Choosing between Webull and Robinhood boils down to what you want from a trading app, your experience level, and what you plan to invest in.

Let’s compare them:

At a Glance: Webull vs. Robinhood

Webull:

• Best For: Intermediate traders who want better tools

• Account Minimum: $0

• Trading Costs: Free for stocks, ETFs, options

• What You Can Trade: Stocks, ETFs, options, crypto (separate app), futures, OTC stocks

• Trading Hours: 4 AM - 8 PM ET

• IRA Accounts: Yes (with 5% interest on cash)

• Available On: Mobile, web, and desktop

• Customer Service: Phone during market hours, email, in-app help

Robinhood:

• Best For: Beginners who want simplicity

• Account Minimum: $0

• Trading Costs: Free for stocks, ETFs, options

• What You Can Trade: Stocks, ETFs, options, crypto, fractional shares

• Trading Hours: 24 hours/day, 5 days/week

• IRA Accounts: Yes (with 1-3% match on contributions)

• Available On: Mobile, web, and desktop (Legend)

• Customer Service: 24/7 chat, phone (7 AM - 9 PM ET)

User Experience & Platform Design

Robinhood: Streamlined Simplicity

Robinhood changed the game with an investing app that lets you buy stocks in seconds. It keeps things dead simple, which new investors really appreciate.

The app gives you:

• One-tap trading

• Basic charts

• Clean, easy-to-use layout

• Quick watchlist access

As one Reddit user said: "I like how fast Robinhood executes trades. Good for quick scalping... If Webull had a way to get in and out quicker, I wouldn't use Robinhood."

The downside? Robinhood doesn't let you customize much and has fewer research tools than competitors.

Webull: More Tools, More Options

Webull aims at more serious traders who want real trading tools and customization. It's still usable for beginners, but Webull packs in way more information and settings.

What makes it stand out:

• Better charts with tons of indicators

• Customizable dashboard

• Paper trading to practice without real money

• Deeper research tools

Another Reddit user explains: "Webull beats Robinhood hands down with advanced order types (stop-loss and take-profit orders together), indicator options, chart customization, and just more features overall."

Investment Options

Robinhood's Offerings

Robinhood covers the basics for most beginners:

• Stocks and ETFs: Free trading with fractional shares

• Options: Basic options trading with no fees

• Crypto: Buy and sell crypto directly

• Cash Account: Earn interest (4% with Gold)

• IRAs: Traditional, Roth, and Rollover with 1% match (3% for Gold)

The 24-hour trading (5 days a week) is a big plus if you want to trade outside normal market hours.

Webull's Offerings

Webull gives you more investment options:

• Stocks and ETFs: Free trading with both long and short positions

• Options: Advanced options tools

• OTC Stocks: Around 500 over-the-counter stocks

• Futures: Recently added with decent fees

• Crypto: Available through separate Webull Pay app

• IRAs: Retirement accounts with 5% interest on cash

• Robo-Advisor: Automated investing through Webull Smart Advisor

If you want to go beyond basic stocks and ETFs, Webull gives you more room to expand your trading.

Trading Tools & Research

Robinhood's Tools

Robinhood keeps it simple:

• Basic stock screeners

• Simple charts

• Analyst ratings

• News feed

• Company basics

Robinhood Gold members ($5/month) get Morningstar research reports and Level II market data.

Webull's Tools

Webull brings serious research firepower:

• Pro-level charts with lots of indicators

• Stock and options screeners

• Custom alerts

• Extended hours data

• Paper trading

• Detailed company info

• Options profit calculators

According to Investopedia, "Webull's trading experience beats Robinhood's with more tools, including specific setups for stock, ETF, options, futures, and day trading."

Costs & Fees

Both platforms offer free stock, ETF, and options trading. Here's the fee breakdown:

Robinhood Fees

• Trading: Free for stocks, ETFs, options

• Account Fees: No annual or inactivity fees

• Transfer Fee: $100 to move your account out

• Robinhood Gold: $5/month for premium perks

• Crypto: No direct fees but built-in spreads

Webull Fees

• Trading: Free for stocks, ETFs, options

• Account Fees: No annual or inactivity fees

• Transfer Fee: $75 to move your account out

• Futures: Per-contract fees

• Crypto: No direct fees but price markups

Both are great for cost-conscious investors. Webull has a slightly cheaper transfer fee, while Robinhood offers Gold subscription perks.

Mobile Experience

Robinhood Mobile

Robinhood was built for phones first:

• Simple, clean design

• Fast trade execution

• Basic portfolio view

• Quick access to everything

• Few customization options

Perfect for checking stocks and making quick trades, but not great for deep analysis or complex trades.

Webull Mobile

Webull tries to bring desktop-level power to your phone:

• Advanced charts

• Customizable screens

• Lots of data and tools

• Chart drawing tools

• Trade right from charts

Even fans of other platforms acknowledge Webull's mobile app quality. One Reddit user said: "That Webull mobile App is freaking nice. They must have spent serious cash developing it."

Desktop Experience

Robinhood Desktop

Robinhood's web version keeps things simple:

• Clean design without clutter

• Basic watchlists and portfolio

• Basic research tools

• New Robinhood Legend platform with more features

Webull Desktop

Webull's desktop platform packs a punch:

• Tons of customization

• Pro-level charts

• Multiple monitor support

• Detailed data

• Templates for different types of trading

The gap between the desktop versions is huge, with Webull offering tools that rival established platforms like TD Ameritrade's thinkorswim.

Account Types & Features

Robinhood Accounts

• Regular Brokerage: Basic investing account

• Robinhood Gold: $5/month for better interest and research

• IRAs: Retirement accounts with matching contributions

• Cash Account: Spending account with debit card

Webull Accounts

• Regular Brokerage: Can have multiple accounts

• Margin Account: $2,000 minimum

• IRAs: Traditional, Roth, and Rollover options

• High-Yield Cash: Competitive interest rates

• Smart Advisor: Automated investing service

Robinhood's IRA match is great for retirement savers, while Webull lets you have multiple accounts.

Which App Should You Choose?

Your investing goals should drive your decision:

Pick Robinhood If You:

• Are totally new to investing and want simplicity

• Want to trade at night or early morning (24/5 trading)

• Like a clean, streamlined mobile app

• Want retirement investing with contribution matching

• Prefer having crypto in the same app as stocks

Pick Webull If You:

• Want serious trading tools and better research

• Plan to use technical analysis for trading

• Need futures or OTC stocks

• Like customization and advanced order types

• Want multiple accounts in one place

• Want to practice with fake money before using real cash

The Bottom Line

Both Webull and Robinhood have made stock trading available to regular people. Robinhood wins on simplicity for beginners just starting out. Webull, though still learnable, offers better tools that grow with you as you learn more about trading.

Start with Robinhood if you're brand new and just want easy investing. Go with Webull if you already know some investing basics or think you'll want more features soon. Many traders actually use both—Robinhood for quick trades and Webull for research.

Either way, both offer free trading with low starting requirements that have brought investing to millions of people who were previously locked out of the market.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for beginners, Webull or Robinhood?

Robinhood is better for complete beginners because it's simpler and more straightforward. Webull has more features that might confuse total newcomers. That said, Webull's paper trading lets beginners practice without risking real money, which is a big plus.

What's different between Webull and Robinhood?

The main differences: Webull offers more investment types, better trading tools, and OTC/futures trading. Robinhood is simpler, has 24/5 trading, and offers IRA matching. Webull works better for active traders, while Robinhood is designed for beginners.

Does Webull charge monthly fees?

No, Webull has no monthly fees for regular accounts. There's no minimum balance requirement, no inactivity fees, and no subscription costs for basic features. Some extras like Level II quotes cost $2.99/month.

Is Robinhood safe for new investors?

Yes, Robinhood is generally safe. Like all brokers, it's SIPC-insured, which protects your securities and cash up to $500,000 if the broker fails. Robinhood also has extra insurance beyond that. Remember though, this doesn't protect you from market losses—investing always carries risk.

Can I have multiple accounts on Webull and Robinhood?

Webull lets you have multiple brokerage accounts under one login, which helps if you want separate accounts for different strategies. Robinhood only allows one brokerage account per user, which limits how you can organize investments.

How fast can I deposit money into each platform?

Robinhood processes deposits faster. They offer instant deposits up to $1,000 (more with Gold). Webull typically takes 1-2 business days for deposits to clear before you can trade, and some users report even longer wait times.

What can't I invest in on these apps?

Both platforms don't offer mutual funds, which many retirement accounts use. Robinhood doesn't have futures, which Webull recently added. Neither offers direct bond trading (though you can buy bond ETFs), forex, or physical commodities.

Can I use both Webull and Robinhood?

Yes, many investors do exactly that. Some use Webull for research and charts while trading on Robinhood for its speed and simplicity. Others keep different investments on each platform based on what they're best at.