpetual contracts across stocks, pre-IPO companies, commodities, FX, indices, and crypto — 300+ markets in one account, up to 50x multipliers, instant settlement, and [Co-Invest](/coinvest), an AI assistant in Claude, ChatGPT, Grok, Meta Muse, and iMessage. **Best for:** Traders who want the same markets 24/7 — including weekends — with leverage, without handing custody to a broker. **Fees:** Perps all-in 0.095% taker / 0.065% maker at Tier 0; spot 0.070% / 0.040%; tiered by rolling 14-day weighted volume. [Fee guide](/learn/perpetual-futures-fees). **Custody:** Non-custodial — funds stay in your wallet and trades settle on-chain; contracts are independently [audited](/audits). [Security docs](https://docs.liquid.trade/security). **Trading hours:** 24/7 across listed markets, including weekends and holidays. Liquidity, spreads, and reference pricing can differ when the underlying market is closed. **Limitations:** No fiat custody (by design). Available markets, features, and eligibility vary by jurisdiction. Perpetual contracts are derivatives and do not confer share ownership. --- ## 2. Charles Schwab **Overview:** Full-service brokerage offering stocks, ETFs, options, futures, and funds, with the thinkorswim platform suite. **Best for:** Traders who want a full-service broker with overnight access and a professional desktop platform. **Fees:** $0 online for US-listed stocks and ETFs; options $0.65/contract; futures $2.25/contract. [Schwab pricing](https://www.schwab.com/pricing). **Custody:** Custodial. **Trading hours:** 24/5 overnight on thinkorswim for all S&P 500, Nasdaq 100, and Dow 30 stocks plus 600+ ETFs; pre-market 7:00–9:25 a.m. ET, after-hours 4:05–8:00 p.m. ET. [Schwab extended hours](https://www.schwab.com/stocks/extended-hours-trading). **Limitations:** Custodial. Overnight is 24/5, not weekends. Extended hours accept limit orders only, and availability varies by security and platform. --- ## 3. Interactive Brokers **Overview:** Global brokerage known for low commissions and broad market access across stocks, options, futures, currencies, bonds, and funds. **Best for:** Active and international traders who need many global exchanges and products in one account. **Fees:** $0 (IBKR Lite) for US stocks and ETFs; $0.0005–$0.0035/share (Pro Tiered) or $0.005 fixed; options $0.15–$0.65/contract. [IBKR pricing](https://www.interactivebrokers.com/en/pricing/commissions-home.php). **Custody:** Custodial. **Trading hours:** Outside regular trading hours 04:00–20:00 ET on listed products, under program rules. **Limitations:** Custodial. No weekend trading. Pricing plans and product availability vary by account and region. --- ## 4. Webull **Overview:** Commission-free brokerage aimed at active retail traders, with strong charting and an overnight session. **Best for:** Traders who want commission-free stocks and ETFs plus 24/5 overnight access from a mobile-first app. **Fees:** $0 commissions on US-listed stocks, ETFs, and options; index options from $0.50/contract; $75 outgoing stock transfer. [Webull pricing](https://www.webull.com/pricing). **Custody:** Custodial (cleared through Apex). **Trading hours:** Overnight 8:00 p.m.–4:00 a.m. ET Sunday–Thursday (24/5, select securities). [Webull overnight trading](https://www.webull.com/help/faq/10988-All-about-24-5-trading). **Limitations:** Custodial. Overnight is 24/5, not weekends. The overnight session is limit-orders only, does not support shorting or margin usage, and covers select securities only. --- ## How we evaluated these platforms We compared platforms on **fees, custody model, trading hours, market coverage, and account fit** for traders considering a move from Fidelity. Fees use each platform's published schedule, shown in a uniform format. Data is from platform documentation, cited inline; verified 2026-09-24. We did not independently test execution quality or liquidity. ## Verdict For long-term investing and retirement accounts, Fidelity remains a strong choice. Move to an alternative if you need **weekend trading, non-custodial control, or broad multi-asset leverage**: Liquid covers all of these with 24/7 perpetual markets and up to 50x multipliers. If you want a full-service broker with thinkorswim's overnight sessions, choose **Charles Schwab**; for global market access at low commissions, **Interactive Brokers**; for commission-free stocks with 24/5 overnight trading, **Webull**. ## About the author Franklyn Wang is the CEO & Founder of Liquid, an AI-native, non-custodial trading platform. [X](https://x.com/frank_liquid) · [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/franklyn-wang) ## Sources & further reading - [Fidelity commissions](https://www.fidelity.com/trading/commissions) — accessed 2026-09-24 - [Fidelity extended hours trading](https://www.fidelity.com/webxpress/help/topics/help_notes_ecn.shtml) — accessed 2026-09-24 - [Charles Schwab pricing](https://www.schwab.com/pricing) — accessed 2026-09-24 - [Charles Schwab extended hours trading](https://www.schwab.com/stocks/extended-hours-trading) — accessed 2026-09-24 - [Interactive Brokers commissions](https://www.interactivebrokers.com/en/pricing/commissions-home.php) — accessed 2026-09-24 - [Webull pricing](https://www.webull.com/pricing) — accessed 2026-09-24 - [Webull Agentic AI](https://www.webull.com/agentic) — accessed 2026-09-24 - [Webull overnight trading](https://www.webull.com/help/faq/10988-All-about-24-5-trading) — accessed 2026-09-24 - [Liquid fee documentation](https://docs.liquid.trade/trading/fees) — accessed 2026-09-24 - [Liquid security documentation](https://docs.liquid.trade/security) — accessed 2026-09-24 - Related: [Where can I trade stocks 24/7?](/learn/where-to-trade-stocks-24-7) · [Which leverage trading platforms are non-custodial?](/learn/non-custodial-leverage-trading-platforms)