Verithiathe honest score on any app
Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

thinkorswim vs Fidelity Investments

thinkorswim 4.7★ · Free to download 65
Winner Fidelity Investments
Fidelity Investments 4.8★ · Free to download 80

Fidelity Investments is the better choice for general investing and ease of use, while thinkorswim caters to advanced traders who need extensive features and are willing to tolerate its technical issues and steep learning curve.

Full reviews: thinkorswim · Fidelity Investments

Fidelity Investments offers a more user-friendly and reliable experience for managing investments, despite some recent UI complaints. Thinkorswim provides a powerful, feature-rich platform for active traders but is plagued by frequent app compatibility issues, performance problems, and a complex interface.

Head to head

Features & Functionality edge: thinkorswimR2R9R18R26
thinkorswim Thinkorswim is praised for being a full-featured trading platform, offering extensive tools for active traders, including advanced charting, news, and options trading capabilities R2R26. Users appreciate the ability to track the market, monitor portfolios, and make trade adjustments on the go R26. However, some users note that the mobile app lacks parity with the desktop version, particularly for advanced features like strategy drawing and custom indicators R18. Some also find the interface outdated compared to competitors R9.
Fidelity Investments Fidelity Investments is seen as a great tool for research, buying, and selling, offering a lot of options and educational information R62. It provides relevant information and is good for tracking positions R86. However, users frequently complain about recent UI updates removing or hiding useful features, such as detailed individual position data and breakdown by purchase lots . There are also requests for more advanced charting options, like daily/weekly/monthly graphs and layering buttons for comparisons .
Ease of Use & Interface edge: Fidelity InvestmentsR18R24R25R51
thinkorswim Thinkorswim's interface is described as confusing and complex, especially for new or less sophisticated users R25. While some power users find it intuitive after years of use , others struggle with its clunky options trading and lack of integration between charts and orders R18R51. Recent updates have introduced issues like random white space and charts not fitting properly R24.
Fidelity Investments Fidelity Investments is generally praised for being easy to navigate, user-friendly, and intuitive R62R77R89. However, recent updates have drawn significant criticism for making the UI worse, with users disliking changes like company logos, cluttered transaction feeds, and the removal of compact views . Some find the app's UI unfriendly and not responsive, comparing it unfavorably to competitors .
Reliability & Performance edge: Fidelity InvestmentsR1R3R4R5
thinkorswim Thinkorswim suffers from significant reliability issues, particularly after recent updates. Users report the app being very slow, lagging, and frequently re-establishing connections R3R4R38. Crashes are common R19. A major recurring problem is forced mandatory updates that render the app incompatible with older devices, preventing users from logging in or using the app at all R1R5R8. Some users also report glitches with lot trading methods and cost basis .
Fidelity Investments Fidelity Investments also has reliability concerns, with users reporting the app getting stuck, not submitting orders, or failing to move past the sign-in code page . Alerts are often slow, and streaming prices are not always live . Some users experience blank screens for holdings or incorrect portfolio performance data . Glitches occur with recurring buys on iPad . However, some users find it very reliable and secure .
Price & Value tieR9R35R50R68
thinkorswim Thinkorswim is free to download, and users appreciate the availability of free indicators R9. However, some users complain about high commissions for trading R50. There are also concerns about slow fund settlement times compared to other brokers R35.
Fidelity Investments Fidelity Investments is free to download and offers a range of products and services R68. Users value the educational information provided . There are no specific complaints about commissions or fees in the provided reviews, but some users express frustration with the app's functionality impacting their ability to manage money effectively .
Customer Support & Account Access edge: Fidelity InvestmentsR8R17R20R21
thinkorswim While not directly about app support, one user mentions that Schwab (the parent company) employees are great and helpful R21. However, the app's forced updates and login issues effectively lock users out, requiring workarounds or device upgrades R8R17R20.
Fidelity Investments Fidelity's customer service receives high praise, with representatives described as personable, knowledgeable, and going above and beyond expectations R83R101R106. However, the app's login process is a frequent source of frustration, with users experiencing multiple verification requests, Face ID issues, and being routinely locked out of their accounts . Some find it cumbersome to add banks through the app, requiring mail instead .
Pick thinkorswim if

you are an advanced or active trader who needs a full-featured platform with extensive charting and options trading capabilities, and you are willing to tolerate frequent app updates that may require newer devices R2R26.

Pick Fidelity Investments if

you prioritize ease of use, reliable account access (despite some login friction), and strong customer service for general investing and portfolio management R62R77R83R89.

Evidence note: Thinkorswim's recent reviews are heavily skewed towards negative experiences related to app compatibility and performance issues, which significantly impacts its perceived reliability. Fidelity's reviews show a mix of satisfaction with core functionality and frustration with recent UI changes and login processes.

Frequently asked

Does thinkorswim work on older devices?
No, many recent thinkorswim updates have forced mandatory iOS updates, making the app incompatible with older iPhone and iPad models and preventing users from logging in R1R5R14R17.
Is the Fidelity app easy to use for managing investments?
Yes, many users find the Fidelity app functional, easy to navigate, and intuitive for managing investments and tracking positions R62R77R86R89.
Are there performance issues with thinkorswim?
Yes, users report that thinkorswim can be very slow, laggy, and frequently re-establish connections, particularly in the options trading portion of the app R3R4R38. It also experiences crashes R19.
How is Fidelity's customer service?
Fidelity's customer service is highly rated, with users describing representatives as personable, knowledgeable, and consistently going above and beyond expectations R83R101R106.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R2] thinkorswim 5/5 · US Unbelievable.: A full-featured trading platform on my iPhone. Holy cow. Really: what more needs to be said?
  2. [R9] thinkorswim 3/5 · US Outdated: Think swim platform is becoming dated in comparison to the likes of Trading View for example. I use both platforms and in terms of clarity of indicators on screen and availability. Trading View is hands down the winner. Thinkswwim though has the edge with free indicators on display. But to me the look and feel is now dated
  3. [R18] thinkorswim 3/5 · US Better than others but frustrating details: Still impossible to trade while looking at chart or even P/L. Still super Clunky for options. Still no parity with desktop on trading button functions. Alarm sounds not customizable. Alarms do not sound on time. Placing exit orders should be integrated with the chart.
  4. [R26] thinkorswim 5/5 · US Use it all day for years: I have used this all day long for years to track the market, monitor portfolio positions, and make trade adjustments. I can not run the desktop app most of the time (when working or away from home). When needed or available I use the desktop for analyze tab, setting alerts with studies (wish they would add MA trendline crossover alert creation to the app), or when I can
  5. [R24] thinkorswim 3/5 · US What happened: What have you done to this app? I get random white space at the top when viewing positions for specific stocks, and charts will not fit their dates in the viewer anymore.
  6. [R25] thinkorswim 1/5 · US Not everybody likes thicker swim: Briefly: the interface for thinker swim is confusing unless you’re a broker or a very sophisticated full-time user of thinkorswim and all of its multiple options. If you want simple, this is not it. I’d like to talk to those that seem to love it. I would like to know what I’m missing.
  7. [R51] thinkorswim 2/5 · US Options UI bad, leg management good: Moomoo UI is much better. TOS doesn't show an interactive risk/reward/profit chart like Moomoo. On Moomoo we can see the live chart as a trade progresses (not just when placing an order), making it much easier to visually see where the trade is on its journey. Moomoo can't roll individual wings of an iron butterfly though, while TOS can.
  8. [R1] thinkorswim 1/5 · US Forced mandatory updates: Think or swim have a bad habit of forced mandatory updates that will make your older iPhone and iPad not compatible. They should have an option where you can update to the latest compatible version instead of not being compatible at all and now you have to buy new devices. Or maybe that’s the point maybe they have some type of agreement with Apple I’m not sure but it’s no
  9. [R3] thinkorswim 3/5 · US Lagging: Recent update has made the app very slow. This is at least in the options trading portion of the app. I get the re-establishing connection quite often than before. I don’t have this issue in the desktop app or on my android device.
  10. [R4] thinkorswim 1/5 · US Absurdly Slow: You will literally lose money as you wait for charts and other views to load.
  11. [R5] thinkorswim 5/5 · US Can’t use app anymore😤: My phone is not compatible for the latest iOS update and now I cannot use the app. This is not OK! Do something.
  12. [R35] thinkorswim 1/5 · US Fund settle time too long: I really don’t like the way this broker takes too long to settle the funds, other brokers takes hours but this broker takes days .
  13. [R50] thinkorswim 4/5 · US Attention: The app is very good but if you do traiding is the worst because the commission is to high, and the change to Charles the client attention got worse and when the volatility is very high some time freeze and leave out of market
  14. [R68] Fidelity Investments 5/5 · US Amazing: Great platform, excellent products, great app, excellent people too
  15. [R8] thinkorswim 4/5 · US The App for IPad don’t let me login: Thinkorswim works very well on the desktop platform, and I have had a good experience using it on my computer. Unfortunately, the iPad app is currently unusable for me because it will not allow me to log in. Every time I try, I receive a message saying that I must update to the latest version of the app, but this prevents access altogether. The desktop version
  16. [R17] thinkorswim 5/5 · US Version 226.1 requires iOS 18…why?: I use this app daily on a dedicated older iPad, which cannot run iOS 18. The backend now requires 226.1, which I cannot install. Thus I can no longer login with the previous version 225.1 anymore. Please reconsider the iOS 18 requirement on new versions. Thanks.
  17. [R20] thinkorswim 5/5 · US Today my 2017 iPad ca’t get in.: 2017 iPad Pro cannot get in. Seems you’ve changed the way we can login to think or swim. Any i Pad below iOS 18 cannot get in to software. Workaround : Spacedesk (PC / driver + Spacedesk app IOS iPad) + iTunes (PC needs drivers on PC )+ USB A to lightning cable - connects my PC Win 11 to my iPad: this lets me run an extended window / trading screen - from PC Think
  18. [R21] thinkorswim 3/5 · US Okay but could be great.: Long story short Schwab needs work. The people that work for the company are great and super helpful as was the case before but we lost a great app when TD Ameritrade sold. This app works for brand new investors. I would recommend it over say robinhood or webull but it quickly has flaws that ruin it as you learn and grow. First every update has caused problems since Schwa
  19. [R14] thinkorswim 5/5 · US No Longer Compatible with My iPad Pro: I have used this app for many years on this iPad and and despite my iPad having the most recent updates the app does not complete the login process and prompts the user to update.
  20. [R62] Fidelity Investments 5/5 · US Best experience ever: I love fidelity app, easy to manage, have a lot of options, you can create your watching list easy . I love it
  21. [R77] Fidelity Investments 5/5 · US Very easy to navigate: I really like the Fidelity app. It’s functional and easy to navigate.
  22. [R86] Fidelity Investments 5/5 · US Great tool for tracking our position: Easy to use with relevant information
  23. [R89] Fidelity Investments 5/5 · US The best: Always smooth and pain free
  24. [R19] thinkorswim 2/5 · US keeps crashing: I am not sure if their developers read the crash logs from their app but on latest it is crashing way too much. The app just vanishes while I'm using it, often when I press back after looking at stock news.
  25. [R38] thinkorswim 4/5 · US Need Volume Profile: Great app. Laggy lately. I’d like to get rid of the help question mark on the screen. It’d be great if there’s volume profile and able to run custom script indicators with different color support. Thanks.
  26. [R83] Fidelity Investments 5/5 · US Service: I can’t say enough great things about the service I get every time I’ve called Fidelity. Their representatives are not only personable and extremely knowledgeable, but they also go above and beyond my expectations every single time!! They help me understand my investments, make recommendations and give me options for whatever situation I need!! It’s so hard to find good customer service t
  27. [R101] Fidelity Investments 5/5 · US Investing !: I have trusted Fidelity with my investments since 1981 and they have managed my investments extremely well. The staff and my investment counselor are terrific. I am right on target to have more than sufficient income thought out my retirement. Planning and guidance with our team has been excellent. 👍🏻 to Fidelity.
  28. [R106] Fidelity Investments 5/5 · US 24/7 professionals: I’ve had portfolios with Schwab and JPM as well as Fidelity for a number of years. They’ve always answered my questions and consistently perform as needed. They were the first to trade in dollars as well as shares. I know they have a lot of additional services to offer, but never push for more business. My wife has been pushing me to transfer what I have at the other broker

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store