Robinhood charges $0 commissions on stocks and ETFs — there is no cost to buy or sell most investments. The fees you will encounter are: $0.65 per options contract (eliminated with Gold), $25 for outgoing wires, margin interest if you borrow, and an implicit spread on crypto. Robinhood Gold at $5/month eliminates options fees and adds meaningful benefits that can offset the subscription cost.
See the Robinhood overview for limits and features alongside fees.
Complete Robinhood Fee Schedule
| Transaction Type | Standard | Robinhood Gold |
|---|---|---|
| Stock / ETF buy or sell | $0 | $0 |
| Options contract fee | $0.65/contract | $0 |
| Crypto buy/sell | $0 (spread applies) | $0 (spread applies) |
| Account fee | $0 | $5/month |
| Account minimum | $0 | $0 |
| ACH deposit | $0 | $0 |
| ACH withdrawal | $0 | $0 |
| Outgoing wire transfer | $25 | $25 |
| Incoming wire transfer | $0 | $0 |
| Paper statement | $5 | $5 |
| Domestic overnight mail | $35 | $35 |
| Margin interest | Not available | ~8% annually |
Options Fees
Standard Robinhood accounts charge $0.65 per options contract — no base commission. This is at or below the industry standard (most brokerages charge $0.50–$0.65/contract).
With Robinhood Gold: $0 per contract — options are completely free.
Worked example: Buying 10 call option contracts:
- Standard: 10 × $0.65 = $6.50 per leg (entry + exit = $13.00 round-trip)
- Gold ($5/month): $0 — break-even is 2 round-trips per month (20 contracts)
For active options traders making more than a few trades per month, Gold pays for itself quickly.
Margin Fees
Margin is only available to Robinhood Gold subscribers.
| Margin Balance | Annual Rate (Gold) |
|---|---|
| First $1,000 | Included in Gold subscription |
| $1,000+ | ~8% annually |
The $5/month Gold fee includes the first $1,000 in margin borrowing. Interest beyond $1,000 is charged daily on the outstanding balance.
At 8% on $5,000 borrowed: $400/year in margin interest + $60/year Gold fee = $460 total annual cost of using $5,000 in margin.
Margin significantly increases risk — losses are amplified and interest accrues regardless of investment performance. See Is Robinhood safe? for margin risk details.
Crypto Fees
Robinhood advertises $0 crypto commissions. In practice, Robinhood applies a spread — you buy slightly above market price and sell slightly below. The spread is typically 0.5–2% depending on the asset and market conditions, and is visible in the quoted price before you confirm.
| Fee Type | Robinhood | Coinbase Standard | Coinbase Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commission | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Effective spread | 0.5–2% | ~0.5% + 1.49% | ~0.05–0.60% |
For crypto, Coinbase Advanced Trade is cheaper than Robinhood. Robinhood’s advantage is having crypto in the same account as your stocks and IRAs.
Robinhood Gold — Is It Worth $5/Month?
Robinhood Gold adds meaningful benefits beyond fee waivers:
| Benefit | Without Gold | With Gold |
|---|---|---|
| Options contract fee | $0.65 each | $0 |
| APY on cash | 1.5% | 4.5% |
| IRA match | 1% | 3% |
| Instant deposit | $1,000 | $5,000–$50,000 |
| Research | None | Morningstar |
| Market data | Basic | Level 2 |
Break-even scenarios:
| Using this benefit | Break-even at… |
|---|---|
| Extra APY on cash (4.5% vs 1.5% = 3% extra) | $2,000+ kept in cash |
| Options fees waived | ~8 round-trip contracts/month |
| IRA match (3% vs 1% = 2% extra) | $250/month contributed = $5 extra match |
Most users with $2,000+ in cash, or who trade options occasionally, will find Gold pays for itself.
How Robinhood Compares on Fees
| Broker | Stock/ETF | Options/contract | Margin (low) | Wire out |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robinhood (standard) | $0 | $0.65 | N/A | $25 |
| Robinhood Gold | $0 | $0 | 8% | $25 |
| Fidelity | $0 | $0.65 | 9.25% | $0 |
| Schwab | $0 | $0.65 | 11.325% | $25 |
| Webull | $0 | $0 | 6.74% | $25 |
| Vanguard | $0 | $1.00 | 10.75% | $0 |
Webull has lower margin rates than Robinhood Gold and $0 options fees without a subscription. Fidelity and Vanguard waive outgoing wire fees. Robinhood Gold’s 4.5% APY on cash and 3% IRA match are unique to Robinhood.
How to Pay Zero Fees on Robinhood
- Trade stocks and ETFs only — always $0
- Upgrade to Gold if you trade options ($0.65/contract is waived)
- Use ACH for withdrawals — free vs. $25 wire
- Avoid margin unless you understand leverage risk
- Use limit orders on crypto — reduces effective spread slightly
For the full feature and value assessment, see the Robinhood review.
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