Robinhood charges $0 on every stock, ETF, and options trade. There are no account maintenance fees and no minimum balance requirements. The only recurring fee most users pay is Robinhood Gold at $5/month — and that’s entirely optional.
If you buy and sell stocks or ETFs without using margin or wires, your total annual Robinhood cost is $0.
Complete Robinhood Fee Schedule 2026
| Fee Type | Standard | Gold |
|---|---|---|
| Stock trades | $0 | $0 |
| ETF trades | $0 | $0 |
| Options (per contract) | $0 | $0 |
| Crypto (commission) | $0* | $0* |
| Monthly account fee | $0 | $5/month |
| Annual account fee | $0 | $50/year |
| Account minimum | $0 | $0 |
| Inactivity fee | $0 | $0 |
| IRA annual fee | $0 | $0 |
| Margin borrowing | 8% APR | 6.5% APR |
| Wire transfer (outgoing) | $25 | $25 |
| ACH transfer | $0 | $0 |
| ACAT transfer out | $0 | $0 |
| Paper statements | $0 | $0 |
*Robinhood earns a spread of approximately 1.5–2.5% on crypto trades, which functions like a fee.
How Robinhood Makes Money Without Charging Commissions
1. Payment for Order Flow (PFOF) Robinhood routes your trade orders to market makers like Citadel Securities and receives payment in exchange. The market maker profits from the bid-ask spread. This doesn’t charge you directly, but it may mean slightly worse execution prices — particularly on large orders. For trades under $10,000, the difference is typically fractions of a cent per share.
2. Robinhood Gold Subscriptions At $5/month per subscriber, Gold revenue is Robinhood’s most predictable income stream. Gold also enables margin lending, which generates interest income.
3. Cash Sweep Interest Robinhood earns interest on uninvested cash before sweeping it to partner banks. The spread between what Robinhood earns and what it pays (1.5% standard, 4.9% Gold) is significant revenue.
4. Margin Interest Robinhood charges 6.5–8% APR on margin balances. If you borrow to invest, that interest flows to Robinhood.
5. Crypto Spread On crypto trades, Robinhood doesn’t charge a commission but earns a spread — typically 1.5–2.5% on each transaction. On a $1,000 Bitcoin purchase, you may effectively pay $15–$25 in spread. If you trade significant crypto volume, a dedicated exchange like Coinbase Advanced or Kraken may offer tighter spreads.
Is Robinhood Gold Worth $5/Month?
Gold’s value depends almost entirely on how much uninvested cash you hold.
| Cash Balance | Standard Earnings (1.5%) | Gold Earnings (4.9%) | Gold Net After $50/yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| $500 | $7.50/yr | $24.50/yr | -$25.50/yr |
| $1,500 | $22.50/yr | $73.50/yr | +$23.50/yr |
| $5,000 | $75.00/yr | $245.00/yr | +$195.00/yr |
| $10,000 | $150.00/yr | $490.00/yr | +$440.00/yr |
Breakeven: ~$1,470 in uninvested cash held year-round.
Gold also adds the 3% IRA contribution match. On $7,000 in annual Roth IRA contributions, that’s $210 added to your account — more than 4 years of Gold costs. If you contribute to an IRA, Gold almost always pays for itself on the match alone.
Margin Fees Explained
Margin lets you borrow against your portfolio to buy more securities. It amplifies both gains and losses.
| Scenario | Gold (6.5% APR) | Standard (8% APR) |
|---|---|---|
| $5,000 margin for 30 days | $26.71 | $32.88 |
| $10,000 margin for 30 days | $53.42 | $65.75 |
| $5,000 margin for 1 year | $325.00 | $400.00 |
Warning: Margin amplifies losses as much as gains. A 20% drop on a 2× leveraged position means a 40% loss on your own capital. Only use margin if you fully understand the risks.
Transfer Fees
| Transfer Type | Fee | Time |
|---|---|---|
| ACH (bank transfer) | $0 | 2–5 business days |
| Instant deposit — standard | $0 | Up to $1,000 immediately |
| Instant deposit — Gold | $0 | Up to $50,000 immediately |
| Wire transfer (outgoing) | $25 | Same business day |
| ACAT (transfer to another broker) | $0 | 5–7 business days |
Regulatory Fees (Unavoidable, But Tiny)
All brokerages pass through two small regulatory fees on sell orders:
- SEC fee: $27.80 per $1 million in sale proceeds (~$0.003 per $100 sold)
- FINRA TAF fee: $0.000145 per share sold, capped at $7.27 per trade
On a $1,000 stock sale, total regulatory fees are under $0.10. These appear on your trade confirmation.
How to Keep Robinhood Costs at $0
- Use ACH, not wires — ACH transfers are free; wire transfers cost $25
- Skip Gold unless you hold $1,500+ in cash — the APY breakeven is ~$1,470
- Avoid margin — 6.5–8% APR adds up fast and amplifies downside risk
- Use limit orders for large trades — gives you price control regardless of PFOF routing
- Use a dedicated exchange for large crypto buys — Robinhood’s 1.5–2.5% spread is higher than many alternatives for large positions
See also: Robinhood review 2026 | Robinhood vs. Webull | Robinhood deposit and withdrawal limits
The content on Wealthvieu is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, tax, or investment advice. Consult a qualified professional before making financial decisions. Full disclaimer · Editorial policy