SoFi Automated Investing Review (2026)
SoFi Automated Investing suits SoFi members who want a simple managed ETF portfolio inside the SoFi app, with no account minimum. The one thing to know: it was free until late 2024 and now charges 0.25% a year, and it offers no tax-loss harvesting. Cash is invested once $50 builds up, and the fee is not charged on the roughly 1% cash allocation.
By Wealthy Pot Editorial · Facts checked October 19, 2026
Facts checked October 19, 2026 against SoFi Automated Investing's own Form ADV brochures, fee pages and fund documents (7 sources, listed below). We re-check prices about once a month. We do not earn a commission from SoFi.
SoFi Automated Investing at a glance
| Advisory fee | 0.25% a year of account value (a wrap fee), billed monthly; not charged on the cash allocation, generally about 1% [1] |
|---|---|
| Minimum | No minimum to open or keep an account; cash is generally invested once it reaches $50 [1] |
| Fund costs | Not published on a page we could read; models use mostly iShares ETFs plus the SoFi Select 500 ETF (SFY) [1] |
| Cash allocation | Generally 1% of the portfolio, not charged the wrap fee [1] |
| Tax-loss harvesting | Not offered; neither SoFi Wealth brochure describes it [2] |
| Portfolios | Classic, Classic + Alternatives, Sustainable Investing; models built with BlackRock's Aladdin platform [1] |
| Human advice | Financial planners, separate from the robo: one 30-minute session for most members, periodic sessions on SoFi Plus; planners do not manage the account [2] |
| Account types | Taxable and IRA models; which IRA types are offered was not readable [1] |
| Rebalancing | When a holding drifts about 5% from target, cash is $50+ over target or under 0.25%, or the model changes [1] |
| Other fees | Apex Clearing account fees (IRA administration, inactive accounts, outbound ACAT transfers, wires, paper statements) are outside the wrap fee [1] |
| Custody | Trades through SoFi Securities LLC; Apex Clearing clears and holds assets [1] |
| Company | SoFi Wealth LLC (CRD 167958, SEC 801-78185), owned through SoFi Hold Co. by SoFi Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: SOFI); brochures dated March 27, 2026 [3] |
What a year with SoFi Automated Investing costs
| Balance | Advisory fee | Fund expenses | Total a year | As % of balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5,000 | $12.50 | Depends on what you hold | $12.50 + your funds' costs | - |
| $25,000 | $62.50 | Depends on what you hold | $62.50 + your funds' costs | - |
| $100,000 | $250 | Depends on what you hold | $250 + your funds' costs | - |
Hypothetical, our arithmetic from SoFi Automated Investing's published fee rules and no house portfolio, so fund costs depend on what you choose, read on October 19, 2026, assuming the balance stays the same all year. SoFi does not charge the 0.25% on the roughly 1% cash allocation. SoFi does not publish the model funds' expense ratios on a page we could read, so fund costs are not included.
How SoFi Automated Investing works
You answer questions about your goals and risk, and SoFi Wealth places you in a model portfolio: Classic, Classic + Alternatives or Sustainable Investing. The models come from BlackRock's Aladdin platform and use mostly or only iShares ETFs, chosen by your risk profile and whether the account is taxable or an IRA. You can ask SoFi to exclude a fund, and SoFi may say no. Deposits wait until $50 builds up, then get invested, and the account is rebalanced when a holding drifts about 5% from its target. For how the underlying funds work, see our ETF vs index fund guide.
The fee is a 0.25% yearly wrap fee on account value, billed monthly, and it is not charged on the cash allocation, which is generally about 1% of the portfolio. Fund expenses are on top. SoFi does not publish the models' expense ratios on a page we could read, so the cost table below shows the advisory fee only. Apex Clearing fees for IRA administration, inactive accounts, outbound ACAT transfers, wires and paper statements also sit outside the wrap fee; SoFi lists them on its fee schedule, which we could not read.
There is no tax-loss harvesting; neither SoFi Wealth brochure describes it. Human help is limited: SoFi members can book one 30-minute session with a financial planner, SoFi Plus members get periodic sessions, and the planners do not trade or manage the robo account. Watch the conflicts SoFi discloses. Its models can hold the SoFi Select 500 ETF (SFY), whose adviser may waive or stop waiving its management fee, and the affiliate broker SoFi Securities earns payment for order flow and share-lending revenue on robo clients' trades and ETF shares.
A hypothetical $25,000 account shows the cash exclusion. The cost table charges 0.25% on the whole $25,000, which is $62.50 a year. If about 1% ($250) sits in cash, the fee applies to $24,750: $61.88 a year. Before the fee started in late 2024, the same account paid $0 in advisory fees.
Pros
- No account minimum; investing starts at $50
- The 0.25% fee is not charged on the roughly 1% cash allocation
- A 30-minute session with a financial planner for SoFi members
- A Sustainable Investing portfolio option
Cons
- No tax-loss harvesting
- The fee went from 0% to 0.25% in late 2024
- Fund expense ratios not published on a page we could read
- Models can hold a SoFi-branded ETF, and the affiliate broker takes payment for order flow
- Apex account and transfer fees are outside the wrap fee
Who SoFi Automated Investing fits, and who should skip it
A good fit if
- You already bank or borrow with SoFi and want the robo in the same app.
- You are starting small: there is no account minimum and deposits are invested from $50.
- You hold mainly an IRA, where tax-loss harvesting does not apply anyway.
Look elsewhere if
- You want tax-loss harvesting in a taxable account: Wealthfront runs it with no minimum balance at the same 0.25%.
- Your balance is under $25,000: Fidelity Go charges $0 in advisory fees there.
- You want to see fund costs before you sign up: Vanguard Digital Advisor uses four core Vanguard ETFs at 0.03% to 0.07%.
Limitations to know
- There is no tax-loss harvesting; the brochure describes none. [2]
- Planners give planning sessions but do not implement transactions in the robo account. [2]
- Fees for IRA administration, inactive accounts and outbound ACAT transfers are charged by Apex Clearing outside the wrap fee; SoFi lists the amounts on a fee schedule page we could not read. [6]
- The SoFi Select 500 ETF (SFY) used in the models is a SoFi-branded fund; its adviser may waive its management fee at any time, which also means it may stop waiving it. [1]
- SoFi Securities earns payment for order flow on robo trades and lending revenue on robo clients' ETF shares through Apex. [1]
SoFi Automated Investing compared with alternatives
| Robo | Advisory fee | Minimum | Tax-loss harvesting | Year cost on $25,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SoFi Automated Investing | 0.25%/yr (since Nov 2024) | $0 ($50 to start investing) | No | $62.50 + funds |
| Wealthfront | 0.25%/yr (Bond Ladder 0.15%, S&P 500 Direct 0.09%) | $500 | Yes | $62.50 + funds |
| Fidelity Go | $0 under $25k, then 0.35%/yr on the whole balance | $0 ($10 to start investing) | Yes | $87.50 |
| Betterment | $5/mo under $24k (unless $200+/mo deposits), else 0.25%/yr; Premium 0.65% | $0 ($10 first deposit) | Yes | $75 to $95 |
| Vanguard Digital Advisor | 0.20%/yr index or 0.25% active (gross; less after fund credits); first 90 days free | $100 | Yes | $57.50 to $67.50 |
- Pick Wealthfront if you want tax-loss harvesting at the same 0.25% fee.
- Pick Fidelity Go if your balance is under $25,000 and you want $0 in advisory fees.
- Pick Betterment if you want tax-loss harvesting and CFP professionals on Premium from $100,000.
- Pick Vanguard Digital Advisor if you want published fund costs and a net fee of no more than $20 per $10,000 on index portfolios.
Security and privacy
- Robo clients are also clients of SoFi Securities LLC, and Apex Clearing holds the assets. The SoFi Wealth brochures do not restate the SIPC membership of either firm, so check it on FINRA BrokerCheck. [1]
- SoFi Wealth LLC is an SEC-registered adviser (CRD 167958) and a subsidiary of SoFi Technologies, Inc., a public company. [3]
- On August 19, 2021 the SEC censured SoFi Wealth LLC and ordered a $300,000 civil penalty for failing to disclose conflicts when it moved robo clients from third-party ETFs into SoFi-branded ETFs in April 2019. SoFi Wealth reimbursed clients for the taxes they owed on gains from those sales. [7]
- We could not read SoFi's security pages, so two-factor login options are not listed here. [4]
Recent changes
| Date | What changed |
|---|---|
| Dec 2, 2024 | The 0.25% fee footnote appears on SoFi's Automated Investing page in this archive capture; it was absent on November 4, 2024. SoFi's Form CRS change log dates the switch from 0% to 0.25% to November 12, 2024. [5] |
| Apr 12, 2019 | Robo client assets moved from third-party ETFs into SoFi-branded ETFs, the subject of the 2021 SEC order. [7] |
SoFi Automated Investing FAQ
How much does SoFi Automated Investing cost?
0.25% a year of account value, not charged on the roughly 1% cash allocation. That is $62.50 on $25,000 before the cash exclusion. Fund expenses and Apex Clearing account fees come on top.
Is SoFi Automated Investing safe?
It is run by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered adviser, with trades through SoFi Securities and assets held at Apex Clearing. The brochures we read do not restate SIPC membership, so confirm it on FINRA BrokerCheck. The SEC fined SoFi Wealth $300,000 in 2021 over undisclosed conflicts in moving robo clients into SoFi-branded ETFs.
Does SoFi Automated Investing do tax-loss harvesting?
No. Neither SoFi Wealth brochure describes tax-loss harvesting. <a href="/robo-advisors/wealthfront/">Wealthfront</a> and <a href="/robo-advisors/betterment/">Betterment</a> offer it on taxable accounts.
What is the minimum for SoFi Automated Investing?
There is no account minimum. Cash is generally invested once it reaches $50, on the first deposit and later ones.
SoFi Automated Investing vs Wealthfront?
Both charge 0.25% a year. SoFi has no minimum and skips the fee on its cash allocation, but has no tax-loss harvesting. <a href="/robo-advisors/wealthfront/">Wealthfront</a> needs $500, harvests losses in taxable accounts at any balance and adds US direct indexing from $100,000.
Is SoFi Automated Investing worth it?
On $10,000 the fee is $25 a year plus fund costs, for a managed ETF portfolio with no tax-loss harvesting. The same balance pays $0 in advisory fees at <a href="/robo-advisors/fidelity-go/">Fidelity Go</a>, and nothing beyond fund costs if you buy a low-cost index fund yourself at a <a href="/brokers/">broker</a>.
How we researched this review
We did not get paid or receive a free account for this page. We read SoFi Automated Investing's own pricing page, help center, security and privacy pages and app-store listing on October 19, 2026, quoted each fact from those pages, and link every one below. We did not run a long-term hands-on test, so we do not score the app; where a point rests on what the company says rather than something we can check, we attribute it to SoFi Automated Investing. Cost figures are our own arithmetic. We re-check prices and plans about once a month and log changes in the table above.
Sources
- SoFi Wealth LLC, Wrap Fee Program Brochure (March 27, 2026), checked October 19, 2026.
- SoFi Wealth LLC, Form ADV Part 2A (March 27, 2026), checked October 19, 2026.
- SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure, SoFi Wealth LLC (CRD 167958), checked October 19, 2026.
- SoFi, Automated Investing page (Internet Archive capture, October 6, 2026), checked October 19, 2026.
- SoFi, Automated Investing page (Internet Archive capture, December 2, 2024), checked October 19, 2026.
- SoFi Invest, Fee schedule, checked October 19, 2026.
- SEC order, In the Matter of SoFi Wealth LLC, Release IA-5826 (August 19, 2021), checked October 19, 2026.
Head-to-head comparisons
This review is general information, not investment advice. Investing involves risk, including loss of principal; past performance does not predict future results. Fees change; check the firm's Form ADV brochure and pricing page before you enroll.