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Robinhood vs. 4 Alternatives
Robinhood vs. 4 Alternatives
Here's how Robinhood compares to other online brokerages and investment apps.
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How to Start Investing in Stocks What Is the Average Stock Market Return? How to Make Money in Stocks in 2026: 6 Easy Steps How to sell stock: A 3-step guide for beginners For some, Robinhood is synonymous with “investment app.” When the company started offering free trades in 2015, it had an enormous advantage over most major brokerages that were charging customers for every trade. However, Robinhood’s competitors quickly followed suit, and today commission-free trading of stocks and ETFs is standard, not special. » Curious about other choices? View the best stock apps » Curious about other choices? When it comes to finding a broker that’s right for you, the key is identifying what your investment goals are and finding a broker that will help you meet them. Overview of Robinhood Robinhood Alternative for beginners: Fidelity Fidelity Alternative investment app: Acorns Acorns Alternative for cryptocurrencies: Crypto.com Crypto.com Alternative that's similar overall: Webull WebullRobinhood overview
Robinhood has been credited for bringing about an enormous change in the brokerage industry: doing away with trade commissions. The app offers a sleek, easy way to trade stocks, options, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and cryptocurrency, and has been regularly unveiling new products. Most recently, Robinhood added IRAs with a 1% to 3% match on contributions, launched a new trading platform geared toward active traders and introduced futures. However, Robinhood has also been the focus of complaints from the Securities and Exchange Commission, lawsuits and public outrage over some of its practices. In June 2021, the company paid nearly $70 million in fines and restitution — the largest financial penalty ever levied by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. Learn more Learn moreon Robinhood's website
Robinhood has a slick platform, low costs, an impressive amount of investable assets, low options trading fees and access to crypto. Robinhood also offers 24/7 chat support and extended hour phone support during the week. If you invest through a Robinhood IRA you can get a 3% match on your contributions with a $50 annual Robinhood Gold membership fee. Investors can still earn a 1% match even without the annual fee. Unfortunately, Robinhood doesn't have the best access to data and research or any access to mutual funds.Robinhood is best for:
Mobile-first investors. IRA investors. Margin traders.Robinhood at a glance
Account minimumAlternatives to Robinhood
For beginners: Fidelity
Fidelity may be one of the largest brokerages in the country — it manages trillions of dollars in assets — but that doesn't mean it’s too big for beginner investors. The brokerage regularly tops our list of the best brokerages for beginners because it offers a comprehensive brokerage service that grows with you as your investment needs evolve. Like Robinhood, Fidelity offers a small selection of cryptocurrencies. » Explore your options: See the best brokerages for beginners » Explore your options: Learn more Learn moreon Fidelity's website
Fidelity is exceptional in nearly every way: Low fees, excellent customer service, great educational content, tons of assets to invest in and an easy-to-use platform. Fidelity is a solid option for beginners and seasoned investors alike, and can help you grow your investing skillset as you gain experience. Plus, if you have a 401(k), it's not unlikely that it's offered through Fidelity, meaning you'll be able to see all your investments in one place.Fidelity is best for:
Frequent traders. Beginner investors. Research and data. Retirement planning assistance.Fidelity at a glance
Account minimumInactivity fee: $0
Closing fee: $0 Annual fee: $0
Inactivity fee: $0
Closing fee: $0 Annual fee: $0
Inactivity fee: $0
Closing fee: $0 Interest rate on uninvested cash
Among investment apps: Acorns
If you want a sleek platform but don't want to manage your investments yourself, you may want to consider a robo-advisor like Acorns. Acorns is a very different product from Robinhood; it’s mostly geared toward long-term savers. It’s part robo-advisor, part savings account, part full-service brokerage. One of its signature offerings is its round ups: Use an Acorns debit card (or another linked card) for everyday purchases, and Acorns will “round up” the change and automatically invest it for you. If you’re looking to invest in individual stocks, though, Robinhood may be the better choice. With Acorns, you can customize your portfolio with some individual stocks, but you'll mostly be invested in preset portfolios, which the app will help you choose based on your risk tolerance. To be sure, these diversified portfolios are a responsible way to invest long-term, but you won’t have the same investing experience and freedom as you have with Robinhood. Learn more Learn moreon Acorns' website
Acorns offers automated investment management for $3 to $12 per month. Acorns doesn't have all the bells and whistles that come with a standard brokerage, but it does have its signature "roundups" feature, a high interest rate for banking customers and an IRA match at some service tiers. Acorns also allows for some customization within its portfolios meaning you can pick and choose a few individual investments if you want. Because of its pricing structure, Acorns can have high fees on small account balances. The robo-advisor also doesn't offer a tax strategy. » See the list: Review our picks for the best investment apps » See the listAcorns is best for:
Hands-off investors. People who struggle to save and would benefit from roundups. Earning cash-back rewards. IRA investors.Acorns at a glance
Reviewed: Oct. 2025 Oct. 2025 Period considered: Aug. - Oct. 2025 Aug. - Oct. 2025 Account minimumBronze Tier: $3.
Silver Tier: $6.
Gold Tier: $12. Prices are per month:
Bronze Tier: $3.
Silver Tier: $6.
Gold Tier: $12. Prices are per month:
Bronze Tier: $3.
Silver Tier: $6.
Gold Tier: $12. IRA match for qualifying contributions at Silver and Gold tiers could wipe out management fees. Investment expense ratios
For crypto: Crypto.com
If you’re using Robinhood to trade cryptocurrencies, it’s important to understand that at this time, the app has very limited functionality and supports a limited number of coins. The app’s primary focus is still easy, free stock trading, not cryptocurrencies. Crypto.com, on the other hand, has so far proven itself in a difficult environment. The platform offers a huge selection of crypto assets, staking functionality, DeFi web browsing, a discount-enabling stablecoin and low fees. However, if it’s only price appreciation you’re looking for in crypto — and you’re OK choosing from a limited selection — Robinhood still may be the better choice, given how simple its interface is and that crypto trading is completely free. You'll just miss out on some of the more advanced featured crypto.com offers. Learn more Learn moreon Crypto.com's website
Crypto.com offers a large selection of cryptocurrencies and trading pairs, relatively low fees and a straightforward staking program. Crypto.com has rewards for 29 coins, with rates up to 14.44%. Unfortunately, some of Crypto.com's services are not offered in the U.S. and the company only offers chat-based help for most issues. » Ready to get started? See our picks for best crypto platforms and exchanges. » Ready to get started?Crypto.com is best for:
Mobile-first users. Transactions with fiat, or traditional, currency. DeFi, or decentralized finance, tokens.Crypto.com at a glance
Trading and transaction feesFor overall similarity: Webull
Webull is a relative newcomer, but has quickly earned a spot as an alternative to Robinhood because of how similar the two are. Webull is easy to use, sleek on mobile and offers free trades on stocks, options, ETFs and cryptocurrency, much like Robinhood. In fact, it’s hard to find a brokerage that beats either Robinhood or Webull on cost. However, Webull offers tools intermediate and advanced traders may appreciate, but won’t find on Robinhood. Learn more Learn moreon Webull's website
Webull is a great option for intermediate investors. Webull delivers with an excellent platform, advanced tools and a high interest rate on uninvested cash. Webull also periodically offers an IRA match percentage, typically around 3%. Webull also offers fairly low margin rates. Unfortunately, Webull does not give investors access to mutual funds and its customer service is more limited than that of competitors.Webull is best for
Intermediate investors. Active traders. Options traders.Webull at a glance
Account minimumInactivity fee: $0.
Outgoing transfer fee (partial or full): $75. Annual fee: $0.
Inactivity fee: $0.
Outgoing transfer fee (partial or full): $75. Annual fee: $0.
Inactivity fee: $0.
Outgoing transfer fee (partial or full): $75. Interest rate on uninvested cash
on Charles Schwab's website
Learn more Learn moreon E*TRADE's website
Learn more Learn moreon Vanguard's website
Learn more Learn moreon Fidelity's website
^ Back to menu Explore more on About the author Davis Chris Davis is a Managing Editor on the Investing team. He has passed the Series 65 (Uniform Investment Adviser Law Exam) and covered the stock market, investing strategies, investment accounts and cryptocurrency. His work has appeared in The Associated Press, The Washington Post, MSN, Yahoo Finance, MarketWatch, Newsday and TheStreet. Published in What Is a Brokerage Account? Where and How to Open One By Arielle O'Shea, Pamela de la Fuente Best Brokerage Accounts for Online Investing and Stock Trading in 2026 By Chris Davis Best Investments: Where to Invest in 2026 By Chris Davis, Alieza Durana The Best-Performing Stocks in 2026 (By One-Year Returns) By Arielle O'Shea, Chris Davis Investing in Dividend Stocks: Guide, Calculator and Top 7 Yields for July 2026 By Chris Davis, Sam Taube