Simplify your investing strategy with low-cost, automated portfolio management. AI-managed portfolios have gained popularity among beginners seeking accessibility and affordability.
Unlike traditional broker services, robo-advisors eliminate the need for expensive human advisors, making them a viable option for a wider range of investors. Investing through a robo-advisor could generate passive income without costly fees diminishing your gains.
Here are the best robo-advisors Business Insider's personal finance editors picked in 2025.
Best Robo-Advisors
- Betterment Investing: Best overall
- Fidelity Go: Best for beginners
- Wealthfront Investing: Best investment selection
- SoFi Robo Investing: Best for low fees
- E*TRADE: Best for educational resources
- Vanguard: Best for retirement plans
Open a Robo-Advisor Account
$0
0.25% annual advisory fee
- No account minimum or management fees to invest
- Goal planning and automatic portfolio rebalancing
- Range of other account options across SoFi website
- SoFi offers complimentary CFP access across all accounts
- No tax-loss harvesting
- No socially responsible portfolio options
SoFi Invest is one of the best investment apps and the best investment apps for beginners. It's a great platform for US investors who are looking for an intuitive online trading experience or an open active or automated investing account.
SoFi Robo Investing- Promotion: None at this time.
- Consider it if: You're new to investing and want to leave the trading decisions to professionals.
$1 ($500 for automated investing)
$0 for stock trades. 0.25% for automated investing (0.06% to 0.13% for fund fees)
- Low annual fee for investment accounts; crypto trust investments available
- Tax-loss harvesting, portfolio lines of credit, 529 college savings plans available
- Cash account
- Mobile app and investing and retirement tools
- You need at least $100,000 to utilize additional investment strategies
- No human advisor access
Wealthfront is one of the best robo-advisor options if you're in search of low-cost automated portfolio management, and one of the best socially responsible investing apps for features like tax-loss harvesting, US direct indexing, and crypto trusts.
Wealthfront- Consider it if: You're balancing several goals and want to streamline your finances.
- Promotion: Fund your first taxable investment account with at least $500 in the first 30 days of account opening and earn a $50 bonus.
$5
Monthly plans start at $3 for Personal, $6 for Personal Plus, and $12 for Premium
- Low fees
- Helpful automatic saving and investing tools
- Portfolio suggestions built to match your risk level
- "Acorns Earns" invests a percentage of your purchases from certain companies
- Flat monthly fee is on the high side, especially for smaller accounts
- The option to choose individual investments requires a Premium plan
Acorns is one of the best investment apps for beginners and hand-off investors who want to start investing but are overwhelmed by the choices with other investing apps. This simple and easy-to-use platform offers a low investment minimum, portfolio diversification, and beginner-friendly charting tools. Acorns is more expensive than other zero-fee apps out there, but the ease of use may make it worthwhile for certain users.
Acorns- Get started in under 5 minutes
- $5/month gets you a full financial wellness system with connected investment, retirement, and saving accounts.
- Invest in a diversified, expert-built portfolio
- No expertise required
- Invest your spare change with Round-Ups (more than $900M invested in 2021 just from RoundUps!)
- Set easy, automatic Recurring Investments
- See your account performance right in the app, and play with our interactive Potential screen
- All you need to start investing is $5
- 18M downloads
Betterment: Best Overall
Betterment is our top pick for the best overall robo-advisor. It's at the top of our list for being cost-effective, trustworthy, and offering a diverse selection of securities, including stock and bond ETFs.
Beginners can easily build a diversified investment portfolio tailored to their risk tolerance and financial goals. Strategies like socially responsible, high-growth, and tax-advantaged investing are readily available.
Users can unlock access to CFPs, but unlimited guidance is only available through the premium plan (which requires a $100,000 minimum).
Betterment protects users' personal data and accounts through strong browser encryption, fraud monitoring, and biometric authentication. The platform's dedicated customer support team is available 24/7 by phone, email, or virtual assistant.
Betterment has a rating of 4.8/5 on the Apple Store and 4.7/5 on Google Play.
Pros of Betterment
- $0 minimum requirement to open an account
- Tax-loss harvesting available
- Goal-based financial planning and availability of human advisors
Cons of Betterment
- If you don't have at least $100,000, you won't get unlimited access to a CFP; you'll have to pay for each consultation.
Fidelity Go: Best for Beginner Investors
Fidelity Go is a highly-regarded robo-advisor for beginners and hands-off investors for cost-effective portfolios personalized to your goals and financial situation.
One of the best parts about Fidelity Go is that it is also one of the best robo-advisors for low fees. The platform relies on mutual funds (Fidelity Flex mutual funds) that don't contain expense ratios.
It provides users with an accessible, mobile trading experience with access to tax-efficient strategies, goal-based planning, and powerful trading tools and solutions.
Fidelity is one of the safest online brokerages, with top-notch security features and a long history of trustworthiness. If your account balance exceeds $25,000, you may even be able to access guidance from human advisors for no extra cost.
Fidelity has a rating of 4.8/5 on the Apple Store and 4.6/5 on Google Play.
Pros of Fidelity
- $0 minimum requirement to open an account
- Fidelity Flex mutual funds have no expense ratios
- Access to human advisors
Cons of Fidelity
- Fidelity Go doesn't offer tax-loss harvesting
- Must have at least $25,000 in your account to unlock human advisors
Google Play: 4.6/5
Apple Store: 4.8/5
Wealthfront: Best for Investment Selection
Wealthfront Investing is a pioneer in the robo-advisor space, similar to Betterment.
If you have at least $100,000 to invest, you can access Wealthfront's US direct indexing and risk parity investing strategies. Direct indexing allows you to harvest losses on individual stocks to reduce your overall tax liability.
Wealthfront offers socially responsible portfolios, tax-loss harvesting, smart beta investing (which pairs with US Direct Indexing to outperform an existing market index through tax efficiency, enhanced diversification, and reduced risk), and risk parity portfolios.
If you're interested in adding cryptocurrencies to your asset allocation, Wealthfront mitigates portfolio risk by only allowing a 10% allocation for crypto trusts.
Wealthfront also offers an automated high-yield bond portfolio in which hands-off traders can get a customized low-cost bond ETF portfolio. Wealthfront Automated Bond Portfolio pays a 5.50% yield, which is even higher than Wealthfront's cash account, which pays 4.50% APY.
Wealthfront has a rating of 4.8/5 on the Apple Store and 4.8/5 on Google Play.
Pros of Wealthfront
- Automated bond portfolio
- Auto-rebalancing and tax-loss harvesting available
- Smart-beta strategies
Cons of Wealthfront
- $500 minimum requirement to open an account
- No ongoing human financial guidance
- Must spend at least $100,000 to use strategies like direct indexing and risk parity
SoFi: Best for Low Fees
If you're looking for a robo-advisor with relatively low fees and minimums, SoFi® robo-advisor is the way to go. SoFi's low-cost automated trading platform offers several perks: It has a $0 account minimum, doesn't charge any fees, and provides complimentary CFP access.
Like several other investment platforms mentioned in this list, you can also invest on your own, thanks to SoFi's active investing accounts.
In addition to automatic portfolio rebalancing and goal planning, the robo-advisor invests your funds into a diversified mix of SoFi and non-SoFi ETFs.
SoFi's robo-advisors also support multiple accounts, including individual and joint accounts, traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, SEP IRAs, and 401(k) rollovers.
SoFi Invest has a rating of 4.8/5 on the Apple Store and 3.9/5 on Google Play.
Pros of SoFi
- $0 minimum requirement to open an account
- Complimentary access to vetted financial planners
- IRA contributions earn a 1% match from SoFi
Cons of SoFi
- SoFi Active Invest® automated portfolios don't offer tax-loss harvesting
- Limited to US-based securities
E*TRADE: Best for Educational Resources
E*TRADE Core Portfolios is E*TRADE's robo-advisor, requiring a $500 minimum and a 0.30% annual fee.
You can access tax minimization strategies, top-notch security, and robust investment options (e.g., automating individual and joint accounts, custodial accounts, and IRAs).
E*TRADE's automated investing mobile app allows commission-free trading of stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and options. The app lets users manage their money, transfer cash, deposit checks, and pay bills.
The robo-advisor also includes Bloomberg TV, which gives investors third-party research and news updates.
E*TRADE has a rating of 4.7/5 on the Apple Store and 4.7/5 on Google Play.
Pros of E*TRADE
- $0 minimum to open a self-directed brokerage account
- Powerful trading tools, including interactive charts, market trackers, and paper trading
Cons of E*TRADE
- $500 minimum requirement to open a robo-advisor account
- You can't speak with a human advisor unless you have at least $25,000
- No tax-loss harvesting
Vanguard: Best for Retirement Planning
Vanguard Digital Advisor is one of two automated investing accounts the online brokerage provides (the Vanguard Personal Advisor Services account is the other option).
Vanguard is renowned for its first-rate customer service and user experience. It requires a $100 minimum balance and has some of the lowest expense ratios in the industry (ranging from 0.03 to 0.46%)
This robo-advisor mainly allocates your assets across four Vanguard ETFs for easy portfolio diversification and tax-efficient investing. These include the Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF, Vanguard Total International Stock ETF, Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF, and Vanguard Total International Bond ETF.
In addition, Vanguard Digital Advisor supports individual and joint accounts, traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, rollover IRAs, and eligible Vanguard-administered 401(k) retirement accounts.
The robo-advisor also offers retirement tools and resources like tax-loss harvesting and socially responsible investing options.
Vanguard has a rating of 4.7/5 on the Apple Store and 3.5/5 on Google Play.
Pros of Vanguard
- Tax-loss harvesting available
- Low expense ratios for Vanguard ETFs
- Retirement-specific financial planning tools available
Cons of Vanguard
- Doesn't offer complimentary CFP access
- $100 minimum requirement to open an account
Vanguard Digital Advisor review
Introduction to Robo-Advisors
Robo-advisors use AI algorithms to customize and manage automated investment portfolios. Investment managers and brokers have been using robo-advisors since the 1980s. But now, consumers can use these robo platforms directly, making investing more affordable and accessible for beginners.
Traditional in-person investment advice can be expensive. Robo-advisors offer a cheaper solution through automated portfolio rebalancing and investment opportunities. Although robo-advice isn't as personalized as advice from human advisors, the average retail investor can now access fundamental investing strategies and knowledge without burning a hole in their wallet.
How Robo-Advisors Work
The algorithms used by robo-advisors were designed to choose investment options that maximize returns for investors without subjecting them to unnecessary risk and fees.
Moreover, the AI incorporates your individual risk tolerance, time horizon, and investing goals to customize your portfolio.
Still, robo-advisors require ongoing maintenance and rebalancing to keep investments on track to reach goals. They are typically created by professional financial advisors who implement long-term growth earning and risk-adjusted strategies into the algorithms.
Robo-advisors are secure and trustworthy investment platforms generally created by financial experts. However, make sure you thoroughly research and review a robo-advisor's trustworthiness history and status to ensure the safety of your financial and personal information.
Additional Features and Services
Robo-advisors come with various helpful features and services that help beginners and passive investors make informed investment decisions without being overwhelmed.
Some of the best services and features of robo-advisors include automatic rebalancing, access to human advisors, curated ETF portfolios, long-term portfolio projections, and tax-loss harvesting.
Robo-advisors commonly offer top-level security features that match industry standards. These features include encryption technology, third-party testing, risk disclosures, and vetted investments.
Getting Started with a Robo-Advisor
You can open some of the best robo-advisor accounts online or through a traditional brick-and-mortar brokerage firm. Traditional, in-person broker firms are often best suited for higher balances and may charge more fees.
Online robo-advisors, however, tend to have much lower costs and are suitable for smaller balances.
You must provide basic personal information to open a robo-advisor investment account. This may include your name, age, address, Social Security number, and bank information. Once you sign up, you can start depositing funds and investing.
Choosing the Right Robo-Advisor
Robo-advisors are popular automated investment platforms for passive and beginner investors looking for accessible market access and hands-off trading strategies without high fees. A robo-advisor is generally a cost-effective method of investing with little to no additional fees and minimums.
The best robo-advisor for you varies depending on your risk tolerance, time horizon, and how much you're willing to invest. You'll also want to research robo-advisors that offer features like tax loss harvesting, automatic portfolio rebalancing, 24/7 customer support, low fees, and socially conscious investing options.
Look for a platform offering diverse investment options and features that best suit your needs, whether for tax-efficient investing with robo-advisors or robo-advisors with human advisor access.
Robo investing platforms mainly offer ETFs, but other advisory platforms may also offer other asset classes like stocks, mutual funds, and options.
Robo-Advisor FAQs
Robo-advisors are beginner-friendly automated investing accounts that use computer algorithms and/or advisor oversight to create self-managing investment portfolios. Robo-advisors typically diversify with lose-cost ETFs.
Robo-advisors are a good choice for retirement planning for beginners and younger workers due to the convenience and affordability of automated portfolio management. People with more complex finances and who are nearing retirement should consult a professional for greater insight and guidance.
Investments with robo-advisors are generally considered safe as FINRA regulates robo-advisors similarly to other investment apps. Robo-advisors also tend to offer SIPC insurance and are registered with top custodian banks to hold client assets. Make sure to research any investment platform to ensure it's equipped with proper security measures and clear any lawsuits or major scandals.
Why You Should Trust Us: Our Expert Panel For The Best Robo-Advisors
We interviewed the following investing experts to see what they had to say about the best robo-advisors.
- Sandra Cho, RIA, wealth manager, and CEO of Pointwealth Capital Management
- Tessa Campbell, Investment and retirement reporter at Personal Finance Insider
What are the advantages/disadvantages of investing through a robo-advisor?
Sandra Cho:
"Advantages include:
- On-demand general guidance: In my experience, robo-advisors are best used as a starting point to determine risk tolerance and get a handle on your financial situation and a broad roadmap to what you need to do. Sometimes you just need a catalyst to get moving in the right direction.
- Simple to use.
- Feeling of control: There is no concern about hurting a person's feelings if you don't take their advice, and you don't feel rushed or pressured."
"Disadvantages of using a robo-advisor
- No one is second-guessing you. Sometimes, you need someone to read between the lines. Maybe you think you are an aggressive investor who can tolerate high risk, but you pull all your money out the minute your portfolio goes down. The risk tolerance result I get if clients complete the questionnaire alone is significantly different from when I walk them through it.
- Lack of EQ, or emotional IQ. EQ is sometimes more important than IQ. It's hard for a robo-advisor also to tell you what you don't know that you don't know. It's hard for a robo-advisor to help you work through concerns, fears, and anxiety and help keep you invested through turbulent markets and life events that inevitably affect your financial path."
Tessa Campbell:
"Robo-advisors do the hard, time-consuming part of investing for you. Once you set your goals, risk tolerance, and time horizon, a robo-advisor can create a customized investment portfolio based on those characteristics. This makes these platforms accessible to beginners and ideal for passive investors.
"Robo-advisors also tend to be the better option for folks wanting low-cost investing as most robo-advisors mainly trade ETFs.
"However, robo-advisors can be limiting. You won't get the same level of control or influence over your assets as you would with self-directed investing or a professionally managed platform. If you want to pick and choose how you invest your money, then a robo-advisor isn't the best option for you."
Who should consider opening a robo-advisor?
Sandra Cho:
"Someone who is a DIY investor and is tech-savvy enough to use the software involved. Larger groups of people need to be processed faster, such as participants in a 401(k) or other retirement plan.
"Investors who have smaller amounts of assets might not have the need for sophisticated financial planning."
Tessa Campbell:
"Robo-advisors are best for beginners and passive investors who don't want to be glued to their computers, watching the ups and downs of the market and trying to decide when is the best time to buy and sell.
"It's also the better option for cost-conscious investors. With a robo-advisor, you can easily and affordably get exposure to different sectors of the market with low-cost ETFs. This way, you're paying the price of individual stocks."
Is there any advice you'd offer someone who's considering opening a robo-advisor?
Sandra Cho:
"1) Treat it like a starting point, not the endpoint.
2) Find a good one. Not all robo-advisors are the same. Like financial advisors, there are good and bad ones.
3) Be aware of the investments you have, and do not have, through the robo-advisor you use. For example, if you are using a robo-advisor at a particular investment company, that robo-advisor will likely limit their recommendation to the mutual funds or other investments of only that company."
Tessa Campbell:
"Make sure to compare all the robo-advisor options before opening an account. Not all robo-advisor provide the same investment options, account types, or features. And while many robo-advisors have low-trading fees and account minimums, not all of them do, so make sure you know what you're getting into before opening a brokerage account with an automated investment platform.
"On a different note, make sure that you still frequently monitor your investment portfolio. Although you won't do much on the day-to-day, it's important to update your portfolio based on your current goals, financial situation, and market performance."
Why You Should Trust Us: How to Choose a Robo-Advisor
Business Insider's methodology for rating investment platforms was used to analyze and compare dozens of robo-advisor platforms. The best robo-advisor platforms feature some of the lowest fees, multiple portfolio types, human advisor access, and excellent customer service.
We also favored platforms that offered a range of other features and products, such as tax-loss harvesting and flexible account types. Investment platforms are rated between 1 and 5.