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Betterment Promotions

Read our in-depth review of Betterment to see why Betterment scored 4.1 stars out of 5. We like their no minimum investment, customized portfolios, and automatically invest extra funds.

If you're looking for brokerage promotions, you must check out these offers.

Compare Pricing

4.75%

Betterment Cash Reserve - Earn 4.75% APY**

  • FDIC insurance covering up to $2,000,000 at program banks†
  • Access cash in 1-2 business days
  • No minimum balance
  • No fees on balance
  • Unlimited withdrawals
Annual percentage yield (variable) is as of 7/31/2023. Cash Reserve is only available to clients of Betterment LLC, which is not a bank, and cash transfers to program banks are conducted through the clients' brokerage accounts at Betterment Securities.

Invest with Automated Portfolios

Betterment Checking

  • ATM and foreign fees reimbursed
  • No monthly maintenance fees
  • No minimum balances
  • FDIC-insured account up to $250,000
Checking accounts and the Betterment Visa® Debit Card provided and issued by nbkc bank, Member FDIC. Checking made available through Betterment Financial LLC. Neither Betterment Financial LLC, nor any of their affiliates, is a bank.

Betterment Retirement

Invest Smarter

  • Personalized portfolio options
  • Automatically invest extra funds
  • Turn investment goals into action
Acorns

$20 Investment Bonus

  • Open an Acorns account (new users only)
  • Set up the Recurring Investments feature
  • Have your first investment be made successfully via the Recurring Investments feature
M1 Finance

M1 Investment Account - Up to $500 Bonus

Expires 12/31/2024

Open a new M1 investment account. Deposit $10,000 or more into the account within 14 calendar days of account opening. Promotional credit will depend on the deposited value made into the account.

Deposited ValuePromotional Credit
$10,000 - $29,999.99$75
$30,000 - $49,999.99$150
$50,000 - $99,999.99$250
$100,000+$500

This offer is only for customers who have never registered for an M1 user account.

Fundrise

Invest in Real Estate with $10+

  • Only $10 minimum investment
  • Get a diversified portfolio of real estate projects across the US
  • Open to all investors
GROUNDFLOOR

Invest in Real Estate with $10

The minimum investment amount is only $10. (Though most transfer $100 for better diversification; subsequent transfers can be for any amount)

  • Short-term real estate investments lasting just 12-18 months
  • Open to non-accredited investors
  • No investor fees

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to frequently asked questions about Betterment.

Is Betterment a good investment?

Betterment is a good option for beginners who aren't ready to invest on their own. It's also good for passive investors who don't want to manage their own portfolios. The $4 monthly fee for balances under $20,000 is reasonable and there is no minimum. But experienced investors could earn better returns by choosing their own investments.

Is my money safe with Betterment?

You retain full ownership of your assets. Even if Betterment were to go out of business, your investments are insured up to $500,000 per account type by the SIPC. Betterment also uses 256-bit SSL encryption to keep your data secure.

Is Betterment worth the cost?

Betterment's $4 monthly fee or 0.25% annual fee is lower than traditional financial advisors. It could be worth it for new investors or if you want to be hands-off. However, if you know how to manage your own portfolio, the fee gets expensive on bigger balances. $100,000 balance costs $250 a year in fees.

How much should I put in Betterment?

Betterment has no minimum investment. Balances less than $20,000 cost $4 monthly advisory fee, and then a 0.25% for balance of $20,000 or more, or if you set up recurring deposits of $250 or more per month. You can deposit as little or as much as you're comfortable with and still have access to benefits such as tax harvesting. If you have at least $100,000, you have the option to upgrade to the Betterment Premium Plan at 0.40% annual fee.

Can I take my money out of Betterment?

You can withdraw funds from Betterment at any time with no withdrawal fees. Withdrawals take about 4-5 days to complete. When you withdraw, your shares are sold off. Any profits will be considered taxable income. If you withdraw funds from an IRA account early, there will be a tax penalty.

Is Betterment better than Vanguard?

Betterment is better for new investors as it has no minimum to start. Vanguard Personal Advisor requires $50,000 minimum. However, the advantage of Vanguard is that you get actual human advisors managing your portfolio. The fees are comparable at 0.25% for Betterment and 0.30% for Vanguard.

Is Betterment better than Fidelity?

Both Betterment and Fidelity Go have a $0 minimum investment. However, Fidelity's annual advisory fee is higher at 0.35% (vs 0.25% for Betterment). Betterment offers more comprehensive services and accounts types. On the other hand, Fidelity has active human managers.

    Highlights

    Annual Fee
    • Digital: 0.25% annual fee for accounts with $20,000 or more or with monthly recurring deposits of $250 or more, $4/month for accounts with less than $20,000
    • Premium: 0.40% for accounts $100,000 or more
    Minimum Deposit
    $0
    Checking
    No-Fee Checking
    Phone Support
    Yes
    Live Chat Support
    No
    Email Support
    Yes
    Human Advisors
    Yes ($100k minimum)
    Assets Under Management
    $40+ Billion
    Tax Loss Harvesting
    Yes
    Goal Tracker
    Yes
    Automatic Deposits
    Yes
    Online Platform
    Yes
    iPhone App
    Yes
    Android App
    Yes
    Mobile App
    Yes
    Single Stock Diversification
    No
    Fractional Shares
    Yes
    Taxable Accounts
    Yes
    401k Plans
    Yes
    IRA Accounts
    Yes
    Roth IRA Accounts
    Yes
    SEP IRA Accounts
    Yes
    Trust Accounts
    Yes
    529 Plans
    No

Pricing information from published website as of 04/04/2018

 

Betterment

Wealthfront

 

Benefits and Features

Savings
Check
 
Annual Fee
  • Digital: 0.25% annual fee for accounts with $20,000 or more or with monthly recurring deposits of $250 or more, $4/month for accounts with less than $20,000
  • Premium: 0.40% for accounts $100,000 or more
0.25%
Minimum Deposit
$0
$500
Checking
No-Fee Checking
 
Phone Support
Yes
Yes
Live Chat Support
No
No
Email Support
Yes
Yes
Human Advisors
Yes ($100k minimum)
No
Robo Advisor
Check
Check
Assets Under Management
$40+ Billion
$10+ Billion
Tax Loss Harvesting
Yes
Yes
Goal Tracker
Yes
Yes
Automatic Deposits
Yes
Yes
Online Platform
Yes
Yes
iPhone App
Yes
Yes
Android App
Yes
Yes
Mobile App
Yes
Yes
Single Stock Diversification
No
Yes
Fractional Shares
Yes
No
Taxable Accounts
Yes
Yes
401k Plans
Yes
No
IRA Accounts
Yes
Yes
Roth IRA Accounts
Yes
Yes
SEP IRA Accounts
Yes
Yes
Trust Accounts
Yes
Yes
529 Plans
No
Yes

Blank fields may indicate the information is not available, not applicable, or not known to CreditDonkey. Please visit the product website for details.

Betterment: Pricing information from published website as of 04/04/2018

Wealthfront: Pricing information from published website as of 04/04/2018


Betterment Alternatives

Robinhood

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M1 Finance

Transfer and Earn Up to $20,000

Complete an Automated Customer Account Transfer Service (ACATS) of at least $100,000 in aggregate and earn up to $20,000. Promotional credit will depend on the amount transferred to the account.

Transfer Account ValuePromotional Credit
$100,000 - $249,999$250
$250,000 - $499,999$1,000
$500,000 - $999,999$2,000
$1,000,000 - $1,999,999$4,000
$2,000,000 - $4,999,999$10,000
$5,000,000 - $6,999,999$15,000
$7,000,000+$20,000

This offer is valid for new and existing M1 customers. Terms and conditions apply.

Expires 3/31/2024
Goldco

Free Gold IRA Kit

  • Up to $10,000 in free silver for eligible customers
  • Highest buyback price, guaranteed
  • Endorsed by Sean Hannity and Chuck Norris

Articles on Betterment

Betterment Investing

Betterment offers low fees and good returns. But there are risks you should NOT ignore. Read this review to see if Betterment is better.

Betterment Fees

Betterment offers no minimum deposit and good returns. But are the fees worth it? Read on to learn about this robo-advisor's costs.

Is Betterment Safe

Betterment offers low fees, no minimum balance and good returns. But is it a good idea? Find out if it's safe to invest your money with this robo-advisor.

Is Betterment Worth The Fee

Betterment will manage your investments, but they charge a fee. Is Betterment worth the fee? Read on to answer all your questions.

Betterment Roth IRA

Is Betterment a good way to invest for retirement? What about the fees and withdrawals? Read on to learn how Betterment's Roth IRA account works.

Betterment vs Wealthfront

Betterment and Wealthfront are two of the oldest and most popular robo-advisors. Is there a difference? Which is better for you? Read on to find out.

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About CreditDonkey
CreditDonkey is a personal finance comparison website. We publish data-driven analysis to help you save money & make savvy decisions.

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed on this page are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer.

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