Is Robinhood Gold Worth It
Robinhood Gold's premium features can help you make the most of your money, but is it really time to upgrade? Read on to find out.
 |
Robinhood Gold can be worth it if you value the following features:
For just $5 a month, Robinhood Gold offers 4% APY on your uninvested brokerage cash, Morningstar research, and more.
Robinhood Gold will even match your annual IRA contributions, but the question remains — is it worth it?
Before deciding whether to upgrade or not, read on to learn about Robinhood Gold's features.
Robinhood Gold
- Professional Research
- First $1,000 of margin borrowed is interest-free
- Bigger Instant Deposit
- Level II Market Data
Is Robinhood Gold Worth It?
Yes, Robinhood Gold is worth it. To be specific, it's worth it for investors who:
- Have a significant amount of idle cash
- Maximizes their IRA annual contributions
- Require bigger instant deposits and Level 2 data
- Use Morningstar research and stock ratings
With these Gold features, investors can easily get their money back and even earn more.
What Is Robinhood Gold?
Robinhood Gold is a subscription plan where Robinhood investors can access premium features, tools, and data.
Here are the benefits of subscribing to Gold: [1]
- 4% APY on your idle cash (cash you have not invested yet)
- Bigger instant deposits
- Professional research from Morningstar
- Level 2 Market Data from Nasdaq
- First $1,000 of margin borrowed is interest-free
- Higher match on IRA contributions compared to non-Gold
The Gold subscription also makes you eligible for the Robinhood Gold Credit Card, which offers various perks such as cash back on purchases.
Here's how Gold compares to the regular Robinhood account:
| Feature | Robinhood Gold | Regular Account |
|---|---|---|
| APY on idle cash | 4% | None |
| Instant deposits (if less than $1,000 portfolio balance) | $5,000 | $1,000 |
| Morningstar research | Yes | No |
| Level 2 market data | Yes | No |
| Free margin | Up to $1,000 | None |
| Robinhood Gold Card | Eligible | Ineligible |
Pricing
Robinhood Gold costs $5 per month or $50 annually. [2]
You can try Gold for free for your first 30 days. Then, you'll be charged monthly at the beginning of each billing cycle unless you cancel your subscription before the next billing date.
Robinhood Gold: 4% APY on Idle Cash
- 4.00% APY on idle cash - earn while you sleep
- Your money is FDIC-insured up to $2.5M at partner banks. No cap on earnings, withdraw or invest you money at any time.
Key Features
Investing with the added features from Robinhood Gold can help you improve your portfolio returns. Continue reading to learn more about each feature in detail.
4% APY On Idle Cash
If you have extra cash sitting in your account, you can earn 4% annual interest through Robinhood's brokerage sweep program.
Robinhood itself does not pay interest. However, its cash sweep program automatically moves your uninvested cash to FDIC-insured program banks like Goldman Sachs to earn interest.
The cash deposited in these program banks is covered by FDIC insurance up to $2.5 million ($250,000 per bank).
By default, the cash sweep feature is disabled. You must select Enable Cash Sweep in the settings to start earning 4% APY.
Yes, you'll receive your interest in Robinhood Gold on every last business day of the month. If the last day of the month falls on a Sunday, you'll get paid by Friday.
Robinhood Gold: 4% APY on Idle Cash
- 4.00% APY on idle cash - earn while you sleep
- Your money is FDIC-insured up to $2.5M at partner banks. No cap on earnings, withdraw or invest you money at any time.
IRA Contribution Match
With Gold, you can get a higher IRA match on your annual contributions to your Robinhood IRA compared to non-Gold members. This is one of the main selling points of Gold for investors. [3]
To keep this IRA match, you must stay subscribed to Robinhood Gold for one year after the first match. The funds must stay in the account for at least five years to avoid the early IRA match removal fee.
Sometimes, Robinhood Gold has limited-time offers for additional percentage boosts when you transfer any amount from IRAs or old 401(k)s.
If you can, maximize your annual IRA contributions to make the most out of this feature.
3% Match on IRA with Robinhood Gold
Earn 3% IRA match on all eligible contributions with Robinhood Gold. Terms and conditions apply. This is a limited-time offer.
First $1,000 Margin Is Interest Free
When you trade on margin with Robinhood Gold, the first $1,000 that you borrow will be interest-free. If you borrow more, you'll pay a variable interest up to 5.75% on the margin you use above $1,000.[4]
Robinhood Gold Card
The Robinhood Gold Credit Card is exclusive to Robinhood Gold members. Benefits include:
- Cash-back on all eligible purchases with no annual fee.
- Cash-back on travel booked through Robinhood Travel.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- Reward points usable for travel, gift cards, and shopping.
- Convertible reward points into cash, credited to your Robinhood investing account.
Bigger Instant Deposits
While the instant deposit is typically limited to $1,000 in the regular account, Gold increases that to $5,000. You don't have to worry about delays when you're looking to invest immediately.[5]
This is particularly helpful if you're trying to catch important market moves, such as when a stock becomes undervalued or shows signs of reversal after a downward trend, so you can "buy the dip."
When you reach the instant deposit limit, you'll have to wait five business days for it to be processed. To avoid that, learn exactly what your instant deposit limit is based on your type of account:
| Portfolio Size | With Gold | Without Gold |
|---|---|---|
| Less than $1,000 | $5,000 | $1,000 |
| Greater than $1,000 | $5,000 | 2x of the portfolio value |
| Less than $2,000 | $5,000 | 2x of the portfolio value |
| Greater than $2,000 | 3x of the portfolio value | 2x of the portfolio value |
Morningstar Professional Research
Another benefit of Robinhood Gold is the unlimited access to Morningstar's premium, in-depth stock research reports.
Every report features professional analysis and ratings related to the company, such as:
- Business strategy
- Economic moat (competitive advantage)
- Fair market value
- Risk
- Leadership
These reports are typically published near the release of earnings reports. Or before major company events like product launches, mergers, or leadership changes.
This feature will help you understand the overall status of the company and its outlook.
Level 2 Market Data
Subscribing to Gold gives you access to level 2 data from Nasdaq. This helps you anticipate the upcoming market move by spotting potential support and resistance price levels.
Normally, a trading platform only shows one bid and one ask price, the current price at which it's trading. With level 2 data, you'll see the other pending bid and ask prices with the corresponding volume at that level.
Is There a Catch to Robinhood Gold?
There will always be risks involved when it comes to investing. Here are some rules that could make or break your decision to upgrade to Gold:
- 4% APY
The interest payment will only apply if you have an overall uninvested cash balance and have enabled the cash sweep program. You won't earn interest if you're trading on margin and have insufficient funds. - Bigger Instant Deposits
Ideally, you'll get higher instant deposits when you subscribe to Gold. However, this is still subject to review. Only those with good standing in instant deposits will get this Gold benefit. - IRA Match
To keep the IRA match, you must hold those eligible IRA contributions for at least five years. Plus, you must be subscribed to Gold for at least a year. - Cash Sweep for IRAs
IRA contributions are excluded from the cash sweep program. In other words, interest earned on idle cash through the cash sweep program does not apply to IRA contributions. - Free Margin Limit
Your free margin is limited to your first $1,000 only. Beyond this amount, you'll be subject to the usual margin rates. This is a highly risky trading method, so avoid activating a margin account if you're not yet knowledgeable about it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to upgrade to Robinhood Gold?
Easily upgrade your account to Gold through the link below. First-time users will receive a 30-day free trial.
Robinhood Gold
- Professional Research
- First $1,000 of margin borrowed is interest-free
- Bigger Instant Deposit
- Level II Market Data
Is it safe to keep money in Robinhood Gold?
The securities you hold in Robinhood Gold are covered by SIPC. Uninvested cash in the cash sweep program is FDIC-insured, as participating banks are FDIC members. Each program bank provides up to $250,000 in coverage.
What happens if I cancel Robinhood Gold?
When you cancel your Robinhood Gold subscription, you'll still have access to Gold features until the end of the billing cycle. After that, you'll lose its premium features, such as the high APY and bigger instant deposits.
Alternatives
Looking for Robinhood Gold alternatives? Consider these apps:
Webull
Webull is often considered Robinhood's main competitor. It's also a trading app with a user-friendly interface and zero commissions.
Just like Robinhood, it offers a high-yield interest rate on uninvested cash. You'll earn interest on idle cash without paying any subscription fee.[6]
But unlike Robinhood, Webull does not offer an IRA match.
20 Free Fractional Shares
Open a new Webull individual brokerage account. Make a qualifying single initial deposit of $500 or more during the promotional period to get 20 fractional shares, each valued between $3 - $3,000. Maintain a balance of $500 or more in the account for 30 days or more. Terms and conditions apply.
Acorns
Acorns is a fintech app primarily known for its micro-investing features. While it does offer some banking services, its main focus is helping users invest spare change into ETFs.
Both Acorns Gold and Robinhood Gold offer an IRA match.
Acorns also offers a $10,000 life insurance policy, provided in partnership with a third-party insurer to eligible customers through its premium membership—something Robinhood doesn't offer.
Lastly, Acorns' investing platform is more limited compared to Robinhood's. Acorns only offers a few ETFs, whereas Robinhood provides access to 10,000 securities, including stocks and fixed-income products.
3% IRA Match with Acorns Gold
Get a 3% IRA match, up to $210, on new contributions with Acorns Gold subscription. These new contributions must be kept in your Acorns Later retirement account for 4 years. Get a 1% IRA match with Acorns Silver.
Bottom Line
Upgrading your account to Robinhood Gold is worth it, especially if you're looking for a platform with high APY on idle cash and an IRA match.
However, the Gold plan may not suit all kinds of investors, so carefully review its pros and cons before upgrading.
Robinhood Gold
- Professional Research
- First $1,000 of margin borrowed is interest-free
- Bigger Instant Deposit
- Level II Market Data
References
- ^ Robinhood. What's Robinhood Gold?, Retrieved 01/30/2025
- ^ Robinhood. How do I upgrade to Gold?, Retrieved 01/30/2025
- ^ Robinhood. Robinhood Retirement, Retrieved 01/30/2025
- ^ Robinhood. Robinhood margin rates, Retrieved 01/30/2025
- ^ Robinhood. What are bigger Instant Deposits?, Retrieved 02/20/2025
- ^ Webull. Webull High-Yield Cash Management, Retrieved 02/20/2025
$20 Investment Bonus
- Open an Acorns account (new users only)
- Set up the Recurring Investments feature
- Have your first investment be made successfully via the Recurring Investments feature
Buy $100 in Crypto and Get $10 Bonus from eToro USA LLC
- Sign up for an eToro account
- Deposit funds
- Invest in $100 worth of crypto
You'll automatically receive $10 directly to your account balance. Offer only applies to US customers. Cryptocurrency is offered by eToro USA LLC (“the MSB”) (NMLS: 1769299) and is not FDIC or SIPC insured. Investing involves risk.
Invest in Real Estate with $10+
- Only $10 minimum investment
- Get a diversified portfolio of real estate projects across the US
- Open to all investors
Write to Stella Magay at feedback@creditdonkey.com. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for our latest posts.
Note: This website is made possible through financial relationships with some of the products and services mentioned on this site. We may receive compensation if you shop through links in our content. You do not have to use our links, but you help support CreditDonkey if you do.
|
|
| ||||||
|
|
|
Compare:
