It's close: Robinhood edges it 8.4 to 8.3, so the right pick depends on what you need. Robinhood wins on 2 of the 5 scores, Venmo on 2, with 1 tied.
Self-directed investors who want a fast, simple brokerage app
Friends and roommates in the US who split dinners, rent and trips
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Robinhood | Venmo |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Money & Investing | Money & Investing |
| Category rank | #12 of 16 | #13 of 16 |
| Developer | Robinhood Markets, Inc. | PayPal |
| Pricing | Free + paid plans | Free |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web | ✓ | — |
Common questions
Is Robinhood better than Venmo?
It's close: Robinhood edges it 8.4 to 8.3, so the right pick depends on what you need. Robinhood wins on 2 of the 5 scores, Venmo on 2, with 1 tied.
Which is cheaper, Robinhood or Venmo?
Robinhood: Free stock and ETF trades; Gold is $5/month or $50/year after a 30-day trial. Venmo: Free from balance, bank or debit; 3% with a credit card; instant transfer 1.75%. On value for money, Venmo scores higher.
Do Robinhood and Venmo work on the same devices?
Only Robinhood runs on Web.
Which is more private, Robinhood or Venmo?
Robinhood scores higher on privacy (5.8/10). App Store label lists identifiers as used to track you, and links a wide range of data to you, including contacts, browsing and search history, location and financial info, some of it for marketing.
Strengths and weaknesses
Robinhood
- Clean, fast app that makes trading easy to understand
- No commissions on stock and ETF trades
- Gold's 3% IRA match is a rare perk for $5 a month
- Relies partly on payment for order flow
- Event contracts and quick trades can encourage over-trading
- App Store label shows broad data collection and tracking
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 $5-a-month Gold plan adds a higher cash yield, a 3% IRA match and cheaper margin. Prediction markets and AI tools keep arriving. The catch is a design that nudges you toward frequent trading, so treat it as a tool, not a game.
Full Robinhood review
Venmo
- Free to pay friends from balance, bank or debit
- Splitting a bill takes a few taps
- Fun feed with emoji and GIF payment notes
- Only works in the US
- Instant transfers cost 1.75%, up to $25
- App Store label lists usage data used for tracking
Venmo is the quickest way to pay a friend back in the US. Sending from your balance, bank or debit card is free, splitting a bill takes seconds, and the feed of emoji-filled payment notes is half the fun. A 2026 redesign is making privacy settings easier to find, which matters because payments used to be public by default. Instant transfers to your bank cost 1.75%, and Venmo only works in the US.
Full Venmo review
