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Robinhood vs Kraken

Robinhood logo

Robinhood

Software

Investing for everyone

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kraken logo

Kraken

Software

Secure cryptocurrency exchange for serious traders

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Robinhood robinhood Gold costs 5 USD a month after a 30 day free trial; Kraken restricted in 16 jurisdictions due to compliance requirements
  • They diverge on capability: Robinhood covers Commission-free trading, Kraken covers Spot Trading.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Robinhood and Kraken actually diverge.

Attributes where Robinhood and Kraken differ
AttributeRobinhoodKraken
Founded20132011

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), 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 Robinhood

  • Commission-free trading
  • Options trading
  • Crypto trading
  • Fractional shares
  • Bank accounts
  • Crypto wallets
  • IOS support

Only in Kraken

  • Spot Trading
  • Futures Trading
  • Margin Trading
  • Staking
  • OTC Desk
  • Bank transfers
  • SWIFT
  • Plaid

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Android 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 Kraken
  • Options and futures trading for retail investorsnot Kraken
  • Holding an IRA with a contribution matchnot Kraken

Kraken

  • Exchangesnot Robinhood
  • Tradingnot Robinhood
  • Stakingnot 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

Kraken

  • Restricted in 16 jurisdictions due to compliance requirements
  • Withdrawal processing delays due to KYC verification, blockchain confirmations, and compliance checks
  • Account restrictions triggered by scam prevention can only be lifted after 90 days
  • Margin trading limited to 5x leverage on most assets; 10x available only to eligible users

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

Kraken

Free
  • StarterFree
    • Basic trading
    • Staking
    • Instant buy
  • ProFree
    • Advanced trading
    • Margin trading
    • Futures

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 Kraken if

  • You need spot trading.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want futures trading.
Kraken review

Questions people ask

Is Robinhood or Kraken better?
Neither clearly leads. Robinhood starts at Free and Kraken at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Robinhood or Kraken?
Robinhood starts at Free and Kraken at Free.
Does Robinhood or Kraken run on more platforms?
Robinhood runs on Web, IOS, Android. Kraken runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Robinhood for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Kraken is typically brought in for.
What can Robinhood do that Kraken cannot?
Robinhood covers Commission-free trading, Options trading, Crypto trading, Fractional shares. Kraken covers Spot Trading, Futures Trading, Margin Trading, Staking. Both handle Web support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Kraken: How much does Kraken charge in fees?

Kraken Pro spot trading fees start at 0.25 percent maker and 0.40 percent taker for entry-level volume, decreasing to 0.00 percent maker and 0.08-0.10 percent taker at USD 10M+ monthly volume. The Kraken standard platform charges 1 percent on instant trades and 1.5 percent on custom orders. Kraken+ membership costs 4.99 USD/month or 49.99 USD/year for up to USD 10k/month in fee-free volume.

Source
Kraken: In how many countries can I use Kraken?

Kraken supports 190+ countries and 9 major fiat currencies (USD, EUR, GBP). However, services are restricted in 16 jurisdictions including Russia, Iran, North Korea, Syria, and Afghanistan due to regulatory compliance requirements.

Source
Kraken: Is Kraken custody secure?

Kraken holds ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification and passed SOC 2 Type 1 examination. The exchange uses cold storage with crypto infrastructure in secure cages under 24/7 armed surveillance. Kraken Custody uses multiparty computation (MPC) and hardware security module (HSM) technology. As a Wyoming SPDI-chartered institution, Kraken Financial operates on full-reserve basis, holding 100 percent of client deposits in unencumbered liquid assets.

Source
Kraken: What cryptocurrencies can I trade?

Kraken supports 500+ cryptocurrencies across 600+ crypto trading pairs. The platform also offers tokenized equities (xStocks) for direct trading of stock exposure, and supports staking rewards on eligible digital assets.

Source
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