Best Robo-Advisors (2026)

Robo-advisors manage your investments automatically: you answer questions about goals and risk tolerance, and the platform builds, rebalances, and maintains a diversified portfolio for a fraction of what a human advisor charges. We track 11 services, including established names like Betterment, comparing management fees, account minimums, portfolio construction, and extras such as tax-loss harvesting and access to human advisors for trickier questions. The fee gap compounds brutally — 0.25% versus 1% a year is an enormous difference over a multi-decade horizon, which is why costs deserve more of your attention than past-performance charts. Most services invest in low-cost ETFs, rebalance on a schedule, and reinvest dividends without you lifting a finger; the differentiators are the fee, the tax features, and whether you can talk to a person when life gets complicated. None of this is investment advice — a directory can compare costs and features honestly, but your asset allocation should reflect your own goals, timeline, and tolerance for volatility. Where we couldn't verify a fee or minimum, it's blank, not estimated, and we'd rather show an incomplete row than a confident-sounding fiction.

Acorns

Acorns is a US micro-investing app that rounds up purchases and invests spare change in ETF portfolios. Acorns Advisers, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser.

Betterment

Betterment is a US robo-advisor offering automated, goal-based investing in low-cost ETFs with tax-loss harvesting. Betterment LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser.

Ellevest

Ellevest is a US investing platform designed around women's financial lives, offering automated investing and financial planning. Advisory services are provided by an SEC-registered investment adviser.

Empower

Empower (formerly Personal Capital) offers digital wealth management with human advisors for larger balances, plus free financial planning tools. Empower Advisory Group, LLC is a registered investment adviser.

Fidelity Go

Fidelity Go is Fidelity's robo-advisor, offering automated investing with no advisory fee on balances under $25,000. It is offered by Fidelity's registered investment adviser entities.

SigFig

SigFig is a digital wealth platform that powers robo-advisory services for banks and offers direct-to-consumer managed portfolios. SigFig Wealth Management, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser.

Stash

Stash is a US investing app for beginners, offering fractional shares, automated investing, and banking in one subscription. Stash Capital LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser.

Wealthfront

Wealthfront is a US robo-advisor offering automated investing, tax-loss harvesting, and high-yield cash accounts. Wealthfront Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser.

Frequently asked questions

How much do robo-advisors charge?

Most charge 0.25%–0.50% of assets per year, versus ~1% for traditional human advisors. Compare management fees plus any fund expense ratios — both eat into returns.

Are robo-advisors good for beginners?

They're often a strong fit: low minimums, automatic diversification, and rebalancing without you having to learn portfolio theory first.

What is tax-loss harvesting?

Selling investments at a loss to offset gains elsewhere, then replacing them — some robo-advisors automate this. It can improve after-tax returns but the benefit depends on your tax situation.