Choose the app that runs the agent
Robinhood’s built-in agent, Claude connected to Robinhood, and an Agency agent are separate products. They can use a Robinhood account, but the surrounding controls, billing and recurring work differ.
This comparison uses published product documentation and Agency’s current behavior, checked October 3, 2026. It compares workflows, not investment performance.
| Setup | How you use it | Check before funding |
|---|---|---|
| Robinhood Agents | Create and chat with an agent inside Robinhood’s mobile app. | Model choice, trade approval setting and token balance. |
| External assistant | Connect a supported assistant to Robinhood’s trading MCP. | Available trading tools, data access and the assistant’s execution rules. |
| Agency | Create a plan and give an agent cash or holdings to review on a schedule. | Allocation, review frequency and open orders. |
The approval difference matters
Robinhood’s built-in setup starts with trade approvals on. Review the setting rather than assuming the agent will trade independently.
Agency’s funded agents can trade during reviews without approval of each order. Trades you request through Agency chat wait for Confirm. If you want to make every decision yourself, use that chat workflow rather than funding an autonomous agent.
Compare the recurring job, not just the chat
Ask to see the schedule, last successful run and stopping controls in whichever product you choose. A connected assistant’s promise to check tomorrow is not proof that a persistent job exists.
Agency runs scheduled reviews on its servers. It does not watch prices continuously, and pausing its reviews does not cancel orders already resting at Robinhood.
Compare costs on your own usage
Robinhood’s hosted agent uses token-based billing. External assistants have their own pricing. Agency is free: chat, first looks and reviews cost nothing. Broker fees remain separate.
Prefer Robinhood’s native app if that is where you want to research and approve orders. Consider Agency if you want separate plans, assigned allocations and scheduled review notes. Use an external assistant if its wider toolset is central to your workflow.
See the worked cost comparison before deciding.