Watch the full video here: Is Fidelity Active Trader Worth It for Day Trading? (My Honest Review)

I opened a fully funded account with Fidelity and sat down to give Active Trader Pro a real test drive. And not just a surface-level review, but an in-the-trenches day trading experience! My goal was simple: See if this platform could keep up with fast, high-pressure trades and provide the functionality and speed I needed.

After all, execution speed is everything when I trade. If there’s even a second of delay, it could cost me hundreds of dollars. So, I optimized my Active Trader Pro layout, tried a few live trades, and compared it to the top brokers I’ve already reviewed.

Let’s break it down.

How Is Setting Up the Fidelity Platform?

Before I could even start trading, I had to deal with a layout that felt stuck in the early 2000s. I’m on a 4K monitor, and when I first opened Active Trader Pro, it defaulted to a tiny window.

What Are the Key Setup Issues?

Here were some of the initial issues I encountered when I went to set up Active Trader Pro:

• There was no automatic layout scaling for modern monitors.
• The out-of-the-box layouts were basic and didn’t fit my workflow.
• I had to build a custom layout from scratch — positions window, orders, charts, news, Level 2, and more.

Building the layout I wanted wasn’t hard, but it was tedious. It’s not like Webull, where windows snap easily or dock in smart ways. Here, you have to manually drag, align, and hope it doesn’t overlap with anything important.

What Is the Layout Like in Fidelity Active Trader Pro?

I also had trouble finding Level 2, which is essential for how I trade.

What Are the UI Issues With Fidelity?

The main UI issue I encountered with Active Trader Pro was locating Level 2, but that wasn’t all:

• Level 2 isn’t under “Trade” or “Orders.” Instead, it’s hidden under “Directed Trade and Extended Hours.”

• Level 2 is also bundled inside the Active Trader window, not independently.
• As if that wasn’t enough, the window positioning is also stiff. More specifically, there’s no auto-snapping like with Webull or Lightspeed.

To me, the layoutout is a little silly. I think it would be helpful to be able to pull up a Level 2 window and have it be independent. 

This isn’t a deal breaker on its own, but it sets the tone. Everything feels a bit outdated—like it wasn’t designed for the fast pace of modern day trading.

Does Fidelity Active Trader Pro Have Hotkeys?

If you’ve followed my trading for any time at all, you know I live and breathe hotkeys.

I press Shift + 1 to buy 1,000 shares. Ctrl + Z to sell everything. And Ctrl + X to sell half. I don’t click buttons — I hit keys.

So here’s the bad news with Active Trader Pro: There are no hotkeys or keyboard execution shortcuts. Fidelity’s“shortcuts” are mouse-click buttons that still require an extra step to place an order.

That, for me, is a dealbreaker. While you can create “hot buttons” like Buy Ask +10 or Sell Bid -10, they don’t actually execute the trade. You still have to click “Place Order,” which totally defeats the purpose.

How Is Fidelity’s Execution Speed?

Now, let’s talk speed and stability. Fidelity claims their execution speed is 0.04 seconds, and I can confirm that orders are filled relatively quickly.

However, while orders fill fast, position updates are delayed. In fact, it took more than two seconds for the positions window to reflect a new trade. That may still sound like a quick turnaround, but on a fast-moving stock, that delay is dangerous.

I also ran into platform crashes three times while setting up shortcut buttons. Compare that to Lightspeed, where I can execute and see the position update immediately. Fidelity felt clunky and unreliable by comparison.

What Is Charting and Routing Like With Fidelity?

Next, let’s discuss charts and routing — two more areas where this platform lags behind its competitors.

Charting

Here’s what charting is like with Active Trader Pro:

• There are no sub-one-minute time frames (no 10s or 15s charts).
• You can’t zoom or scroll with your mouse or trackpad.
• Charts don’t auto-adjust. Instead, you have to go into your settings to see extended hours, change to candlestick, etc.

Routing

By comparison, here’s what routing is like:

• You can select routes like NASDAQ or AUTO.
• Still, I’m skeptical it’s true direct routing. For example, there are no routing fees, and yet they offer ECNs. Make it make sense!
• On the plus side, pegged and reserve orders are available with Fidelity, which is rare for commission-free brokers.

What Works and What Doesn’t in Fidelity Active Trader Pro

After putting the platform through a full trading session, here’s what I learned:

What Are the Upsides of Fidelity Active Trader Pro?

Fidelity Active Trader Pro has a few strengths. It’s commission-free, offers Level 2 data, and provides decent price improvement. You also gain access to pre-market and after-hours trading, which can be helpful for catching early momentum or late moves.

What Are the Downsides of Fidelity Active Trader Pro?

That said, the problems reveal themselves quickly. No hotkeys mean slower execution — a major issue for fast-paced trades. The positions window lags by a couple of seconds after each fill, and the platform can crash while setting up buttons. The charting tools are limited, too, with no sub-one-minute timeframes and clunky navigation.

Would I Use Fidelity Again?

If you’re trading casually or holding swing trades, maybe you can use Fidelity Active Trader Pro. But for active, fast-paced day trading? No chance.

If you’re day trading with Fidelity, I’d love to hear how you’re making it work. Personally, I’m sticking with Lightspeed. It’s not perfect, but it gives me the execution tools I need without the friction.

Ready To Level Up Your Trading?

If you’re serious about becoming a day trader, you need more than a free platform — you need speed, precision, and a solid trading strategy. That’s what we teach every day at Warrior Trading. You’ll get the tools, mentorship, and real-world experience that platforms like Fidelity can’t offer on their own.

Join Warrior Trading today!