How to Withdraw Money From Your Robinhood Account
Moving money out of Robinhood works differently depending on whether you want to cash out stocks or transfer cash to your bank
To withdraw money from Robinhood, you first decide what you're moving: cash sitting in your account, or proceeds from selling stocks. If you're selling stocks, Robinhood sells them at market price and the cash lands in your account automatically. From there, you transfer that cash to a linked bank account using the app's transfer feature. The process takes one to three business days, depending on your bank.
You cannot withdraw stocks themselves from Robinhood to another brokerage — you can only sell them and move the cash. If you want to move holdings to a different brokerage, you'll need to sell first, transfer the cash, then buy the same stocks elsewhere.
Key Takeaways
- Selling stocks on Robinhood converts them to cash in your account within seconds; transferring that cash to your bank takes one to three business days.
- You link a bank account in the app under Account settings before you can transfer money out, and Robinhood verifies it with two small deposits.
- Robinhood does not charge withdrawal fees, but your bank may charge a fee for incoming transfers depending on your account type.
- Cash from stock sales is available to withdraw immediately, but unsettled funds from recent trades may have a hold placed on them.
- If you have a margin account with borrowed money, you must pay back the margin balance before withdrawing cash.
How to link a bank account for withdrawals
Before you can move money out, you need to connect a bank account. Open the Robinhood app, tap the Account icon at the bottom right, then select "Account Settings." Look for "Linked Banks" or "Transfer" and choose "Add Bank Account." Robinhood will ask for your routing number and account number, which you can find on a check or by logging into your bank's website.
After you enter your bank details, Robinhood sends two small deposits (usually under $1 each) to your account. Your bank will show these deposits within one to two business days. You then return to the app and confirm the exact amounts of those two deposits. This verification step proves you own the bank account. Once confirmed, your bank account is linked and ready for transfers.
You can link multiple bank accounts if you want to split withdrawals or use different accounts for different purposes. Each account goes through the same verification process.
Selling stocks and moving the cash to your bank
To sell a stock on Robinhood, find the position in your portfolio, tap it, and select "Sell." Enter the number of shares you want to sell. Robinhood shows you the current market price and the total you'll receive. Confirm the sale. The stock sells at market price within seconds during market hours, and the cash appears in your Robinhood account immediately.
Once the cash is in your account, tap the Account icon, select "Transfers," then "Transfer to Your Bank." Choose the linked bank account where you want the money to go, enter the amount, and confirm. Robinhood processes the transfer right away, but your bank receives it within one to three business days depending on how quickly they process incoming transfers.
If you sell after market hours (after 4 p.m. Eastern on weekdays or on weekends), the sale executes at the next market open. The cash still appears in your account immediately, but the timing of when your bank receives it may shift by a day.
Understanding settlement and holds on cash
When you sell a stock, the trade settles two business days later. During those two days, the cash is technically "unsettled." Robinhood lets you withdraw unsettled cash immediately in most cases, but if you have a pattern of selling and withdrawing within the settlement window, Robinhood may place a hold on future withdrawals to comply with SEC rules about day trading.
If you see a message that cash is on hold, it means Robinhood is preventing you from using that specific cash until settlement completes. This typically happens if you've sold stocks and withdrawn the proceeds multiple times in a short period. The hold lifts automatically after the settlement date passes.
Cash from dividends, interest, or deposits you made to your account has no settlement period and is available to withdraw immediately.
Margin accounts and borrowed money
If you have a margin account (which lets you borrow money to buy stocks), you cannot withdraw cash if you have an outstanding margin balance. Margin balance is money you borrowed from Robinhood to purchase stocks. You must pay back this borrowed amount before Robinhood will let you transfer cash out.
To check your margin balance, open Account Settings and look for "Margin" or "Buying Power." If you see a negative number or a balance owed, you need to deposit cash or sell stocks to cover it. Once the balance is zero, you can withdraw normally.
If you're unsure whether you have a margin account, check Account Settings. A cash account shows only the cash you own; a margin account shows both cash and buying power (which includes borrowed funds).
Fees and timing for withdrawals
Robinhood does not charge a fee to withdraw money from your account. However, your bank may charge a fee for receiving an incoming transfer, depending on your account type and bank policies. Check with your bank if you're unsure.
The standard timeline is one to three business days from when you request the transfer. Weekends and bank holidays do not count as business days. If you request a transfer on a Friday afternoon, your bank may not receive it until Tuesday or Wednesday. Some banks process transfers faster than others, so the exact timing depends partly on your financial institution.
If a transfer seems delayed beyond three business days, contact Robinhood support through the app to check the status. Provide the date and amount of the transfer so they can look it up.
Withdrawing from a joint or custodial account
If your Robinhood account is held jointly with another person, both account holders must authorize withdrawals. The process is the same, but Robinhood may require additional verification if the withdrawal is unusually large or if the account has not made transfers before.
If the account is a custodial account (such as an UGMA or UTMA account for a minor), the custodian controls withdrawals. The custodian must be the one to link the bank account and request transfers. Robinhood will verify the custodian's identity during setup.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to withdraw money from Robinhood?
Robinhood processes the transfer immediately when you request it, but your bank receives the money within one to three business days. The exact timing depends on your bank's processing speed. Weekends and holidays do not count as business days, so a Friday transfer may arrive Tuesday or Wednesday.
Can I withdraw stocks instead of selling them?
No. Robinhood does not support transferring stocks to another brokerage or account. You must sell the stocks first, which converts them to cash, then transfer the cash to your bank. You can then use that cash to buy the same stocks elsewhere if you want.
What happens if I try to withdraw more than I have?
Robinhood will not let you request a transfer larger than your available cash balance. If you see a lower available balance than expected, check whether you have unsettled funds on hold or an outstanding margin balance that is reducing your withdrawal amount.
Do I have to withdraw all my money at once?
No. You can withdraw any amount up to your available cash balance. You can make multiple transfers to the same bank account or split transfers across linked accounts. Each transfer follows the same one- to three-business-day timeline.
What if my bank account information changes?
You can update or remove linked bank accounts in Account Settings under "Linked Banks." If you close a bank account, remove it from Robinhood before the account closes to avoid failed transfers. To add a new account, follow the same verification process with the two small deposits.