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SoFi Active Investing vs. Robinhood: Which Beginner-Friendly Broker Is Best?

Review Updated
Ryan Wilcox
Author: Ryan Wilcox
Ryan Wilcox
Ryan Wilcox
Full-Time Personal Finance Writer

Ryan is a full-time Personal Finance Writer at Motley Fool Money. He’s been covering topics like credit cards and savings since 2022, when he began his writing career at The Points Guy. He later joined Motley Fool Money, where he continues helping people who are new to the world of personal finance. Outside of work, you’ll find Ryan reading, writing, listening to music or obsessively updating his Letterboxd account.

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If you're looking for a low-cost way to get into investing, SoFi Active Investing and Robinhood are two of the best options out there.

Both platforms are built for ease of use, offering commission-free trading and intuitive apps that appeal to beginners. But while they share some similarities, they're designed with different investors in mind.

SoFi Active Investing leans toward long-term investors who want access to mutual funds and banking services. Robinhood, on the other hand, has built a reputation on quick and easy trading.

I've used Robinhood myself, and I bank with SoFi®, so I can personally vouch for the ease of use of both of their products.

Here's what you need to know about each broker to decide which one fits your needs.

SoFi Active Investing vs. Robinhood: At a glance

SoFi Active Investing

SoFi Active Investing is part of SoFi®'s wider range of financial services, which includes checking, savings, credit cards, and loans. I also love how you can trade stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds from its all-in-one interface, making it appealing to investors looking for a comprehensive platform.

Robinhood

Robinhood is known for making stock and options trading simple and accessible. Its app is built for speed and ease, with commission-free trades on stocks, ETFs, and more.

Robinhood has also expanded into things like IRAs, but still focuses primarily on active trading and short-term strategies. I've only used Robinhood a bit, but that's exactly what I used it for myself.

Offer


Rating

Rating

4.5/5 Circle with letter I in it. 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.
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Rating

4.5/5 Circle with letter I in it. 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.
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= Excellent
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Commissions

Commissions

$0 for stocks, $0 for options contracts

Commissions

$0 for stocks, ETFs, and options
Account Minimum

Account Minimum

$0

Account Minimum

$0
Learn More
Learn More for SoFi Active Investing

On SoFi Active Investing's Secure Website.

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Learn More for Robinhood

On Robinhood's Secure Website.

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SoFi Active Investing vs. Robinhood: Commissions and fees

Commission/Fee SoFi Invest® Robinhood
Stock & ETF commissions $0 $0
Options commissions $0 $0
Crypto commissions N/A $0
Mutual fund commissions $0 (other fees may apply) N/A
Account transfer fee $100 $100
Account maintenance fee $25 six-month inactivity fee (avoidable by logging in periodically) $0, or $5/month for Robinhood Gold
Data source: Robinhood and SoFi®.

Both brokers offer commission-free stock and ETF trading, which is practically an industry standard. Robinhood also offers completely commission-free options and crypto trading, while SoFi® charges small assignment/exercise fees for options and does not support direct crypto trading.

SoFi® has the advantage when it comes to mutual funds and alternative investments, though, offering more than 6,000 mutual funds commission-free. Robinhood does not support mutual funds.

SoFi® does have a six-month inactivity fee, and Robinhood charges for its optional Robinhood Gold subscription. Both brokers charge $100 for full account transfers.

SoFi Active Investing vs. Robinhood: Available investments

Investment Type SoFi Invest® Robinhood
Stocks and ETFs Yes Yes
Fractional shares Yes Yes
Options Yes Yes
Mutual funds Yes No
CDs No No
Bonds No No
Futures No No
Crypto No Yes
Currencies No No
Data sources: Robinhood and SoFi®.

I appreciate how both brokers cover core offerings like stocks, ETFs, fractional shares, and options. Robinhood is the better choice for investors interested in crypto, though, as SoFi® doesn't support it (though it does have a crypto partner hub with access to BitGo and Blockchain).

SoFi Active Investing stands out for its wide selection of mutual funds. Investors can also buy and sell commodities, real estate funds, foreign currency, and more.

Alternatives to Consider

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 2025.

Broker Best For Commissions Learn More
Logo for SoFi Active Investing
4.5/5 Circle with letter I in it. 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
Managing your finances under one roof $0 for stocks, $0 for options contracts
Learn More for SoFi Active Investing

On SoFi Active Investing's Secure Website.

Logo for Charles Schwab
4.5/5 Circle with letter I in it. 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.

Logo for Fidelity
5.0/5 Circle with letter I in it. 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.

SoFi Active Investing vs. Robinhood: Account types available

Account type SoFi Invest® Robinhood
Taxable brokerage Yes Yes
Joint tenant Yes Yes
Margin Yes Yes
Robo-advisor Yes Yes
Traditional IRA Yes Yes
Roth IRA Yes Yes
SEP IRA Yes No
Custodial No No
Checking Yes No
Savings Yes No
Credit card Yes Yes
Data sources: Robinhood and SoFi®.

I recommend SoFi® if you're looking for a bit more account variety, especially for self-employed investors. It supports IRAs, joint accounts, and a robo-advisor. It also offers integrated checking, savings, and a rewards credit card.

Robinhood keeps things simpler, offering taxable brokerage accounts, joint accounts, IRAs, and a robo-advisor. It also has a spending account with a cash sweep feature, but lacks full checking and savings products.

SoFi Active Investing vs. Robinhood: Mobile app and trading platforms

Both brokers excel in mobile app design, with highly rated apps designed to simplify investing. SoFi®'s app integrates investing with its broader suite of financial services, making it a one-stop shop for banking, borrowing, and investing.

Robinhood is a trading platform that prioritizes speed and ease of use. Its clean interface and simple trade execution helped popularize mobile investing.

Its easy-to-use platform might encourage more trading than necessary, though. It's been accused of gamifying trading in the past, but has made changes to the platform to help resolve this.

Having used them both, I can attest that they're both helpful, beginner-friendly investment platforms. I'd recommend either to a friend looking to get into investing.

Neither platform offers advanced desktop software like some traditional brokers. For beginner investors, though, both apps offer a streamlined experience.

Final take

SoFi Active Investing and Robinhood both offer commission-free investing in an easy-to-use format, but they appeal to different types of investors.

I'd recommend SoFi Active Investing to long-term investors who want access to mutual funds, retirement accounts, and banking products under one roof.

Robinhood, meanwhile, is better suited to active traders and those interested in options or crypto. Its low-cost margin accounts and wide crypto access make it especially appealing for short-term trading.

Ultimately, the right choice comes down to your goals: Choose SoFi® for long-term wealth building, or Robinhood for active trading.

At Motley Fool Money, brokerages are rated on a scale of one to five stars. We primarily focus on fees, available assets, and user experience; however, we also take into account features like research, education, tax-loss harvesting, and customer service. Our highest-rated brokerages generally include low fees, a diverse range of assets and account types, and useful platform features.

Our aim is to maintain a balanced best-of list featuring top-scoring brokerages from reputable brands. Ordering within lists is influenced by advertiser compensation, including featured placements at the top of a given list, but our product recommendations are NEVER influenced by advertisers. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates brokerage accounts.

At Motley Fool Money, brokerages are rated on a scale of one to five stars. We primarily focus on fees, available assets, and user experience; however, we also take into account features like research, education, tax-loss harvesting, and customer service. Our highest-rated brokerages generally include low fees, a diverse range of assets and account types, and useful platform features.

Our aim is to maintain a balanced best-of list featuring top-scoring brokerages from reputable brands. Ordering within lists is influenced by advertiser compensation, including featured placements at the top of a given list, but our product recommendations are NEVER influenced by advertisers. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates brokerage accounts.