Vanguard Digital Advisor vs Fidelity Go (2026)
Fidelity Go charges no advisory fee under $25,000 and 0.35% on the whole balance from there, using Flex funds that are sold if you move to another firm. Vanguard Digital Advisor charges about 0.16% net on its standard index portfolio from $100, using Vanguard ETFs at 0.03% to 0.07% a year.
By Wealthy Pot Editorial · Facts checked October 19, 2026
| Feature | Vanguard Digital Advisor | Fidelity Go |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Broker-owned | Broker-owned |
| Advisory fee | 0.20%/yr index or 0.25% active (gross; less after fund credits); first 90 days free | $0 under $25k, then 0.35%/yr on the whole balance |
| Year cost on $5,000 | $11.50 to $13.50 | $0 |
| Year cost on $25,000 | $57.50 to $67.50 | $87.50 |
| Year cost on $100,000 | $230 to $270 | $350 |
| Account minimum | $100 | $0 ($10 to start investing) |
| Tax-loss harvesting | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | Web | Web, iOS, Android |
| Best for | Investors who want Vanguard index ETFs managed for about 0.20% a year, starting at $100 | Balances under $25,000 that want management with no advisory fee |
Year-cost rows are our arithmetic: advisory fee plus typical fund expenses, balance held flat for a year, using each firm's published fee rules. Hypothetical, not a quote.
Key differences
Under $25,000 Fidelity Go charges no advisory fee; Vanguard charges 0.20% gross on index portfolios, about 0.16% net after its fund revenue credit, or no more than $20 per $10,000, Vanguard says. From $25,000 Fidelity Go charges 0.35% on the whole balance. Hypothetically, at $20,000 Vanguard nets about $20,000 x 0.16% = $32 a year against $0 at Fidelity Go; at $100,000 it is about $160 against $350. The table uses Vanguard's 0.20% gross figure. New Vanguard clients pay no net advisory fee for the first 90 days.
The funds decide how easy it is to leave. Vanguard's standard portfolio usually holds four ETFs, VTI, VXUS, BND and BNDX, at 0.03% to 0.07% a year. Fidelity Go uses Flex funds that show 0.00% expenses "with limited exceptions", but they can only be held in Fidelity fee-based accounts, so moving to another firm means they are sold, which can create taxable gains. Fidelity Go bills each account on its own and starts investing at $10; Vanguard needs $100 per account and can raise its gross fee on 30 days' written notice.
Vanguard's tax-loss harvesting is optional on taxable individual, joint and eligible revocable trust accounts with no stated threshold, and requires the MinTax cost basis method. Fidelity Go harvests only in taxable accounts with $25,000 or more. Fidelity Go adds unlimited phone coaching from $25,000; Digital Advisor has no human advisor, with human help in Vanguard Personal Advisor at 0.35% gross from $50,000. Fidelity Go lists HSAs; Vanguard lists revocable trusts and inherited IRAs. In August 2025 the SEC fined Vanguard Advisers $19.5 million over Personal Advisor, not Digital Advisor.
Where Vanguard Digital Advisor wins
- Net fee of no more than $20 per $10,000 a year on index portfolios
- Core ETFs at 0.03% to 0.07% a year
- $100 minimum per account, $5 for eligible 401(k) accounts
- No net advisory fee for the first 90 days
- Tax-loss harvesting with no stated balance threshold, included in the fee
- No required cash allocation disclosed
Where Fidelity Go wins
- $0 advisory fee for every account under $25,000
- Flex index funds such as FDFIX and FIBUX list 0.00% total annual operating expenses
- No minimum to open; investing starts at $10
- HSA and SEP IRA are eligible account types
- Unlimited phone coaching from $25,000 at no extra fee
Which should you choose?
Pick Vanguard Digital Advisor if
- You want a managed portfolio of Vanguard index ETFs from $100.
- You want tax-loss harvesting with no balance threshold stated, included in the fee.
- You want a revocable trust or inherited IRA managed.
- You do not need to talk to an advisor.
Pick Fidelity Go if
- You have under $25,000 to invest and want it managed with no advisory fee and 0.00% fund expenses on the Flex index funds.
- You want a managed IRA, Roth IRA, SEP IRA or HSA with no minimum to open.
- You already bank or invest at Fidelity and want the managed account next to your other accounts.
- You have $25,000 or more in one account and want phone coaching included in the 0.35% fee.
Vanguard Digital Advisor vs Fidelity Go: FAQ
Which is cheaper on $25,000, Vanguard or Fidelity Go?
At $25,000 Fidelity Go charges 0.35% of the whole balance, $87.50 a year, with Flex funds at 0.00% (limited exceptions). Vanguard charges 0.20% gross, $50, or about $40 net at 0.16%, plus $7.50 to $17.50 for its core ETFs. Under $25,000 Fidelity Go charges no advisory fee.
Which does tax-loss harvesting under $25,000?
Vanguard Digital Advisor, as an option for taxable individual, joint and eligible revocable trust accounts with no balance threshold stated in its brochure, if you use the MinTax cost basis method. Fidelity Go harvests only in taxable accounts with at least $25,000 invested. Neither promises tax savings.
Which has human advice?
Fidelity Go, from $25,000 in one account: unlimited phone coaching with a team of Fidelity advisors at no extra fee. Vanguard Digital Advisor has no human advisor; a person is available in Vanguard Personal Advisor, at 0.35% gross on index portfolios with a $50,000 minimum.
Compare these against every option in our robo-advisors comparison.
We summarize each company's published terms and pricing, not user reviews or our own testing. Facts come from our full reviews of both services, each checked against the firm's own fee pages and SEC filings on October 19, 2026 with every source listed. We do not earn a commission from either service. Nothing here is investment advice.