Robinhood vs Empower Personal Dashboard
Which is better in 2026? Five scores, side by side.
It's close: Robinhood edges it 8.3 to 8.2, so the right pick depends on what you need. Robinhood wins on 2 of the 5 scores, Empower Personal Dashboard on 2, with 1 tied.
Self-directed investors who want a fast, simple brokerage app
Investors who want a free, big-picture view of net worth and retirement
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Robinhood | Empower Personal Dashboard |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Money & Investing | Money & Investing |
| Category rank | #8 of 10 | #9 of 10 |
| Developer | Robinhood Markets, Inc. | Empower |
| Pricing | Free + paid plans | Free |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web | ✓ | ✓ |
Strengths and weaknesses
Robinhood
- Clean, fast app that makes trading easy to understand
- No commissions on stock and ETF trades
- IRA contribution match is a rare perk
- Relies partly on payment for order flow
- Research tools are thinner than at big brokers
Robinhood made investing feel simple, and it is still the slickest way to buy stocks, ETFs, options and crypto from your phone. Stock and ETF trades are commission-free, and the optional Gold plan adds a higher cash yield, research reports and a bigger retirement match. The catch is a design that can nudge you toward frequent trading. Treat it as a tool, not a game.
Full Robinhood review
Empower Personal Dashboard
- Free, detailed investment and net worth tracking
- Retirement planner models different scenarios
- Fee analyzer exposes costly funds
- Expect sales outreach for paid advisory services
- Budgeting and categorization are basic
Empower Personal Dashboard, formerly Personal Capital, is the best free tool for tracking net worth and investments. Link your accounts and you get a clear view of your assets, the fees buried in your funds and whether retirement is on track. Budgeting is basic. The free dashboard also feeds Empower's advisory business, so expect calls or emails pitching wealth management.
Full Empower Personal Dashboard review
