All you can really do is pressure the company into picking a better 401k provider (Vanguard is a good bet). A self-directed option in a 401k isn't really possi

All you can really do is pressure the company into picking a better 401k provider (Vanguard is a good bet). A self-directed option in a 401k isn't really possible as far as I'm aware, since you're limited to mutual funds. They don't want people "gambling" with their 401k money by betting on individual stocks. Still, given the tax advantages, you're likely to come out ahead in the long run in a 401k compared to a taxable brokerage account. Just pick the funds with the lowest fees.