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The Robinhood desktop app, called Robinhood for Web, was rolled out to all users back in spring 2018, as an alternative to the brokerage firm’s mobile app. In this article, discover how the two apps differ. You’ll also learn whether the desktop version offers you any advantages compared to the mobile app.
BEFORE YOU GO…
If you’re looking to invest and short on funds, check out the following guides to put thousands of dollars in your pocket FAST.
- 9 Best Money Borrowing Apps (we tried and tested ’em all)
- Best Cash Advance Apps (quick cash advances with no fees)
- How to Borrow $100 Instantly (no need to ask a buddy for a loan)
Robinhood for Web
You can log into Robinhood for Web through the Robinhood website. Once you’ve logged in, you’ll be greeted with a straightforward interface that’s easy to navigate. The site itself is quick to load.
At first glance, you’ll see a dashboard where you can quickly view how your stocks have been performing over different periods, such as a week, a month, the last year or in real-time. Also, on your dashboard, you’ll see a complete list of the stocks that you own, along with their worth and your watchlist. You can still make zero-commission trades through the website.
Robinhood for Web displays a list of recommended stocks (and associated prices) that you might be interested in; these could be stocks that you’re already watching for example. Additionally, you can keep an eye on notable stocks that have moved up or down considerably and see your personalized news feed, containing links to articles that may be relevant to stocks you own or are watching.
There is a handy search tool on Robinhood for Web where you can view performance charts and read related news articles about any stock to help you when making investment decisions. Other tools include a list of the top 100 most popular stocks according to Robinhood’s users. As well as “Collections” – a way to discover new stocks that have been organized into sectors, like “Gas and Oil” and “Social Networks”.
You can also view “Analyst Ratings”; that’s the buy, sell and hold ratings from Wall Street analysts and check out commentaries from Morningstar analysts. Additionally, you can see the average price paid on Robinhood for different stocks as well as the current share price.
Robinhood does not offer overdraft protection.
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What are the differences between Robinhood’s desktop and mobile app?
There isn’t much difference between Robinhood’s original mobile app and the new Robinhood for Web application. Both have user-friendly, clean interfaces and offer more or less the same features across both apps.
When the Robinhood for desktop app was first launched, it included more advanced analytical and discovery tools compared to the mobile app, such as “Collections” and the “People Also Bought” feature where you can see what stocks other investors have been buying.
According to a recent blog post on the Robinhood website, some of these features are now being made available on the mobile app, and the options features which were initially on mobile will be brought to the web too.
Although there don’t appear to be any significant differences between them, having both a web and mobile application is much more convenient than a stand-alone mobile app. Some users will prefer to access Robinhood on their laptops or PC.
Robinhood for Web reviews
There are quite a few video reviews of the Robinhood for desktop app on YouTube. On the whole, the web application seems to be well received from users. The site design is clean and uncluttered, and it’s easy to see where all the different features are located.
In some of the reviews, users mention that they would like to see more detailed performance charts. This looks like something Robinhood is addressing on the mobile app by introducing candlestick charts to help investors understand more clearly how prices move. It’s not clear yet whether these new charts will be available on the desktop application.
Robinhood mobile app
Robinhood’s service was initially designed to be used purely via a smartphone. For this reason, it’s no surprise that many reviewers find the app to be fast-loading, intuitive and perhaps better than the apps of some large brokerage firms.
On Google Play, the Robinhood app scores 4.6 / 5. Over in the App Store, it scores 4.8 / 5. The majority of the mobile app reviews are positive with several reviewers saying that the app is excellent and great for beginner investors. Moreover, the zero-commission trades are a favorite feature for many!
There are few negative reviews in the app stores where some users have experienced difficulties in withdrawing funds. These problems seem to be worsened by limited customer support (which is only available online, not over the phone).
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Final thoughts…
If you’re a Robinhood investor, you may find that Robinhood for Web gives you greater accessibility. This is especially true if you find trading stocks a little cumbersome from your smartphone. Or, if you prefer to use a bigger screen, the desktop version may tick your boxes.
*The content provided in this article shouldn’t be construed as professional financial or investment advice.
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Mitchel holds a Bachelors of Business Administration in Finance from The Goizeta School of Business at Emory University and a Masters of Business Administration from The Haas School of Business at The University of California.
