Fidelity vs iShares
Both providers track indices, so neither "performs" better than the other — what separates them is cost, range and which markets they actually cover. Fidelity has 10 products in this catalog and iShares has 64, overlapping in 8 categories. iShares offers the cheapest fund in 5 of those 8 categories.
Fidelity
- Products
- 10
- Lowest TER
- 0.06%
- Average TER
- 0.61%
- Categories
- 8
iShares
- Products
- 64
- Lowest TER
- 0.07%
- Average TER
- 0.40%
- Categories
- 13
Which one is cheaper, and where
iShares offers the cheapest fund in 5 of the 8 categories both cover.
The cheapest fund from each, category by category
Each provider’s lowest-fee product within every shared category, head to head. The index each one tracks is shown too, because two funds in the same category do not always track the same thing.
| Category | Fidelity | iShares | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sustainable | Fidelity Funds - Sustainable Water & Waste FundMSCI ACWI NR USD1.90% | iShares MSCI World SRIMSCI World SRI Select Reduced Fossil Fuel0.20% | €170/year per €10,000 |
| Technology | Fidelity Global TechnologyGlobal technology sector (active)1.00% | iShares Nasdaq 100Nasdaq-1000.33% | €67/year per €10,000 |
| Global | Fidelity MSCI World Index Fund P-ACC-EURMSCI World0.12% | iShares Core MSCI WorldMSCI World0.20% | €8/year per €10,000 |
| Japan | Fidelity MSCI Japan Index Fund P-ACC-EURMSCI Japan0.10% | iShares Core MSCI Japan IMIMSCI Japan IMI0.15% | €5/year per €10,000 |
| Europe | Fidelity MSCI Europe Index Fund P-ACC-EURMSCI Europe0.10% | iShares Core FTSE 100FTSE 1000.07% | €3/year per €10,000 |
| Dividends | Fidelity US Quality IncomeFidelity US Quality Income0.30% | iShares MSCI Europe Quality Dividend Advanced (Dist)MSCI Europe High Dividend Yield Advanced Select0.28% | €2/year per €10,000 |
| USA | Fidelity S&P 500 Index Fund P-ACC-EURS&P 5000.06% | iShares Core S&P 500S&P 5000.07% | €1/year per €10,000 |
| Emerging | Fidelity MSCI Emerging Markets Index Fund P-ACC-EURMSCI Emerging Markets0.19% | iShares Core MSCI EM IMIMSCI Emerging Markets IMI0.18% | €1/year per €10,000 |
What each one covers
Only at Fidelity
—
Only at iShares
Structural differences
Fidelity
- Accumulating
- 80%
- Physical replication
- 100%
- Are ETFs
- 20%
- Domicile
- Ireland, Luxembourg
iShares
- Accumulating
- 41%
- Physical replication
- 100%
- Are ETFs
- 97%
- Domicile
- Ireland, Germany
Other provider comparisons
Frequently asked questions
Is Fidelity or iShares cheaper?+
iShares offers the cheapest fund in 5 of the 8 categories both cover, against 3 for Fidelity. But "cheaper overall" is the wrong question: what matters is which is cheaper in the category you are actually buying.
Where is the difference between Fidelity and iShares biggest?+
In sustainable (ESG) criteria: Fidelity Funds - Sustainable Water & Waste Fund charges 1.90% against 0.20% for iShares MSCI World SRI. On €10,000 invested that is a €170.00 difference every year, in favour of iShares.
Which one has the wider range?+
iShares, with 64 products against 10. Coverage is not identical either: iShares covers fixed income, listed real estate, gold, small-cap companies, a specific thematic sector where Fidelity does not.
Are there structural differences beyond fees?+
Yes. Fidelity's products in this catalog are 80% accumulating and 100% physically replicated, domiciled in Ireland, Luxembourg. iShares's are 41% accumulating and 100% physical, domiciled in Ireland, Germany. For a Spanish investor the accumulating/distributing split matters for tax, and domicile matters for dividend withholding.
Does this comparison look at past performance?+
No, deliberately. Two funds tracking the same index deliver almost identical returns before fees, so comparing their past returns tells you about the index, not about the provider. The fee is the part the provider actually controls, and the only one you know for certain the day you invest.
Cost and coverage comparison computed over this site’s catalog, which is a sample and not each provider’s full product range. Returns are not compared: two funds tracking the same index perform almost identically before fees, so past performance tells you about the index, not the provider. Educational content, not a recommendation.