Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Simple VS Robinhood

Compare Simple VS Robinhood and see what are their differences

Simple logo Simple

Simple is reinventing personal banking with modern online and mobile experiences, no surprise fees...

Robinhood logo Robinhood

Free stock trading service.
  • Simple Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-10-06
  • Robinhood Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-07

Simple features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Simple offers an intuitive and straightforward interface, making it accessible for users who may not be tech-savvy.
  • No Hidden Fees
    Simple is transparent about fees, such as not charging for overdrafts or maintaining a minimum balance, which can save users money.
  • Innovative Budgeting Tools
    Tools like 'Safe-to-Spend' and 'Goals' help users manage their finances more effectively by visually representing their spending power and saving goals.
  • Excellent Customer Service
    Simple has a reputation for responsive and helpful customer service, which can be reached via multiple channels, including phone, email, and social media.
  • FDIC Insured
    Deposits are insured up to $250,000 through a partnership with BBVA USA, adding a layer of security for users.

Possible disadvantages of Simple

  • Limited Product Offerings
    Simple lacks a comprehensive suite of financial products like loans and credit cards that traditional banks offer.
  • Cash Deposit Limitations
    Depositing cash can be cumbersome as Simple does not have physical branches; users must utilize third-party services which might incur fees.
  • No Physical Branches
    The absence of physical locations may be a disadvantage for those who prefer face-to-face interactions for their banking needs.
  • Reliance on Internet Access
    As a fully online bank, Simple requires stable internet access and competent digital literacy, which may not be convenient for all users.
  • Limited ATM Network
    While Simple provides access to a broad network of fee-free ATMs, users might still encounter situations where finding a fee-free ATM is inconvenient.

Robinhood features and specs

  • Commission-free trading
    Robinhood offers zero-commission trading for stocks, options, and ETFs, which makes it an attractive platform for cost-conscious investors.
  • User-friendly interface
    The app and website are designed to be intuitive and easy to use, especially appealing to beginner investors who might find more complex platforms intimidating.
  • Fractional shares
    Robinhood allows investors to purchase fractional shares of stocks, making it easier to invest small amounts of money in expensive stocks.
  • Real-time market data
    Free access to real-time market data helps investors make informed decisions.
  • Cryptocurrency trading
    Robinhood also offers the ability to trade popular cryptocurrencies without incurring transaction fees.

Possible disadvantages of Robinhood

  • Limited customer support
    Robinhood's customer service has been criticized for being difficult to reach and not always providing adequate support.
  • Outages and reliability
    The platform has experienced significant outages during periods of high volatility, which can be problematic for active traders.
  • Lack of investment research
    Compared to other brokerages, Robinhood offers limited research and educational resources, which can be a disadvantage for investors who rely on these tools.
  • Margin rates
    Robinhood's margin rates are higher compared to some competitors, which can be a disadvantage for those looking to borrow funds to trade.
  • Limited account types
    Robinhood offers fewer types of accounts (e.g., no retirement accounts) compared to other brokerages, limiting the platform's appeal to long-term investors.

Analysis of Simple

Overall verdict

  • While Simple was considered a good choice for digital banking due to its ease of use and helpful financial management tools, it no longer operates independently. Former Simple customers and individuals seeking similar features might consider alternatives like Chime, Varo, or other modern fintech companies that offer similar services.

Why this product is good

  • Simple was known for its intuitive and user-friendly mobile banking experience, offering features like budgeting tools, no fees on basic accounts, and a reliable digital platform. It aimed to make banking straightforward and stress-free for users, especially those comfortable with handling finances through an app. However, as of 2021, Simple has been shut down by its parent company, BBVA USA, and its services have been transitioned into BBVA's offerings.

Recommended for

    Simple, when operational, was recommended for tech-savvy individuals looking for a seamless online banking experience without many fees, and people interested in integrated budgeting and financial tracking tools. Current recommendations would be to explore existing fintech solutions with comparable benefits.

Simple videos

The Truth About Simple Skin Care

More videos:

  • Review - DOCTOR V Reviews Simple | Brown/ Dark Skin of Colour | SOC
  • Review - Simple Skincare Review! Micellar Water, Cleansers, Moisturizer | Clean, Affordable Skin Care

Robinhood videos

ROBINHOOD REVIEW 2020 | The Best Investing App For Beginners?

More videos:

  • Review - Robinhood Instant Vs Cash Account: Should You Upgrade?
  • Review - What Is Robinhood Instant? Can You Day Trade?
  • Review - Robinhood App Review After 2 Years of Use
  • Review - What you MUST KNOW about Robinhood Investing

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Simple and Robinhood)
Finance
10 10%
90% 90
Time Tracking
100 100%
0% 0
Investing
0 0%
100% 100
Productivity
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Simple and Robinhood

Simple Reviews

The 8 Best Budgeting Apps of 2020
Simple is more than a budgeting app, it is an online bank account that replaces your old checking account and has tons of useful budgeting features built-in. When your budget and your bank live in the same app, it is much easier to manage and keep everything under control because you only have one place to visit to view and manage your money.
17 Top Evernote Alternatives for Note-Taking for 2019
Hereโ€™s the lowdown: Simplenote is free across all devices; Evernote isnโ€™t. Evernote has an adequate amount of formatting and rich text options; Simplenote doesnโ€™t. Evernote offers web clipping, Simplenote doesnโ€™t.

Robinhood Reviews

  1. Nakamura Riko
    ยท Senior Developer at CodLUCK Technolog ยท
    Robinhood is a financial freedom catalyst

    Its user-friendly platform, commission-free trades, and real-time updates make investing a joy. With instant deposits, I seize opportunities instantly. Robinhood isn't just an app; it's a gateway to financial empowerment. I'm grateful for the wealth it's helped me build. Highly satisfied!

  2. Thank

    with this office the first investment steps were taken. Thanks for the first money!


13 BEST TradingView Alternative for Equity, Crypto & Forex
Robinhood is a trading platform that allows you to access real-time market data. This strong competitor of TradingView allows you to customize your portfolio with pieces of different companies and funds.
Source: www.guru99.com
When is Robinhood Coming to Australia? Alternatives for 2022
But do not lose hope! Meantime, you can still find some Robinhood Australian alternatives that have proven reliable (and perhaps even more reliable than Robinhood!). The covid-19 stock crash during the first quarter of 2020 showed some vulnerabilities of the Robinhood platform. The app collapsed several times, and investors could not trade during the most volatile markets in...
6 Best Brokers for Dividend Reinvestment (DRIP) โ€“ US, UK, and Canada
This remains a personal decision. Do you want access to in-depth research (Schwab), or are you more concerned about fees (Robinhood)?
Best Places to Buy Bitcoin
When you pay fees of 0.5% or more to buy and sell, youโ€™re giving up a big portion of your potential bitcoin gains right off the top. Robinhood is best known as a commission-free stockbroker, but you can buy and sell bitcoin with no commissions as well. If you already have some experience with stock market investing, buying cryptocurrencies with Robinhood will likely feel...
Robinhood vs. Coinbase: Which Is Better?
While Robinhood offers cryptocurrency trading through an account with Robinhood Crypto, itโ€™s not the platformโ€™s main focus. Itโ€™s an online brokerage that handles popular investment assets including, U.S. listed stocks, options and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). It appeals to users with its minimal fees and mobile interface. That ease-of-use can set it apart from other...
Source: smartasset.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Robinhood should be more popular than Simple. It has been mentiond 15 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Simple mentions (4)

  • Closed bank closed debit card (simple.com)
    I received a refund for an item on Amazon and the debit card and bank was closed. Amazon will not reissue the refund to a different debit card and I'm clueless who to contact if there is anyone to contact since simple.com was defunct in 2021. Any help would be appreciated. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Am I selfish?
    Get a fresh bank account without him; credit unions can be good for this. Make sure it's not at a bank that he frequents...you don't want the teller to be "helpful" and clue him in on things. I used to recommend simple.com for a debit card, but they have sold out to PNC. Source: about 4 years ago
  • I never had to call Simple.
    Patience and discovering that simple.com now points to BBVA's Simple migration page. Source: about 5 years ago
  • Q about Simple hosted message center
    Prior to putting this on reddit the site showed a simple.com blue banner. Source: over 5 years ago

Robinhood mentions (15)

  • did my friend get scammed by this site?
    Legit investment sites would be sites like https://robinhood.com and https://www.webull.com. Others, I wouldnt count on. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Inexperienced investors bring volatility to crypto and stock markets
    The rise of cryptocurrency and the democratization of the stock market through platforms such as Robinhood have made investing more accessible than ever before. However, this accessibility has also led to an influx of inexperienced investors entering the market, bringing with them increased volatility and unpredictability. Source: over 3 years ago
  • A fine of 700 million dollars for the former director of FTX
    According to Adonis Network's news, new court filings, disgraced FTX founder Sam Benkman-Fried (SBF) will face forfeiture of $700 million in assets if convicted of fraud. Most of this amount is related to Robin Hood brokerage's trading shares, which have a value of more than 500 million dollars. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Robinhood to cut 23% of its workforce, revenue sinks 44%
    Lol its homepage slider thing shows bitcoin at $51,000 https://robinhood.com/us/en/. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Yo real question when someone says invest yo money tf im supposed to invest in?
    Download this app and invest in whatever you want. Source: about 4 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Simple and Robinhood, you can also consider the following products

Money Guide Pro - Money Guide Pro is a financial planning software solution.

TradingView - The best charting tool for crypto and stocks

Salesforce Financial Services Cloud - Salesforce Financial Services Cloud offers CRM solutions for banking, insurance, and wealth management.

Coinbase - Bitcoin, safe and easy.

Joist - Joist is a mobile application to manage estimates, invoicing and accounting for contractors.

eToro - The social investment network that connects traders from around the globe and enables them to share...