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If you're looking to open a new investment account, there is no shortage of choices. Two popular options for newer investors are J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing and Robinhood, which has a mission to make investing as economical and user-friendly as possible for everyone. In this J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing vs. Robinhood comparison, we'll take a look at the similarities and differences between the two, so you can determine if one might be a good fit.
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Rating 
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor |
Rating
4.80/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor |
| Commissions |
Commissions $0 per trade online $0 per trade |
Commissions |
| Account Minimum |
Account Minimum |
Account Minimum |
| Learn More |
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing and Robinhood both offer $0 commission stock and ETF trades, like most brokers do. However, that's where the similarities end.
For options and cryptocurrency investors, Robinhood is a winner. J.P. Morgan's $0.65-per-contract charge is in line with most of its brokerage peers; both J.P. Morgan and Robinhood offer commission-free options trading, but Robinhood also charges no contract fees. Furthermore, Robinhood offers fee-free cryptocurrency trading, while J.P. Morgan doesn't (most bank-affiliated brokers don't offer direct cryptocurrency investment).
On the other hand, mutual fund commission is a standout area for J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing. The firm charges no commissions whatsoever for mutual funds -- not just those on a no-transaction-fee (NTF) list. This is a rarity in the industry. Robinhood doesn't offer mutual fund investing at all.
| J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|
| Stock & ETF commissions | $0 | $0 |
| Options commissions | $0.65/contract | $0 |
| Crypto commissions | N/A | $0 |
| Mutual fund commissions | $0 | N/A |
| Account transfer fee | $75 | $100 |
| Account maintenance fee | $0 | $0 |
Robinhood is designed as a simplified investing platform, and therefore its selection of investment options is somewhat limited. It offers stocks, ETFs, options, and cryptocurrencies on its platform, but you can't use Robinhood's platform to invest in mutual funds or fixed-income investments like bonds and CDs.
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing offers more investment choices, including stocks, ETFs, options, mutual funds, and bonds.
For new investors especially, it's important to mention that Robinhood offers the ability to buy fractional shares of stock, while J.P. Morgan doesn't. This can be a big perk for newer investors without a ton of money to invest. For example, if Amazon stock is trading for $3,000 per share, you would need at least that much money to buy one share through J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing. However, you can buy a fractional share of Amazon with just a few dollars through Robinhood.
Neither platform offers futures or foreign currency (forex) trading, so if either is a part of your investing strategy, you'll need to look elsewhere.
| J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks and ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Fractional shares | No | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual funds | Yes | No |
| CDs | Yes | No |
| Bonds | Yes | No |
| Futures | No | No |
| Crypto | No | Yes |
| Currencies (Forex) | No | No |
$0 for stocks, $0 for options contracts
$0
This brokerage is a clear standout for its well-rated mobile app and also has unique investment offerings like IPOs, options, and fractional shares.
On SoFi Invest's Secure Website.
Commission-free stock, mutual fund, and ETF trades; other fees apply
$0
E*TRADE offers low fees and tons of account types. If you need it, chances are, E*TRADE has it. You can access advanced features through its popular Power E*TRADE platform. Open an E*TRADE account to trade fee-free mutual funds and do all your investing in one place.
On E*TRADE's Secure Website.
$0 commission for online U.S. stock and ETFs*. No account fees****.
$0****
Fidelity makes investing easy with $0 commission trades, powerful tools, and 24/7 support. Trade stocks, ETFs, options, and even crypto -- all in one place. Get expert insights, automate your investing, and potentially earn more on uninvested cash.
On Fidelity's Secure Website.
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing and Robinhood both offer standard taxable brokerage accounts for individuals, as well as traditional and Roth IRAs. Each offers the ability to trade on margin, too. Robinhood offers margin investing at some of the lowest rates we've encountered, even for investors who aren't Robinhood Gold members.
(Note: J.P. Morgan has announced that it will be shutting down its robo-advisory investment platform J.P. Morgan Automated Investing in the second quarter of 2024.) If you'd like to use something similar, consider other best in class robo-advisory services.
With that in mind, neither of these brokers offer an excellent selection of investment account types. There are no options for self-employed retirement accounts like SEP IRA or SIMPLE IRAs, and you can't open a custodial account like an UGMA or UTMA.
In short, if your investment needs extend beyond a standard individual investment account, or traditional or Roth IRA, you're better off reading more broker reviews to find the right one for you.
| J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|
| Taxable brokerage | Yes | Yes |
| Joint tenant | No | Yes |
| Margin | Yes | Yes |
| Robo-advisor | No, beginning Q2 2024 | No |
| Traditional IRA | Yes | Yes |
| Roth IRA | Yes | Yes |
| Other IRA | No | No |
| Custodial | No | No |
| Checking | Yes | No, but offers a cash card |
| Savings | Yes | No, but offers brokerage cash sweeps |
| Credit card | Yes | Yes |
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing and Robinhood both offer a mobile investing app, but they are rather different from one another. Robinhood's trading app is designed to provide the most user-friendly way to buy and sell stocks and options. J.P. Morgan's app is designed as an all-in-one banking app, allowing customers to access and manage their banking, credit, and investing accounts in a single app.
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing holds ratings of 4.7 and 4.0 out of 5 stars on the App Store and Google Play Store, respectively, and Robinhood's ratings are 4.2 and 4.1. (Note: Robinhood's ratings were significantly higher prior to the "meme stock" craze of early 2021, when it was forced to suspend trading in certain volatile stocks to the disappointment of many customers.)
Robinhood offers a web-based trading platform, but is a mobile-first broker. It doesn't have sophisticated trading tools, educational resources, or many of the other features you'd find on a lot of other brokers' trading platforms. J.P. Morgan's trading platform offers several useful features, such as its highly regarded Portfolio Builder tool that can help investors construct a portfolio to help meet their goals.
It's worth noting that neither offers a particularly sophisticated trading platform. If you're an active options trader, or want complex charting tools to develop your strategy, you'll probably want to look for a broker that offers a more feature-packed platform.
Both J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing and Robinhood are solid brokerage platforms with $0 trading fees on stocks and ETFs, but neither is right for all investors. In some cases, the decision is easy. If you want to invest in mutual funds, for example, J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing is clearly the better of the two. On the other hand, if you want to buy cryptocurrencies as part of your investment strategy, Robinhood might be the better option.
However, neither of these brokers offers everything. If you need a standard type of investment account to buy and sell stocks, ETFs, and/or mutual funds, one of these could be a good choice. But if you need anything other than a standard account or IRA, or if you want to trade different investment vehicles like futures, for example, neither of these will likely meet your needs.
On J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing's Secure Website.
2026 Award Winner
A no-frills platform with $0 mutual fund fees, J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing offers easy trading, an optional robo-advisor, and seamless Chase integration.
$0 per trade
$0
Get a cash bonus up to $1,000 when you open and fund a J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing account.
On J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing's Secure Website.
2026 Award Winner
A top pick for beginners, Robinhood combines $0 commission trades, an easy-to-use app, and a rare retirement deposit match.
$0 on trades of stocks, ETFs and their options. Other fees may apply.
$0
1 Free Stock after linking your bank account (stock value range $5.00-$200)
On Robinhood's Secure Website.
We recommend comparing brokerage options to ensure the account you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of our best trading platforms of 2026.
| Broker | Best For | Commissions | Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|
|
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor |
Full-service investing at every experience level | $0 commission for online U.S. stock and ETFs*. No account fees****. |
Learn More for Fidelity
On Fidelity's Secure Website. |
4.90/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor |
Low-cost investing with a full-featured platform | $0 stock, ETF, and Schwab Mutual Fund OneSource® trades. No fees to buy fractional shares. |
Learn More for Charles Schwab
On Charles Schwab's Secure Website. |
|
4.80/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor |
Low fees on stocks, ETFs, crypto, and options | $0 on trades of stocks, ETFs and their options. Other fees may apply. |
Learn More for Robinhood
On Robinhood's Secure Website. |
You can open a J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing account for $1.
It's a debit card issued by a Robinhood partner bank. To get the card, Robinhood users must open a spending account. Users can fund the account with direct deposits or by transferring money into the account from another bank. The Robinhood Cash Card is linked to the Spending account. Perks include zero overdrafts, early paychecks, and money back at stores like the Gap.
They'll be converted to J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing accounts.
Motley Fool Stock Disclosures
JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Cole Tretheway has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Matt Frankel has positions in Amazon. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, and Target. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.INVESTMENT AND INSURANCE PRODUCTS ARE: NOT A DEPOSIT • NOT FDIC INSURED • NO BANK GUARANTEE • MAY LOSE VALUE
Robinhood disclosure
Margin borrowing increases your level of market risk, as a result it has the potential to magnify both your gains and losses. Before using margin, customers must determine whether this type of strategy is right for them given their investment objectives and risk tolerance. Regardless of the underlying value of the securities you purchased, you must repay your margin loan. Robinhood Financial can change its maintenance margin requirements at any time without prior notice. If the equity in your account falls below the minimum maintenance requirements (varies according to the security), you’ll have to deposit additional cash or acceptable collateral. If you fail to meet your minimums, Robinhood Financial may be forced to sell some or all of your securities, with or without your prior approval. For more information please see Robinhood Financial’s Margin Disclosure Statement, Margin Agreement and FINRA Investor Information.
Margin trading involves risk and may not be suitable for all investors. Borrowing on margin increases your level of market risk and can amplify both gains and losses.
Robinhood Financial may change maintenance margin requirements at any time without prior notice. If the equity in your account falls below minimum maintenance requirements, you may need to deposit additional cash or collateral. If those requirements are not met, Robinhood Financial may sell securities in your account without prior approval.
The 3% matching on annual contributions requires a subscription with Robinhood Gold ($5/mo) and customers must stay subscribed to Gold for 1 year from the date of the first eligible deposit to keep the full Gold match. The funds that earned the match must be kept in the account for at least 5 years to avoid a potential Early IRA Match Removal Fee. Match rate subject to change. Non-Gold customers receive a 1% match. Offer only applies to self-directed IRAs. For more information refer to the IRA Match FAQ.
You must have compensation (wage income) in order to contribute to an IRA. Funds being contributed into or distributed from retirement accounts may entail tax consequences. Contributions are limited and withdrawals before age 59 1/2 may be subject to a penalty tax. Robinhood does not provide tax advice; please consult with a tax adviser if you have questions.
The Robinhood IRA is available to any U.S. customer with a Robinhood brokerage account in good standing.
The 3% matching on annual contributions requires a subscription with Robinhood Gold ($5/mo) and customers must stay subscribed to Gold for 1 year from the date of the first eligible deposit to keep the full Gold match. The funds that earned the match must be kept in the account for at least 5 years to avoid a potential Early IRA Match Removal Fee. Match rate subject to change. Non-Gold customers receive a 1% match. Offer only applies to self-directed IRAs. For more information refer to the IRA Match FAQ.
You must have compensation (wage income) in order to contribute to an IRA. Funds being contributed into or distributed from retirement accounts may entail tax consequences. Contributions are limited and withdrawals before age 59 1/2 may be subject to a penalty tax. Robinhood does not provide tax advice; please consult with a tax adviser if you have questions.
The Robinhood IRA is available to any U.S. customer with a Robinhood brokerage account in good standing.
Robinhood Strategies charges an annual management fee of 0.25% on the net portfolio value of each managed account. Eligible Robinhood Gold subscribers pay no management fees on the portion of their managed account net portfolio value that exceeds $100,000, thereby limiting the annual management fee to $250. Other fees apply.
All investments involve risk and loss of principal is possible.
Brokerage services are offered through Robinhood Financial LLC, ("RHF") a registered broker dealer (member SIPC) and clearing services through Robinhood Securities, LLC, ("RHS") a registered broker dealer (member SIPC).
RHF and RHS are not banks. All are separate but affiliated entities. Securities offered by RHF are not FDIC insured and involve risk, including possible loss of principal.
Robinhood Gold is a subscription-based membership program of premium services offered through Robinhood Gold, LLC.
Portfolio management of managed accounts by Robinhood Asset Management, LLC (“Robinhood Strategies”), an SEC-registered investment advisor.
Options involve risk and are not suitable for all investors. Please read Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options before trading options.
Cryptocurrency trading is offered through Robinhood Crypto, LLC (NMLS ID 1702840). Trading and holding digital assets involves significant risk, including the risk of substantial loss. Cryptocurrency held through Robinhood Crypto is not FDIC insured or SIPC protected.
*Trading and owning digital assets involves significant risk, including the risk of substantial loss. Cryptocurrency trading is offered through an account with Robinhood Crypto, LLC (NMLS ID 1702840). Robinhood Crypto is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the
New York State Department of Financial Services. Cryptocurrency held through Robinhood Crypto is not FDIC insured or SIPC protected.
** Network fees may apply. Availability may be subject to regulatory approval in certain states.
See disclosures: https://www.sofi.com/invest/
E*TRADE services are available just to U.S. residents.
Fidelity disclosure
Investing involves risk, including risk of loss
* - $0.00 commission applies to online U.S. equity trades and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in a Fidelity retail account only for Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC retail clients. Sell orders are subject to an activity assessment fee (historically from $0.01 to $0.03 per $1,000 of principal). Other exclusions and conditions may apply. A limited number of ETFs are subject to a transaction-based service fee of $100. See full list at Fidelity.com/commissions. Employee equity compensation transactions and accounts managed by advisors or intermediaries through Fidelity Institutional® are subject to different commission schedules.
**Fidelity Crypto® is offered by Fidelity Digital Assets®. Investing involves risk, including risk of total loss. Crypto as an asset class is highly volatile, can become illiquid at any time, and is for investors with a high risk tolerance. Crypto may also be more susceptible to market manipulation than securities. Crypto is not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or the Securities Investor Protection Corporation. Investors in crypto do not benefit from the same regulatory protections applicable to registered securities. Fidelity Crypto® accounts and custody and trading of crypto in such accounts are provided by Fidelity Digital Asset Services, LLC, which is chartered as a limited purpose trust company by the New York State Department of Financial Services to engage in virtual currency business (NMLS ID 1773897). Brokerage services in support of securities trading are provided by Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC (“FBS”), and related custody services are provided by National Financial Services LLC (“NFS”), each a registered broker-dealer and member NYSE and SIPC. Neither FBS nor NFS offer crypto as a direct investment nor provide trading or custody services for such assets. Fidelity Crypto and Fidelity Digital Assets are registered service marks of FMR LLC.
***Options trading entails significant risk and is not appropriate for all investors. Certain complex options strategies carry additional risk. Before trading options, please read Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options. Supporting documentation for any claims, if applicable, will be furnished upon request.
****Zero account minimums and zero account fees apply to retail brokerage accounts only. Expenses charged by investments (e.g., funds, managed accounts, and certain HSAs) and commissions, interest charges, or other expenses for transactions may still apply. See Fidelity.com/commissions for further details.
