M1 Finance vs Vanguard
M1 Finance is a no-fee robo-advisor that allows you to choose your own investments.. How does it compare to Vanguard? Read our comparison chart below.
M1 Finance offers free automated investing with no commissions or account fees. Unlike other robo-advisors, M1 lets you select your own investments and their automation will manage it for you. This is great for investors who want a say. The downside is that there are no human advisors. The minimum to start is just $100.
While Vanguard offers low stock trade prices (starting at just $2) for investors with account balances over $500k. For those with smaller balances, it's best for less active traders, as trade prices go up after 25 trades/year. Vanguard offers 125+ no-transaction-fee mutual fees and 55+ commission-free ETFs. There is no minimum deposit and service fees can be waived by signing up for electronic statements.
Compare M1 Finance with Vanguard, side-by-side. Read on for an in-depth look, including ratings, reviews, pros and cons.
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 |  | |
M1 Finance | Vanguard | |
|---|---|---|
New Customers: Deposit $1,000 and Get $30 - | ||
Benefits and Features | ||
| Stock Trading | Less than $50,000: $7 per trade for the first 25 trades per year, then $20. $50k - $500k: All trades $7. $500k - $1M: All trades $2. $1M - $5M: First 25 trades per year free, then $2. $5M+: First 100 trades per year free, then $2 | |
| Options Trading | Less than $500,000: $7 + $1 per contract. $500,000+: $2 + $1 per contract | |
| Annual Fee | ||
| Minimum Deposit | ||
| Mutual Fund Trading | $0 for no-transaction-fee funds. For transaction-fee funds: $20 for account balances less than $500,000; $8 for account balances $500,000+ | |
| Commission Free ETFs | All U.S. listed ETFs | Around 1,800 ETFs from about 100 other companies |
| Phone Support | Monday - Friday 9:30 am to 4 pm EST | |
| Live Chat Support | ||
| Email Support | ||
| Human Advisors | ||
| Robo Advisor |  | |
| Assets Under Management | ||
| Tax Loss Harvesting | ||
| Goal Tracker | ||
| Automatic Deposits | ||
| Broker Assisted Trades | ||
| Customer Service | ||
| Good For | DIY investing with passive portfolio management | |
| Inactivity Fee | $20 (for accounts with less than $20 and no activity for 90+ days) | |
| Maintenance Fee | $20/year. Waived if account owner signs up for e-delivery service OR have at least $10,000 in Vanguard ETFs and mutual funds | |
| Online Platform | ||
| iPhone App | ||
| Android App | ||
| Banking | All users can open a M1 Spend account with free debit card. No monthly service fees and no balance requirements. | |
| Mobile App | ||
| Desktop App | ||
| Forex Trading | ||
| Futures Trading | ||
| Locations | ||
| Online Community | ||
| Seminars | ||
| Virtual Trading | ||
| Fractional Shares | ||
| Taxable Accounts | ||
| 401k Plans | ||
| IRA Accounts | ||
| Roth IRA Accounts | ||
| SEP IRA Accounts | ||
| Trust Accounts | ||
| 529 Plans | ||
CreditDonkey® Reviews | ||
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| Annual Fee |  | |
| Minimum Deposit | | |
| Customer Service |   | |
| Stock Trading | | |
| Options Trading | | |
| Mutual Fund Trading | | |
| Mobile App | | |
| Commissions and Fees | | |
| Ease of Use | | |
| Research | | |
| Pros & Cons | Pros:
| Pros:
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| Bottom Line | No-fee robo-advisor that allows you to choose your own investments... | Good choice for ETF and mutual fund investors interested in Vanguard-sponsored investments... |
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Blank fields may indicate the information is not available, not applicable, or not known to CreditDonkey. Please visit the product website for details. M1 Finance: Pricing information from published website as of 02/28/2020 Vanguard: Pricing information from published websites as of 09/15/2019. | ||
Which is Better: M1 Finance or Vanguard?
Still need help deciding which investing is better? Read the in-depth reviews below. You may also be interested in comparing M1 Finance or Ally Invest.
Articles on M1 Finance
M1 Finance Reviews
Articles on Vanguard
Vanguard Reviews
Which Do You Think is Best?
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