Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers vs Robinhood, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
Bottom line: Interactive Brokers offers a wider range of investments than Robinhood, earning 5 stars and the #1 ranking for Range of Investments from StockBrokers.com (out of 14 brokers). Robinhood is rated 3.5 stars and ranked #12. If you want the broadest market access, Interactive Brokers is the stronger pick; if you value more crypto choices and advisor services, Robinhood stands out.
Both brokers support stock trading (including fractional shares and OTC stocks), options, futures, crypto, and margin. For crypto, Robinhood lists 22 coins versus 11 at Interactive Brokers. Only Interactive Brokers offers mutual funds and forex trading; Robinhood does not. Both provide Traditional and Roth IRAs. Robinhood offers advisor services, while Interactive Brokers does not.
Choose Interactive Brokers if you want access to more markets—especially mutual funds and forex—and prefer a platform top-rated for investment range. Choose Robinhood if you want a simpler lineup with more crypto coins and access to advisor services, and you don’t need mutual funds or forex.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Robinhood
|
|---|---|---|
| Stock Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Fractional Shares (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
| OTC Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
| Options Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Futures Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 11 | 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
Interactive Brokers vs. Robinhood: If you want the most capable trading setup, Interactive Brokers (rated 5 stars, ranked #2 of 14 by StockBrokers.com) is the clear winner. It offers deeper tools, more platform options, and richer market data controls. Robinhood (3.5 stars, ranked #9) is easier to pick up and use, but it trades away depth. Choose Interactive Brokers for serious analysis and practice trading; pick Robinhood if you prefer a simpler experience and mostly trade via web or mobile.
Platform access and core tools favor Interactive Brokers. It offers downloadable desktop platforms for both Windows and Mac, plus a browser platform; Robinhood has a browser platform only. Interactive Brokers provides paper trading and a built-in trading journal; Robinhood offers neither. Both let you adjust open orders directly on charts and save multiple chart profiles. Editing a standard SMA study gives six fields on both platforms, and neither supports building custom studies.
For charts and watchlists, Interactive Brokers is stronger in analytics while Robinhood leans into drawing. Interactive Brokers delivers 155 technical indicators, 85 drawing tools, notes on charts, historical trades on charts, corporate events on charts, custom date ranges, and automated chart pattern recognition. Robinhood offers 90 indicators, an extensive 2,326 drawing tools, notes on charts, and custom date ranges, but it lacks historical trades, corporate events, and automated pattern detection. Watchlists are far more detailed at Interactive Brokers with 659 data columns versus 34 on Robinhood.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Robinhood
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Mac) | Yes | No |
| Paper Trading | Yes | No |
| Watch Lists - Total Fields | 659 | 34 |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 90 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 85 | 2326 |
| 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*
Interactive Brokers and Robinhood both offer beginner-friendly education across stocks, ETFs, options, and bonds. Interactive Brokers goes further with mutual funds education, while Robinhood does not. Both platforms include educational videos, but Interactive Brokers adds webinars, quizzes, and the ability to track your learning progress—features Robinhood doesn’t provide. Interactive Brokers also offers paper trading to practice without risking real money; Robinhood lacks this.
For education quality, Interactive Brokers earns 5 stars and ranks #3 out of 14 brokers on StockBrokers.com, while Robinhood holds 4 stars and ranks #8 out of 14. If you want a deeper learning path with practice tools and structured tracking, Interactive Brokers is the stronger choice. If you prefer simple articles and videos for quick learning, Robinhood can still do the job.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Robinhood
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (ETFs) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Options) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Mutual Funds) | Yes | No |
| Education (Fixed Income) | Yes | Yes |
| Paper Trading | Yes | No |
| Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2025
Interactive Brokers vs Robinhood: Both are solid choices for a mobile stock trading app, but Interactive Brokers takes the lead for people who want more tools at their fingertips. It holds a 5-star rating and ranks #2 of 14 on StockBrokers.com, while Robinhood earns 4.5 stars and ranks #7. If you value advanced charting and built-in market video, Interactive Brokers is the stronger pick; if you prefer a simpler setup, Robinhood still covers the essentials well.
Both brokers offer iPhone and Android apps plus Apple Watch support. Core capabilities line up closely: mobile options trading, streaming quotes, stock alerts, custom watch lists with adjustable columns, multiple chart time frames, and after-hours charting are available on both. The provided data also confirms after-hours stock trading on mobile for Interactive Brokers.
Where Interactive Brokers pulls ahead is market data and charts. It includes streaming live TV and video on demand, while Robinhood offers neither. Interactive Brokers also supports landscape chart views (Robinhood does not), lets you compare symbols directly on a chart (Robinhood cannot), and offers 97 technical studies versus Robinhood’s 90. Both help you track prices in real time, but Interactive Brokers supplies more analysis and media inside the app.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Robinhood
|
|---|---|---|
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes |
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple Watch App | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - After-Hours | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Technical Studies | 97 | 90 |
| Mobile Trading Apps |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2025
Interactive Brokers vs. Robinhood fees come out close for basic investing, but the differences matter depending on what you do most. Both have a $0 minimum deposit and $0 stock trades. Robinhood is cheaper for options at $0 per contract and generally has lower margin rates up to $100,000. Interactive Brokers shines on transfers, charging $0 for both partial and full ACAT moves, while Robinhood charges $100 either way. Both charge $0 for IRA maintenance and closure, and $0 for options exercise or assignment. If you trade options or plan to use margin, Robinhood can be cheaper; if you might move your account later, Interactive Brokers can save you money on transfer fees.
Trading costs: both brokers have a $0 minimum deposit and $0 commissions for regular stock trades. Options pricing is the big split: Interactive Brokers charges $0.65 per contract, while Robinhood charges $0 per contract. Options exercise and assignment fees are $0 at both.
Margin and account fees: Interactive Brokers’ margin rate is 6.83% for balances under $25,000, $25,000–$49,999, and $50,000–$99,999. Robinhood’s margin rate is 5.75% under $25,000 and $25,000–$49,999, dropping to 5.55% for $50,000–$99,999. IRA annual and closure fees are $0 at both. Transfer fees differ sharply: Interactive Brokers charges $0 for partial and full ACAT transfers; Robinhood charges $100 for partial and $100 for full ACAT transfers.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Robinhood
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Options (Per Contract) | $0.65 | $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
Interactive Brokers vs. Robinhood for day trading comes down to market tools and control. Interactive Brokers offers streaming time and sales (tape), Level 2 quotes, direct market routing, trading hotkeys, ladder trading, and streaming live TV. It also includes both basic and advanced strategy backtesting, a short locator tool to see share borrow availability in real time, and access to maker/taker liquidity rebates that can help lower costs. Robinhood provides Level 2 quotes and ladder trading, but it does not offer streaming time and sales, streaming live TV, direct routing, hotkeys, backtesting, a short locate tool, or order rebates.
If you want fine-grained order control, faster entries and exits, and tools to test and refine strategies, Interactive Brokers is the stronger fit for active day trading. If you’re after a simpler setup with Level 2 and ladder trading for straightforward entries, Robinhood may suffice but lacks many pro features. Availability of certain data or tools at either broker may depend on your plan, market data subscriptions, and account eligibility.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Robinhood
|
|---|---|---|
| Streaming Time & Sales | Yes | No |
| Streaming TV | Yes | No |
| Direct Market Routing - Equities | Yes | No |
| Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting | Yes | No |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | Yes | No |
| Short Locator | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms of 2025 for Beginners and Active Traders
Interactive Brokers vs. Robinhood for market research: Interactive Brokers is the stronger pick. It earns 5 stars and ranks #4 of 14 brokers at StockBrokers.com, while Robinhood holds 2 stars and ranks #10. Interactive Brokers covers more asset classes, offers more screeners, and provides downloadable PDF research (including 17 for stocks), making it better for investors who want deeper insight. Robinhood suits basic stock and ETF checks but lacks many advanced research tools.
Both brokers offer stock and ETF research, Pink Sheets/OTCBB research, and a view of portfolio allocation by asset class. Interactive Brokers goes further with mutual fund and bond research, plus extras like social media sentiment and ESG research—features Robinhood does not include. Robinhood does not offer mutual fund or bond research.
For idea discovery, both provide a stock screener. Interactive Brokers adds dedicated screeners for ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds, which Robinhood lacks. Interactive Brokers also offers downloadable PDF research reports—17 for stocks, plus reports for ETFs and mutual funds—while Robinhood provides no downloadable reports.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
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 evaluating the banking capabilities of online brokers Interactive Brokers and Robinhood, several key differences come to light. Neither Interactive Brokers nor Robinhood provides traditional checking or savings accounts and both platforms do not offer mortgage loan services. However, there are distinctions in other areas. Interactive Brokers does provide Certificates of Deposit (CDs), whereas Robinhood does not. On the other hand, Robinhood offers additional banking features that Interactive Brokers lacks, such as access to both debit and credit cards. These distinctions highlight varying opportunities and tools each platform presents to users seeking banking-like services alongside their trading activities.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Robinhood
|
|---|---|---|
| Checking Accounts | No | No |
| Savings Accounts | No | No |
| Debit Cards | No | 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 Interactive Brokers is better than Robinhood. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall score of 96.9%, while Robinhood finished with a score of 77.3%.
Interactive Brokers is a go-to choice for professionals because of its institutional-grade desktop trading platform, high-quality trade executions and rock-bottom margin rates.
Both Interactive Brokers and Robinhood offer crypto trading, with Interactive Brokers providing 11 coins and Robinhood offering a broader selection of 22 coins.
Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2025
Interactive Brokers and Robinhood both offer traditional and Roth IRA accounts with no annual or closure fees, making them both cost-effective options for retirement savings.
Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2025
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | Interactive Brokers | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading Apps |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Customer Service |
| N/A | |
| Education |
|
| |
| Ease of Use |
|
| |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Robinhood Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
|
|
| Trading Fees | Interactive Brokers | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| Penny Stock Fees (OTC) | $0.01 | N/A | |
| Mutual Fund Trade Fee | $14.95 | N/A | |
| Options (Per Contract) | $0.65 | $0.00 | |
| Futures (Per Contract) | $0.85 | $0.75 | |
| Broker Assisted Trade Fee | Varies | N/A |
| Margin Rates | Interactive Brokers | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Margin Rate Under $25,000 | 6.83% | 5.75% | |
| Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 | 6.83% | 5.75% | |
| Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 | 6.83% | 5.55% | |
| Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 | 6.83% | 5.25% | |
| Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 | 6.83% | 5.25% | |
| Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 | 6.83% | 5.25% | |
| Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 | 6.83% | 5% |
| Account Fees | Interactive Brokers | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| IRA Closure Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| Account Transfer Out (Partial) | $0.00 | $100.00 | |
| Account Transfer Out (Full) | $0.00 | $100.00 | |
| Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Investment Options | Interactive Brokers | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 6 | 4 | |
| Futures Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex Trading | Yes | No | |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 11 | 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 | Yes | |
| International Countries (Stocks) | 36 | 1 |
| Order Types | Interactive Brokers | 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 | Interactive Brokers | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (ETFs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Options) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Mutual Funds) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Fixed Income) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Retirement Calculator | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary | Yes | Yes | |
| Paper Trading | Yes | No | |
| Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Progress Tracking | Yes | No | |
| Interactive Learning - Quizzes | Yes | No |
| Stock Trading Apps | Interactive Brokers | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple Watch App | Yes | 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 | Interactive Brokers | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Market Movers (Top Gainers) | Yes | Yes | |
| Stream Live TV | Yes | No | |
| Videos on Demand | Yes | 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 | Interactive Brokers | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charting - After-Hours | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Can Turn Horizontally | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Technical Studies | 97 | 90 | |
| Charting - Study Customizations | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Comparisons | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Interactive Brokers | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Trading Platform | Trader Workstation (TWS) | Robinhood Legend | |
| Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Mac) | Yes | No | |
| Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Paper Trading | Yes | No | |
| Trade Journal | Yes | No | |
| Watch Lists - Total Fields | 659 | 34 |
| Stock Chart Features | Interactive Brokers | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 90 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 85 | 2326 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Historical Trades | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Custom Date Range | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Custom Time Bars | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Automated Analysis | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Save Profiles | Yes | Yes | |
| Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Study Customizations | 6 | 6 | |
| Charting - Custom Studies | No | No |
| Day Trading | Interactive Brokers | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Streaming Time & Sales | Yes | No | |
| Streaming TV | Yes | No | |
| Direct Market Routing - Equities | Yes | No | |
| Ladder Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Trade Hot Keys | Yes | No | |
| Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting | Yes | No | |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | Yes | No | |
| Short Locator | Yes | No | |
| Order Liquidity Rebates | Yes | No |
| Research Overview | Interactive Brokers | 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 | Yes |
| Stock Research | Interactive Brokers | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Research - PDF Reports | 17 | 0 | |
| Stock Research - Earnings | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Research - Insiders | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Research - Social | Yes | No | |
| Stock Research - News | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Research - ESG | Yes | No | |
| Stock Research - SEC Filings | Yes | No |
| ETF Research | Interactive Brokers | 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 | Interactive Brokers | 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 | Interactive Brokers | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Option Chains - Total Greeks | 5 | 5 | |
| Option Analysis - P&L Charts | Yes | Yes |
| Banking | Interactive Brokers | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank (Member FDIC) | No | No | |
| Checking Accounts | No | No | |
| Savings Accounts | No | No | |
| Credit Cards | No | Yes | |
| Debit Cards | No | Yes | |
| Mortgage Loans | No | No |
| Customer Service | Interactive Brokers | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone Support (Prospective Customers) | Yes | No | |
| Phone Support (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
| Email Support | Yes | Yes | |
| Live Chat (Prospective Customers) | No | No | |
| Live Chat (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
| 24/7 Support | Yes | Yes |
| Overall | Interactive Brokers | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading Apps |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Ease of Use |
|
| |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Robinhood Review |
Charles Schwab
Interactive Brokers
Fidelity
E*TRADE
Merrill Edge
Webull
TradeStation
tastytrade
Finviz
Stock Rover
TrendSpider
Trade Ideas
TraderSync
TradingView
Tradervue