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Merrill Edge vs Robinhood 2026

StockBrokers.com

Written by StockBrokers.com

September 17, 2025
  Fact Checked

In this head to head comparison of Merrill Edge vs Robinhood, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.

Merrill Edge
4.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0.00
  • Stock Trades: $0.00
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.65
Robinhood
3.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0.00
  • Stock Trades: $0.00
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.00 info

Range of investments

Bottom line: choose Merrill Edge if you want mutual funds, and choose Robinhood if you want crypto, futures, or fractional shares. Both offer stock trading, options, margin, OTC stocks, IRAs, and advisor services, and neither supports forex. Each earns 4 stars for Range of Investments from StockBrokers.com, with Merrill Edge ranked #7 of 14 brokers and Robinhood ranked #10.

On tradable products, both brokers support stocks, options, margin, and OTC stocks. Key differences: Merrill Edge offers mutual funds while Robinhood does not; Robinhood offers fractional shares while Merrill Edge does not. For advanced markets, Robinhood offers futures and crypto with 22 coins, while Merrill Edge offers neither. Neither platform supports forex.

For account types and guidance, both Merrill Edge and Robinhood provide Traditional and Roth IRAs as well as advisor services. So your pick mostly hinges on what you plan to trade: mutual funds with Merrill Edge, or fractional shares, futures, and crypto with Robinhood.

Feature Merrill Edge logoMerrill Edge
Robinhood logoRobinhood
Stock Trading Yes Yes
Account Feature - Margin Trading Yes Yes
Fractional Shares (Stocks) No Yes
OTC Stocks Yes Yes
Mutual Funds Yes No
Options Trading Yes Yes
Futures Trading No Yes
Crypto Trading No Yes
Crypto Trading - Total Coins 0 22
Range of Investments 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms & Brokers for 2026, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2026

Trading platforms and tools

In the Merrill Edge vs. Robinhood matchup for trading platforms and tools, Merrill Edge holds a slight edge. It earns 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #7 out of 14 brokers on StockBrokers.com, while Robinhood earns 3 stars and ranks #8. Both rely on browser-based trading with no Windows or Mac desktop apps, and neither offers paper trading or a built-in trading journal.

Day-to-day use is similar in some areas: both platforms run in your browser, let you adjust open orders directly on charts, support custom date ranges, and allow you to save multiple chart profiles. Neither broker lets you build custom studies. However, watchlists are more detailed on Merrill Edge, which supports up to 285 data fields versus 34 on Robinhood.

Charting is where the differences grow. Merrill Edge provides 105 technical indicators and 23 drawing tools, while Robinhood offers 90 indicators and 26 drawing tools. Both let you add notes to charts, but Merrill Edge goes further by showing your historical trades, displaying corporate events (earnings, splits, dividends), and running automated chart pattern recognition—features Robinhood lacks. Even when editing a simple moving average, Merrill Edge gives more settings (8 fields) than Robinhood (6).

Feature Merrill Edge logoMerrill Edge
Robinhood logoRobinhood
Web Trading Platform Yes Yes
Desktop Trading Platform No No
Desktop Platform (Mac) No No
Paper Trading No No
Watchlists - Total Fields 285 34
Charting - Indicators / Studies 105 90
Charting - Drawing Tools 23 26
Advanced Trading 3.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Brokerage Accounts and Online Stock Brokers for 2026, Best Paper Trading Apps and Simulators for 2026

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Beginners and education

Merrill Edge vs. Robinhood: Both online brokers offer beginner-friendly education on stocks, ETFs, options, and bonds. Merrill Edge is the only one with mutual fund education. Neither platform includes paper trading or tools to track your learning progress. You’ll find videos on both, but Merrill Edge adds webinars and interactive quizzes, which Robinhood does not provide.

For investor education, Merrill Edge earns 4 stars and ranks #6 of 14 on StockBrokers.com, while Robinhood scores 3.5 stars and ranks #7. If you want more ways to learn—especially webinars, quizzes, and mutual fund lessons—Merrill Edge has the edge. If you prefer simple, on-the-go lessons inside a streamlined app, Robinhood can still be a solid choice for beginners.

Feature Merrill Edge logoMerrill Edge
Robinhood logoRobinhood
Education (Stocks) Yes Yes
Education (ETFs) Yes Yes
Education (Options) Yes Yes
Education (Mutual Funds) Yes No
Education (Fixed Income) Yes Yes
Videos Yes Yes
Webinars Yes No
Education 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Trading Platforms and Brokerage Accounts for Beginners in 2026

Stock trading apps

Merrill Edge and Robinhood both offer solid stock trading apps for everyday investors, and each has an iPhone app, an Android app, mobile options trading, streaming quotes, stock alerts, custom watch lists, after-hours charting, and multiple time-frame chart views. Both apps are also rated 4 out of 5 stars for stock trading apps. In StockBrokers.com’s rankings, Robinhood lands slightly higher at #7 out of 14 brokers, while Merrill Edge comes in at #9, so Robinhood gets the edge overall for app experience.

Where the two begin to separate is in a few mobile features. Robinhood offers an Apple Watch app, while Merrill Edge does not. Robinhood also lets users customize watch list columns, which Merrill Edge lacks. On the charting side, Merrill Edge stands out by allowing landscape chart viewing and stock comparison overlays on charts, both of which Robinhood does not offer.

When it comes to chart detail, Robinhood provides more technical studies in its mobile app, with 90 compared with Merrill Edge’s 34. Merrill Edge does offer mobile after-hours stock trading, though the Robinhood feature listing is unclear in the source provided. Neither app includes streaming live TV or videos on demand, so if you want a simple trading app with the basics covered, both are good choices, but Robinhood has a slight advantage for mobile convenience and charting depth.

Feature Merrill Edge logoMerrill Edge
Robinhood logoRobinhood
iPhone App Yes Yes
Android App Yes Yes
Apple Watch App No Yes
Stock Alerts Yes Yes
Charting - After-Hours Yes Yes
Charting - Technical Studies 34 90
Mobile Trading Apps 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps of 2026

Fees

Merrill Edge and Robinhood both make it easy to start investing with no minimum deposit and no commission on regular stock trades. Both also charge $0 in IRA annual fees and $0 for options exercise and assignment fees. The biggest differences show up in a few areas: Merrill Edge charges $0.65 per options contract, while Robinhood charges $0; Robinhood charges margin interest rates of 5.25% on balances below $50,000 and 5.05% on balances from $50,000 to $99,999, while Merrill Edge’s margin pricing varies; and Robinhood charges $100 for both partial and full ACAT transfers, compared with $0 at Merrill Edge. Overall, Merrill Edge can be the lower-cost choice for transfer fees and some account-related charges, while Robinhood stands out for free options contracts and no IRA closure fee.

Looking more closely at trading costs, there is little difference between the two for basic investing because both offer $0 stock trades and no minimum deposit. If you plan to trade options, Robinhood may be cheaper because it does not charge per contract, while Merrill Edge does. For margin users, Robinhood’s stated interest rates make it easier to compare costs up front, while Merrill Edge lists margin rates as varying by account details.

For retirement and account movement fees, Merrill Edge is usually more forgiving on transfers, since it charges nothing for partial or full ACAT transfers, while Robinhood charges $100 for each. On the other hand, Robinhood does not charge an IRA closure fee, while Merrill Edge charges $49.95. In short, the better fit depends on which fees matter most to you: options traders may prefer Robinhood, while investors who may transfer accounts could find Merrill Edge more affordable.

Feature Merrill Edge logoMerrill Edge
Robinhood logoRobinhood
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 $49.95 $0.00

Dive deeper: Best Free Stock Trading Platforms and Commission-Free Apps for 2026

Day Trading

Merrill Edge vs. Robinhood for day trading comes down to the tools you need. Both offer Level 2 quotes, but Merrill Edge adds streaming time and sales and basic strategy backtesting, which can help traders study tape action and test simple ideas before placing real orders. Neither platform includes streaming live TV or direct market routing.

For fast order entry, Robinhood stands out with ladder trading and keyboard hotkeys, while Merrill Edge does not offer either. Advanced backtesting isn’t available on both, and neither provides a short locator tool or maker/taker rebates. In short, data-focused traders may lean toward Merrill Edge for time and sales plus basic backtesting, while traders who prioritize quick clicks and speedy entries may prefer Robinhood’s ladder and hotkeys.

Feature Merrill Edge logoMerrill Edge
Robinhood logoRobinhood
Streaming Time & Sales Yes No
Streaming TV No No
Direct Market Routing - Equities No No
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks Yes Yes
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Yes No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv No No
Short Locator No No

Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms and Apps for 2026

Market Research

For market research, Merrill Edge comes out ahead of Robinhood overall. Both brokers give you access to basic stock and ETF research, plus portfolio allocation by asset class and stock screeners for trade ideas. But Merrill Edge adds more depth with mutual fund and bond research, downloadable PDF reports for stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds, and extra screeners for ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds. That fuller set of tools helps make Merrill Edge a better fit for investors who want more help digging into choices before they buy.

Merrill Edge offers stock, ETF, mutual fund, pink sheet/OTCBB, and bond research, while Robinhood covers stock, ETF, and pink sheet/OTCBB research but does not offer mutual fund or bond research. Neither broker provides stock research using social media sentiment data or ESG research. When it comes to downloadable reports, Merrill Edge stands out with three stock PDF research reports, plus PDF reports for ETFs and mutual funds, while Robinhood does not offer downloadable PDF research reports in these categories.

For investors who want a simple research experience, Robinhood covers the basics well, but Merrill Edge provides more ways to compare investments and find ideas. That edge is reflected in its 4.5-star market research rating and #4 ranking out of 14 brokers from StockBrokers.com, compared with Robinhood’s 2.5-star rating and #10 ranking.

Feature Merrill Edge logoMerrill Edge
Robinhood logoRobinhood
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 4.5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars

Banking

When comparing the banking capabilities of Merrill Edge and Robinhood, several differences stand out. Merrill Edge offers a comprehensive range of banking services that include checking and savings accounts, providing users with a more traditional banking experience. They also offer debit cards, credit cards, mortgage loans, and CDs, providing options for various financial needs. On the other hand, Robinhood, while offering debit and credit cards to its users, does not provide checking accounts, savings accounts, mortgage loans, or CDs, which may limit the banking features available to its customers. This makes Merrill Edge a more suitable option for individuals seeking comprehensive banking solutions alongside investment services.

Feature Merrill Edge logoMerrill Edge
Robinhood logoRobinhood
Checking Accounts Yes No
Savings Accounts Yes No
Debit Cards Yes Yes
Credit Cards Yes Yes
Mortgage Loans Yes No
Brokerage CDs Yes No

Dive deeper: Best Brokerage Accounts with Checking: Top Bank Brokers

Winner

After opening live accounts and testing 14 of the best online brokers, our research and live account testing finds that Merrill Edge is better than Robinhood. Merrill Edge finished with an overall score of 81.9%, while Robinhood finished with a score of 69.6%.

Merrill Edge and its parent, Bank of America, make for a well-rounded offering, with $0 trades, robust research, reliable customer service; and its Stock Stories and Fund Stories are an industry standout. There are some gaps in investment offerings, including crypto and futures.

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with Merrill Edge or Robinhood?

While Merrill Edge does not offer crypto trading options, Robinhood provides access to 22 different cryptocurrencies, making it a more versatile platform for users interested in digital asset trading.

Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2026

Does Merrill Edge or Robinhood offer IRAs?

Both Merrill Edge and Robinhood offer traditional and Roth IRA accounts with no annual fees, but while Merrill Edge charges a $49.95 closure fee for closing IRA accounts, Robinhood does not impose any closure fees, providing a cost-effective option for users considering account termination.

Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2026

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Compare

0 of 5
Overall Rating Merrill Edge Robinhood
Overall 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Advanced Trading 3.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Customer Service 3.5/5 Stars N/A
Education 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Ease of Use 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Merrill Edge Review Robinhood Review
Broker Screenshots Merrill Edge Robinhood
Broker Gallery (click to expand)
Trading Fees Merrill Edge Robinhood
Minimum Deposit $0.00 $0.00
Stock Trades $0.00 $0.00
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) N/A $0.000
Mutual Fund Trade Fee Varies N/A
Options (Per Contract) $0.65 $0.00
Futures (Per Contract) (Not offered) $0.75
Broker Assisted Trade Fee $29.95 N/A
Margin Rates Merrill Edge Robinhood
Margin Rate Under $25,000 Varies 5.25%
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 Varies 5.25%
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 Varies 5.05%
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 Varies 4.75%
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 Varies 4.75%
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 Varies 4.75%
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 Varies 4.50%
Account Fees Merrill Edge Robinhood
IRA Annual Fee $0.00 $0.00
IRA Closure Fee $49.95 $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 Merrill Edge Robinhood
Stock Trading Yes Yes
Account Feature - Margin Trading Yes Yes
Fractional Shares (Stocks) No Yes
OTC Stocks Yes Yes
Options Trading Yes Yes
Complex Options Max Legs 4 4
Futures Trading No Yes
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 Yes Yes
International Countries (Stocks) 0 1
Order Types Merrill Edge 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 No No
Order Type - OTO No No
Order Type - Broker Assisted Yes No
Beginners Merrill Edge 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 No No
Videos Yes Yes
Webinars Yes No
Progress Tracking No No
Interactive Learning - Quizzes Yes No
Stock Trading Apps Merrill Edge 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 No Yes
Stock App Features Merrill Edge Robinhood
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 No Yes
Stock App Charting Merrill Edge Robinhood
Charting - After-Hours Yes Yes
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally Yes No
Charting - Multiple Time Frames Yes Yes
Charting - Technical Studies 34 90
Charting - Study Customizations Yes Yes
Charting - Stock Comparisons Yes No
Trading Platforms Merrill Edge Robinhood
Active Trading Platform Merrill Edge Market Pro 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
Watchlists - Total Fields 285 34
Stock Chart Features Merrill Edge Robinhood
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies 105 90
Charting - Drawing Tools 23 26
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 8 6
Charting - Custom Studies No No
Day Trading Merrill Edge Robinhood
Streaming Time & Sales Yes No
Streaming TV No No
Direct Market Routing - Equities No No
Ladder Trading No Yes
Trade Hot Keys No Yes
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks Yes Yes
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Yes No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv No No
Short Locator No No
Order Liquidity Rebates No No
Research Overview Merrill Edge 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 Merrill Edge Robinhood
Stock Research - PDF Reports 3 0
Stock Research - Earnings Yes Yes
Stock Research - Insiders Yes Yes
Stock Research - Social No No
Stock Research - News Yes Yes
Stock Research - ESG No No
Stock Research - SEC Filings Yes No
ETF Research Merrill Edge 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 Merrill Edge 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 Merrill Edge Robinhood
Option Chains - Total Greeks 5 5
Option Analysis - P&L Charts Yes Yes
Banking Merrill Edge Robinhood
Bank (Member FDIC) Yes No
Checking Accounts Yes No
Savings Accounts Yes No
Credit Cards Yes Yes
Debit Cards Yes Yes
Mortgage Loans Yes No
Customer Service Merrill Edge Robinhood
Phone Support (Prospective Customers) Yes No
Phone Support (Current Customers) Yes Yes
Email Support No Yes
Live Chat (Prospective Customers) Yes No
Live Chat (Current Customers) Yes Yes
24/7 Support Yes Yes
Overall Merrill Edge Robinhood
Overall 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Advanced Trading 3.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Education 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Ease of Use 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Merrill Edge Review Robinhood Review
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