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Robinhood vs Banktivity

Robinhood logo

Robinhood

Software

Investing for everyone

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Banktivity logo

Banktivity

Software

Personal finance for Mac and iOS

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Robinhood has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Robinhood robinhood Gold costs 5 USD a month after a 30 day free trial; Banktivity runs on macOS, iPhone and iPad only, with no Windows, Android or web version
  • They diverge on capability: Robinhood covers Commission-free trading, Banktivity covers Account tracking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Robinhood and Banktivity actually diverge.

Attributes where Robinhood and Banktivity differ
AttributeRobinhoodBanktivity
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, IOS, AndroidMac, IOS
Founded20132007

Identical on both: 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 Robinhood

  • Commission-free trading
  • Options trading
  • Crypto trading
  • Fractional shares
  • Crypto wallets
  • Web support
  • Android support

Only in Banktivity

  • Account tracking
  • Bill management
  • Investment tracking
  • Budget forecasting
  • Investment accounts
  • Mac support

Both cover

  • Bank accounts
  • IOS support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

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

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

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

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

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

Pricing, plan by plan

Robinhood

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Commission-free trading
    • Real-time data
    • Mobile app
  • Gold$4.99/month
    • All Free features
    • Extended hours trading
    • Premium research

Banktivity

On request
  • Monthly$4.99/month
    • Full feature access
    • Cloud sync
  • Annual$39.99/month
    • All monthly features
    • Discounted rate

Which should you pick?

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.
Robinhood review

Choose Banktivity if

  • You need account tracking.
  • You work on Mac, IOS.
  • You also want bill management.
Banktivity review

Questions people ask

Is Robinhood or Banktivity better?
Neither clearly leads. Robinhood starts at Free and Banktivity at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Robinhood or Banktivity?
Robinhood has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Robinhood and On request for Banktivity.
Does Robinhood or Banktivity run on more platforms?
Robinhood runs on Web, IOS, Android. Banktivity runs on Mac, IOS.
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 Robinhood best used for?
Robinhood is most often used for commission free trading of us stocks and etfs from a phone, options and futures trading for retail investors, holding an ira with a contribution match. Of those, commission free trading of us stocks and etfs from a phone and options and futures trading for retail investors are not what Banktivity is typically brought in for.
What can Robinhood do that Banktivity cannot?
Robinhood covers Commission-free trading, Options trading, Crypto trading, Fractional shares. Banktivity covers Account tracking, Bill management, Investment tracking, Budget forecasting. Both handle Bank accounts, IOS support.
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