Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
Betterment vs Ellevest
Where Betterment and Ellevest differ
| Compare |  Betterment |  Ellevest |
|---|---|---|
| Management fee | 0.25%Lower | 0.35% to 1.25% |
| Minimum investment | $10Lower | $500,000 |
| Regulators | U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) registered investment adviser, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Betterment Securities broker dealer member, SIPC | SEC |
| Account types | IRA, Roth IRACovers more | IRA |
| Portfolio types | ETF, ESG, Cash, CryptoCovers more | ETF, ESG |
Same on both: Investor protection (SIPC up to USD 500,000).
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Key differences
- Betterment scores higher overall: 9.6 vs 8.7.
- Regulators: only Betterment offers U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) registered investment adviser, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Betterment Securities broker dealer member, SIPC.
- Regulators: only Ellevest offers SEC.
- Founded is lower at Betterment: 2008 vs 2014.
- Management fee is lower at Betterment: 0.25% vs 0.35% to 1.25%.
- Minimum investment is lower at Betterment: $10 vs $500,000.
- Account types: only Betterment offers Roth IRA.
- Portfolio types: only Betterment offers Cash, Crypto.
- Support channels: only Betterment offers Phone, Chat.
Our verdict on each
Betterment
Betterment suits US savers who want a robo-managed IRA with a flat, low management fee and SIPC cover. It charges a management fee of 0.25%, sits mid-table among robo-advisors on that fee, and offers only IRA and Roth IRA accounts, so UK and European readers may look elsewhere.
Ellevest
Ellevest is a robo-advisor run by Ellevest, Inc. in the US, offering portfolios of etf and esg. What decides it for most readers is the price of entry: managed portfolios ask for a minimum investment of $500,000, with an annual management fee of 0.35% to 1.25%.
Score breakdown
| Area | Betterment | Ellevest |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3HigherManagement fee of 0.25% and no account fee, with a minimum investment of $10. | 8.5Management fee runs 0.35% to 1.25%, against 0% at eToro and 0.5% to 1.5% at Vivid Standard, with an account fee of $129. |
| Offer | 9.7Higher | 8.6 |
| Trust | 9.7Higher | 8.9 |
How they place
| Ranking | Betterment | Ellevest |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 42 of 471 | 194 of 471 |
| Robo-advisors | 10 of 151 | 82 of 151 |
If neither fits
Empower Personal Dashboard has minimum investment at $0, against $10 for Betterment and $500,000 for Ellevest.
Empower Personal Dashboard reviewWhat we checked
Betterment
- betterment.com: 8 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- en.wikipedia.org: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
- sipc.org: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
Ellevest
- ellevest.com: 7 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- production.assets.ellevest.com: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- support.ellevest.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Betterment | Ellevest |
|---|---|---|
| Legal entity | MTG LLC | Ellevest, Inc. |
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
| Founded | 2008Lower | 2014 |
| Support channels | Phone, Email, Chat, Help centreCovers more | Email, Help centre |
Brokers
| Fact | Betterment | Ellevest |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $10 | $0Lower |
| Account fee | $0Lower | $129 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Bonds | Stocks, ETFs, Funds |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | No fees | Not confirmed |
| Interest on cash | 3.5% | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Betterment | Ellevest | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Management fee | 0.25%below the median | 0.35% to 1.25%at the median | 0.35% |
| Minimum investment | $10below the median | $500,000highest quarter | $300 |
Median across 87 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
Betterment
Pros
- A management fee of 0.25% sits below the robo-advisor median of 0.35%
- An account fee of $0 and a deposit and withdrawal charge listed as No fees
- Covered by SIPC protection of SIPC up to USD 500,000
Cons
- Account types run only to ira and roth ira, so there is no taxable or ISA-style account for UK and European readers
- A management fee of 0.25% still ranks 18 of 49 brands, so cheaper robo-advisors exist
- Markets cover only stocks, etfs and bonds, with no forex, options or crypto trading
Ellevest
Pros
- A minimum deposit of $0 lets you open an account without tying up money straight away.
- Regulated in the US by SEC, with listed investor protection of SIPC up to USD 500,000.
- Markets of stocks, etfs and funds and portfolios of etf and esg keep the range fund based and easy to read.
Cons
- The minimum investment of $500,000 sits well above the €25 asked across the site.
- Support runs on email and help centre only, so there is no phone line for account questions.
- An account fee of $129 adds a fixed cost beside the management fee of 0.35% to 1.25%.
Who each suits
Betterment
Who it suits
- US savers who want a robo-managed IRA or Roth IRA
- People starting small, with a minimum investment of $10
- Investors who want automated portfolios of etf, esg and cash
Who should look elsewhere
- UK and European readers, since account types cover only ira and roth ira
- Active traders wanting forex, options or crypto beyond the stocks, etfs and bonds it lists
- Anyone seeking a management fee of 0% as at eToro
Ellevest
Who it suits
- Savers who want a robo-advisor to run a portfolio of etf and esg and can meet the minimum investment of $500,000.
- IRA account holders, since ira is the account type listed.
- Investors comparing managed portfolios against cheaper entry points, such as Axos Invest at $100.
Who should look elsewhere
- Savers with small sums, because the minimum investment of $500,000 is far higher than $100 at Axos Invest.
- Traders who want to place their own orders, since the markets listed are stocks, etfs and funds and eToro is the trading alternative here.
- Anyone after a platform to place orders themselves, where eToro lists a management fee of 0%.
Current offers
Betterment
Current offer
Bonus
Invest and earn up to $2,000: up to $2,000
Terms apply; new customers only; open any individual investing account and make a deposit
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Bonus
0.75% APY boost on Cash Reserve: 0.75% APY boost, 4.25% variable APY on balances up to $1M
New clients with a qualifying deposit; guaranteed through February 15; base variable APY 3.50% as of 9/21/2026; $10 min deposit for base APY
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Discount code
Discounted mortgage rate through Rate partnership: up to 0.75% off
Via partnership with Rate; terms apply
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Betterment | Ellevest |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Yes | No |
Questions about each
Betterment
How much does Betterment charge to manage my money?+
The annual management fee is 0.25%, taken as a percentage of the portfolio. That sits below the robo-advisor median of 0.35%, and Betterment ranks 18 of 49 brands on this measure. There is no separate account charge, listed as $0.
Is my money protected if Betterment fails?+
Stated protection is SIPC up to USD 500,000, and Betterment appears on the SIPC member register as SIPC member 51906. The cover applies to cash in the brokerage account if the broker-dealer fails, and the legal entity named is MTG LLC. Portfolio market values are not protected by the scheme.
Ellevest
What does Ellevest charge?+
The management fee runs 0.35% to 1.25%, and an account fee of $129 is listed alongside it. For comparison, eToro lists a management fee of 0% and Vivid Standard runs 0.5% to 1.5%, so Ellevest sits in between on advisory costs.
How much do I need to get started?+
Managed portfolios ask for a minimum investment of $500,000, well above the €25 most robo-advisors ask and above $100 at Axos Invest. Opening the account is lighter, since the minimum deposit is $0.
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