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M1 Finance vs Betterment

M1 Finance is a commission-free investing app that allows you to choose your own investments. How does it compare to Betterment? Read our comparison chart below.

M1 Finance offers automated investing with no commissions or trading fees. M1 lets you select your own investments and their automation will manage it for you. This is great for investors who want a say. The downside is that there are no human advisors. The minimum to start is just $100.

While Betterment offers automatic investing starting at $4/month for accounts with less than $20,000. There is no fee to open an account and no minimum deposit required. All balances get automatic rebalancing, tax loss harvesting, and access to financial experts.

Compare M1 Finance with Betterment, side-by-side. Read on for an in-depth look, including ratings, reviews, pros and cons.

 

M1 Finance

Betterment

SPECIAL OFFER
Commission Free Stock Trading - Learn More

Read M1 Finance Review

SPECIAL OFFER
Compare Pricing - Learn More

Read Betterment Review

 

Benefits and Features

Savings 
  • Betterment Cash Reserve - Earn 4.75% APY**
Stock Trading
$0
 
Options Trading
No
 
Annual FeeA $3 monthly platform fee will apply to clients with less than $10,000 in M1 assets or without an active M1 Personal Loan.
  • Digital: 0.25% annual fee for accounts with $20,000 or more or with monthly recurring deposits of $250 or more, $4/month for accounts with less than $20,000
  • Premium: 0.65% for accounts $100,000 or more
Cryptocurrency Trading
Yes
 
Minimum Deposit$100 ($500 for IRAs, $5,000 for Trust Account)
$0
Checking 
No-Fee Checking
Mutual Fund Trading
No
 
Commission Free ETFsAll U.S. listed ETFs 
Phone SupportMonday - Friday 9:30 am to 4 pm EST
Yes
Live Chat Support
No
No
Email Support
Yes
Yes
Human Advisors
No
Yes ($100k minimum)
Robo Advisor 
Yes
Assets Under Management
$4.5 Billion
$50+ Billion
Minimum Investment 
$0
Tax Loss HarvestingNo, but offers tax minimization features
Yes
Goal Tracker
No
Yes
Automatic Deposits
Yes
Yes
Broker Assisted Trades
Included
 
Good ForDIY investing with passive portfolio management 
Inactivity Fee$50 (for accounts with $50 or less and no trading or deposit activity for 90+ days) 
Maintenance Fee$3 monthly platform fee for accounts with less than $10,000 in M1 assets, or without an active M1 Personal Loan 
Online Platform
Yes
Yes
iPhone App
Yes (4.6 stars, 33.3k ratings)
Yes
Android App
Yes (4.5 stars, 15.7k ratings)
Yes
Banking Offers checking account with a free debit card, and a high-yield cash account
Mobile App
Check
iOS & Android
Two-Factor Authentication
Yes
 
Locations
No
 
Online Community
No
 
Seminars
No
 
Virtual Trading
No
 
Single Stock Diversification 
No
Fractional Shares
Yes
Yes
Taxable Accounts
Yes
Yes
401k Plans
No
Yes
IRA Accounts
Yes
Yes
Roth IRA Accounts
Yes
Yes
SEP IRA Accounts
Yes
Yes
Trust Accounts
Yes
Yes
529 Plans
No
No
 

CreditDonkey® Reviews

Annual FeeStarStarStarStarStarStarStarStarStarHalf Star
Minimum DepositStarStarStarStarStarStarStarStarStarStar
Mobile AppStarStarStarStarHalf Star
Customer ServiceStarStarStarHalf StarEmpty StarStarStarStarStarEmpty Star
Ease of UseStarStarStarStarHalf Star
ResearchStarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty Star
Human AdvisorsStarStarStarEmpty StarEmpty Star
Pros & ConsPros:
  • Choose your own investments
  • Can invest in individual stocks
  • Morning and afternoon trade windows
Cons:
  • No research
  • No human advisors
  • Platform fee
Pros:
  • No minimum investment
  • Customized portfolios
  • Automatically invest extra funds
Cons:
  • Limited investment options
  • High fees for large investors
Bottom LineCommission-free investing app that allows you to choose your own investments... Read full reviewGreat robo-advisor for beginners with low fees, good tools, and tax strategies... Read full review

Blank fields may indicate the information is not available, not applicable, or not known to CreditDonkey. Please visit the product website for details.

M1 Finance: Pricing information from published website as of 12/26/2023.

Betterment: Pricing information from published website as of 04/04/2018

Which is Better: M1 Finance or Betterment?

Still need help deciding which investing is better? Read the in-depth reviews below. You may also be interested in comparing M1 Finance or Robinhood.


Articles on M1 Finance

M1 Review

Is M1 Finance legitimate and safe? Find out the pros, cons, fees, and more. An essential read for beginners interested in M1 Finance.

Best M1 Finance Pie

M1 Finance is a commission-free investment app offering ready-made portfolios that are made up of "pies." What's the best M1 Finance Pie? Find out.

M1 Finance Alternatives

M1 Finance is a popular app for commission-free investing. But is there a better option for you? Find out in this detailed guide to M1 Finance alternatives.

Articles on Betterment

Betterment Investing

Betterment offers low fees and good returns. But there are risks you should NOT ignore. Read this review to see if Betterment is better.

Is Betterment Worth The Fee

Betterment will manage your investments, but they charge a fee. Is Betterment worth the fee? Read on to answer all your questions.

Betterment Roth IRA

Is Betterment a good way to invest for retirement? What about the fees and withdrawals? Read on to learn how Betterment's Roth IRA account works.

Betterment vs Wealthfront

Betterment and Wealthfront are two of the oldest and most popular robo-advisors. Is there a difference? Which is better for you? Read on to find out.

Which Do You Think is Best?


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