Software · head to head
E*TRADE vs Robinhood
The short version
- Only Robinhood has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: E*TRADE stock and ETF trades were $0 commission but options carried a $0.65 per-contract fee, broker-assisted trades added a $25 surcharge, and margin interest rates ranged from 12.70% to 13.20% depending on balance tier (Internet Archive capture, 3 January 2023); Robinhood robinhood Gold costs 5 USD a month after a 30 day free trial
- They diverge on capability: E*TRADE covers Advanced trading tools, Robinhood covers Commission-free trading.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which E*TRADE and Robinhood actually diverge.
Identical on both: platforms (Web, IOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 E*TRADE
- Advanced trading tools
- Options and futures
- Research tools
- Mobile trading
- Wire transfers
Only in Robinhood
- Commission-free trading
- Options trading
- Crypto trading
- Fractional shares
- Crypto wallets
Both cover
- Bank accounts
- Web support
- IOS support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
E*TRADE
- Budget Managementnot Robinhood
- Expense Trackingnot Robinhood
- Investment Trackingnot Robinhood
Robinhood
- Commission free trading of US stocks and ETFs from a phonenot E*TRADE
- Options and futures trading for retail investorsnot E*TRADE
- Holding an IRA with a contribution matchnot E*TRADE
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
E*TRADE
- Stock and ETF trades were $0 commission but options carried a $0.65 per-contract fee, broker-assisted trades added a $25 surcharge, and margin interest rates ranged from 12.70% to 13.20% depending on balance tier (Internet Archive capture, 3 January 2023)
Robinhood
- Robinhood Gold costs 5 USD a month after a 30 day free trial
- The 3.35 percent APY on brokerage cash is available only to Gold subscribers
- The 3 percent IRA contribution match requires keeping the Gold subscription for one year and leaving the assets in the IRA for five years, and is capped at 225 USD against 2026 contribution maximums
- Reduced contract fees of 0.50 USD per futures contract and 0.35 USD per index option apply only to Gold subscribers
- Management fees are waived only above 100K USD in expert managed portfolios
Pricing, plan by plan
E*TRADE
On request- Stock & ETF TradingFree
- Commission-free trades
- Real-time quotes
- Advanced Trading$undefined/month
- All Stock & ETF features
- Options, futures
- Advanced tools
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 E*TRADE if
- You need advanced trading tools.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android.
- You also want options and futures.
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 E*TRADE or Robinhood better?
- Neither clearly leads. E*TRADE 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, E*TRADE or Robinhood?
- Robinhood has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for E*TRADE and Free for Robinhood.
- Does E*TRADE or Robinhood run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, IOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Robinhood for free?
- Yes. Robinhood has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. E*TRADE starts at On request.
- What is E*TRADE best used for?
- E*TRADE is most often used for budget management, expense tracking, investment tracking. Of those, budget management and expense tracking are not what Robinhood is typically brought in for.
- What can E*TRADE do that Robinhood cannot?
- E*TRADE covers Advanced trading tools, Options and futures, Research tools, Mobile trading. Robinhood covers Commission-free trading, Options trading, Crypto trading, Fractional shares. Both handle Bank accounts, Web support, IOS support, Android support.