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Robinhood vs. Stash: The Biggest Differences
Robinhood Investing - Editorial Name Only and Stash Invest - Editorial Name Only both cater to retail investors who want multiple investment choices, with access to banking perks. And since both offer cryptocurrencies, either platform could be a great option if you're looking to step into the digital currency wealth-building space.
But Robinhood bests Stash when it comes to fees, investment selection, market research, and cryptocurrency trading. You won't pay any fees to trade stocks, ETFs, or options, and you'll get access to both American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), IPOs, and 18 different cryptocurrencies.
Stash Invest offers IRAs and custodial accounts. Therefore, it caters to more types of investors. Stash Invest isn't one of our picks for the best robo-advisors, however, it can still be worthwhile for hands-off and DIY investors. And thanks to its automated crypto portfolios, it's the better move for those who want to get into crypto trading but don't yet feel comfortable doing it on their own.
Is Robinhood Right for You?
Who is Robinhood best for?
Robinhood best serves self-directed traders, crypto traders, and options traders in search of flexible investment options, low fees, and simple user interfaces. It's more suited for active traders and folks interested in crypto trading.
Robinhood's account types include individual accounts, cash management accounts, and margin accounts. Therefore, you'll want to look elsewhere if you're in search of joint accounts, custodial accounts, or automated investing accounts.
What does Robinhood offer?
The discount brokerage offers commission-free stocks (including IPOs), ETFs, options, and cryptocurrencies, and you can trade options without contract fees. Robinhood Investing - Editorial Name Only offers the option to earn income by lending your stocks to other users, and, with at least $1, you can send crypto to other users through the Robinhood mobile app.
In addition, if you don't want to purchase complete shares of a company every time you're ready to invest, you can buy fractional shares with a minimum of $1 (you'll need less to trade fractional shares at Stash Invest). All Robinhood users get access to advanced charting tools, but the Robinhood Gold subscription takes this a step further.
It also has IRAs (i.e., it offers traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs), but the accounts aren't yet available to the public. These accounts will give users access to $0 trading commissions, a 1% match on every dollar they contribute, recommended portfolios, and more.
It has a Robinhood Cash Management Account - Gold Member - Fees Display and gives you access to Robinhood Cash Management Account - Gold Member - APY interest on any uninvested cash in your account, instant deposits of up to $50,000, market data from Nasdaq, Morningstar market research, and margin trading at a 5.75% rate.
Robinhood Investing - Editorial Name Only also offers 18 cryptocurrencies, including bitcoin, ether, litecoin, dogecoin, solana, and more. You can transfer its cryptocurrencies in and out of your account, and its upcoming Web3 wallet will remove trading fees when you trade or swap crypto. And like stocks, ETFs, and options, all crypto transactions have 0% fees. You can sign up for the Web3 wallet waitlist here.
Finally, you can earn stock and crypto rewards (Robinhood offers 10-100% bonuses) from round-ups through the Robinhood Cash Card. In other words, this debit card lets you round up purchases to the next dollar; you'll earn rewards when you use that spare change to invest in stocks, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies. Robinhood bases this bonus on your weekly round-up amount.
Is Stash Invest Right for You?
Who is Stash best for?
Stash is a micro-investing app that I best for beginners who want more assistance when investing without giving up control over their investments. The investment platform is also a robo-advisor suitable for passive investors. Stash isn't the best for traders looking for low management fees or active traders. It also offers more a limited selection of assets.
What does Stash offer?
Stash Invest is a micro-investing app with a hybrid offering of DIY trading and robo-advice. In addition, the investment platform provides access to a debit card that pays you in stock rewards, instant transfers between Stash investing and Stash banking accounts, early paycheck deposits, custodial accounts, and more.
It separates its services into two different plans: Stash Growth and Stash+. Both plans have monthly fees, and you'll pay Stash Invest - Fees Display per month for the former. Stash Growth includes impersonal financial advice (i.e., you'll get access to reports, guides, and educational content on all things investing), a personal investment account, a retirement portfolio (you can choose a traditional or Roth IRA), an automated smart portfolio, banking access, and Avibra-sponsored $1,000 life insurance.
The latter, Stash+, includes everything Stash Growth offers in addition to educational materials on family financial planning, market insights, custodial accounts, Avibra-sponsored $10,000 life insurance, and 1% stock-back banking rewards of up to $1,000. This plan has a $9 monthly fee.
When it comes to Stash Invest's investment selection, it offers many of the same asset types Robinhood provides. These include stocks, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies. But unlike Robinhood, it doesn't offer options or ADRs.
You can trade crypto on your own through your personal portfolio account, or you can add it to Stash Invest's automated smart portfolios. In addition, Stash Growth users will pay 1% for crypto transactions, and Stash+ clients will incur a 0.8% fee. It currently offers bitcoin, ether, chainlink, solana, and more.
Like Robinhood, it also offers spending and banking perks. For instance, its debit card, the Stock-Back card, allows you to earn stock whenever you make purchases. It gives you two options for receiving those rewards: You can earn stock from the company you've bought goods from, or you can choose a default investment Stash provides when you purchase from privately owned or local companies.
You can additionally take advantage of round-ups and recurring transfers, zero minimum balance and overdraft fees, and more than 55,000 fee-free ATMs. However, the Robinhood Cash Card offers a 10-100% bonus in stock and crypto rewards for purchases you make with the debit card, so it's the better choice for traders who want rewards for a wider range of investment types.
How Robinhood and Stash Compare
Robinhood
STASH
Account types
Individual brokerage accounts
Cash management accounts
Margin accounts
Account types
Personal portfolio and Smart Portfolio automated
Traditional IRAs
Roth IRAs
Custodial
Online banking
Investment choices
Stocks, ETFs, options, cryptocurrencies, IPOs, and ADRs
Investment choices
Stocks, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies
Account perks
Commission-free trading
Fractional shares
No-contract-fee options
Crypto trading and gifting; stock lending
Cash management accounts
Margin trading
Morningstar research and Nasdaq data
Account perks
DIY investing through Personal Portfolios
Automatic investing (you can tell Stash how much — and when — to invest more money); IRA and crypto portfolios
Stock-Back card that lets you earn stock while you spend
Online banking, Round-Ups, Set Schedule automatic investing tools
Avibra-sponsored life insurance for Stash Beginner and Stash+ accounts
Personalized advice and fractional shares
Human advisors available?
No
Human advisors available?
No
Robo-advice?
No
Robo-advice?
Yes — Users can take advantage of Smart Portfolios and other automatic saving tools
Robinhood vs. Stash — Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is Stash better than Robinhood?
Stash Invest and Robinhood offer similar but different services. You can trade stocks, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies at both investment platforms. Plus, you'll get access to spending perks (e.g., round-ups and stock rewards) with the two companies.
However, Stash Invest is a better app for the investor who wants the best of both worlds. It gives you the option to trade on your own or invest in an automated portfolio Stash Invest manages. You'll also get access to IRAs and custodial accounts.
Robinhood is better when it comes to fees, investment selection, cryptocurrency trading, margin trading, and market research. You won't pay any fees to trade stocks, ETFs, options, or cryptocurrencies. Plus, it offers 18 cryptocurrencies, and you can trade on margin and utilize market analysis and research.
Do you pay taxes on Stash?
You'll have to account for taxes on the earnings you receive through Stash, but this is required for any investment platform. Taxes apply to money you earn through dividends, income interest, and capital gains.
Is Robinhood good for beginners?
Yes. Although Robinhood doesn't offer automated investing or one-on-one financial advisor guidance, it still provides a smooth and straightforward web and mobile platform, and it offers a digital library that contains educational guides on topics ranging from options trading to ETFs and more.
Which is better Acorn or Robinhood or Stash?
Between Acorns, Robinhood, or Stash, the best investment apps for you depend on your personal preferences. Robinhood is one of the best investment apps for beginners for DIY traders looking for multiple investment options and low fees. Acorns is one of the best investment apps for beginners for passive investors looking for automated portfolio management. Stash Invest is best for beginners looking for automated assistance. You can read our review on Robinhood Vs. Acorns.
What is better than Stash?
Stash is an investment platform best for beginners looking for the flexibility of DIY trading and passive investors wanting automated account features. It's not ideal for active or advanced traders. Some investors may prefer similar investment platforms like Acorns Invest - Editorial Name Only or Robinhood Investing - Editorial Name Only.
Can you actually make money on Stash?
Yes. You can make money on Stash by investing in assets like stocks, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies. You can also save for retirement with traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs. But just like any investment platform, there are risks involved when investing and you may lose your funds.
