tastytrade vs Robinhood 2025
In this head to head comparison of tastytrade vs Robinhood, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
In this head to head comparison of tastytrade vs Robinhood, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
When comparing tastytrade and Robinhood, both platforms offer investors a solid range of options, but there are some notable distinctions. While tastytrade earns slightly better marks with a four-star rating for its range of investments, compared to Robinhood's 3.5-star rating, this slight edge may appeal to those seeking a broader array of trading opportunities. Despite their differences, both platforms excel in stock trading, options trading, and crypto trading, each with features tailored to suit different investor needs.
For basic stock and options trading, both tastytrade and Robinhood offer comprehensive services, including margin trading and fractional shares. However, tastytrade falls behind in crypto trading, offering only four coins, whereas Robinhood provides access to 22 different cryptocurrencies, making it a better choice for those interested in exploring diverse digital assets. In futures trading, tastytrade stands out as the clear winner, being the only one of the two to offer this service, which may appeal to more experienced traders looking to expand their portfolios.
Despite these differences, neither tastytrade nor Robinhood covers OTC stocks, mutual funds, forex trading, or advisor services. Both platforms offer traditional and Roth IRA accounts, catering to those interested in retirement savings. Ranked #10 and #13 respectively by StockBrokers.com for their range of investments, tastytrade and Robinhood each present a mix of strengths and limitations, leaving the decision largely dependent on individual trading preferences and priorities.
Feature |
|
|
---|---|---|
Stock Trading | Yes | Yes |
Margin Trading | Yes | Yes |
Fractional Shares | Yes | Yes |
OTC Stocks | No | No |
Mutual Funds | No | No |
Options Trading | Yes | Yes |
Futures Trading | Yes | No |
Crypto Trading | Yes | Yes |
Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 4 | 22 |
Range of Investments |
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Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2025
In the realm of online trading platforms and tools, both tastytrade and Robinhood cater to modern investors but differ markedly in their offerings. Tastytrade shines with advanced charting capabilities, including a substantial array of 308 technical indicators and 31 drawing tools, surpassing Robinhood's more modest offerings of 16 indicators and 23 tools. Furthermore, tastytrade empowers users with downloadable platforms for both Windows and Mac, while Robinhood relies solely on its browser-based interface. This level of sophistication and flexibility has garnered tastytrade a 4-star platform rating and an 8th place ranking by StockBrokers.com, compared to Robinhood’s 3.5 stars and 9th place. Overall, tastytrade appeals to seasoned traders seeking a comprehensive toolkit, whereas Robinhood’s simplicity might better serve beginners or casual users.
Both platforms facilitate the adjustment of open orders directly on charts and provide the ability to add notes and index overlays. However, tastytrade extends its functionality by allowing traders to view historical trades and corporate events on charts, features missing from Robinhood's toolset. While Robinhood offers the convenience of setting custom date ranges for charts, tastytrade compensates with the ability to save multiple chart profiles and even create custom studies, providing traders with customizable and in-depth analytical options.
When it comes to organizing and monitoring stocks, tastytrade offers a significantly more detailed watchlist setup with 33 columns, compared to Robinhood's basic 3-column arrangement. Although neither platform provides paper trading or a trading journal, tastytrade's advanced level of customization and comprehensive charting tools grant traders a more enriched trading platform experience. Conversely, Robinhood delivers a straightforward approach, ideal for users who prioritize ease of use over feature depth.
Feature |
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|
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Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
Desktop Platform (Mac) | Yes | No |
Paper Trading | No | No |
Watch Lists - Total Fields | 33 | 3 |
Charting - Indicators / Studies | 308 | 16 |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 31 | 23 |
Platforms & Tools |
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Dive deeper: 7 Best Brokerage Accounts for 2025, Best Paper Trading Platforms for 2025
When comparing the educational offerings of tastytrade and Robinhood, both online brokers provide resources for beginners in stocks, ETFs, and options. However, they skip mutual funds and bonds education. While neither platform includes educational videos or quizzes, they both present webinars for users wanting live insights. A standout feature is tastytrade's ability to track your learning progress, a tool that Robinhood does not offer. Despite this, both platforms receive an equal education rating of 4 stars.
In terms of industry rankings, Robinhood edges out tastytrade, securing the 9th spot out of 16 brokers reviewed by StockBrokers.com, while tastytrade sits at 10th. This close competition highlights that while both brokers are solid choices for educational resources, each has unique features worth considering based on individual learning preferences and needs.
Feature |
|
|
---|---|---|
Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
Education (ETFs) | Yes | Yes |
Education (Options) | Yes | Yes |
Education (Mutual Funds) | No | No |
Education (Bonds) | No | No |
Paper Trading | No | No |
Videos | No | No |
Webinars | Yes | Yes |
Education |
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Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2025
When it comes to picking a stock trading app, both tastytrade and Robinhood achieve an impressive rating of 4.5 stars, though Robinhood edges out a slightly higher ranking, positioned at #7 compared to tastytrade at #10 by StockBrokers.com. Each platform offers apps for iPhone and Android, ensuring broad device compatibility. The choice between the two will largely hinge on individual preferences such as feature sets and usability, as both provide robust functionalities tailored to the modern trader.
In terms of app features, both tastytrade and Robinhood provide essentials like mobile options trading, streaming quotes, and the ability to create and customize watch lists. Only Robinhood extends its compatibility to the Apple Watch, providing users with greater flexibility in receiving updates. While both platforms support after-hours trading and charting, tastytrade enhances its charting experience with landscape mode and multiple time frame viewing, although it does not offer technical studies or stock comparison on charts, a focus area that Robinhood addresses by offering six technical studies.
One of the standout differences is Robinhood's capability for sending stock alerts, a feature that tastytrade lacks. Conversely, although both services do not supply streaming live TV or videos on demand, tastytrade users often appreciate its nuanced chart visualization options, such as landscape mode, which Robinhood does not support. Ultimately, the decision between tastytrade and Robinhood might come down to whether you prioritize technical chart studies and alerts (Robinhood) or bespoke chart views and after-hours capabilities (tastytrade).
Feature |
|
|
---|---|---|
iPhone App | Yes | Yes |
Android App | Yes | Yes |
Apple Watch App | No | Yes |
Stock Alerts | No | Yes |
Charting - After-Hours | Yes | Yes |
Charting - Technical Studies | 0 | 6 |
Mobile Trading Apps |
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Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2025
When deciding between tastytrade and Robinhood for online trading, it's essential to consider various fees and charges to identify which platform best suits your needs. Both platforms offer commission-free trading on regular stock trades and have no minimum deposit requirements, making them accessible to a broad range of investors. However, the difference in options trading fees, margin rates, and other charges might influence your decision based on your trading habits and investment strategies.
Tastytrade and Robinhood cater to options traders, but Robinhood takes the edge here by offering commission-free options trading, while tastytrade charges $0.50 per options contract. Margin rates at tastytrade start at 11% for balances below $25,000 and decrease slightly for higher balances, while Robinhood provides more competitive rates, beginning at 5.75% for balances up to $49,999 and decreasing to 5.55% as balances increase. Additionally, while both platforms waive IRA annual fees, tastytrade imposes a $60 charge for closing an IRA, whereas Robinhood keeps this service free of charge.
For account transfers, tastytrade charges $75 for both partial and full ACAT transfers, which is slightly more favorable compared to Robinhood's $100 fee. Moreover, tastytrade applies fees for options exercises and assignments at $5 each, while Robinhood side-steps these costs entirely. While both platforms have their strengths, your choice may ultimately depend on how you prioritize fees associated with options trading, margin rates, and account management services.
Feature |
|
|
---|---|---|
Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Options (Per Contract) | $0.50 | $0.00 |
Options Exercise Fee | $5.00 | $0.00 |
Options Assignment Fee | $5.00 | $0.00 |
IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
IRA Closure Fee | $60.00 | $0.00 |
Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2025
When comparing day trading features between tastytrade and Robinhood, both platforms have some limitations but also offer certain advantages tailored to specific trading styles. Neither tastytrade nor Robinhood provide streaming time and sales data for stocks, which can be a drawback for traders relying heavily on real-time information. However, tastytrade sets itself apart by offering streaming live TV, a feature Robinhood lacks, providing users access to financial news and insights directly through the platform. Both platforms do not offer the option for direct market routing or level 2 quotes, which might be essential for traders needing deeper insights into the markets.
Regarding supported trading strategies, neither tastytrade nor Robinhood offers basic or advanced backtesting capabilities, which might deter users who prefer to test their strategies before entering the market. Both platforms include ladder trading, offering a step-by-step order placement process, but neither supports keyboard trade entry through trading hotkeys, potentially slowing down trade executions for active day traders. While Robinhood doesn't have a dedicated tool for short selling, tastytrade provides a short locator tool to help traders find real-time availability of shares to short. Sadly, neither platform provides order liquidity rebates, potentially increasing trading costs for high-volume traders.
Feature |
|
|
---|---|---|
Streaming Time & Sales | No | No |
Streaming TV | Yes | No |
Direct Market Routing - Stocks | No | No |
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | No | No |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting | No | No |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | No | No |
Short Locator | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms for 2025
When evaluating the market research capabilities of tastytrade and Robinhood, both platforms have distinct offerings. While neither broker provides mutual funds or bonds research, TigerTrade shines in portfolio allocation features by offering insights on asset class distribution, which Robinhood lacks. However, Robinhood stands out by providing research on Pink Sheets/OTCBB and offering a stock screener, which can help users identify trade ideas more effectively. Overall, both brokers have room for improvement, with tastytrade rated at 1.5 stars and Robinhood slightly ahead with 2 stars for market research.
For investors interested in stocks and ETFs, both tastytrade and Robinhood provide research options, though neither offers downloadable PDF reports or uses social media sentiment data. ESG research is also unavailable on both platforms, suggesting a gap in sustainable investment insights. Despite these limitations, users can access the stock research needed to make informed decisions, though they might need additional tools or resources supplementing their investment strategies.
While tastytrade and Robinhood share several similarities in their market research offerings, Robinhood is ranked higher by StockBrokers.com, securing the 10th spot among 16 brokers, compared to tastytrade's 13th place. Investors looking for a specific type of research might prefer Robinhood for its additional features, but those seeking a more comprehensive portfolio view may find tastytrade a better fit. Ultimately, the choice between these brokers depends on the unique preferences and research needs of the individual investor.
Feature |
|
|
---|---|---|
Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
Screener - Stocks | No | Yes |
Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
Screener - ETFs | No | No |
Research - Mutual Funds | No | No |
Screener - Mutual Funds | No | No |
Research - Bonds | No | No |
Screener - Bonds | No | No |
Research |
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When it comes to banking capabilities, neither tastytrade nor Robinhood provide traditional checking or savings accounts, which might be a drawback for those hoping to manage all their finances in one place. However, Robinhood offers a slight edge by providing debit cards and credit cards, adding some financial flexibility for its users. Tastytrade, in contrast, does not offer any debit or credit card options. Neither platform currently supports CDs or provides mortgage loans. For those seeking a more comprehensive digital banking experience, these offerings are important factors to consider when choosing between the two popular online brokers.
Feature |
|
|
---|---|---|
Checking Accounts | No | No |
Savings Accounts | No | No |
Debit Cards | No | Yes |
Credit Cards | No | Yes |
Mortgage Loans | No | No |
CDs | No | No |
Dive deeper: Best Bank Accounts for Trading Stocks for 2025
After opening live accounts and testing 16 of the best online brokers, our research and live account testing finds that tastytrade is better than Robinhood. tastytrade finished with an overall score of 80.1%, while Robinhood finished with a score of 77.3%.
tastytrade isn’t for every investor, but its platform is ideal for frequent options and futures traders, offering efficient workflow, useful risk management tools, killer design, and online content that makes you feel like you’re on a trading desk.
Tastytrade provides crypto trading with access to 4 different coins, while Robinhood expands your options by offering trading in 22 cryptocurrencies, making Robinhood a more diverse choice for crypto enthusiasts.
Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2025
Both tastytrade and Robinhood offer traditional and Roth IRA accounts with no annual fees, but tastytrade charges a $60 closure fee while Robinhood does not.
Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2025
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0 of 5Overall Rating | tastytrade | Robinhood | |
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Overall |
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Platforms & Tools |
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Mobile Trading Apps |
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Research |
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Customer Service |
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Education |
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Ease Of Use |
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Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | tastytrade Review | Robinhood Review |
Broker Screenshots | tastytrade | Robinhood | |
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Trading Platform & Tools Gallery (click to expand) | |||
Research Gallery (click to expand) | |||
Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand) | |||
Education Gallery (click to expand) |
Trading Fees | tastytrade | Robinhood | |
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Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) | N/A | N/A | |
Mutual Fund Trade Fee | N/A | N/A | |
Options (Per Contract) | $0.50 | $0.00 | |
Futures (Per Contract) | $1.25 | (Not offered) | |
Broker Assisted Trade Fee | $0 | N/A |
Margin Rates | tastytrade | Robinhood | |
---|---|---|---|
Margin Rate Under $25,000 | 11% | 5.75% | |
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 | 10.5% | 5.75% | |
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 | 10% | 5.55% | |
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 | 9.5% | 5.25% | |
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 | 9% | 5.25% | |
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 | 8.5% | 5.25% | |
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 | 8% | 5% |
Account Fees | tastytrade | Robinhood | |
---|---|---|---|
IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
IRA Closure Fee | $60.00 | $0.00 | |
Account Transfer Out (Partial) | $75.00 | $100.00 | |
Account Transfer Out (Full) | $75.00 | $100.00 | |
Options Exercise Fee | $5.00 | $0.00 | |
Options Assignment Fee | $5.00 | $0.00 |
Investment Options | tastytrade | Robinhood | |
---|---|---|---|
Stock Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Margin Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Fractional Shares | Yes | Yes | |
OTC Stocks | No | No | |
Options Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Complex Options Max Legs | 4 | 4 | |
Futures Trading | Yes | No | |
Forex Trading | No | No | |
Crypto Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 4 | 22 | |
Mutual Funds (No Load) | 0 | 0 | |
Mutual Funds (Total) | 0 | 0 | |
Bonds (US Treasury) | No | No | |
Bonds (Corporate) | No | No | |
Bonds (Municipal) | No | No | |
Traditional IRAs | Yes | Yes | |
Roth IRAs | Yes | Yes | |
Advisor Services | No | No | |
International Countries (Stocks) | 0 | 0 |
Order Types | tastytrade | 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 | No | Yes | |
Order Type - OCO | Yes | No | |
Order Type - OTO | Yes | No | |
Order Type - Broker Assisted | Yes | No |
Beginners | tastytrade | Robinhood | |
---|---|---|---|
Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes | |
Education (ETFs) | Yes | Yes | |
Education (Options) | Yes | Yes | |
Education (Mutual Funds) | No | No | |
Education (Bonds) | No | No | |
Education (Retirement) | No | No | |
Retirement Calculator | No | No | |
Investor Dictionary | Yes | Yes | |
Paper Trading | No | No | |
Videos | No | No | |
Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
Progress Tracking | Yes | No | |
Interactive Learning - Quizzes | No | No |
Stock Trading Apps | tastytrade | 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 | Yes | Yes |
Stock App Features | tastytrade | Robinhood | |
---|---|---|---|
Market Movers (Top Gainers) | Yes | Yes | |
Stream Live TV | No | No | |
Videos on Demand | No | No | |
Stock Alerts | No | 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 | tastytrade | Robinhood | |
---|---|---|---|
Charting - After-Hours | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally | Yes | No | |
Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Technical Studies | 0 | 6 | |
Charting - Study Customizations | No | Yes | |
Charting - Stock Comparisons | No | No |
Trading Platforms | tastytrade | Robinhood | |
---|---|---|---|
Active Trading Platform | tastytrade | Robinhood Legend | |
Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
Desktop Platform (Mac) | Yes | No | |
Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
Paper Trading | No | No | |
Trade Journal | No | No | |
Watch Lists - Total Fields | 33 | 3 |
Stock Chart Features | tastytrade | Robinhood | |
---|---|---|---|
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Indicators / Studies | 308 | 16 | |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 31 | 23 | |
Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Historical Trades | Yes | No | |
Charting - Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
Charting - Custom Date Range | No | Yes | |
Charting - Custom Time Bars | No | Yes | |
Charting - Automated Analysis | No | No | |
Charting - Save Profiles | Yes | Yes | |
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis | No | No | |
Charting - Study Customizations | 7 | 1 | |
Charting - Custom Studies | Yes | No |
Day Trading | tastytrade | Robinhood | |
---|---|---|---|
Streaming Time & Sales | No | No | |
Streaming TV | Yes | No | |
Direct Market Routing - Stocks | No | No | |
Ladder Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Trade Hotkeys | No | No | |
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | No | No | |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting | No | No | |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | No | No | |
Short Locator | Yes | No | |
Order Liquidity Rebates | No | No |
Research Overview | tastytrade | Robinhood | |
---|---|---|---|
Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
Research - Mutual Funds | No | No | |
Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB | No | Yes | |
Research - Bonds | No | No | |
Screener - Stocks | No | Yes | |
Screener - ETFs | No | No | |
Screener - Mutual Funds | No | No | |
Screener - Bonds | No | No | |
Misc - Portfolio Allocation | Yes | No |
Stock Research | tastytrade | Robinhood | |
---|---|---|---|
Stock Research - PDF Reports | 0 | 0 | |
Stock Research - Earnings | No | Yes | |
Stock Research - Insiders | No | No | |
Stock Research - Social | No | No | |
Stock Research - News | Yes | Yes | |
Stock Research - ESG | No | No | |
Stock Research - SEC Filings | No | No |
ETF Research | tastytrade | Robinhood | |
---|---|---|---|
ETFs - Strategy Overview | No | Yes | |
ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date | No | Yes | |
ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio | No | Yes | |
ETF Fund Facts - Net Assets | No | Yes | |
ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings | No | Yes | |
ETFs - Top 10 Holdings | No | Yes | |
ETFs - Sector Exposure | No | Yes | |
ETFs - Risk Analysis | Yes | No | |
ETFs - Ratings | No | No | |
ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap | No | No | |
ETFs - PDF Reports | No | No |
Mutual Fund Research | tastytrade | Robinhood | |
---|---|---|---|
Mutual Funds - Strategy Overview | No | No | |
Mutual Funds - Performance Chart | No | No | |
Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis | No | No | |
Mutual Funds - Prospectus | No | No | |
Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings | No | No | |
Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown | No | No | |
Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings | No | No | |
Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation | No | No | |
Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation | No | No | |
Mutual Funds - Country Allocation | No | No | |
Mutual Funds - StyleMap | No | No |
Options Trading | tastytrade | Robinhood | |
---|---|---|---|
Option Chains - Basic View | Yes | Yes | |
Option Chains - Strategy View | Yes | Yes | |
Option Chains - Streaming | Yes | Yes | |
Option Chains - Total Columns | 20 | 17 | |
Option Chains - Greeks | 5 | 5 | |
Option Chains - Quick Analysis | Yes | Yes | |
Option Analysis - P&L Charts | Yes | Yes | |
Option Probability Analysis | Yes | No | |
Option Probability Analysis Adv | Yes | No | |
Option Positions - Greeks | Yes | Yes | |
Option Positions - Greeks Streaming | Yes | Yes | |
Option Positions - Adv Analysis | Yes | No | |
Option Positions - Rolling | Yes | Yes | |
Option Positions - Grouping | Yes | Yes |
Banking | tastytrade | 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 | tastytrade | Robinhood | |
---|---|---|---|
Phone Support (Prospect Customers) | Yes | No | |
Phone Support (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
Email Support | Yes | Yes | |
Live Chat (Prospect Customers) | Yes | No | |
Live Chat (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
24/7 Support | No | Yes |
Overall | tastytrade | Robinhood | |
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Overall |
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Platforms & Tools |
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Mobile Trading Apps |
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Research |
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Education |
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Ease Of Use |
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Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | tastytrade Review | Robinhood Review |