does robinhood charge when you sell stock

Does Robinhood Charge When You Sell Stock?

Does robinhood charge when you sell stock? Short answer: for ordinary U.S. stock and ETF trades, Robinhood does not charge a retail commission, but it can and does pass through certain mandatory regulatory, exchange, and clearing fees and you can incur indirect execution costs such as bid-ask spreads or order-routing effects. This guide explains which charges may appear when you sell, how they’re calculated, illustrative examples, and practical ways to minimize or avoid avoidable costs.

As of 2026-01-22, according to Robinhood Support ("Trading fees on Robinhood") and Robinhood's published fee schedule, Robinhood maintains a commission-free model for retail equity trades but lists specific pass-through regulatory and exchange fees that can apply to sell transactions. Other industry reviews and fee summaries corroborate that the platform’s revenue primarily comes from payment for order flow, interest, margin, and subscriptions rather than retail per-trade commissions.

Overview — Robinhood’s commission-free model

Robinhood popularized commission-free retail trading in the U.S., offering $0 commissions for buying and selling U.S. stocks and ETFs for most retail accounts. That core policy answers many users’ first question: does robinhood charge when you sell stock — not in the form of a per-trade commission.

Why then are there still costs? The platform generates revenue through several channels other than retail commissions: payment for order flow from market makers, interest on cash and margin, margin financing fees, subscription services, and some institutional services. Those business models mean you may not see a listed commission, but you can still face:

• Mandatory regulatory and exchange pass-through fees set by government agencies and self-regulatory organizations.
• Clearing and options-related fees when trading derivatives.
• Indirect execution costs such as the bid-ask spread or the economic effects of where orders are routed for execution.

If your primary concern is "does robinhood charge when you sell stock?", the correct nuance is: Robinhood typically does not charge a retail commission, but certain fees and indirect costs may be applied or embedded in executions.

Types of charges potentially applied when you sell stock

Commissions vs. pass-through regulatory and exchange fees

The platform’s headline is $0 commission on most U.S. stock and ETF trades. However, Robinhood — like other brokers — may collect and remit statutory fees that regulators or exchanges require. Those fees are not commission, but they are real dollar amounts that can appear on trade confirmations or account statements. When you ask "does robinhood charge when you sell stock?", remember to separate the ideas of a broker commission (typically $0 at Robinhood for U.S. equities) from mandatory pass-through fees (which may apply).

SEC regulatory transaction fee

The SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) historically imposes a small transaction fee on sellers of covered securities that is calculated as a tiny fraction of the dollar value of the sale. The SEC sets the rate, and it is adjusted periodically. Some months or regulatory cycles the SEC fee may be effectively zero if the agency sets a $0 assessment, and at other times it is a small cents-per-thousand-dollars charge. Robinhood’s trade confirmations will reflect any SEC transaction fee it passes through to the customer.

Note: Fee existence and rates are out of Robinhood’s direct control — they are set by regulators and reported on the broker’s fee schedule.

FINRA Trading Activity Fee (TAF)

FINRA historically assessed a Trading Activity Fee (TAF) that applied to sell transactions. The TAF has been calculated on a per-share basis and then rounded or capped per regulatory rules. Like the SEC fee, the TAF rate and whether it applies to a particular trade depend on the regulatory schedule in effect at the time and on trade specifics (share count, dollar value).

When you wonder "does robinhood charge when you sell stock?", the TAF is often the fee most retail customers encounter on sell orders because it has been charged at the per-share level and tends to appear on confirmations for sales.

Options-related and OCC fees (if selling options)

If you sell options contracts rather than stock shares, additional per-contract fees and clearing charges can apply. The Options Clearing Corporation (OCC) and exchanges set certain per-contract clearing and regulatory fees. Robinhood typically lists per-contract pass-through charges for options in its fee schedule. These are separate from stock sale fees and depend on the number of contracts and the specific option product.

ADR custodial/custody fees

Some foreign equities trade in the U.S. as American Depositary Receipts (ADRs). ADRs can carry custodial or processing fees that brokers may pass through to account holders. If you sell ADRs, small custody fees or foreign tax withholdings may appear, depending on the issuer and the broker’s policy.

Consolidated Audit Trail (CAT) fee and other temporary/regulatory assessments

Regulatory initiatives such as the Consolidated Audit Trail may impose small per-transaction assessments. Regulators and self-regulatory organizations periodically establish temporary fees or assessments. Robinhood will reflect those mandatory charges when applicable.

Indirect costs — spreads and order routing

Even with $0 explicit commission and minimal pass-throughs, you can incur indirect costs:

• Bid-ask spread: Buying at the ask and selling at the bid creates an immediate spread cost, especially for less liquid stocks.
• Execution quality/order routing: Payment-for-order-flow arrangements and the choice of execution venue can affect the price you receive. The effect can be small but material at scale or for large/illiquid trades.

So when customers ask "does robinhood charge when you sell stock?", a full answer emphasizes both explicit pass-through fees and these implicit execution costs.

When exactly are fees charged and how they’re calculated

Regulatory pass-through fees are typically calculated and applied at the time of execution and appear on your trade confirmation and account history. Key points:

• SEC transaction fees are often calculated as a percentage of total sale principal and may be rounded per broker procedure.
• FINRA/TAF-type fees have been charged on sell-side transactions and can be computed on a per-share basis, with per-trade rounding or caps set by the assessment rules.
• Options and OCC clearing fees apply per-contract when exercising, assigning, or selling options contracts.
• Some fees only apply to sales (not buys); others can appear on both sides depending on the rule.

Because the underlying rates are set by regulatory bodies, they can and do change. Brokers publish their own fee schedules and trade confirmations will show the exact amounts applied to a specific transaction.

When answering "does robinhood charge when you sell stock?", it's accurate to say that many sell orders will show $0 commission but may show a few cents or dollars of regulatory pass-throughs depending on trade size and the regulatory rates in effect.

Typical examples and sample calculations (illustrative)

Below are illustrative examples using hypothetical numbers to show how pass-through fees can look. These examples are for demonstration only; regulatory fees change and you should check Robinhood’s current fee schedule and your trade confirmation for exact figures.

Example 1 — Illustrative stock sale with per-share TAF-like fee:

• You sell 100 shares at $50.00 per share for total proceeds of $5,000.
• Hypothetical per-share regulatory fee: $0.00012 per share (illustrative only).
• Fee on the trade = 100 shares × $0.00012 = $0.012 → rounded to $0.01 or $0.02 depending on broker rounding rules.

Result: You receive ~$4,999.99 or ~$4,999.98 after the tiny pass-through assessment; commission remains $0.

Example 2 — Illustrative SEC % of principal fee:

• Sell 200 shares at $25.00 per share = $5,000 total.
• Hypothetical SEC transaction fee: 0.00002 of principal (illustrative only).
• Fee = $5,000 × 0.00002 = $0.10.

Result: Commission $0; regulatory pass-through $0.10 recorded on the confirmation.

Example 3 — Options contract sale (illustrative):

• Sell 5 option contracts.
• Hypothetical OCC per-contract clearing fee: $0.10 per contract plus exchange regulatory assessments.
• Fee = 5 × $0.10 = $0.50 plus any exchange fees.

Result: Commission $0 for options (per Robinhood policy at the time), but per-contract fees are passed through.

Important: These numbers are illustrative. As of 2026-01-22, regulatory rates and exact pass-through amounts can differ. Always check the live Robinhood fee schedule and your trade confirmation for the exact amounts applied to your transaction.

Other fees related to selling or exiting positions

Selling shares is one part of exiting a position. Other service-related fees may apply depending on what you do after a sale.

Account transfer (ACATS) / transfer-out fee

If you transfer your holdings to another broker rather than selling them, brokers may charge an outgoing transfer fee. Check Robinhood’s fee schedule for any outgoing Automated Customer Account Transfer Service (ACATS) charges. If you plan to move positions instead of selling, compare transfer fees to selling costs.

Withdrawal methods and instant transfer fees

Withdrawing cash after a sale to your linked bank account is usually free via standard ACH, though instant transfers (or debit card withdrawals) may incur a fee or percentage. If you intend to withdraw funds quickly after selling, expect that instant access options can come with a fee.

Paper statements, overnight delivery, and service fees

Some broker services — paper statements, expedited document delivery, or special processing — can carry nominal service fees. These are generally unrelated to the act of selling but can appear on your account activity.

When considering "does robinhood charge when you sell stock?", remember that selling itself may not lead to big broker fees, but downstream actions (instant cash-out, outgoing transfers) can.

Where to find the fees on Robinhood and how they appear on statements

Robinhood displays trade confirmations and account activity where pass-through regulatory and exchange fees appear. Practical places to look:

• Trade confirmation panel immediately after an executed sell order.
• Account activity or transaction history in the Robinhood app or web portal.
• Robinhood’s official fee schedule and "Trading fees on Robinhood" support article.

Always review the confirmation before and after a trade to see the exact amount of any regulatory or exchange assessment. If a fee looks incorrect, contact Robinhood Support and consult the fee schedule to reconcile the charge.

How to minimize or avoid selling-related costs

If you’re conscious about fees and the question "does robinhood charge when you sell stock?" matters to your trading costs, apply these practical tips:

• Check trade-size economics: tiny trades can cause a larger percentage impact from fixed per-trade fees or spreads. Consolidating trades may reduce per-dollar cost.
• Avoid unnecessary instant withdrawals: use standard ACH to avoid instant transfer fees.
• For options traders, be mindful of per-contract fees and grouping exercises or assignments where feasible.
• Monitor liquidity and spreads: trade during regular market hours and prefer more liquid securities to reduce spread costs.
• Review trade confirmations: confirm any regulatory fees and keep records for tax and reconciliation.
• If you frequently trade large volumes, consider brokers that publish execution quality reports and compare whether payment-for-order-flow or routing materially affects your average execution price.

And if you are exploring broader crypto or Web3 needs, consider Bitget and Bitget Wallet for a broader suite of exchange and custody tools. Explore Bitget’s features if you need centralized exchange services or wallet integrations.

Comparison with other brokers

The retail brokerage landscape in recent years shifted toward zero commission for stock and ETF trades, making pass-through regulatory fees and indirect execution costs the primary cost differences among brokers.

• Net effect: Most major retail brokers will show $0 commission on straightforward U.S. stock and ETF trades but will pass along some regulatory fees when applicable.
• Execution quality, spreads, and order routing arrangements differ among firms, which can affect the price you receive even when explicit commissions are $0.

When assessing "does robinhood charge when you sell stock?", compare real trade confirmations and execution quality reports across brokers to see the total cost of ownership for your trading strategy.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Q: Do I pay a commission when I sell stocks on Robinhood? A: No retail commission for most U.S. stock and ETF trades — but mandatory regulatory or exchange pass-through fees may apply. So while the commission line is typically $0, small statutory fees can appear on sell confirmations.

Q: Are regulatory fees charged on every sale? A: It depends on the specific fee and regulatory cycle. Some fees commonly apply to sell-side transactions (e.g., per-share assessments), while others may only apply to certain securities or trade sizes. Regulatory rates are set externally and can be $0 at times.

Q: Will I see the fee before I confirm the sell? A: Robinhood shows trade confirmations and account activity with actual fees after execution. Some fee estimates may appear in help articles; the exact pass-through amounts typically show on the executed trade confirmation.

Q: Does Robinhood charge to transfer my stocks to another broker? A: Brokers may charge an outgoing transfer fee; check Robinhood’s fee schedule for the current ACATS/outgoing transfer fee if you plan to transfer securities instead of selling.

Q: Are there hidden fees when I sell at Robinhood? A: There are no retail per-trade commissions for most U.S. equities when you sell, but mandatory regulatory, clearing, or exchange fees and indirect costs (spreads, execution quality) exist. Those items are not "hidden" when you review confirmations and fee schedules, but they are not headline commission fees either.

Regulatory and timing caveats

Regulatory fees, rounding rules, per-trade caps, and even which assessments apply are subject to change. Agencies and exchanges periodically update fee schedules. Always consult Robinhood’s current fee schedule and your trade confirmation for authoritative amounts. When quoting or comparing numeric examples, use date-stamped references.

As of 2026-01-22, Robinhood’s support materials state the firm follows industry practice in passing through mandatory regulatory and clearing fees and that its headline offering remains $0 commission on U.S. stock and ETF trades. For up-to-the-minute rates, check Robinhood’s official fee schedule or support pages.

References and primary sources

• Robinhood Support — "Trading fees on Robinhood" (official support article). As of 2026-01-22, Robinhood’s support pages explain the commission-free policy and list pass-through fees.
• Robinhood Fee Schedule PDF (Robinhood’s published fee schedule). As of 2026-01-22, this document details which regulatory, exchange and clearing fees may be passed through.
• Broker reviews and fee summaries from industry sources (BrokerChooser, TopRatedFirms, WallStreetSurvivor, CNBC Select, Wise, Swan Bitcoin) that compare broker fee models and note the prevalence of payment-for-order-flow and pass-through regulatory charges.

Rely on Robinhood’s official documentation for authoritative, up-to-date numbers and on your trade confirmations for the exact fees charged on each sell.

Practical next steps

If you trade on Robinhood and the question "does robinhood charge when you sell stock?" drives your behavior:

• Review a recent trade confirmation to see sample pass-through fees on a sell order.
• Check Robinhood’s fee schedule and support articles (date-stamped) to confirm the current regulatory rates.
• If you need broader exchange or custody functionality for crypto or Web3 assets, explore Bitget and Bitget Wallet for integrated services.

Further reading and tools: monitor regulatory announcements and broker fee schedules regularly; keep example calculations on hand to estimate the real cost of your trades.

If you found this guide helpful, explore more on Bitget’s resources to compare trading workflows and wallet options. Always confirm specific fees on your trade confirmation; this article does not constitute investment advice.