Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Firstrade vs Robinhood, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
When considering online brokers for your investment needs, Firstrade and Robinhood both have unique features worth noting. Firstrade shines with a higher rating of 4.5 stars for its range of investments, offering a broader variety of investment options compared to Robinhood, which has a 3.5-star rating. Despite its popularity, Robinhood falls short in certain areas like over-the-counter (OTC) stocks and mutual fund availability, areas where Firstrade excels.
Both Firstrade and Robinhood allow users to trade stocks, margin, fractional shares, and options, making them appealing choices for different types of investors. However, only Firstrade provides access to OTC stocks and mutual funds, allowing for a more diversified portfolio. Neither platform supports forex or futures trading, but Robinhood stands out with its cryptocurrency offerings, providing access to trade 22 different coins, while Firstrade does not offer crypto trading.
Retirement planning is supported by both platforms, as both Firstrade and Robinhood offer traditional and Roth IRA accounts. It is important to note that neither platform provides advisor services, appealing more toward do-it-yourself investors. Firstrade holds a higher overall rank in investment variety, being positioned at #6 versus Robinhood’s #12 by StockBrokers.com, highlighting Firstrade's more comprehensive investment options.
| Feature |
Firstrade
|
Robinhood
|
|---|---|---|
| Stock Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Fractional Shares (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
| OTC Stocks | Yes | No |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
| Options Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Futures Trading | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | Yes |
| Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 0 | 22 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2025: A Beginner-Friendly Guide to an Advanced Market
When comparing Firstrade and Robinhood for their trading platforms and tools, Robinhood edges out slightly ahead with a 3.5-star rating versus Firstrade's 3-star rating. Both platforms share certain limitations, such as not providing downloadable Windows or Mac desktop applications, and both fall short in offering features like paper trading or a trading journal. However, despite these similarities, the platforms diverge in what they offer traders, each with its unique strengths.
Both Firstrade and Robinhood offer browser-based platforms, but Robinhood provides more interactive features. It allows users to adjust open orders directly on a stock chart and set custom date ranges, which Firstrade does not. Robinhood's charting capabilities include 23 drawing tools and the ability to add notes, contrasting Firstrade's eight drawing tools and lack of note-taking functionality. Additionally, Robinhood allows users to save multiple chart profiles, adding flexibility to its user interface.
On the other hand, Firstrade shines with its in-depth watch list functionality, offering up to 50 customizable columns compared to Robinhood’s three. It also boasts a more extensive array of technical indicators for charting, with 102 options to Robinhood's 16. These features may cater better to users who prefer a broader range of data analysis tools. Despite these advantages, Firstrade is ranked #11 out of 14 brokers by StockBrokers.com for its trading platforms and tools, whereas Robinhood ranks slightly higher at #9, reflecting its more streamlined user experience.
| Feature |
Firstrade
|
Robinhood
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Trading Platform | No | No |
| Desktop Platform (Mac) | No | No |
| Paper Trading | No | No |
| Watch Lists - Total Fields | 50 | 3 |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 102 | 16 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 8 | 23 |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers & Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Paper Trading Apps & Platforms for 2025
Schwab Trading Powered by Ameritrade™.
A full-featured account for investing
Get up to $1K on new brokerage account*
When comparing Firstrade and Robinhood for beginner and investor education, both platforms provide valuable resources but with some differences. Firstrade offers stock and options education, as well as educational videos and webinars. However, it does not cover ETF, mutual funds, or bonds education. On the other hand, Robinhood offers education on stocks, ETFs, and options, alongside webinars. While Robinhood lacks educational videos, it provides a broader range of education categories compared to Firstrade.
Neither Firstrade nor Robinhood provide resources for mutual funds or bonds education, nor do they offer paper trading, educational quizzes, or progress tracking features. Based on these offerings, Robinhood has a higher education rating of 4 stars out of 5, compared to Firstrade's 3.5 stars. According to StockBrokers.com rankings, Robinhood ranks #8 out of 14 brokers for education, while Firstrade ranks #12. This indicates that Robinhood may be a better choice for those prioritizing education breadth in their investing journey.
| Feature |
Firstrade
|
Robinhood
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (ETFs) | No | Yes |
| Education (Options) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Mutual Funds) | No | No |
| Education (Fixed Income) | No | No |
| Paper Trading | No | No |
| Videos | Yes | No |
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2025
When it comes to choosing between Firstrade and Robinhood for stock trading app capabilities, both platforms present strong options for traders. Both apps are highly rated, achieving a score of 4.5 out of 5 stars for their mobile offerings. However, stock trading app rankings see Robinhood slightly ahead at #7, compared to Firstrade at #9, indicating a slight edge in user preference.
Firstrade and Robinhood both provide iPhone and Android apps, making them accessible for most smartphone users. However, Robinhood extends its reach with an Apple Watch app, a feature Firstrade lacks. Despite this, both platforms support key functionalities such as mobile options trading, stock alerts, and customizable watch lists, ensuring a comprehensive trading experience on mobile devices. While neither app offers streaming live TV or videos on demand, they provide streaming quotes, keeping traders informed with real-time market data.
Charting capabilities highlight more distinctions between the two. Firstrade stands out with its ability to view charts in landscape mode and access multiple time frames. It also offers an impressive 81 technical studies for mobile charting, far surpassing Robinhood's 6. On the other hand, Robinhood supports after-hours charting, a feature Firstrade does not offer. Although neither app allows for stock comparisons on charts, Firstrade's more extensive charting features cater well to traders who rely heavily on technical analysis.
| Feature |
Firstrade
|
Robinhood
|
|---|---|---|
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes |
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple Watch App | No | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - After-Hours | No | Yes |
| Charting - Technical Studies | 81 | 6 |
| Mobile Trading Apps |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2025
When choosing between Firstrade and Robinhood, it’s important to consider the cost structures that each online broker presents. Both Firstrade and Robinhood offer compelling services with no minimum deposit requirements, and they charge absolutely nothing for regular stock trades, options contracts, and Individual Retirement Account (IRA) annual or closure fees. However, significant differences appear in their margin rates and account transfer fees. Thus, potential investors should weigh these factors according to their trading habits and financial goals.
In terms of margin rates, Robinhood offers more competitive prices compared to Firstrade. For margin balances below $25,000, Robinhood charges 5.75%, while Firstrade's rate is notably higher at 13.75%. This trend continues with slightly reduced rates for higher balances: Robinhood maintains rates of 5.75% for margin balances between $25,000 and $49,999, and 5.55% for those between $50,000 and $99,999. Firstrade, on the other hand, offers 13.50% and 13.00% respectively for these ranges. Clearly, Robinhood presents a more cost-effective choice for traders seeking to use margin accounts.
When it comes to account transfers, Firstrade seems to have the edge. For partial account transfers (ACAT), Firstrade charges $55.00 compared to Robinhood's $100.00. For a full account transfer, Firstrade’s fee is $75.00, while Robinhood charges $100.00. Additionally, neither Firstrade nor Robinhood impose fees on options exercise or assignment, maintaining a user-friendly environment for options traders. This detailed comparison of fees can assist investors in making an informed decision based on their preferences and financial strategies.
| Feature |
Firstrade
|
Robinhood
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Options (Per Contract) | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| IRA Closure Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2025
When considering Firstrade and Robinhood for day trading, it's evident that neither platform provides advanced features often sought by frequent traders. Both brokers lack streaming time and sales for stocks, as well as streaming live TV, which may limit real-time information access that many traders value. Additionally, neither platform offers direct market routing or trading hotkeys, which are tools that can enhance execution speed and precision in trades.
One distinct offering Robinhood has is ladder trading, providing an advantage for those looking for dynamic trading layouts. However, neither Firstrade nor Robinhood offers level 2 quotes, backtesting strategies, or a short locator tool, meaning traders have limited in-depth market data and analysis capabilities. Order liquidity rebates are also absent on both platforms. As a whole, amateur and casual traders might find these services sufficient, while more seasoned day traders may seek platforms with richer trading features.
| Feature |
Firstrade
|
Robinhood
|
|---|---|---|
| Streaming Time & Sales | No | No |
| Streaming TV | No | No |
| Direct Market Routing - Equities | No | No |
| Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | No | No |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting | No | No |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | No | No |
| Short Locator | No | No |
Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms for 2025
When comparing Firstrade and Robinhood for market research, Firstrade clearly outshines its competitor. Offering comprehensive research support for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, bonds, and OTC markets, Firstrade equips investors with essential insights. It also provides the ability to see portfolio allocation by asset class and offers ESG research, making it an attractive option for socially conscious investors. With a high rating of 4.5 stars and a ranking of #6 out of 14 brokers by StockBrokers.com, Firstrade establishes itself as a superior choice for those seeking in-depth market analysis.
Firstrade provides expansive stock research capabilities, including the use of social media sentiment data, catering to the growing trend of integrating alternative data into investment strategies. Investors benefit from a variety of downloadable PDF research reports, available for stocks and ETFs, to guide their trading decisions. On the other hand, Robinhood lacks this comprehensive support, with no downloadable reports for ETFs and none for mutual funds or bonds, limiting the depth of research available to its users.
While both Firstrade and Robinhood offer stock screeners for generating trade ideas, Firstrade further empowers its users by also providing screeners for ETFs and mutual funds, areas where Robinhood falls short. Additionally, Firstrade's bond research and screening capabilities add another layer of depth to its research offerings, absent in Robinhood's platform. With a modest market research rating of 2 stars and ranking of #10, Robinhood trails behind Firstrade, making it less ideal for research-driven investors.
| Feature |
Firstrade
|
Robinhood
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| Screener - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Screener - ETFs | Yes | No |
| Research - Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
| Screener - Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
| Research - Fixed Income | Yes | No |
| Screener - Fixed Income | Yes | No |
| Research |
|
|
When comparing the banking features of Firstrade and Robinhood, there are several differences to consider. Firstrade offers checking accounts, giving users a straightforward way to manage their everyday finances, whereas Robinhood does not provide this option. Both platforms offer debit cards, making everyday transactions convenient, but only Robinhood gives clients the option of a credit card. Neither Firstrade nor Robinhood offers savings accounts or mortgage loans, keeping their focus on investment services rather than traditional banking products. For those looking to invest in Certificates of Deposit, Firstrade offers CD options, while Robinhood does not. Ultimately, the choice between Firstrade and Robinhood's banking capabilities depends on the specific financial tools you're looking to access alongside your trading activities.
| Feature |
Firstrade
|
Robinhood
|
|---|---|---|
| Checking Accounts | Yes | No |
| Savings Accounts | No | No |
| Debit Cards | Yes | Yes |
| Credit Cards | No | Yes |
| Mortgage Loans | No | No |
| Brokerage CDs | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Brokerage Checking Accounts for 2025
After opening live accounts and testing 14 of the best online brokers, our research and live account testing finds that Firstrade is better than Robinhood. Firstrade finished with an overall score of 81.8%, while Robinhood finished with a score of 77.3%.
With steady innovation and a growing feature set, Firstrade is quickly climbing the ranks to earn its place among the best online brokers. Firstrade’s $0 contract fee, no exercise/assignment fees, and top-tier options trade ticket make it one of the most cost-effective and well-designed platforms for options trading.
When it comes to crypto trading, Firstrade does not offer any cryptocurrency options, whereas Robinhood provides a more extensive selection with 22 different coins available for trading.
Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2025
Both Firstrade and Robinhood offer traditional and Roth IRA accounts with no annual or closure fees, providing cost-effective options for investors seeking retirement savings solutions.
Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2025
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | Firstrade | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading Apps |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Customer Service |
| N/A | |
| Education |
|
| |
| Ease of Use |
|
| |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Firstrade Review | Robinhood Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Firstrade | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
|
|
| Trading Fees | Firstrade | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| Penny Stock Fees (OTC) | $0.00 | N/A | |
| Mutual Fund Trade Fee | $0 | N/A | |
| Options (Per Contract) | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| Futures (Per Contract) | (Not offered) | (Not offered) | |
| Broker Assisted Trade Fee | $19.95 | N/A |
| Margin Rates | Firstrade | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Margin Rate Under $25,000 | 13.75% | 5.75% | |
| Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 | 13.50% | 5.75% | |
| Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 | 13.00% | 5.55% | |
| Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 | 12.50% | 5.25% | |
| Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 | 12.50% | 5.25% | |
| Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 | 12.50% | 5.25% | |
| Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 | 12.50% | 5% |
| Account Fees | Firstrade | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| IRA Closure Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| Account Transfer Out (Partial) | $55.00 | $100.00 | |
| Account Transfer Out (Full) | $75.00 | $100.00 | |
| Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Investment Options | Firstrade | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Fractional Shares (Stocks) | Yes | Yes | |
| OTC Stocks | Yes | No | |
| Options Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Complex Options Max Legs | 4 | 4 | |
| Futures Trading | No | No | |
| Forex Trading | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | No | Yes | |
| Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 0 | 22 | |
| Fixed Income (Treasurys) | Yes | No | |
| Fixed Income (Corporate Bonds) | Yes | No | |
| Fixed Income (Municipal Bonds) | Yes | No | |
| Traditional IRAs | Yes | Yes | |
| Roth IRAs | Yes | Yes | |
| Advisor Services | No | No | |
| International Countries (Stocks) | 0 | 0 |
| Order Types | Firstrade | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Order Type - Market | Yes | Yes | |
| Order Type - Limit | Yes | Yes | |
| Order Type - After Hours | Yes | Yes | |
| Order Type - Stop | Yes | Yes | |
| Order Type - Trailing Stop | Yes | Yes | |
| Order Type - OCO | Yes | No | |
| Order Type - OTO | Yes | No | |
| Order Type - Broker Assisted | Yes | No |
| Beginners | Firstrade | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (ETFs) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Options) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Mutual Funds) | No | No | |
| Education (Fixed Income) | No | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No | |
| Retirement Calculator | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary | Yes | Yes | |
| Paper Trading | No | No | |
| Videos | Yes | No | |
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Progress Tracking | No | No | |
| Interactive Learning - Quizzes | No | No |
| Stock Trading Apps | Firstrade | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple Watch App | No | Yes | |
| Trading - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading - After-Hours | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading - Simple Options | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading - Complex Options | Yes | Yes | |
| Order Ticket RT Quotes | Yes | Yes | |
| Order Ticket SRT Quotes | Yes | Yes |
| Stock App Features | Firstrade | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Market Movers (Top Gainers) | Yes | Yes | |
| Stream Live TV | No | No | |
| Videos on Demand | No | No | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Option Chains Viewable | Yes | Yes | |
| Watch List (Real-time) | Yes | Yes | |
| Watch List (Streaming) | Yes | Yes | |
| Watch Lists - Create & Manage | Yes | Yes | |
| Watch Lists - Column Customization | Yes | Yes |
| Stock App Charting | Firstrade | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charting - After-Hours | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Can Turn Horizontally | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Technical Studies | 81 | 6 | |
| Charting - Study Customizations | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Comparisons | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | Firstrade | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Trading Platform | N/A | Robinhood Legend | |
| Desktop Trading Platform | No | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Mac) | No | No | |
| Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Paper Trading | No | No | |
| Trade Journal | No | No | |
| Watch Lists - Total Fields | 50 | 3 |
| Stock Chart Features | Firstrade | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 102 | 16 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 8 | 23 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Historical Trades | No | No | |
| Charting - Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Custom Date Range | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Custom Time Bars | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Automated Analysis | No | No | |
| Charting - Save Profiles | No | Yes | |
| Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Study Customizations | 6 | 1 | |
| Charting - Custom Studies | No | No |
| Day Trading | Firstrade | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Streaming Time & Sales | No | No | |
| Streaming TV | No | No | |
| Direct Market Routing - Equities | No | No | |
| Ladder Trading | No | Yes | |
| Trade Hot Keys | No | No | |
| Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | No | No | |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting | No | No | |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | No | No | |
| Short Locator | No | No | |
| Order Liquidity Rebates | No | No |
| Research Overview | Firstrade | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Mutual Funds | Yes | No | |
| Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Fixed Income | Yes | No | |
| Screener - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
| Screener - ETFs | Yes | No | |
| Screener - Mutual Funds | Yes | No | |
| Screener - Fixed Income | Yes | No | |
| Portfolio Asset Allocation | Yes | No |
| Stock Research | Firstrade | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Research - PDF Reports | 1 | 0 | |
| Stock Research - Earnings | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Research - Insiders | Yes | No | |
| Stock Research - Social | Yes | No | |
| Stock Research - News | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Research - ESG | Yes | No | |
| Stock Research - SEC Filings | Yes | No |
| ETF Research | Firstrade | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ETFs - Investment Objective | Yes | Yes | |
| ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date | Yes | Yes | |
| ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio | Yes | Yes | |
| ETF Fund Facts - Total Assets | Yes | Yes | |
| ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs - Top 10 Holdings | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs - Sector Exposure | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs - Risk Analysis | Yes | No | |
| ETFs - Ratings | Yes | No | |
| ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap | Yes | No | |
| ETFs - PDF Reports | Yes | No |
| Mutual Fund Research | Firstrade | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mutual Funds - Investment Objective | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Performance Chart | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Prospectus | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Country Allocation | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds - StyleMap | Yes | No |
| Options Trading | Firstrade | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Option Chains - Total Greeks | 5 | 5 | |
| Option Analysis - P&L Charts | Yes | Yes |
| Banking | Firstrade | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank (Member FDIC) | No | No | |
| Checking Accounts | Yes | No | |
| Savings Accounts | No | No | |
| Credit Cards | No | Yes | |
| Debit Cards | Yes | Yes | |
| Mortgage Loans | No | No |
| Customer Service | Firstrade | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone Support (Prospect Customers) | Yes | No | |
| Phone Support (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
| Email Support | Yes | Yes | |
| Live Chat (Prospect Customers) | Yes | No | |
| Live Chat (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
| 24/7 Support | No | Yes |
| Overall | Firstrade | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading Apps |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Ease of Use |
|
| |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Firstrade Review | Robinhood Review |
Charles Schwab
Interactive Brokers
Fidelity
E*TRADE
Merrill Edge
Webull
TradeStation
tastytrade
eToro