Wealthy PotBetterment vs Wealthfront (2026)
Betterment and Wealthfront are the two leading standalone robo-advisors, and they charge the same headline advisory fee. Betterment leans into goal-based planning and optional human advisors; Wealthfront leans into automation, software, and direct indexing at higher balances. Pick Betterment if you want hand-holding and goals, Wealthfront if you want the most automated, software-driven experience.
By Wealthy Pot · Last updated September 2026
| Feature | Betterment | Wealthfront |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Standalone | Standalone |
| Advisory fee | 0.25%/yr (or $5/mo under $24k without a $200+ recurring deposit) | 0.25%/yr |
| Account minimum | $0 | $500 |
| Tax-loss harvesting | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android |
| Best for | Hands-off investors who want goal-based automation with no minimum to start | Automation-first investors who want direct indexing and planning tools at low cost |
Where Betterment wins
- Goal-based planning that is genuinely easy to use
- Automatic tax-loss harvesting
- No minimum to open
- Optional access to human CFPs on a premium tier
Where Wealthfront wins
- Best-in-class automation and financial-planning software
- Automatic tax-loss harvesting
- Direct indexing at higher balances
- Strong cash-management features
Which should you choose?
Betterment and Wealthfront are the two leading standalone robo-advisors, and they charge the same headline advisory fee. Betterment leans into goal-based planning and optional human advisors; Wealthfront leans into automation, software, and direct indexing at higher balances. Pick Betterment if you want hand-holding and goals, Wealthfront if you want the most automated, software-driven experience.
Compare these against every option in our robo-advisors comparison.
We summarize hands-on assessment, not user reviews. Advisory fees and account minimums change often and are re-checked against each provider's official page. Some outbound links may be affiliate links — that never affects our comparisons. Nothing here is investment advice.