Stocks	Mutual funds
What is it?
A share in one company's profits.	A portfolio of investments. Active mutual funds are managed by a professional; index funds and ETFs typically track a benchmark.
Best if
You want to build your own portfolio by picking and choosing to invest in specific companies.	You're after quick, easy diversification and want to invest in a large number of stocks through a single transaction.
Fees
Trade commissions when bought or sold.	Annual expense ratios. May be sales loads, short-term redemption fees and/or transaction fees. ETFs trade like stocks, with trade commissions when bought or sold.
Learn more
More about individual stocks	More about mutual funds