Robinhood offers commission-free trading, crypto assets, and margin accounts. E*TRADE also has commission-free assets, but if offers a wider range of account types and investments. Robinhood is better for crypto and options trading, while E*TRADE is better if you want automated investing. Robinhood vs. E*TRADE: The biggest differences Robinhood and E*TRADE are two popular online brokerages offering low-cost investment options. If you're an active trader who prefers the self-directed route, you can avoid account minimum requirements and commissions with both investment apps. While the two both offer commission-free trades on stocks, ETFs, and options, E*TRADE presents a more extensive selection of account types and investment choices. Robinhood and E*TRADE also receive payment for order flow (PFOF is the compensation brokerages receive in return for directing customer orders to third parties for execution), but their fee structures aren't exactly identical.