Robinhood Review
Commission-free trading for stocks, options, crypto, and futures. Independent Robinhood review: 4.6/5 for brokerage. Best for Beginner mobile investors.
By Michael Hewitt, Founder & Editor-in-Chief. Rates last checked September 7, 2026.
Our verdict
The easiest place to start investing from a phone, and the only broker here that matches IRA contributions. The 3% match needs Robinhood Gold at $5 a month, kept for a year, and the matched money has to stay in the IRA five years; without Gold the match is 1%. Robinhood is also paid by the market makers that fill your orders.
Skip it if you want mutual funds, bonds or deep research, or you won't leave IRA money there for five years.
About Robinhood
Commission-free trading for stocks, options, crypto, and futures. Robinhood is offered by Robinhood Markets, Inc. Our editorial rating is 4.6 out of 5.
Best for: Beginner mobile investors.
Editorial grade: A (composite score 91/100).
Highlights
- $0 commissions on stocks, ETFs, options, and crypto
- 3% IRA match on contributions with Robinhood Gold ($5/month)
- 3.6% APY on uninvested brokerage cash with Robinhood Gold (checked September 28, 2026)
What we like
- IRA match on contributions: 1% standard, 3% with Gold
- Fractional shares from $1 across 7,000+ stocks
- 24-hour trading on 900+ stocks & ETFs, plus futures and index options
- Taxable, Traditional IRA, and Roth IRA accounts supported
Where it falls short
- The 3% IRA match needs Robinhood Gold ($5/month) kept for a year; without Gold the match is 1%, and matched money must stay in the IRA five years to avoid a withdrawal fee
- Earns payment for order flow from the market makers that fill your stock and options orders, disclosed in its SEC Rule 606 reports
- Limited fundamental research vs. Fidelity or Schwab
Fees, minimums, and rates
Monthly fee: $0 trades. Minimum to open: $1. New-customer bonus: 3% IRA match (Gold); first stock free. Rates and fees last checked on September 7, 2026.
How we reviewed it
This is a desk review: we have not opened an account with Robinhood Markets, Inc.. It is built from Robinhood Markets, Inc.'s published rates, fee schedule and terms and from the public complaint record, and compared with the other products in the Brokerage shortlist. Our brokerage and robo-advisor reviews weight costs and fees (25%), platform and tools (20%), asset selection (15%), account types (10%), education and research (10%), customer support (10%), and trust and safety (10%). The rubric is the same for every brand.
Similar products to compare
Read our full editorial methodology for how we review products.