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Head to head
Robinhood or tastytrade? Fees, regulation, platform and product range compared side by side — with a verdict drawn from the data.
Risk warning: CFDs and leveraged products are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly. Investments can fall in value. Past performance is not an indicator of future results.
Equity options with no per-contract fee and one of the highest-rated trading apps in our comparison — paired with a thin research offering and penalties from the SEC, FINRA and NYDFS since 2020.
An options-specialist US broker: USD 1 per contract to open, closing commission-free — built by people who trade premium for a living.
Advertising disclosure: where a partnership is active, we may earn a commission through broker links. The provider’s terms apply. Commissions do not influence our ratings; paid placements are separately labelled as sponsored.
Four decision axes, each derived from the recorded data.
Overall tastytrade takes it, 4.2 against 3.9 out of 5. On commissions there is little between them — €0.00 against €0.00 for a reference EUR 5,000 order. tastytrade scores 82 against 78 out of 100 on the group index. Your account's protection depends on its legal entity. tastytrade covers more ground with 9 of 14 asset classes against 7. On platform and app tastytrade is ahead, 4.6 against 4.4 out of 5. Which one is right depends on which of these axes matters for your trading profile.
RobinhoodtastytradeRobinhoodtastytradeRobinhoodtastytradeRobinhoodtastytradeRobinhoodtastytradeUp to four brokers at once — every row a decision point.
Data as of: 30 Aug 2026
| Criterion | ||
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 3.9 | 4.2 — Better |
| Group index | 78 of 100 | 82 of 100 |
| Best for | Active options tradersMobile-first investorsMargin usersCrypto and equities in one appSmall starting balances | Options premium sellersHigh-volume multi-leg tradersSmall-account futures tradersActive US derivatives traders |
| Regulation | SECFINRACFTCFCABank of Lithuania | FINRASECNFA |
| Top-tier licences | 4 — Better | 3 |
| Investor protection | US$500,000 | US$500,000 |
| Listed group | Yes | Yes |
| Banking licence | No | No |
| Segregated client accounts | Yes | Yes |
| Negative balance protection | No | No |
| Audited financials | Yes | Yes |
| Disclosed regulatory actions | 4 | 1 |
| Founded | 2013 | 2015 |
| Headquarters | Menlo Park, US | Chicago, IL, US |
| Fees | 4.8 — Better | 4.6 |
| Safety & regulation | 3.6 | 4.2 — Better |
| Trading platform | 3.9 | 4.6 — Better |
| Product range | 3.4 | 3.6 — Better |
| Mobile app | 4.8 — Better | 4.5 |
| Research | 2.8 | 3.8 — Better |
| Customer support | 3.0 | 3.8 — Better |
| Deposit & withdrawal | 4.0 — Better | 3.8 |
| Account opening | 4.7 — Better | 4.3 |
| Education | 3.4 | 4.4 — Better |
| Reference order EUR 5,000 | €0.00 | €0.00 |
| Minimum deposit | None | None |
| Stocks (per order) | Free | Free |
| US stocks | Free | Free |
| ETFs | Free | Free |
| Options | Free — Better | US$1 |
| Futures | US$0.75 — Better | US$1 |
| Crypto | in the spread | 1 % |
| Bonds (order) | Not offered | US$25 |
| Funds (order) | Not offered | Not offered |
| EUR/USD spread | n/a | n/a |
| Index CFD spread | n/a | n/a |
| FX conversion | n/a | n/a |
| Inactivity fee | None | None |
| Custody fee | None | None |
| Withdrawal fee | US$25 | free — Better |
| Deposit fee | free | free |
| Overnight financing | n/a | n/a |
| Other fees |
|
|
| Asset classes (of 14) | 7 | 9 — Better |
| Exchanges | n/a | n/a |
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | No | No |
| CFDs | No | No |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds | No | Yes |
| Funds | No | No |
| Commodities | Yes | Yes |
| Indices | Yes | Yes |
| Warrants | No | Yes |
| Spread betting | No | No |
| Social trading | No | No |
| Platforms | Robinhood MobileRobinhood WebRobinhood Legend | tastytrade desktoptastytrade webtastytrade mobile (iOS / Android)TradingView integrationOpen API |
| Demo account | No | Yes |
| Fractional shares | Yes | Yes |
| Maximum leverage | 1:2 | US Regulation T margin: 2:1 overnight and 4:1 intraday on marginable equities for pattern day traders. |
| Account opening | Minutes in-app; approval usually the same day | Same day for US residents; 1–3 business days for international applicants |
| Account types | Robinhood brokerage accountRobinhood GoldRobinhood Retirement (Traditional / Roth IRA)Stocks and shares ISA (UK only) | Cash accountMargin accountPortfolio marginTraditional / Roth / SEP IRAInternational individual or joint |
| Payment methods | Bank transferCrypto | Bank transferChequeCrypto |
| Account currencies | USDGBPEUR | USD |
| Deposit time | Instant up to your instant-deposit limit; 3–5 business days to fully clear | ACH same day to 1 business day; wire same day |
| Withdrawal time | 1–3 business days by ACH; same day by wire | 1–3 business days |
| Free withdrawals | n/a | n/a |
| Languages | EnglishSpanish | English |
| Channels | Live chatEmailPhone | PhoneEmailLive chat |
| Availability | 24/7 in-app chat and callback | Mon–Fri, extended US market hours; 24/5 trade desk for futures |
Editorial assessment based on the recorded data.
Robinhood
Equity options with no per-contract fee and one of the highest-rated trading apps in our comparison — paired with a thin research offering and penalties from the SEC, FINRA and NYDFS since 2020.
Pros
Cons
Best for
tastytrade
An options-specialist US broker: USD 1 per contract to open, closing commission-free — built by people who trade premium for a living.
Pros
Cons
Best for
Open an account with either
A demo account costs nothing and answers the platform question in ten minutes.
Advertising disclosure: where a partnership is active, we may earn a commission through broker links. The provider’s terms apply. Commissions do not influence our ratings; paid placements are separately labelled as sponsored.
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