Robo Advisor Comparison

Robo Advisor Comparison Guide (2023)

Welcome to our 2024 Robo Advisor comparison guide!

Robo advisors are gaining popularity each year, not just for beginners or small investors, but for experienced and high-net-worth ones too. They provide impressive returns on investments and can be a great alternative to expensive human advisors.

We’ve analyzed, and compared the best robo advisors available in the US, so you don’t have to wade through all the options. Our guide covers the most popular and best services for most US-based investors.

So, let’s get started and find the perfect robo-advisor for you!

Robo Advisor Comparison Table

We’ll start with an in-depth comparison table of some of the best robo advisors on the market today. This list of robo advisors is sorted alphabetically.

Robo AdvisorFeaturesFeesMinimum DepositAccess to Human Financial AdvisorsBest forVisit
AcornsRound-up savings, Investment Educationstarts at $3 /month $5 NoBeginner investors, studentsVisit
Ally Invest Robo PortfoliosAutomated Portfolio Management, Tax-loss harvesting0.30% annually$100NoInvestors with Ally bank accountsVisit
Axos InvestSocially responsible investing, Tax-loss harvesting0.24% annually$500Yeshands-off investors and self-directed tradersVisit
BettermentTax-loss harvesting, Retirement Planning, socially responsible investing, cash management0.25%-0.50% annually$0Yes, with the premium planBeginner to intermediate investors, socially responsible investingVisit
E-Trade Core PortfoliosAutomated Portfolio Management, Tax-loss harvesting0.30% annually$500YesE-Trade customers with lower balancesVisit
EllevestGender-based investing, goal-based investing, career coaching0.25%-0.50% annaully$0Yes, with the premium planWomen-focused investors, goal-based investing, career coachingVisit
Empower (formerly Personal Capital)Comprehensive financial planning, retirement planning, wealth management0.49%-0.89% annually$100,000Yes, with Wealth Management planHigh net worth investors, comprehensive financial planningVisit
Fidelity GoRetirement Planning, Cash Management0.35% annually$10Yes, with premium planFidelity customersVisit
FutureAdvisor by BlackRockAutomated Portfolio Management, Tax-loss harvesting0.50% annually$5000YesInvestors with existing BlackRock accounts, personalized investmentVisit
Interactive AdvisorsAutomated Portfolio Management, Access to Advisors0.08%-0.75% annually$100YesInvestors seeking a hybrid experienceVisit
M1 FinanceAutomated Portfolio Management, Fractional SharesFree$100NoDIY investors with long-term focusVisit
Schwab Intelligent PortfoliosAutomated Portfolio Management, Tax-loss harvestingFree$5,000Yes, with Premium planSchwab customers, hands-off investors, tax-efficient investingVisit
SigFigAutomated Portfolio Management, Access to Advisors0.25% annually$2,000YesInvestors seeking a hybrid experienceVisit
SoFi Automated InvestingAutomated Portfolio Management, Financial PlanningFree$1YesYoung investors with small balancesVisit
Stash Automated InvestingFractional Shares, Educational content$3-$9/month$5NoBeginner investorsVisit
Titan InvestConcentrated Investing, Access to Advisors0.5% annually$500YesExperienced investors, actively managed investment portfoliosVisit
Vanguard Digital AdvisorAutomated Portfolio Management, Retirement Planning0.20% annually$3,000NoVanguard customers, well-known and established investment firm.Visit
Vanguard Personal AdvisorPersonalized Portfolio Management, Retirement Planning0.30% annually$50,000YesHigh net worth investorsVisit
WealthfrontAutomated Portfolio Management, Tax-loss harvesting0.25% annually$500NoBeginner to intermediate investors, retirement planningVisit
Wells Fargo Intuitive InvestorAutomated Portfolio Management, Access to Advisors0.35%$500YesExisting Wells Fargo customersVisit

Minimum Deposit Comparison

Robo AdvisorMinimum Deposit
Acorns$0
Ally Invest Robo Portfolios$100
Axos Invest$500
Betterment$0*
E-Trade Core Portfolios$500
Ellevest$0
Empower (formerly Personal Capital)$100,000
Fidelity Go$10
FutureAdvisor by BlackRock$5,000
Interactive Advisors$100
M1 Finance$100
Schwab Intelligent Portfolios$5,000
SigFig$2,000
SoFi Automated Investing$1
Stash Invest$5
Titan Invest$500
Vanguard Digital Advisor$3,000
Vanguard Personal Advisor$50,000
Wealthfront$500
Wells Fargo Intuitive Investor$500

Verdict

Verdict

Overall, we’d say that any robo advisor with a minimum deposit of $500 or less would be considered good for smaller, beginner investors. While many services tout a minimum of $0 or $1, you aren’t really going to see any returns on a deposit that low. Those tiny limits are there to either entice investors to sign up, or simply to test out the service before investing a larger amount.

What we call ‘medium-sized’ investors should look into Vanguard Digital Advisor or Schwab since they have a $3,000 and $5,000 minimum, respectively.

Zack’s Advantage sits at a relatively high $25,000, while Vanguard Personal Advisor is for bigger investors with more than $50,000 to invest. Empower requires a $100,000 minimum deposit for the Wealth Management service but has many free financial tools for any account size that are very much worth utilizing.

Pricing & Fees Comparison

Fees – the all-mighty decider. Of course, each robo advisor’s annual fees play a huge role in an investor’s decision to invest money with them. After all, that is one of the biggest benefits of robo advisors compared to human financial advisors – drastically reduced fees.

Robo AdvisorManagement Fee
Acorns$3/month
Ally Invest Robo Portfolios0.30%
Axos Invest0.24%
Betterment0.25% – 0.50%*
E-Trade Core Portfolios0.30%
Ellevest0.25% – 0.50%
Empower (formerly Personal Capital)0.49% – 0.89%
Fidelity Go0.35%
FutureAdvisor by BlackRock0.50%
Interactive Advisors0.08% – 0.75%
M1 Finance$0
Schwab Intelligent Portfolios$0
SigFig0.25%
SoFi Automated Investing$0
Stash Invest$3-$9/month
Titan Invest0.5%
Vanguard Digital Advisor0.20%
Vanguard Personal Advisor0.30%
Wealthfront0.25%
Wells Fargo Intuitive Investor0.35%

Keep in mind that just because a fee is higher doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider the service. Some robo advisors offer extra features for their fees or have a different investment strategy you might align better with. Having said that, it doesn’t mean you should invest with them either. Make sure you choose the best robo advisor for your needs. This comparison only serves as a reference.

Verdict

Verdict

Based on our Robo Advisor fees comparison, it is easy to see that management fees will vary wildly depending on the service and investment amount.

In general, you can get reduced fees for both lower investment amounts (using our links), while some robo advisors lower their fees over a certain investment amount, in addition to offering advanced features and options.

If you’re dipping your toes into robo advisor water, so to speak, you can get several free services up to about $25,000, or you can go with M1 Finance or Schwab, which never cost anything at any amount. Personal Capital’s excellent Financial Tools are also entirely free.

  • M1 Finance: Always free
  • Schwab Intelligent Portfolios: Always free
  • Wealthfront: Free under $5,000 (with our link)
  • Personal Capital: Financial tools & dashboard is free

Wealthfront, Betterment, and Vanguard Digital Advisor are all good examples of affordable robo advisors that take a set-it-and-forget-it approach and are especially good for beginners or investors looking to be hands-off.

Account Features Comparison

Whether you prefer automated investing or active trading, it’s important to compare the account features of the robo advisors you’re considering investing in. Here is our comparison of the various account features that robo advisors have to offer:

Robo AdvisorPortfolio RebalancingTax Loss HarvestingAutomatic DepositsHuman Financial AdvisorsFractional SharesCash or Savings Account (APY)
AcornsYesNoYesNoYesNo
Ally Invest Robo PortfoliosYesYesYesYesYesYes (4.35%)
Axos InvestYesYesYesNoYesNo
BettermentYesYesYesYesYesYes (4.75%)
E-Trade Core PortfoliosYesYesYesYesYesYes (4.25%)
EllevestYesYesYesYesYesNo
Empower (formerly Personal Capital)YesYesYesYesYesYes (4.7%)
Fidelity GoYesYesYesNoYesYes (2.72%)
FutureAdvisor by BlackRockYesYesYesYesYesNo
Interactive AdvisorsYesYesYesYesYesNo
M1 FinanceYesNoYesNoYesYes (3.30%)
Schwab Intelligent PortfoliosYesYesYesNoYesNo
SigFigYesYesYesYesYesNo
SoFi Automated InvestingYesYesYesYesYesYes (4.60%)
Stash InvestYesNoYesNoYesNo
Titan InvestYesNoYesYesYesYes (5.28%)
Vanguard Digital AdvisorYesYesYesNoYesYes (4.70%)
Vanguard Personal AdvisorYesYesYesYesYesYes (4.70%)
WealthfrontYesYesYesNoYesYes (5.0%)
Wells Fargo Intuitive InvestorYesYesYesYesYesYes

We hope that our 2024 Robo Advisor Comparison Guide gives you an idea of what investing service is perfect for you. Let us know if you think we should add anything to this guide.