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 0.15% 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 | |
|---|---|---|
| Review | Betterment Review | Swell 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 |
| Promotions | Up To 1 Year Free | Invest for Free for 1 Year With Promo Code "MAY5K" |
| Minimum Investment | $0 | $50 |
| Account Fees | Digital – 0.15-0.25%/year; Premium – 0.30-0.40%/year | 0.75%/year |
| Accounts Available | Taxable, Joint, Roth IRA, Traditional IRA, Rollover IRA, SEP IRA, Trusts, Non-Profit | Taxable, Roth IRA, Traditional IRA, SEP IRA |
| Advice | Human Assisted | Automated |
Does the robo-advisor offer assistance with your employer sponsored retirement plan? 401(k) Guidance |  |  |
| Tax Loss Harvesting | — All Taxable Accounts | |
| Portfolio Rebalancing | | |
| Retirement Planning Tools | | |
| Automatic Deposits | Weekly, Biweekly and Monthly | Weekly, Monthly |
| Clearing Agency | Apex Clearing | Folio Institutional |
| Self Clearing | | |
| Smart Beta | | |
| Socially Responsible Investing | | |
| Invests in Commodities | | |
| Invests in Real Estate | | |
| Fractional Shares | | |
How can you access the sevice? Website only? Via smartphone app? Access | Website, iOS App, Android App | Website |
More security to prevent unauthorized access to your account. Two-Factor Authentication | | |
| Customer Service | Phone: M-Th 9A-8P, F 9A-6P ET; Live Chat: M-Th 9A-8P, F 9A-6P, Sat-Sun 11A-6P ET; Email | Phone: M-F 9-5 PT; Email |
| Assets Under Management | $13B | $7M |
| Number of Accounts | 444K | 18 |
Sign Up | Sign Up | Sign Up |
About Betterment
Betterment is equally a good starting point for beginning investors and a useful platform for more experienced 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, Betterment's 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.
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