You can now open a Robinhood account through the link below and get a chance to win stock rewards worth $5-$200. The reward can be used to buy stocks or fractional shares of the 26 companies offered by Robinhood. The opening bonus must be claimed within 60 days, and it can be sold 3 trading days after it is claimed

The current odds for the account-opening bonus are as follows:

  • About 99% of users get $5
  • About 0.9% of users get $10
  • About 0.1% of users get $200

About Robinhood

Robinhood is a U.S.-listed brokerage with ticker symbol HOOD. Robinhood first gained attention for offering commission-free U.S. stock trading, and it has since grown from a simple mobile trading app into a comprehensive investing platform covering stocks, ETFs, options, IRAs, cryptocurrencies, futures, cash management, and investment advisory services.

Most major U.S. brokerages now offer commission-free trading for U.S. stocks and ETFs, so zero-commission trading is no longer a unique advantage for Robinhood. What stands out more now is its simple interface, easy fractional-share trading, low account-opening barrier, and the ability to use multiple investment products on one platform. For people who are just starting to invest, do not have a large amount of money, or prefer managing investments on their phones, the overall experience is still quite friendly.

Robinhood supports iOS, Android, and the web, and it also offers Robinhood Legend, a desktop platform for active traders. Robinhood does not charge commissions on stocks, ETFs, or standard options trades, but sell orders may incur FINRA regulatory fees, and options may also incur exchange and clearing fees. Index options, futures, wire transfers, and account transfers may also incur fees.

Account security and asset protection

Robinhood Financial LLC and Robinhood Securities LLC are both SIPC members. If the brokerage fails and client assets are missing, SIPC provides up to $500,000 of protection per account type, including up to $250,000 for cash. Robinhood also purchases supplemental insurance that may provide additional protection after SIPC coverage is exhausted.

Please note that SIPC only addresses missing client assets after a brokerage failure; it does not reimburse investment losses caused by stock price declines. Cryptocurrencies held through Robinhood Crypto, as well as futures held through Robinhood Derivatives, are also not protected by SIPC.

Eligibility requirements

To apply for a Robinhood investing account, you must meet the following requirements:

  • Be at least 18 years old
  • Have a valid Social Security Number; in theory, you cannot use only an ITIN
  • Have a legal residential address in one of the 50 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands
  • Be a U.S. citizen, a permanent resident, or hold a valid U.S. visa that meets the requirements

Some work-visa and student-visa holders may be able to apply, but visa eligibility can change, and the final result depends on Robinhood's review. Robinhood account applications typically do not appear on credit reports as credit card accounts

Step-by-step process

  • Fill in your address information
  • Fill in your identity verification information and answer truthfully. There are no nationality or employment restrictions
  • Link your bank account; most major banks are supported. If you do not plan to invest, just enter $0.01 for the initial transfer.
  • Submit the account application
  • After submitting, remember to check your email and verify your inbox. You will usually receive an approval email the same day or the next day, and you can log in to the app only after approval
  • Download the Robinhood app (iPhone version, Android version)
  • After your account is approved, go to the Rewards page to claim the $5-$200 stock reward.

Approval speed varies by person. Some accounts are approved quickly, but Robinhood currently says the review process may take 1-2 weeks. If the system asks for additional documents, just submit them as instructed.

Robinhood Gold membership

Robinhood Gold is a paid membership priced at $5 per month or $50 per year. New users can usually get a one-time 30-day free trial, after which the plan renews automatically based on the option selected.

  • Uninvested cash 3.35% APY: After enabling the High-Yield Cash Program, eligible taxable-investment-account cash can earn 3.35% APY. The rate changes with the market and is not fixed.
  • IRA Contribution 3% Match: Gold users who make eligible annual contributions to a self-directed Robinhood IRA can receive a 3% match; non-Gold users receive 1%.
  • First $1,000 of margin interest-free: When using margin trading, the first $1,000 of borrowing is included in the Gold membership fee, and amounts above that are charged interest at the current tiered rate.
  • Higher Instant Deposit: Eligible users can access a higher amount of funds more quickly after making a deposit.
  • Some trading fee discounts: This includes lower index-options fees and some futures trading commissions.
  • Other membership benefits: Some partner offers, limited-time rewards, and discounted Robinhood Strategies management fees, among other benefits, may change over time.

The official links are below:

Is Robinhood Gold worth it?

If you only buy a small amount of stocks or ETFs occasionally, I don’t think it’s necessary to subscribe to Gold just for trading features, because the standard account already lets you trade stocks, ETFs, and plain vanilla options for free. The places where Gold really has value are mainly IRA Match, interest on idle cash, and interest-free margin on the first $1,000.

Looking only at idle cash interest, based on the current 3.35% APY, keeping an average of about $1,500 in cash would earn just enough interest to offset the $50 annual fee, and that’s before taxes. So if a free high-yield savings account or money market fund elsewhere can offer a similar rate, opening Gold just for cash interest isn’t very compelling.

IRA Match is easier to use to offset the annual fee. In 2026, users under 50 can contribute up to $7,500 to an IRA, and Gold users can receive up to $225 in Match; regular users already get $75, which means Gold gives you an extra $150. After subtracting the $50 annual fee, you still come out about $100 ahead. For users age 50 and older, the 2026 contribution limit is $8,600, and Gold can receive up to $258 in Match, which is $172 more than a regular account.

That said, to keep the full 3% IRA Match, you need to keep Gold for at least one year after receiving your first Gold Match. The funds that generate the reward also need to stay in the IRA for at least five years, otherwise part of the reward may be clawed back.

Interest-free margin on the first $1,000, calculated at the current top-tier rate of about 5%, can save you about $50 in interest if you borrow the full $1,000 all year, which is roughly enough to offset the membership fee. But margin amplifies investment risk, so I don’t recommend borrowing money just to save on the membership fee.

Overall, I think Gold is a better fit for the following types of people:

  • People who contribute to a Robinhood IRA every year and are willing to keep the money there long term
  • People who already plan to keep a relatively large amount of idle cash at Robinhood for the long term
  • People who genuinely need higher Instant Deposit limits, margin, or advanced trading features

If you only want to collect the sign-up stock or buy a few stocks occasionally, the free standard account is enough.

Idle cash interest and FDIC protection

The old Robinhood Cash Management has been discontinued and is no longer supported. It has now been replaced by the High-Yield Cash Program in the investment account.

After Gold users enable this feature, eligible idle cash can currently earn 3.35% APY, calculated from the first dollar, with no official balance cap for interest accrual. Some cash is held by the broker, and some funds are moved to partner banks through Cash Sweep.

Cash Sweep funds placed at partner banks are eligible for FDIC insurance, up to a combined maximum of $2.5 million for individual investment accounts and $5 million for joint investment accounts. Each partner bank is still subject to the standard FDIC limit, and if you already hold deposits at the same bank under the same ownership category, those deposits must be aggregated.

Basics and platform comparison

Stock Investing Basics

Below are introductions to several commonly used U.S. stock brokerages and their signup bonuses.

Overview Signup Bonus Quick Take
Moomoo Futu Get a $350 stock card + $1,000 NVDA + 8.1% APY Comprehensive features and a strong Chinese-language experience. Quotes, Level 2 data, options, and cash management are all practical, making it suitable for everyone from beginners to active traders.
TradeUp Tiger Brokers Get 50 NVDA shares + draw for 5 shares + 4% for three months Good for active trading. For U.S. tax residents, trading fees and margin are relatively competitive. It supports Web Trading, Level 2 data, and Chinese-language customer service.
Webull 12 fractional shares + 1 month of Premium membership Strong market-watching and active-trading features. Charts, technical indicators, options, and pre-market/after-hours trading are fairly complete, making it suitable for frequent traders.
BBAE Up to $650 in rewards Convenient account opening for users in China, with no SSN/ITIN required to apply. Chinese-language support is strong, but it currently has a Platform Fee, so it is not ideal for small-balance, high-frequency trading.
Robinhood Draw 1 stock The interface is simple and easy to use, making it suitable for beginners buying U.S. stocks for the first time. Gold users also get a high yield on idle cash and a lower Margin Rate.
Interactive Brokers Up to $1,000 Highly professional, with support for global markets and multiple currencies. Margin costs are competitive, and it also supports account opening for China residents, making it suitable for advanced investors and global investors.
TradeStation $250 More geared toward professional and active trading. Advanced charting, strategy backtesting, and automated trading features are relatively strong, but ordinary long-term investors may not need them.
Schwab Get up to $1,000 Good for long-term investing and larger asset balances. Buying ETFs and CDs is convenient. Checking and global ATM access are also advantages, but the default interest rate on idle cash is relatively low.
Fidelity Brokerage Account Signup link A long-established full-service brokerage, suitable for long-term investing, ETFs, and retirement accounts. Cash management is also good, making it a strong choice as a long-term primary brokerage.
BIT (formerly Matrixport) Get $210 for deposits and trading Suitable for users in China and digital-asset users. It can be used to allocate USDT/USDC and other funds into U.S. stocks. It is not a traditional U.S. brokerage, so you should review fees and the asset custody structure separately.
SoFi Invest Get $75 for opening an account Simple to use and supports Stock Bits, making it suitable for small-balance and long-term investing. Professional market data and trading tools are limited, so it is not suitable for frequent trading.
M1 Finance Investing Get $10 for depositing money Focused on Pies and automated investing. It is suitable for long-term dollar-cost averaging after setting your stock and ETF allocations, but not for users mainly focused on active trading.

If you do not have an SSN/ITIN but still want to trade U.S. stocks, you can consider the following brokerages/platforms. They can be opened entirely with China-based documents, and you can register with an ID card or passport. They do not participate in China CRS.

  • BBAE: Chinese-user friendly, and you can open an account without an SSN/ITIN
  • BIT (formerly Matrixport): You can open an account with an ID card, and approval can be completed within a few hours.
  • Bitget platform: Identity verification can be completed with an ID card/Chinese passport

If you are in mainland China and want to invest in U.S. stocks, you can read this overview:

Referral link