Yes, Robinhood lets you buy fractional shares of most stocks and ETFs

Robinhood's fractional share feature lets you own a piece of a stock without buying a whole share. Instead of needing $3,000 to buy one share of an expensive stock, you might spend $100 and own a fraction of it. The fractional share shows up in your account the same way a whole share does, and it earns dividends and moves in price just like a whole share would.

This feature is available on most stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) on Robinhood's platform. Some stocks are excluded — typically very new listings or stocks trading below $1 — but the vast majority of what you'll search for will support fractional purchases.

Key Takeaways

  • You can buy fractional shares on Robinhood for as little as $1 on most stocks and ETFs.
  • Fractional shares work the same as whole shares: they earn dividends, change in price, and show up in your portfolio.
  • You place a fractional share order the same way you place a whole share order — just enter the dollar amount instead of the number of shares.
  • Robinhood does not charge commission on fractional share trades, the same as whole share trades.

How to place a fractional share order on Robinhood

Open the Robinhood app or website and search for the stock or ETF you want to buy. Tap or click on it to open the detail page. You'll see a "Buy" button — tap it.

On the order screen, you'll see two options: "Shares" and "Dollars". The default is usually "Shares", which asks you to enter a whole number. Switch to "Dollars" instead. Now type in the dollar amount you want to spend — $50, $100, $1.50, whatever you choose. Robinhood will calculate how many fractional shares that buys at the current price and show you the amount before you confirm.

Review the order and tap "Buy" to place it. The fractional shares will settle in your account the same way whole shares do — usually by the next trading day.

What happens when you own a fractional share

A fractional share behaves exactly like a whole share in your portfolio. If the stock price goes up, your fractional share gains value. If the company pays a dividend, your fractional share receives a proportional dividend payment. If you want to sell, you can sell the fractional share at any time during market hours, just as you would a whole share.

Your fractional shares appear in your holdings list with a decimal — for example, "2.5 shares of Apple" instead of "2 shares". When you look at your total portfolio value, the fractional shares are included in that calculation.

Minimum purchase amounts and trading costs

The minimum you can spend on a fractional share order is $1 on most stocks. Some stocks may have slightly different minimums, but $1 is the standard floor. There is no commission charge — Robinhood does not charge you to buy or sell fractional shares, the same as it does not charge for whole shares.

The price you pay is based on the market price at the time your order executes. If you place an order during market hours (9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern time on weekdays), it executes at the current market price. If you place an order outside market hours, it will execute at the next market open.

Which stocks and ETFs support fractional shares

Most stocks and ETFs on Robinhood support fractional purchases. The main exceptions are very new stock listings (sometimes excluded for the first few days after they start trading) and stocks trading below $1 per share, which are called penny stocks. If you search for a stock and the fractional share option is not available, Robinhood will show you a message saying so.

ETFs, including popular ones like SPY and QQQ, support fractional shares. This means you can build a diversified portfolio with small dollar amounts — for example, spending $50 on a fractional share of an S&P 500 ETF instead of waiting to save enough for a whole share.

Selling fractional shares

Selling a fractional share works the same way as selling a whole share. Open your holdings, tap the stock or ETF you own, and tap "Sell". You can sell the entire fractional share amount, or you can switch to "Shares" mode and sell only part of your position. The order executes at the market price during trading hours.

There is no penalty for selling fractional shares, and you do not have to hold them for any minimum time. You can buy and sell fractional shares as often as you want during market hours.

Fractional shares and account transfers

If you transfer your Robinhood account to another brokerage, fractional shares may be handled differently depending on where you're moving them. Some brokerages will accept fractional shares as-is; others will round them up or down to whole shares, or sell them and transfer the cash. Before you transfer, contact the receiving brokerage to ask how they handle fractional shares.

If you're moving money out of Robinhood but keeping your account open, you can sell your fractional shares and transfer the cash, or leave them in your Robinhood account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I buy fractional shares of expensive stocks like Berkshire Hathaway?

Yes. Berkshire Hathaway Class A shares trade for tens of thousands of dollars each, but Robinhood's fractional share feature lets you buy a piece of one for $1 or more. You'll own a proportional stake in the company without needing the full share price.

Do fractional shares get rounded up or down when I sell?

No. When you sell a fractional share, you receive the exact dollar amount based on the current market price and the fractional amount you own. There is no rounding — if you own 0.347 shares and the stock is trading at $100, you receive approximately $34.70 (minus any market spread).

What if I want to buy a whole share instead of a fractional share?

Switch the order screen from "Dollars" back to "Shares" and enter the number of whole shares you want. You can buy whole shares and fractional shares in the same account — there is no restriction.

Can I set up automatic investments in fractional shares?

Yes. Robinhood's recurring investment feature lets you set up automatic purchases of fractional shares on a schedule you choose — weekly, monthly, or another interval. The feature will invest the dollar amount you specify in the stock or ETF you select.