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Home > Robo Advisors > Compare > Betterment vs. Swell Investing
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Betterment vs. Swell Investing

We've reviewed many investing and personal finance services. We want to help you make the best decision of which service best suits your needs.

This comparison we review Betterment and Swell Investing.

From our research, annual fees, minimum deposit, and 401(k) support the most important features which choosing a robo advisor. Let's look at how Betterment and Swell Investing stack up against each other on these features.

To start, we will compare the fees for trading with both robo advisors. Betterment has annual fees at 0.25% fee per year. In contrast, Swell Investing has annual fees of 0.75%. When it comes to fees, Betterment is the cheaper service.

Let's consider the minimum investment that's required to use both Betterment and Swell Investing. At $0, Betterment requires a smaller minimum deposit.

When it comes to supporting 401(k) plans, there is a clear line of division. Betterment does offer support for 401(k) plans, while Swell Investing does not. If you are someone who wants help on your employee-sponsored retirement account, Betterment will be your option.

Overall, Betterment rates 9 out of 10, while Swell Investing ranks 7 out of 10. For more information on either, you can read our full reviews on Betterment and Swell Investing.

Robo-Advisor

Recommended

Betterment

Swell Investing

ReviewBetterment ReviewSwell Investing Review

Overall rating as by Investor Junkie.

Rating
9/10
7/10
Commissions & Fees
8/10
6/10
Customer Service
9/10
8/10
Ease of Use
9/10
9.5/10
Tools & Resources
9/10
7/10
Investment Options
9/10
6/10
Asset Allocation
8.5/10
6/10
PromotionsUp To 1 Year FreeGet $50 With Promo Code "EARTH50"
Minimum Investment$0$50
Account FeesDigital – 0.25%/year; Premium – 0.40%/year0.75%/year
Accounts AvailableTaxable, Joint, Roth IRA, Traditional IRA, Rollover IRA, SEP IRA, Trusts, Non-ProfitTaxable, Roth IRA, Traditional IRA, SEP IRA
AdviceHuman AssistedAutomated

Does the robo-advisor offer assistance with your employer sponsored retirement plan?

401(k) Guidance
YesNo
Tax Loss HarvestingYes — All Taxable AccountsNo
Portfolio RebalancingYesYes
Retirement Planning ToolsYesNo
Automatic DepositsWeekly, Biweekly and MonthlyWeekly, Monthly
Clearing AgencyApex ClearingFolio Institutional
Self ClearingNoNo
Smart BetaYesNo
Socially Responsible InvestingYesYes
Invests in CommoditiesNoNo
Invests in Real EstateNoNo
Fractional SharesYesYes

How can you access the sevice? Website only? Via smartphone app?

Access
Website, iOS App, Android AppWebsite

More security to prevent unauthorized access to your account.

Two-Factor Authentication
YesNo
Customer ServicePhone: M-Th 9A-8P, F 9A-6P ET; Live Chat: M-Th 9A-8P, F 9A-6P, Sat-Sun 11A-6P ET; EmailPhone: M-F 9-5 PT; Email
Assets Under Management$13B$7M
Number of Accounts444K18

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About Betterment

Betterment is a good starting point for beginner investors. The robo advisor has no minimum deposit and costs 0.25% annually. If you need the assistance, it recently added human advisors, who can assist with your retirement account. Unfortunately, its asset allocation excludes REITs or commodities.

About Swell Investing

Swell Investing was created to help users invest in socially responsible stocks. These include investments in alternative energy, clean water and healthy living. Swell requires a minimum investment of only $50, which makes it appealing and accessible to new and younger investors. On the downside, Swell's management fee runs a bit steep, and the service lacks some features of other robo advisors such as tax-loss harvesting.

Other Comparisons

  • Betterment vs. Wealthfront
  • Betterment vs. Vanguard
  • Wealthfront vs. Vanguard
  • Wealthfront vs. Wealthsimple
  • Betterment vs. Fidelity Go
  • Betterment vs. Schwab
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Larry Ludwig
Author: Larry Ludwig
Updated: April 18, 2018
Category: Robo Advisors

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