Updated September 28, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
growney vs M1
growney vs M1: the differences
| Compare |  growney |  M1 |
|---|---|---|
| Management fee | 0.38% to 0.68% | 0%Lower |
| Minimum investment | €25 | $10,000 |
| Regulators | Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin), Deutsche Bundesbank | SIPC |
| Investor protection | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 | SIPC up to USD 500,000 |
| Account types | Joint, Corporate | IRA, Roth IRA, Joint |
| Portfolio types | ETF, ESG, Cash | ETF, Cash, Crypto |
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Key differences
- growney scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 9.0.
- Regulators: only growney offers Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin), Deutsche Bundesbank.
- Regulators: only M1 offers SIPC.
- Founded is lower at growney: 2014 vs 2015.
- Management fee is lower at M1: 0% vs 0.38% to 0.68%.
- Account types: only growney offers Corporate.
- Account types: only M1 offers IRA, Roth IRA.
- Portfolio types: only growney offers ESG.
- Portfolio types: only M1 offers Crypto.
- Support channels: only growney offers Phone, Chat, Email.
Our verdict on each
growney
growney suits beginners in Germany who want savings and a managed portfolio under one roof, with joint and corporate accounts offered alongside ETF, ESG and cash portfolios. Entry starts at €25, and cash is offered at 2.25%, so a saver can begin small.
M1
M1 is a low-cost brokerage built for retirement savers and small investors who want shares, ETFs and crypto in a single account. Stock trades run at $0 and it places 1 of 213 brands on minimum deposit, though the managed portfolios want $10,000 to start.
Score breakdown
| Area | growney | M1 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.9Management fee of 0.38% to 0.68% a year against a robo-advisor median of 0.35%, with deposits and withdrawals free. | 9.5Higher |
| Offer | 9.6Higher | 9.0Costs carry the offer: 0% management fee, $0 stock trades and a $0 minimum deposit. |
| Trust | 9.4Higher | 8.6 |
Cost in a real example
10,000 invested for a year
growney
38 to 68
0.38% to 0.68% of 10,000
M1
0
0% of 10,000
M1 comes out 38 lower in this example.
Worked out from the stated prices and rates; your own total depends on how you use it. Facts checked September 26, 2026.
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | growney | M1 |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | Not confirmed | |
| United States | Not confirmed | SIPC SIPC member 69670 |
Additional countries for growney: 1. Additional countries for M1: 1.
What we checked
growney
- growney.de: 10 facts, checked September 26, 2026
M1
- m1.com: 7 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- sipc.org: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | growney | M1 |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 70 of 471 | 145 of 471 |
| Robo-advisors | 18 of 151 | 55 of 151 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | growney | M1 |
|---|---|---|
| Legal entity | growney GmbH | M1 FINANCE LLC |
| Headquarters | Germany | United States |
| Founded | 2014Lower | 2015 |
| Support channels | Phone, Chat, Email, Help centreCovers more | Help centre |
Brokers
| Fact | growney | M1 |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Stock trade fee | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Markets | ETFs, Funds | Stocks, ETFs, Crypto |
| Features | Not confirmed | Crypto, Fractional shares, Mobile app |
| Pricing model | Not confirmed | Commission free |
| Audience | Beginners | Not confirmed |
| Margin rate | Not confirmed | 5.9% |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Tages- und Festgeld kostenlos | Not confirmed |
| Maximum retail leverage | Not confirmed | Up to 50% of portfolio value |
| Interest on cash | 2.25% | 3.35%Higher |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | growney | M1 | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Management fee | 0.38% to 0.68%above the median | 0%lowest quarter | 0.35 |
Median across 87 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
growney
Pros
- Day and fixed-term deposits carry no deposit or withdrawal charge.
- German supervision through BaFin and the Deutsche Bundesbank, with protection at EU ICS up to EUR 20,000.
- Help runs on phone, chat and email, so a first-time investor has several routes to an answer.
Cons
- The management fee of 0.38% to 0.68% a year is the main ongoing cost, sitting above providers charging 0%.
- Instruments run to etfs and funds, so there is no direct share dealing here.
- Account types are limited to joint and corporate.
M1
Pros
- Placing 1 of 213 brands on minimum deposit, so an account opens without a funding hurdle.
- Placing 1 of 161 brands on stock trade fees, with a stock trade costing $0.
- Uninvested cash earns 3.35%, and Pie portfolios mix etf, cash and crypto.
Cons
- Margin borrowing at 5.9% can cost more over a held position than the $0 trade fee saves.
- Support runs on help centre only, with no phone or live chat listed.
- Managed portfolios want $10,000 to start, well above the $0 brokerage entry point.
Who each suits
growney
Who it suits
- Beginners in Germany who want savings and a managed portfolio without choosing holdings themselves.
- Couples and companies, since joint and corporate accounts are supported.
- Anyone who wants day and fixed-term deposits alongside an invested plan.
Who should look elsewhere
- Not eToro, which charges 0% in management fees and suits people who place trades themselves.
- Not Axos Invest, whose minimum starts at $100 against €25 here.
- Not Vivid Standard, where plans run at 0.5% to 1.5% a year against 0.38% to 0.68% here.
M1
Who it suits
- Self-directed investors who want to trade shares and ETFs without a per-trade charge.
- Retirement savers, since accounts include ira, roth ira and joint.
- People who want crypto alongside equities in the same account, under stocks, etfs and crypto.
Who should look elsewhere
- Traders who need forex, CFDs or futures, since eToro lists stocks, etfs and forex and M1 stops at stocks, etfs and crypto.
- Readers who want a wider asset list in the same app, because CFI covers stocks, etfs and forex.
- Managed portfolio buyers starting below $10,000, a floor that sits well above the $5 deposit Vantage asks to open an account.
Country by country
| Country | growney | M1 |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | Yes | No |
| United States | No | Yes |
Questions about each
growney
What does growney charge to manage my money?+
growney takes a management fee of 0.38% to 0.68% a year on the portfolio it runs. That is the main ongoing cost, and it sits in the middle of the robo-advisor range, where the upper quartile reaches 0.6%. Day and fixed-term deposits add no deposit or withdrawal charge.
How much do I need to start with growney?+
The minimum investment is €25, below the robo-advisor median of €60.06. A low entry suits a beginner trying a managed approach, and it makes it easy to hold a small portfolio while the rest of the money sits in savings.
M1
What does it cost to trade shares at M1?+
Stock trades cost $0 and the account opens with a $0 minimum deposit, so there is no per-trade commission and no funding hurdle. The running cost sits in the spread and in currency conversion when shares priced in dollars are bought. Margin borrowing is charged at 5.9% and is the line most likely to run up a bill.
Is my money protected at M1?+
Protection runs through the scheme listed as SIPC, with cover stated as SIPC up to USD 500,000. It is the only regulator on file, so there is a single scheme to claim against and a single register to check. The membership record reads SIPC member 69670. The stated figure is a ceiling on the payout, not a stand-in for the balance itself.