B
merrill edge logo

merrill edge

7.4/10
Robinhood logo

Robinhood

7/10
10/10WinnerRegulation8/10
1/10FeesWinner10/10
7/10WinnerPlatforms5/10
4/10Education & ResearchWinner10/10
10/10WinnerDeposits & Withdrawals1.5/10
10/10WinnerSupport7/10

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Overview

merrill edge was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in USA, while Robinhood was established in 2013 and is based in USA. Both brokers are regulated by Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), among other authorities. merrill edge serves 10,000+ clients worldwide; Robinhood has 10,000,000+. The minimum deposit is $250 at merrill edge and $0 at Robinhood.

merrill edge wins this category
Featuremerrill edgeRobinhood
Min. Deposit$250$0
RegulationFinancial Conduct Authority (FCA), Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC), Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), Pepperstone Markets Limited is incorporated in The Bahamas (number 177174 B), Licensed by the Securities Commission of The Bahamas (SCB) number SIA-F277Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Financial Supervision Commission (FSC)
Founded20102013
CountryUSAUSA
Clients10,000+10,000,000+

Fees

Fees are a critical factor when choosing between merrill edge and Robinhood, directly affecting your bottom line as a trader. Robinhood has a lower barrier to entry with a minimum deposit of $0 (vs $250 at merrill edge). Neither broker charges withdrawal fees. Robinhood charges deposit fees; merrill edge does not. Overall, Robinhood scores higher on fees in our assessment.

Robinhood wins this category
Featuremerrill edgeRobinhood
Min. Deposit$250$0
Withdrawal FeesNoNo
Inactivity FeesNoNo
Deposit FeesNoYes
CFD FeesNoYes

Platforms

merrill edge offers MT5, cTrader, while Robinhood supports a proprietary platform. Both brokers provide mobile trading apps for iOS and Android. Both brokers support copy or social trading, catering to less hands-on investors. merrill edge edges ahead on platform breadth and functionality in our scoring.

merrill edge wins this category
Featuremerrill edgeRobinhood
MT4NoNo
MT5YesNo
cTraderYesNo
Windows AppYesYes
iOS AppYesYes
Android AppYesYes
Trading PlatformsMT4, MT5, Mac, ZuluTrade, Web Trader, cTrader, Tablet & Mobile appsWeb Trader, Tablet & Mobile apps

Education & Research

Education and research tools help traders at every level make more informed decisions, and here's how merrill edge and Robinhood compare. Robinhood runs regular live webinars; merrill edge does not. Both provide video tutorials. Robinhood publishes daily market commentary; merrill edge does not. Both integrate third-party research tools. Robinhood maintains an archive of past webinars for on-demand viewing. Robinhood scores higher overall in education and research.

Robinhood wins this category
Featuremerrill edgeRobinhood
Forex EducationYesYes
CFD EducationNoYes
Weekly WebinarsNoYes
Daily CommentaryNoYes
Trading CentralNoYes
AutochartistYesYes

Deposits & Withdrawals

Convenient deposit and withdrawal options reduce friction for traders, especially important when managing positions across time zones. merrill edge accepts 5 of the tracked payment methods (bank transfer, credit/debit card, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller), while Robinhood supports 1 (bank transfer). merrill edge uniquely supports credit/debit card and PayPal and Skrill and Neteller among the two brokers. merrill edge scores higher on deposit and withdrawal flexibility.

merrill edge wins this category
Featuremerrill edgeRobinhood
Bank TransferYesYes
Credit CardYesNo
PayPalYesNo
SkrillYesNo
NetellerYesNo

Support

Responsive customer support matters most when you're locked out of your account or need urgent help with a trade. Both merrill edge and Robinhood offer live chat support. merrill edge offers phone support; Robinhood does not. Email support is available at both brokers. merrill edge supports 8 languages and Robinhood supports 13, giving Robinhood broader global reach. merrill edge scores higher overall on customer support in our assessment.

merrill edge wins this category
Featuremerrill edgeRobinhood
Live ChatYesYes
Phone SupportYesNo
Email SupportYesYes
LanguagesEnglish, Spanish, Polish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, and ArabicEnglish, Deutsch, Nederlands, Espanol, Francais, Italiano, Polski, Srpski, Norsk, Svenska, Cesky, Romana, Turkce