Betterment Review
The original set-it-and-forget-it robo-advisor. Independent Betterment review: 4.4/5 for robo-advisor. Best for Hands-off passive investors.
By Michael Hewitt, Founder & Editor-in-Chief. Rates last checked September 7, 2026.
Our verdict
Set-it-and-forget-it investors get automatic rebalancing and tax-loss harvesting at no extra cost from Betterment. Watch the fee on small balances: it's 0.25% a year, with $5 a month charged under a $24K balance. You also can't pick individual stocks, which is what keeps it from rating higher.
Skip it if you want to pick individual stocks, or your balance will sit well under $24K.
About Betterment
The original set-it-and-forget-it robo-advisor. Betterment is offered by Betterment LLC. Our editorial rating is 4.4 out of 5.
Best for: Hands-off passive investors.
Editorial grade: A- (composite score 87/100).
Highlights
- Automatic rebalancing across diversified ETF portfolios
- Tax-loss harvesting at no extra cost on taxable accounts
- Betterment Cash Reserve earns up to 4.00% APY (promotional)
What we like
- Easiest passive investing experience for beginners
- Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) and Climate Impact portfolios
- Premium tier ($100K+) includes unlimited CFP® access
- Taxable, Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SEP IRA, and Trust accounts
Where it falls short
- 0.25% annual management fee (0.65% Premium; $5/mo under $24K)
- No self-directed trading of individual stocks
Fees, minimums, and rates
Monthly fee: 0.25% AUM (Premium 0.65%). Minimum to open: $0 ($100K for Premium). Rates and fees last checked on September 7, 2026.
How we reviewed it
This is a desk review: we have not opened an account with Betterment LLC. It is built from Betterment LLC's published rates, fee schedule and terms and from the public complaint record, and compared with the other products in the Robo-Advisor shortlist. Our brokerage and robo-advisor reviews weight costs and fees (25%), platform and tools (20%), asset selection (15%), account types (10%), education and research (10%), customer support (10%), and trust and safety (10%). The rubric is the same for every brand.
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Read our full editorial methodology for how we review products.