Compare Robinhood vs. M1 Finance
In this article, we’ll discover:
• Robinhood and M1 Finance both offer brokerage accounts, but the trading experience at each firm is very different.
• Only Robinhood provides an advisory-style investing program.
• Both companies offer cryptocurrency trading.
Looking for your next investing account? Robinhood and M1 Finance are two strong candidates. Below is what we found:
Pricing
| Broker Fees |
Stock/ETF
Commission |
Mutual Fund
Commission |
Options
Commission |
Maintenance
Fee |
Annual IRA
Fee |
|
Robinhood
|
$0
|
na
|
$0 per contract
|
$0
|
$0
|
|
M1 Finance
|
$0
|
na
|
na
|
$0
|
$0
|
Services
| Broker Review |
Cost |
Investment Products |
Trading Tools |
Customer Service |
Research |
Overall Rating |
|
Robinhood
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
M1 Finance
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Promotions
Robinhood:
3% deposit match and FREE stock worth up to $200 at Robinhood.
M1 Finance:
None right now.
Investment Products
At M1 Finance, customers can build portfolios using stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs), along with a limited crypto offering. Rather than placing trades instantly, users add holdings to Pies, and M1 executes the buys and sells during its scheduled trading windows.
Robinhood doesn’t use Pies. Instead, traders enter orders directly whenever markets are open (and for eligible assets, sometimes beyond standard hours). Robinhood doesn’t work with mutual funds, but it does provide access to products like options, futures, and event contracts. Neither broker-dealer provides broad access to OTC (over-the-counter) stocks.
Robinhood also offers automated investing through a managed program called Robinhood Strategies, where an algorithm builds portfolios using ETFs and (at higher balances) individual stocks. M1 Finance doesn’t provide an advisory program, although it does offer pre-built Pies that customers can use as templates.
Every account needs a registration of some kind. Robinhood offers individual, joint, and retirement accounts. M1 has those and also provides custodial and trust registrations.
Winner: Robinhood
Margin
Margin services exist at both firms in this head-to-head comparison. M1 uses a flat rate of
5.65% on margin debits. While that’s competitive, Robinhood uses a tiered
schedule that runs from 5% down to 3.95%.
Both platforms show margin-related details for individual securities. For example, Nvidia can show a
30% maintenance requirement at M1 and 25% at Robinhood (requirements can change over time). Robinhood
margin accounts also support short selling and trading option spreads.
Winner: Robinhood
Websites
M1’s website combines the firm’s major products—borrowing, investing, and cash tools—into one dashboard with navigation buttons on the left. Inside the investing area, there are separate sections for stocks, funds, and cryptocurrencies. Security pages are fairly light on details, charting is basic, and there isn’t a traditional order ticket. Instead, users add holdings to portfolios and M1 handles execution during trading windows.
Robinhood provides both a website experience and a dedicated browser platform with real order tickets. These tickets can be used at any time, with execution depending on the asset and the trading session. Order choices include limit, trailing, and stop orders (M1 relies on batch execution).
Charting on Robinhood’s site is also stronger, including a full-screen view and additional tools. Another highlight is the presence of analyst opinions from multiple providers. On McDonald’s, we found 38 ratings with the following breakdown:
Winner: Robinhood
Mobile Apps
Next up are mobile apps. Robinhood’s app closely matches its web experience, keeping many of the same tools and layout ideas. On a stock page, the icons in the upper-right corner for alerts and watchlists can be very handy. Tap Trade at the bottom to open either the stock ticket or the options ticket.
M1 Finance’s app is also essentially its website in mobile form. Tap Invest in the bottom menu, then use the account icon in the upper left to open a list of investing areas (like stocks, ETFs, and crypto). Choose “Model Portfolios” to browse pre-built Pies that can be used right away.
Winner: Robinhood
Bonus Services
Fully-Paid Stock Lending: Available at either brokerage firm in this contest.
Automatic Investing: Recurring purchases can be established at either brokerage house.
Fractional-Share Trading: Possible at either broker-dealer. At M1 Finance, whole-dollar investing is the only possibility. At Robinhood, either whole-share or whole-dollar trades can be used.
Dividend Reinvestment Plan: M1 and Robinhood both offer free DRIPs.
IRA Lineups: At either firm, an Individual Retirement Account can be opened. Only M1 has the SEP IRA. Only M1 charges an IRA monthly fee ($3) and an IRA closeout fee ($100).
Initial Public Offerings: Robinhood has them.
Extended Hours: Robinhood customers can trade many assets 24 hours a day. As already mentioned, M1 Finance doesn’t even offer the entire market day.
Winner: Robinhood
Our Recommendations
Stock and ETF Trading: With 24-hour trading and decent software, Robinhood gets the endorsement here.
Beginners: We suggest a managed account through Robinhood Strategies.
Mutual-Fund Trading: Although neither brokerage firm here has mutual funds, Firstrade does.
Small Accounts: M1 Finance has a $50 low-balance fee, which Robinhood doesn’t have. Robinhood Strategies has a $50 minimum. For any IRA, Robinhood is better due to zero IRA fees.
Long-Term Investors & Retirement Savers: Although both firms have IRAs, neither place is really designed for long-term planning. We would skip both and head to Charles Schwab.
Robinhood vs M1 Finance: Judgment
While M1 Finance’s boutique investing service is unique and will work for some investors, Robinhood
definitely outperforms in the realm of heavy-duty trading.
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Updated on 2/24/2026.
Chad Morris is a financial writer with more than 20 years experience
as both an English teacher and an avid trader. When he isn’t writing
expert content for Brokerage-Review.com, Chad can usually be found
managing his portfolio or building a new home computer.
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