Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Robinhood vs Firstrade, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
Bottom line: In a Robinhood vs Firstrade comparison, both brokers cover the core investing needs—stocks, options, margin, fractional shares, OTC stocks, plus Traditional and Roth IRAs. Your decision likely hinges on extras: choose Firstrade if you need mutual funds; choose Robinhood if you want crypto (22 coins), futures, or advisor services. Neither offers forex. Both earn 4 stars for Range of Investments, but StockBrokers.com ranks Firstrade higher (#5 of 14) than Robinhood (#10 of 14).
Shared ground is strong: each platform supports stock trading, options trading, margin accounts, fractional shares for buying smaller slices of stocks, and access to OTC stocks for names outside major exchanges. Both skip forex, so currency trading isn’t on the table.
Differences are clear. Firstrade offers mutual funds, which can appeal to long-term, fund-focused investors. Robinhood does not offer mutual funds, but it adds futures and a sizeable crypto lineup with 22 supported coins, while Firstrade has no crypto or futures. For guidance, Robinhood provides advisor services; Firstrade does not. Both support Traditional and Roth IRAs for tax-advantaged saving.
| Feature |
Robinhood
|
Firstrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Stock Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Fractional Shares (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
| OTC Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes |
| Options Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Futures Trading | Yes | No |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | No |
| Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 22 | 0 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2026, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2026
Bottom line: In the Robinhood vs. Firstrade matchup for trading platforms and tools, Robinhood comes out ahead. Both run in the browser only, with no Windows or Mac downloads, and neither offers paper trading or a trading journal. However, Robinhood’s workflow perks—adjusting open orders on charts, adding chart notes, more drawing tools, custom date ranges, and saving multiple chart layouts—give it an edge that’s reflected in third-party scores: Robinhood earns 3 stars and ranks #8 of 14 at StockBrokers.com, while Firstrade earns 1 star and ranks #12.
Access is straightforward on both brokers: web platforms only, no desktop downloads for Windows or Mac. For watchlists, Firstrade is more data-heavy with 50 columns versus Robinhood’s 34. Neither broker supports paper trading or a built-in trading journal.
Charting features vary. Firstrade offers 102 technical indicators and can auto-detect chart patterns; Robinhood provides 90 indicators. Robinhood counters with 26 drawing tools (vs. Firstrade’s 8), the ability to add notes to charts, adjust orders directly on charts, set custom date ranges, and save multiple chart profiles. Editing an SMA study includes 6 fields on both platforms. Neither shows historical trades or corporate events on charts, and neither supports creating custom studies.
| Feature |
Robinhood
|
Firstrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Trading Platform | No | No |
| Desktop Platform (Mac) | No | No |
| Paper Trading | No | No |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 34 | 50 |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 90 | 102 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 26 | 8 |
| Advanced Trading |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Stock Brokers for 2026, Best Paper Trading Apps & Platforms for 2026
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Both Robinhood and Firstrade provide beginner-friendly investor education with on-demand videos and lessons. Each covers stocks and options and both skip mutual funds. Key differences: Robinhood also offers ETF and bond education, while Firstrade does not; Firstrade hosts webinars, while Robinhood does not. Neither platform offers paper trading, quizzes, or tools to track your learning progress.
For overall education quality, Robinhood is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks 7th out of 14 brokers for education on StockBrokers.com. Firstrade earns 2.5 stars and ranks 13th. If you want ETF and bond tutorials, choose Robinhood; if you value live webinars, Firstrade has an edge.
| Feature |
Robinhood
|
Firstrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (ETFs) | Yes | No |
| Education (Options) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Mutual Funds) | No | No |
| Education (Fixed Income) | Yes | No |
| Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Webinars | No | Yes |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2026
Bottom line: Both Robinhood and Firstrade offer quality stock trading apps, each earning 4 stars. StockBrokers.com ranks Robinhood #7 and Firstrade #8 out of 14 brokers. Pick Robinhood if you want Apple Watch support, after-hours charting, and a larger set of built-in indicators. Choose Firstrade if landscape charts and the ability to compare symbols on a chart are priorities. The source did not confirm whether Firstrade’s mobile app supports after-hours trading, so check the latest details before deciding.
Shared strengths are solid. Robinhood and Firstrade both have iPhone and Android apps, options trading on mobile, streaming quotes, stock alerts, custom watch lists, and the ability to customize watch list columns. Each app lets you view multiple time frames for charts. Neither app includes streaming live TV or videos on demand.
Key differences help break the tie. Only Robinhood has an Apple Watch app. Robinhood supports mobile after-hours trading (Firstrade’s status wasn’t provided) and offers after-hours charting, while Firstrade does not. For charting, Robinhood includes about 90 technical studies (indicators) versus Firstrade’s 81. Firstrade lets you view charts in landscape and overlay stock comparisons on charts; Robinhood does not.
| Feature |
Robinhood
|
Firstrade
|
|---|---|---|
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes |
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple Watch App | Yes | No |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - After-Hours | Yes | No |
| Charting - Technical Studies | 90 | 81 |
| Mobile Trading Apps |
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Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2026
Bottom line on Robinhood vs Firstrade fees: both are $0 for the basics, but they diverge on margin and transfer costs. Everyday trading is free at either broker, yet Robinhood’s margin interest is much lower across common tiers (5.75% to 5.55% on balances up to $99,999) than Firstrade’s (12.75% to 12.00%). If you expect to move your account, Firstrade is cheaper to exit, charging $55 for a partial ACAT and $75 for a full transfer, while Robinhood charges $100 for either.
For core costs, both brokers keep entry simple: $0 minimum deposit, $0 stock trades, and $0 per options contract. Options exercise and assignment are also $0 at both firms. Retirement savers get $0 IRA annual fees and $0 IRA closure fees at either broker, so there’s no penalty for opening or later closing an IRA.
The clearest price gap is on margin. Robinhood lists 5.75% below $50,000 and 5.55% from $50,000 to $99,999, while Firstrade is 12.75%, 12.50%, and 12.00% across those same tiers. For transfers, Firstrade’s ACAT fees are lower ($55 partial, $75 full) than Robinhood’s flat $100. If you plan to borrow on margin, Robinhood tends to be cheaper; if you think you’ll transfer out, Firstrade can save you on exit fees.
| Feature |
Robinhood
|
Firstrade
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
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Comparing Robinhood vs. Firstrade for day trading, both platforms keep things basic. Neither offers streaming time and sales, streaming live TV, direct market routing, trading hotkeys, backtesting (basic or advanced), a short locator for borrow availability, or maker/taker liquidity rebates. For traders who rely on fast data feeds, keyboard shortcuts, and routing control, these gaps matter.
The key differences tilt slightly toward Robinhood: it provides Level 2 quotes (deeper order book visibility) and ladder trading for quicker order placement, while Firstrade does not. If you’re doing light day trading and want a simple setup, Robinhood’s added tools can be helpful. However, serious day traders may still find both platforms limited compared with specialized trading software.
| Feature |
Robinhood
|
Firstrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Streaming Time & Sales | No | No |
| Streaming TV | No | No |
| Direct Market Routing - Equities | No | No |
| Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | Yes | No |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting | No | No |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | No | No |
| Short Locator | No | No |
Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms of 2026 for Beginners and Active Traders
Bottom line: Firstrade is the better pick for market research. It earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #6 of 14 on StockBrokers.com, while Robinhood scores 2.5 stars and ranks #10. Both can handle basic stock and ETF research, but Firstrade stands out with broader coverage, more screeners, added data sources, and downloadable reports.
Robinhood and Firstrade both offer stock and ETF research, Pink Sheets/OTCBB research, a look at your portfolio allocation by asset class, and a stock screener. The differences start to add up, though. Firstrade also includes mutual fund and bond research, plus ETF, mutual fund, and bond screeners. It layers on social media sentiment and ESG insights, and provides downloadable PDF reports for stocks (one per company) and ETFs. Robinhood, by contrast, does not provide mutual fund or bond research, has no ETF, mutual fund, or bond screeners, offers no social sentiment or ESG tools, and has no downloadable PDF reports for stocks, ETFs, or mutual funds.
Choose Robinhood if you mainly want quick checks on stocks and ETFs with a simple stock screener. Choose Firstrade if you want deeper coverage across funds, bonds, and OTC names, built-in screeners for multiple asset types, extra signals like ESG and social sentiment, and access to downloadable research reports.
| Feature |
Robinhood
|
Firstrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| Screener - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Screener - ETFs | No | Yes |
| Research - Mutual Funds | No | Yes |
| Screener - Mutual Funds | No | Yes |
| Research - Fixed Income | No | Yes |
| Screener - Fixed Income | No | Yes |
| Research |
|
|
When comparing online brokers Robinhood and Firstrade for banking features, Firstrade stands out for offering a checking account and access to CDs, while Robinhood does not. Neither broker has a savings account or mortgage loans. Both offer a debit card for everyday spending. If a credit card matters to you, Robinhood provides one and Firstrade does not. In short, pick Firstrade if you need a checking account or CDs, and choose Robinhood if you want a credit card; otherwise, their banking options are fairly limited.
| Feature |
Robinhood
|
Firstrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Checking Accounts | No | Yes |
| Savings Accounts | No | No |
| Debit Cards | Yes | Yes |
| Credit Cards | Yes | No |
| Mortgage Loans | No | No |
| Brokerage CDs | No | Yes |
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After opening live accounts and testing 14 of the best online brokers, our research and live account testing finds that Robinhood is better than Firstrade. Robinhood finished with an overall score of 69.6%, while Firstrade finished with a score of 67.8%.
Robinhood is best known for its commission-free trading, modern mobile and desktop platforms, and low-cost access to options, margin, and futures trading.
Among online brokers, Robinhood offers crypto trading with access to 22 cryptocurrencies, while Firstrade does not support crypto trading (0 coins).
Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2026
Robinhood vs. Firstrade for IRAs: both brokers offer Traditional and Roth IRA accounts with $0 annual fees and $0 IRA closure fees, making them equally cost-effective for retirement investors. With no fee advantage either way, choose based on platform features, tools, and overall user experience.
Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2026
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Robinhood | Firstrade | |
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| Customer Service | N/A |
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| Review | Robinhood Review | Firstrade Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Robinhood | Firstrade | |
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| Trading Fees | Robinhood | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| Penny Stock Fees (OTC) | N/A | $0.00 | |
| Mutual Fund Trade Fee | N/A | $0 | |
| Options (Per Contract) | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| Futures (Per Contract) | $0.75 | (Not offered) | |
| Broker Assisted Trade Fee | N/A | $19.95 |
| Margin Rates | Robinhood | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Margin Rate Under $25,000 | 5.75% | 12.75% | |
| Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 | 5.75% | 12.50% | |
| Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 | 5.55% | 12.00% | |
| Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 | 5.25% | 11.50% | |
| Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 | 5.25% | 11.25% | |
| Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 | 5.25% | 9.35% | |
| Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 | 5% | 8.75% |
| Account Fees | Robinhood | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| IRA Closure Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| Account Transfer Out (Partial) | $100.00 | $55.00 | |
| Account Transfer Out (Full) | $100.00 | $75.00 | |
| Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Investment Options | Robinhood | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Fractional Shares (Stocks) | Yes | Yes | |
| OTC Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
| Options Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Complex Options Max Legs | 4 | 4 | |
| Futures Trading | Yes | No | |
| Forex Trading | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | No | |
| Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 22 | 0 | |
| Fixed Income (Treasurys) | No | Yes | |
| Fixed Income (Corporate Bonds) | No | Yes | |
| Fixed Income (Municipal Bonds) | No | Yes | |
| Traditional IRAs | Yes | Yes | |
| Roth IRAs | Yes | Yes | |
| Advisor Services | Yes | No | |
| International Countries (Stocks) | 1 | 0 |
| Order Types | Robinhood | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | Yes | |
| Order Type - OTO | No | Yes | |
| Order Type - Broker Assisted | No | Yes |
| Beginners | Robinhood | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (ETFs) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Options) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Mutual Funds) | No | No | |
| Education (Fixed Income) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Retirement Calculator | No | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary | Yes | Yes | |
| Paper Trading | No | No | |
| Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Progress Tracking | No | No | |
| Interactive Learning - Quizzes | No | No |
| Stock Trading Apps | Robinhood | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple Watch App | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Robinhood | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile Research - Market Movers | Yes | Yes | |
| Stream Live TV | No | No | |
| Videos on Demand | No | No | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Option Chains Viewable | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist (Real-time) | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist (Streaming) | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Create & Manage | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Column Customization | Yes | Yes |
| Stock App Charting | Robinhood | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charting - After-Hours | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Can Turn Horizontally | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Technical Studies | 90 | 81 | |
| Charting - Study Customizations | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Comparisons | No | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Robinhood | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Trading Platform | Robinhood Legend | N/A | |
| Desktop Trading Platform | No | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Mac) | No | No | |
| Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Paper Trading | No | No | |
| Trade Journal | No | No | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 34 | 50 |
| Stock Chart Features | Robinhood | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 90 | 102 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 26 | 8 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Historical Trades | No | No | |
| Charting - Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Custom Date Range | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Custom Time Bars | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Automated Analysis | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Save Profiles | Yes | No | |
| Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Study Customizations | 6 | 6 | |
| Charting - Custom Studies | No | No |
| Day Trading | Robinhood | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Streaming Time & Sales | No | No | |
| Streaming TV | No | No | |
| Direct Market Routing - Equities | No | No | |
| Ladder Trading | Yes | No | |
| Trade Hot Keys | No | No | |
| Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | Yes | No | |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting | No | No | |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | No | No | |
| Short Locator | No | No | |
| Order Liquidity Rebates | No | No |
| Research Overview | Robinhood | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Mutual Funds | No | Yes | |
| Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Fixed Income | No | Yes | |
| Screener - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
| Screener - ETFs | No | Yes | |
| Screener - Mutual Funds | No | Yes | |
| Screener - Fixed Income | No | Yes | |
| Portfolio Asset Allocation | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Research | Robinhood | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Research - PDF Reports | 0 | 1 | |
| Stock Research - Earnings | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Research - Insiders | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Research - Social | No | Yes | |
| Stock Research - News | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Research - ESG | No | Yes | |
| Stock Research - SEC Filings | No | Yes |
| ETF Research | Robinhood | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | Yes | |
| ETFs - Ratings | No | Yes | |
| ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap | No | Yes | |
| ETFs - PDF Reports | No | Yes |
| Mutual Fund Research | Robinhood | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mutual Funds - Investment Objective | No | Yes | |
| Mutual Funds - Performance Chart | No | Yes | |
| Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis | No | Yes | |
| Mutual Funds - Prospectus | No | Yes | |
| Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings | No | Yes | |
| Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown | No | Yes | |
| Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings | No | Yes | |
| Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation | No | Yes | |
| Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation | No | Yes | |
| Mutual Funds - Country Allocation | No | Yes | |
| Mutual Funds - StyleMap | No | Yes |
| Options Trading | Robinhood | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Option Chains - Total Greeks | 5 | 5 | |
| Option Analysis - P&L Charts | Yes | Yes |
| Banking | Robinhood | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank (Member FDIC) | No | No | |
| Checking Accounts | No | Yes | |
| Savings Accounts | No | No | |
| Credit Cards | Yes | No | |
| Debit Cards | Yes | Yes | |
| Mortgage Loans | No | No |
| Customer Service | Robinhood | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone Support (Prospective Customers) | No | Yes | |
| Phone Support (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
| Email Support | Yes | Yes | |
| Live Chat (Prospective Customers) | No | Yes | |
| Live Chat (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
| 24/7 Support | Yes | No |
| Overall | Robinhood | Firstrade | |
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| Ease of Use |
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| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Robinhood Review | Firstrade Review |
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