Idle cash in a brokerage account usually earns nothing. Robinhood Gold flips that by paying interest on the money you have not invested yet, at a rate that beats most traditional savings accounts.
As of July 2026, Robinhood Gold pays 3.35% APY on uninvested cash. Here is how that rate works, how your cash is insured, and whether the $5 monthly membership is worth it.
What Is the Robinhood Gold APY Right Now?
Robinhood Gold members earn a 3.35% annual percentage yield on eligible uninvested cash, current as of July 2026. That rate is variable, meaning it can move up or down as the Federal Reserve changes interest rates.
The APY applies to cash sitting in your self-directed taxable investing account that you have not yet put into stocks, ETFs, or other assets, plus cash held as options collateral. There is no minimum balance and no cap, so you earn on your very first dollar. Robinhood Gold costs $5 a month, and the cash feature is included with the membership.
Robinhood
Robinhood
Robinhood is a trading platform that brings stocks, ETFs, options, futures, prediction markets, crypto, and retirement accounts together in one app.
Standout feature
One platform for stocks, ETFs, options, futures, prediction markets, and crypto
Fees
$0 commission on stocks, ETFs, and options.
Pros
Zero-commission trading on stocks, ETFs, and options
Cons
Best perks (high APY, lower margin rates) require Gold subscription ($5/month)
How the Cash Sweep Works
Robinhood handles your uninvested cash in two ways, split at the $10,000 mark.
Cash up to and including $10,000 stays in your brokerage account as a free credit balance and earns interest through Robinhood's Brokerage-Held Cash Program. Anything above $10,000 is swept to a network of partner banks under the Cash Sweep Program, where it also earns the same rate.
Interest compounds daily and is paid once a month, on the last business day. A quick example: $10,000 held at 3.35% for a full year would earn about $335 with compounding, assuming the rate and balance stay the same. Keep in mind you only earn on settled cash, so money tied up in a pending trade or transfer does not count until it clears. The same sweep rate also backs the cash behind the Robinhood debit card, so spending cash can keep earning until you use it.
FDIC Coverage up to $2.5 Million
This is where the cash sweep gets interesting for safety-minded savers. When your cash is swept to program banks, it is spread across multiple FDIC-member partner banks. That structure makes your swept cash eligible for FDIC pass-through insurance up to $2.5 million for individual accounts, and up to $5 million for joint accounts, as of July 2026, far above the standard $250,000 limit at a single bank.
It is worth understanding the distinction. Your invested holdings, like stocks, are protected by SIPC, not FDIC, and that covers custody failures rather than market losses. If you want the full picture of how your money is protected, our guide on what happens if Robinhood goes bankrupt breaks down SIPC and FDIC coverage in plain terms.
Is the $5 Gold Fee Worth It?
The math is simple. Robinhood Gold costs $60 a year. To break even on the fee through the cash rate alone, you need enough uninvested cash for the extra yield to cover it.
Compared with a standard brokerage account that pays little or no interest on cash, 3.35% on even a few thousand dollars can more than offset the $5 monthly fee. And the membership bundles other perks, including bigger instant deposits, a higher IRA match, and lower margin rates, which we detail in our rundown of Robinhood Gold benefits. If you keep meaningful cash on hand between trades, the rate usually pays for itself.
A No-Subscription Alternative
If you would rather not pay a monthly fee to earn on cash, Public is a strong alternative. Public pays a competitive yield on uninvested cash without a required subscription, alongside self-directed investing in stocks, bonds, ETFs, and crypto. Our Public review compares the rates and terms so you can see which setup earns you more.
Public
Public
Investing for those who take it seriously. Invest in stocks, bonds, options, crypto & more.
Standout feature
A 5%+ yield Bond Account paired with 3.3% APY on cash — Public is one of the only consumer apps where idle and conservative money is treated as seriously as the equity portfolio.
Fees
Free
Pros
• Invest in stocks, bonds, crypto & more• Earn 3.3% APY* on your cash with no fees• 1% match when you transfer your portfolio• Lock in a 5%+ yield with a Bond Account
Cons
Customer support is in-app and email only, no phone
The Bottom Line
Robinhood Gold's 3.35% APY on uninvested cash, current as of July 2026, is one of the easier ways to earn on money that would otherwise sit idle between trades. Add FDIC pass-through insurance up to $2.5 million for individual accounts ($5 million joint) as of July 2026 and daily compounding, and it becomes a genuinely useful cash feature.
The rate is variable, so check the live number in the app before you rely on it. For investors who keep cash ready to deploy, Robinhood Gold turns that idle balance into steady interest. All investing involves risk, and APYs can change at any time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What APY does Robinhood Gold pay on cash?
Robinhood Gold pays 3.35% APY on eligible uninvested cash as of July 2026. The rate is variable and can change based on Federal Reserve moves and market conditions.
Is Robinhood Gold cash FDIC insured?
Cash swept to partner banks through the Cash Sweep Program is eligible for FDIC pass-through insurance up to $2.5 million for individual accounts, and up to $5 million for joint accounts, as of July 2026. Your invested assets are covered by SIPC instead, which protects against brokerage failure, not market losses.
Do I need a minimum balance to earn the Robinhood Gold APY?
No. There is no minimum and no maximum. You start earning interest on your first dollar of eligible uninvested cash, and interest compounds daily and pays monthly.
Is Robinhood Gold worth it just for the cash rate?
Robinhood Gold costs $5 a month. If you keep several thousand dollars in uninvested cash, the 3.35% APY can more than cover that fee, and the membership adds other perks like bigger instant deposits and a higher IRA match.
