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 Merrill Edge Guided Investing (MEGI) and Vanguard Personal Advisor Services.
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 Merrill Edge Guided Investing (MEGI) and Vanguard Personal Advisor Services stack up against each other on these features.
To start, we will compare the fees for trading with both robo
advisors. Merrill Edge Guided Investing (MEGI) has
annual fees at 0.45% fee per year. In
contrast, Vanguard Personal Advisor Services has annual fees of 0.30%.
When it comes to fees, Vanguard Personal Advisor Services is the cheaper service.
Let's consider the minimum investment that's required to use both Merrill Edge Guided Investing (MEGI) and Vanguard Personal Advisor Services.
At $5,000, Merrill Edge Guided Investing (MEGI) requires a smaller minimum deposit.
When it comes to supporting 401(k) plans, there is a clear line of division. Vanguard Personal Advisor Services does offer support for 401(k) plans, while Merrill Edge Guided Investing (MEGI) does not. If you are someone who wants input on your employee-sponsored retirement account, Vanguard Personal Advisor Services will be your option.
Overall, Merrill Edge Guided Investing (MEGI) rates 8 out of 10, while Vanguard Personal Advisor Services ranks 8 out of 10. For more information on either, you can read our full reviews on Merrill Edge Guided Investing (MEGI) and Vanguard Personal Advisor Services.
Robo-Advisor | ||
|---|---|---|
| Review | Merrill Edge Guided Investing (MEGI) Review | Vanguard Personal Advisor Services Review |
| Overall rating as by Investor Junkie. Rating | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Commissions & Fees | 6/10 | 8.5/10 |
| Customer Service | 8.5/10 | 7.5/10 |
| Ease of Use | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Tools & Resources | 10/10 | 6.5/10 |
| Investment Options | 8/10 | 9.5/10 |
| Asset Allocation | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Promotions | None | None |
| Minimum Investment | $5,000 | $50,000 |
| Account Fees | 0.45%/year | 0.30%/year |
| Accounts Available | Taxable, Joint, Roth IRA, Traditional IRA, Rollover IRA, Custodial, SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRA, 401(k), Solo 401(k), 529 | Taxable, Joint, Roth IRA, Traditional IRA, Rollover IRA, SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRA, Trusts |
| Advice | Automated | Human Assisted |
Does the robo-advisor offer assistance with your employer sponsored retirement plan? 401(k) Guidance |  |  |
| Tax Loss Harvesting | | |
| Portfolio Rebalancing | | |
| Retirement Planning Tools | | |
| Automatic Deposits | Daily, Weekly, Biweekly and Monthly | Weekly, Biweekly, Monthly and Bimonthly |
| Clearing Agency | Merrill Lynch | N/A |
| 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, iOS App, Android App |
More security to prevent unauthorized access to your account. Two-Factor Authentication | | |
| Customer Service | Phone: 24/7; Live Chat: 24/7; Email | Phone M-F 8A-8P ET; Email M-F |
| Assets Under Management | $0 | $101B |
| Number of Accounts | N/A | N/A |
Sign Up | Sign Up | Sign Up |
About Merrill Edge Guided Investing (MEGI)
MEGI is a robo advisor that combines automated investing with active management of your portfolio. It invests your money in index-based ETFs, but it actively manages your portfolio allocation. This gives you an opportunity to both outperform the market and minimize losses in a downturn. The major negative is that the management fee is higher than those of most other robo advisors. But the active management component may very well justify the higher fee.
About Vanguard Personal Advisor Services
A solid entry into the robo advisor space, Vanguard Personal Advisor Services is backed by the trusted Vanguard brand and features real, live human advisors you can call. Unfortunately, the service requires a hefty $50k deposit, which excludes many beginning investors.
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