BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON

Checking

Checked August 23, 2026

Tool Comparison

Rakuten Securities vs Robinhood

Paid from
—
Free plan
No
Platforms
Web, Mobile

Best if

  • You want watchlist and downloadable tax reports.
Paid from
—
Free plan
No
Platforms
Mobile, Web

Best if

  • You want wealth management.

Pick Rakuten Securities if

Rakuten Securities logo

Rakuten Securities

rakuten-sec.co.jp

Transaction-priced · Fees vary by offer and jurisdiction · Web · Mobile

  • You want watchlist and downloadable tax reports.

Pick Robinhood if

Robinhood logo

Robinhood

robinhood.com

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.

See alternatives

Outbound links may include affiliate or sponsor codes.

Not set on either one? See the top 50 tools, ranked by user votes, or the deals page for big discounts on popular tools.

Our take

The bottom line

Rakuten Securities 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. Rakuten Securities includes watchlist and downloadable tax reports, and Robinhood includes wealth management.

What readers say

Rakuten Securities

No votes yet. Cast the first one.

Robinhood

No votes yet. Cast the first one.

Key differences at a glance

Global coverage
Rakuten Securities
Free trial
Robinhood30 days
See the full side-by-side table
Rakuten Securities logo

What Rakuten Securities does best

  1. Japanese cash equities with a conditional ¥0 Zero Course.
  2. U.S. stocks and ETFs at 0.495%, capped at $22 per trade.
  3. Kabumini eligible Japanese odd lots from one whole share; real-time trades have a 0.22% spread.
  4. Mutual funds, bonds, NISA and derivatives in the wider account suite.
  5. Free eligible real-time deposits and standard domestic withdrawals.
Robinhood logo

What Robinhood does best

  1. 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.
  2. Trading access for listed options after approval, with index options contract fees discounted for Robinhood Gold users.
  3. Robinhood Gold includes higher Instant Deposit limits, a preferred IRA match, the first $1,000 of margin borrowing, and discounted derivatives fees.
  4. Gold members can enroll eligible taxable accounts in the High-Yield Cash Program.
  5. 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 & 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
Platforms & access
Web app
Yes
Yes
Mobile app
Yes
Yes
API access
No
No
Integrations
—
EDX Markets and Bitstamp USA
Coverage & data
Asset types
StocksETFsMutual FundsBondsOptionsFutures
StocksETFsClosed-End FundsOptionsFuturesCryptos
Target audience
Not specified
Retail TradersPro Retail
Export formats
CSVPDF
Not specified

Pricing comparison

Free plan
—
Free“Standard (Self-directed brokerage)”
Entry paid plan
—
$50/yr≈ $4.17/mo“Robinhood Gold (Annual)”
Top plan
—
$5/mo“Robinhood Gold (Monthly)”
Free trial
—
30 days

See for yourself

Side by side

Price, platforms, data, and market coverage.
Show
Side-by-side comparison of Rakuten Securities and Robinhood
Attribute
Rakuten Securities logo
Rakuten Securities
Robinhood logo
Robinhood
Pricing & plans
Starting price
Transaction-priced · Fees vary by offer and jurisdictionTransaction-priced · Fees vary by offer and jurisdiction
Free tier
NoNo
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
YesYes
Mobile app
YesYes
API access
NoNo
Integrations
—EDX Markets and Bitstamp USA
Audience & fit
Experience level
Beginner, Intermediate, AdvancedBeginner, Intermediate, Advanced
Best for
—Retail Traders and Pro Retail
Categories covered
54
Regions
APACNorth America
Data & capabilities
Data partners
—EDX Markets, Inc. and Bitstamp USA, Inc.
Capabilities
—AI summaries: News
Security
—Status page
Try itVisit Rakuten SecuritiesVisit Robinhood

Standout features

The best features of Rakuten Securities and Robinhood.
Show
Rakuten Securities logo

What Rakuten Securities does best

  1. Japanese cash equities with a conditional ¥0 Zero Course.
  2. U.S. stocks and ETFs at 0.495%, capped at $22 per trade.
  3. Kabumini eligible Japanese odd lots from one whole share; real-time trades have a 0.22% spread.
  4. Mutual funds, bonds, NISA and derivatives in the wider account suite.
  5. Free eligible real-time deposits and standard domestic withdrawals.
Robinhood logo

What Robinhood does best

  1. 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.
  2. Trading access for listed options after approval, with index options contract fees discounted for Robinhood Gold users.
  3. Robinhood Gold includes higher Instant Deposit limits, a preferred IRA match, the first $1,000 of margin borrowing, and discounted derivatives fees.
  4. Gold members can enroll eligible taxable accounts in the High-Yield Cash Program.
  5. 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 Rakuten Securities and Robinhood.
Show
Attribute
Rakuten Securities logo
Rakuten Securities
Robinhood logo
Robinhood
Coverage & fit
Asset types
StocksETFsMutual FundsBondsOptionsFutures
StocksETFsClosed-End FundsOptionsFuturesCryptos
Experience
BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced
BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced
Target audience
Not specified
Retail TradersPro Retail
Regions
APAC
North America
Coverage details
Countries: JPExchanges: XTKS, XNAS, and XNYSIdentifiers: Ticker and ISIN
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
Rakuten Securities, Inc.Country: JapanSupport: 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.
Show
Plan-by-plan pricing comparison of Rakuten Securities and Robinhood
Tier
Rakuten Securities logo
Rakuten Securities
Robinhood logo
Robinhood
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

Questions we keep getting

What's the difference between Rakuten Securities and Robinhood?

Rakuten Securities 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 Rakuten Securities 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 Rakuten Securities or Robinhood?

It depends on what you're after. Pick Rakuten Securities if watchlist and downloadable tax reports 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 Rakuten Securities and Robinhood cover?

Both cover stocks, ETFs, options, and futures. Rakuten Securities also handles mutual funds and bonds. Robinhood adds closed-end funds and cryptos on top.

Which covers international markets: Rakuten Securities or Robinhood?

Rakuten Securities has documented international coverage (APAC), so it's the safer bet if you hold non-US stocks. Robinhood is more region-specific, mainly North America.

Can I export data from Rakuten Securities and Robinhood?

Rakuten Securities exports to CSV. Robinhood is stingier about getting data out.

Can I track my portfolio with Rakuten Securities or Robinhood?

Yes, both do portfolio tracking: holdings, performance, and allocation in one place.

Feedback

Spot stale pricing, missing features, or a comparison that feels off? Send feedback on the verdict, table, alternatives, or recommendation.

Curation & Accuracy

This directory blends AI‑assisted discovery with human curation. Entries are reviewed, edited, and organized with the goal of expanding coverage and sharpening quality over time. Your feedback helps steer improvements (because no single human can capture everything all at once).

Details change. Pricing, features, and availability may be incomplete or out of date. Treat listings as a starting point and verify on the provider’s site before making decisions. If you spot an error or a gap, send a quick note and I’ll adjust.