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 $0 commission on stock and ETF online trades, $0 commission on Vanguard mutual funds, and no minimum deposit.
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 | |
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Commission Free Stock Trading - | ||
Benefits and Features | ||
Stock Trading | ||
Options Trading | $0 + $1-per-contract fee. Discounts available if you have more than $1 million assets invested in Vanguard ETFs and mutual funds | |
Annual Fee | ||
Cryptocurrency Trading | ||
Minimum Deposit | ||
Mutual Fund Trading | ||
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 | Hybrid; You choose your own investments and M1 trades & manages your portfolio for you | |
Assets Under Management | ||
Tax Loss Harvesting | No, but offers tax minimization features | |
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 | ||
Two-Factor Authentication | ||
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 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | |
Mobile App | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Ease of Use | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Research | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Stock Trading | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | |
Options Trading | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | |
Mutual Fund Trading | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | |
Commissions and Fees | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | |
Pros & Cons | 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. |
Commission Free Stock Trading
M1 Finance allows investors the choice of ETFs and stocks. M1 charges no management fees or commission.
Get M1 Plus Free for First 3 Months
New M1 customers get M1 Plus for free on their first 3 months. M1 Plus is $125/year.
M1 Plus is a $125 annual subscription offering products and services from M1 Spend LLC and M1 Finance LLC, both wholly-owned, separate but affiliated subsidiaries of M1 Holdings Inc.
*Your free trial (a $31.25 value) begins the date you enroll in the M1 Plus subscription, and ends 90 days after ("Free Trial"). Upon expiry of the Free Trial, your account is automatically billed an annual subscription fee of $125 unless you cancel under your Membership details in the M1 Platform.
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.
In short: M1 Finance's mobile app is notable. Vanguard's research is worth mentioning.