Chase Vs. Robinhood: Which is Better?
Both Chase and Robinhood are good brokers offering a zero-commission trading environment, but they approach investing differently. The better option will depend on your needs.
Keep reading to see what you can expect from each broker.
Key Takeaways
• Both Chase and Robinhood offer zero-commission trading, but neither broker is completely free.
Considering all the fees from both brokers, Robinhood is the cheaper option.
• Robinhood is more user-friendly and offers features like advanced charting and tools for managing advanced options, making it a better choice for beginners and active traders.
• Chase offers a broad range of account types and financial products that can be integrated with a brokerage account, making it a potentially better option for customers already using other Chase services.
Chase Brokerage and Robinhood
Chase and Robinhood offer cost-effective trading experiences accessible through a webpage and a mobile app. Understanding the differences between the two is important to determining which is a better fit for your needs.
Before getting into the details, we can summarize by saying that Robinhood is better for active traders. At the same time, existing Chase customers (such as those with checking, savings, or credit card accounts) might find opening a J.P. Morgan Wealth Management account through Chase more convenient.
Here are the details.
Services
| Broker Review |
Cost |
Investment Products |
Trading Tools |
Customer Service |
Research |
Overall Rating |
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Robinhood
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Chase
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Promotions
Robinhood: 3% deposit match and up to $200 FREE stock at Robinhood.
J.P. Morgan:
Get $0 stock commissions at J.P. Morgan.
Ease of Use
If ease of use is important to you, Robinhood could be the better option. Both Chase and Robinhood are easy to use, but Robinhood has streamlined its app and website to simplify complex tasks. Chase has designed its brokerage to look and feel more like a traditional broker.
At Chase, you can find stocks, ETFs, or mutual funds via a search field or a screener. Each has an information page with financial data and analyst reports, and an order ticket features all the available order parameters.
Robinhood offers similar features, but the app layout makes navigation easier. You can search for tickers directly, but there are also thematic lists to help you find what you are looking for faster.
Robinhood also makes it very easy to switch between your accounts for brokerage, IRA, cash management, and crypto exchange services. Each section of the app provides you with all of the related settings and options you would need for your chosen service.
Cost
Both Chase and Robinhood are commission-free brokers, but Robinhood is the cheaper of the two. Here is how the pricing differs between the two brokers.
Trading Fees
| Broker Fees |
Stock/ETF
Commission |
Mutual Fund
Commission |
Options
Commission |
Maintenance
Fee |
Annual IRA
Fee |
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Robinhood
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$0
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na
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$0 per contract
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$0
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$0
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Chase
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$0
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$0
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$0.65 per contract
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$0
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$0
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Apart from commissions, there are a few other fees to consider. Two of those fees are contract fees and regulatory fees.
Regulatory fees are charged when securities are sold, and most brokers pass the fees along to their customers instead of paying them themselves. Robinhood only charges regulatory fees when transactions exceed the $500 mark. Chase does not waive these fees.
Both brokers handle option contract fees differently. Robinhood does not charge an additional contract fee, but Chase charges $0.65 per contract.
Some securities are unique to each broker. Chase offers mutual funds and fixed-income products, and Robinhood offers cryptocurrencies. Chase’s mutual funds are free to trade, and bonds and Treasuries cost $10 per trade if they are purchased on the Secondary Market. At Robinhood, crypto trading is free, with no commissions or spread markups.
Subscriptions
Robinhood offers add-on services that can be purchased after opening an account.
Robinhood Gold is Robinhood’s premium subscription plan. It offers higher APY on cash management funds, a better IRA Match bonus, advanced charting, higher instant deposits, and more. The monthly fee is $5.
Account Types
Robinhood and Chase offer similar account types. However, Robinhood offers a crypto account with a dedicated crypto wallet, giving it the edge for traders interested in crypto.
Robinhood also has an IRA account and a Spending account, which are managed separately from the standard brokerage accounts. The IRA account has a 1% match on contributions, which is quite impressive. The Spending account comes with a debit card for shopping, and a growing list of ATMs support Robinhood’s card.
Robinhood’s account lineup provides investors with a good deal of utility, but Chase delivers a broader range of financial services and account types that can be paired with a brokerage account.
Chase offers checking and savings accounts, credit cards, and personal loans. All of which can be accessed from the same platform you access your brokerage account from. Chase also makes it easy to move money between your various accounts.
Bonuses and Special Offers
Both Chase and Robinhood offer very good bonuses and special offers.
Bonus offers are always subject to change, but the current offers should serve as a good example of how Chase and Robinhood approach their bonus programs.
Welcome Bonus
Robinhood Welcome Bonus:
1% (3% for Gold members) IRA and 401(k) rollovers match bonus.
Chase Welcome Bonus: $50, $150, $350, and $700 Welcome bonuses for deposits ranging from $5,000 to $250,000.
Referral Bonus
Robinhood has a referral bonus of
one stock valued between $5 and $200 for each referral, with a maximum annual payable amount of $1,500.
Promotions
Robinhood: 3% deposit match and up to $200 FREE stock at Robinhood.
J.P. Morgan:
Get $0 stock commissions at J.P. Morgan.
Which Broker is Better?
The type of investor you are will likely determine which broker you like better. Investors focused on
simplicity and long-term investing with a traditional-style broker may prefer Chase’s brokerage,
J.P. Morgan Wealth Management. Robinhood also provides simplicity, making it appealing to many of the same investors.
The difference that Robinhood provides is a more user-friendly approach to investing in multiple contexts. Whether you’re a day trader, a swing trader, a long-term investor, or an options speculator, Robinhood’s tools ensure that investors don’t feel limited by their software. Active traders would definitely prefer Robinhood due to the availability of short selling, fractional shares, and direct access to the cryptocurrency markets.
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Updated on 6/3/2025.
I work in investment analytics and have been investing in the market since I was in high school. I enjoy anything that involves lots of strategy (i.e. a good game of chess), which is why I was naturally drawn to investing and researching companies. Outside of investing, I’m a big fan of the outdoors. In summer, you’re most likely to find me kayaking, camping, and hiking in the mountains.
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