Tool Comparison
Merrill Edge vs Robinhood
- Paid from
- —
- Free plan
- No
- Platforms
- Web, Mobile, Desktop
Best if
- You want watchlist, advanced order types, and downloadable tax reports.
- Paid from
- —
- Free plan
- No
- Platforms
- Mobile, Web
Best if
- You want wealth management.
Pick Merrill Edge if
Merrill Edge
Transaction-priced · Fees vary by offer and jurisdiction · Web · Mobile · Desktop
- You want watchlist, advanced order types, and downloadable tax reports.
Pick Robinhood if
Robinhood
Transaction-priced · Fees vary by offer and jurisdiction · Mobile · Web
- You want wealth management.
Skip both if: Neither one clicks with how you research; there are strong third options.
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Our take
The bottom line
Merrill Edge and Robinhood cover a lot of the same ground (3 shared categories, brokerage, portfolio, and options), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. Merrill Edge includes watchlist and advanced order types, and Robinhood includes wealth management.
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Key differences at a glance
- Free trial
- Robinhood30 days
- Desktop app
- Merrill Edge
What Merrill Edge does best
- Individual, joint, custodial, trust, estate, IRA, and eligible small-business self-directed accounts.
- Stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, bonds, CDs, options, margin, and research tools.
- Merrill website, mobile app, and MarketPro trading workflows.
- Connected Bank of America and Merrill account visibility with immediate eligible internal transfers.
- Tiered Bank Deposit Program sweep for uninvested brokerage cash.
What Robinhood does best
- Trading access for U.S. listed and OTC securities, including ETFs and closed-end funds, with $0 self-directed commissions where regulatory and other pass-through fees may still apply.
- Trading access for listed options after approval, with index options contract fees discounted for Robinhood Gold users.
- Robinhood Gold includes higher Instant Deposit limits, a preferred IRA match, the first $1,000 of margin borrowing, and discounted derivatives fees.
- Gold members can enroll eligible taxable accounts in the High-Yield Cash Program.
- Trading access for crypto through Robinhood Crypto, with costs depending on routing model, Smart Exchange Routing fees, network fees, and staking commissions where applicable.
Side by side
Pricing comparison
See for yourself
Side by side
Price, platforms, data, and market coverage.ShowHide
Side by side
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & plans | ||
Starting price | Transaction-priced · Fees vary by offer and jurisdiction | Transaction-priced · Fees vary by offer and jurisdiction |
Free tier | No | No |
Free trial | — | 30 days |
Plan limits | — | 5 limits: Standard (Self-directed brokerage): index options contract fee: $0.50 per contract (non-Gold), Robinhood Gold (Monthly): interest free margin borrowing: $1,000 +3 more |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Desktop app | Yes | No |
Mobile app | Yes | Yes |
API access | No | No |
Integrations | — | EDX Markets and Bitstamp USA |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | — | Retail Traders and Pro Retail |
Categories covered | 6 | 4 |
Regions | North America | North America |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data partners | — | EDX Markets, Inc. and Bitstamp USA, Inc. |
Capabilities | — | AI summaries: News |
Security | — | Status page |
| Try it | Visit Merrill Edge | Visit Robinhood |
Standout features
The best features of Merrill Edge and Robinhood.ShowHide
Standout features
What Merrill Edge does best
- Individual, joint, custodial, trust, estate, IRA, and eligible small-business self-directed accounts.
- Stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, bonds, CDs, options, margin, and research tools.
- Merrill website, mobile app, and MarketPro trading workflows.
- Connected Bank of America and Merrill account visibility with immediate eligible internal transfers.
- Tiered Bank Deposit Program sweep for uninvested brokerage cash.
What Robinhood does best
- Trading access for U.S. listed and OTC securities, including ETFs and closed-end funds, with $0 self-directed commissions where regulatory and other pass-through fees may still apply.
- Trading access for listed options after approval, with index options contract fees discounted for Robinhood Gold users.
- Robinhood Gold includes higher Instant Deposit limits, a preferred IRA match, the first $1,000 of margin borrowing, and discounted derivatives fees.
- Gold members can enroll eligible taxable accounts in the High-Yield Cash Program.
- Trading access for crypto through Robinhood Crypto, with costs depending on routing model, Smart Exchange Routing fees, network fees, and staking commissions where applicable.
All details
Every attribute we track for Merrill Edge and Robinhood.ShowHide
All details
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | StocksETFsOptionsBondsMutual Funds | StocksETFsClosed-End FundsOptionsFuturesCryptos |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Target audience | Not specified | Retail TradersPro Retail |
Regions | North America | North America |
Coverage details | Identifiers: Ticker and CUSIP | Identifiers: Ticker |
| Data | ||
Data partners | Not specified | EDX Markets, Inc.Bitstamp USA, Inc. |
| Access & integrations | ||
Integrations | Not specified | EDX MarketsBitstamp USA |
Export formats | CSVPDF | Not specified |
| Plans & trust | ||
Security & compliance | Not specified | Status page |
Capability signals | Not specified | AI summaries: News |
Vendor & support | Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith IncorporatedCountry: United StatesSupport: Phone and Chat | Robinhood Markets, Inc.Country: United States |
Green tags are exclusive to that tool in this comparison.
Pricing
Plans, billing, free trials, and monthly prices.ShowHide
Pricing
| Tier | ||
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | — | Free“Standard (Self-directed brokerage)”index options contract fee: $0.50 per contract (non-Gold) |
| Entry paid plan | — | $50/yr≈ $4.17/mo“Robinhood Gold (Annual)”interest free margin borrowing: $1,000 · index options contract fee: $0.35 per contract (Gold) |
| Top plan | — | $5/mo“Robinhood Gold (Monthly)”interest free margin borrowing: $1,000 · index options contract fee: $0.35 per contract (Gold) |
| Free trial | — | 30 days |
Alternatives
Free alternatives
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between Merrill Edge and Robinhood?
Merrill Edge leans toward brokerage, portfolio, and watchlist, while Robinhood puts more weight on brokerage, portfolio, and options. They overlap in 3 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
How much do Merrill Edge and Robinhood cost?
Neither has a free plan, but Robinhood offers a free trial. Compare the paid tiers against your required data coverage before committing.
Should I choose Merrill Edge or Robinhood?
It depends on what you're after. Pick Merrill Edge if watchlist and advanced order types matter to you; go with Robinhood if you'd rather have wealth management. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do Merrill Edge and Robinhood cover?
Both cover stocks, ETFs, and options. Merrill Edge also handles bonds and mutual funds. Robinhood adds closed-end funds, futures, and cryptos on top.
Can I export data from Merrill Edge and Robinhood?
Merrill Edge exports to CSV. Robinhood is stingier about getting data out.
Can I track my portfolio with Merrill Edge or Robinhood?
Yes, both do portfolio tracking: holdings, performance, and allocation in one place.
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