Personal Finance · head to head
Banktivity vs Robinhood
The short version
- Only Robinhood has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Banktivity runs on macOS, iPhone and iPad only, with no Windows, Android or web version; Robinhood robinhood Gold costs 5 USD a month after a 30 day free trial
- They diverge on capability: Banktivity covers Account tracking, Robinhood covers Commission-free trading.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Banktivity and Robinhood actually diverge.
| Attribute | Banktivity | Robinhood |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | freemium |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Mac, IOS | Web, IOS, Android |
| Founded | 2007 | 2013 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Personal Finance).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Banktivity
- Account tracking
- Bill management
- Investment tracking
- Budget forecasting
- Investment accounts
- Mac support
Only in Robinhood
- Commission-free trading
- Options trading
- Crypto trading
- Fractional shares
- Crypto wallets
- Web support
- Android support
Both cover
- Bank accounts
- IOS support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Banktivity
- Personal budgeting and money management on a Macnot Robinhood
- Investment and net worth trackingnot Robinhood
- Retirement planning projectionsnot Robinhood
- Connecting to over 14,000 financial institutionsnot Robinhood
Robinhood
- Commission free trading of US stocks and ETFs from a phonenot Banktivity
- Options and futures trading for retail investorsnot Banktivity
- Holding an IRA with a contribution matchnot Banktivity
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Banktivity
- Runs on macOS, iPhone and iPad only, with no Windows, Android or web version
- Pricing is not shown on the product page and sits behind a separate plans page
Robinhood
- Robinhood Gold costs 5 USD a month after a 30 day free trial
- The 3.35 percent APY on brokerage cash is available only to Gold subscribers
- The 3 percent IRA contribution match requires keeping the Gold subscription for one year and leaving the assets in the IRA for five years, and is capped at 225 USD against 2026 contribution maximums
- Reduced contract fees of 0.50 USD per futures contract and 0.35 USD per index option apply only to Gold subscribers
- Management fees are waived only above 100K USD in expert managed portfolios
Pricing, plan by plan
Banktivity
On request- Monthly$4.99/month
- Full feature access
- Cloud sync
- Annual$39.99/month
- All monthly features
- Discounted rate
Robinhood
Free- FreeFree
- Commission-free trading
- Real-time data
- Mobile app
- Gold$4.99/month
- All Free features
- Extended hours trading
- Premium research
Which should you pick?
Choose Banktivity if
- You need account tracking.
- You work on Mac, IOS.
- You also want bill management.
Choose Robinhood if
- You need commission-free trading.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android.
- You also want options trading.
Questions people ask
- Is Banktivity or Robinhood better?
- Neither clearly leads. Banktivity starts at On request and Robinhood at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Banktivity or Robinhood?
- Robinhood has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Banktivity and Free for Robinhood.
- Does Banktivity or Robinhood run on more platforms?
- Banktivity runs on Mac, IOS. Robinhood runs on Web, IOS, Android.
- Can I use Robinhood for free?
- Yes. Robinhood has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Banktivity starts at On request.
- What is Banktivity best used for?
- Banktivity is most often used for personal budgeting and money management on a mac, investment and net worth tracking, retirement planning projections, connecting to over 14,000 financial institutions. Of those, personal budgeting and money management on a mac and investment and net worth tracking are not what Robinhood is typically brought in for.
- What can Banktivity do that Robinhood cannot?
- Banktivity covers Account tracking, Bill management, Investment tracking, Budget forecasting. Robinhood covers Commission-free trading, Options trading, Crypto trading, Fractional shares. Both handle Bank accounts, IOS support.
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