Betterment and Wealthfront: See the difference in our approach

Betterment and Wealthfront began with similar investing models, but have since made vast changes to their product offerings. See how Betterment’s approach to changing personal finance can help you meet your goals.

	Betterment	Wealthfront [1]
Investing
Minimum to start	$0	$500
Account fees	0.25%	0.25%
Automatic deposits
Tax-loss harvesting
Asset location
Design-your-own portfolios
Recommended funds are independent of robo-advisor
Withdrawal times for investment accounts	4-5 business days	3-4 business days
Access to human advisors [2]	Designed to manage your finances with the help of financial experts.	Designed to manage your finances with a software-only approach.
Fund recommendation approach	Global diversification, portfolio and tax optimization for all users.	Risk Parity Fund is recommended to users with larger accounts, introducing a conflict of interest.
High-interest saving
Account types	Cash Reserve: a high-interest cash account.	Cash Account: a high-interest cash account with opt-in checking features.
Interest rate	0.10%*	0.35%
Minimum balance to start	$10	$1
Automatic savings tools: Automatically moves money for you between accounts.
Joint accounts
Cash goals: Create separate stashes of money for individual goals, like a weekend getaway or kitchen reno.
Transfer limits	Unlimited	Unlimited
FDIC insurance	Cash Reserve is eligible for up to $1M at our program banks.† Joint Cash Reserve is eligible for up to $2M at our program banks.†	Cash Account is covered up to $1M. Joint Cash Account is covered up to $2M.
Spending
Account types	Checking: A checking account and Visa debit card provided by nbkc bank, Member FDIC.	Individual Cash Account: A high-interest cash account with opt-in checking features.
Interest rate	0%	0.35%
Minimum deposits	$0	$1
Debit card monthly fees	No	No
Automatic savings tools
ATM fees are reimbursed	Yes^‡	No
Mobile check deposit
Tap-to-pay
Cell phone protection benefit	Yes: Coverage is provided by our insurance partner Sure.	No
FDIC insurance	Accounts eligible for up to $250K of FDIC insurance through nbkc bank, Member FDIC.	Covered up to $1M once deposited partner banks.
Transfer limits	Unlimited	Unlimited
Joint accounts	Coming soon
Physical checkbooks	Coming soon

^[1] Stated information regarding a Wealthfront Investing Account, Cash Account, or Individual Cash Account is based on Wealthfront’s website as of 10/05/2020 and does not reflect any promotional rates that may be available. Different interest rates may apply to different types of accounts at Wealthfront, different zip codes, and different balance amounts. Accordingly, the actual rate or features for any account that you hold at Wealthfront could be materially different than the rate or features stated here. You should contact Wealthfront for current and complete information about available account types, including applicable interest rates or features. Betterment is not responsible for the accuracy, timeliness, or completeness of information on third-party websites. This information is intended to be educational only and is not reflective of actual client experience or portfolio performance. Stated information regarding FDIC protection and transfer limits apply to savings accounts generally and are not specific to particular accounts offered by particular institutions.

^[2] Access to Betterment's team of CFP® professionals available to Premium customers or through advice packages available for additional fee.

Betterment can help you save, spend, and invest better.

Betterment pushes the boundaries of financial advice by helping you earn more and spend wisely. We maximize your money in some key ways:

Combining human advice with smart technology.
Eliminating all fees on short-term cash accounts.
Spend quickly and safely with a tap-to-pay enabled debit card.
$0 account minimums to help you invest today.

Betterment and Wealthfront: See the difference in our approach

Which is right for your needs?

Betterment can help you save, spend, and invest better.