Interactive Brokers vs Robinhood: Which Broker Suits You?
Interactive Brokers scores 4.8 and Robinhood 3.4 out of 5 on our published methodology. Interactive Brokers leads on Costs & Fees, Platform & Tools, Regulation & Trust and Asset Range, and they tie on Account Access & Support. Both accept clients in the US.
Higher overall score
Interactive Brokers
4.8/5
Best for: Active & globally-minded traders
Read the full Interactive Brokers review →Score by score
Each category is scored 1–5 using our published methodology. The overall score is the plain average of the first five; ease of use is shown separately.
Key facts side by side
| Interactive Brokers | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|
| What you own | Real assets | Real assets |
| Available assets | Stocks, ETFs, options, futures, bonds, forex, crypto across 170+ markets | Stocks, ETFs, options and crypto |
| Regulated by | SEC, FINRA, FCA, ASIC, CIRO and others | SEC, FINRA, SIPC |
| Stands out for | Unmatched global market access from a single account | A genuinely simple mobile app with an IRA contribution match |
| Watch out for | Trader Workstation has a genuinely steep learning curve | No mutual funds or individual bonds, and a $100 outgoing transfer fee |
| Accepts clients in | The US, the UK, the EU and other countries | The US |
Is Interactive Brokers cheaper than Robinhood?
On our Costs & Fees score, Interactive Brokers rates 5/5 against Robinhood’s 4/5, so it is generally the cheaper of the two for the costs we assess: commissions, spreads, currency conversion and account fees. Fees differ by country and account type and change often, so check both brokers’ current price lists before you choose.
Which is safer, Interactive Brokers or Robinhood?
Interactive Brokers is regulated by SEC, FINRA, FCA, ASIC, CIRO and others; Robinhood by SEC, FINRA, SIPC. Interactive Brokers scores higher on our Regulation & Trust measure (5/5 against 4/5). Which company holds your account, and which investor compensation scheme covers it, depends on where you live. Compensation schemes cover a broker failing, never investment losses.
Which is better for beginners?
On ease of use for a beginner, which sits outside the overall score, Interactive Brokers scores 2/5 and Robinhood 5/5. Robinhood is the gentler place to start.
Who each one tends to suit
Interactive Brokers
- Tends to suit
- Active & globally-minded traders
- Stands out for
- Unmatched global market access from a single account
- Watch out for
- Trader Workstation has a genuinely steep learning curve
Robinhood
- Tends to suit
- Mobile-first US investing
- Stands out for
- A genuinely simple mobile app with an IRA contribution match
- Watch out for
- No mutual funds or individual bonds, and a $100 outgoing transfer fee
More head-to-heads
Scores and facts come from our own reviews as of September 2026 and follow one published methodology. Plain Investor has no commercial relationship with either broker. This is general education, not personal financial advice. Fees, features and regulation change, so confirm current terms with each broker before opening an account.