Vanguard Personal Advisor Review
Hybrid human + robo advice at ~0.30%/yr, the price every matched advisor has to justify beating.
By Michael Hewitt, Founder & Editor-in-Chief. Rates last checked September 7, 2026.
Our verdict
At about 0.30% a year, against roughly 1% for a typical independent advisor, Vanguard Personal Advisor suits index-fund investors with $50,000 who want fiduciary advice at benchmark cost. Below $500K you get pooled advisors instead of a dedicated CFP, and portfolios use Vanguard funds only. A January 2025 SEC settlement ($106M) over target-date fund disclosures also weighs on it.
Skip it if you want a dedicated planner with under $500K, or if you want funds beyond Vanguard's.
About Vanguard Personal Advisor
Hybrid human + robo advice at ~0.30%/yr, the price every matched advisor has to justify beating. Vanguard Personal Advisor is offered by Vanguard Advisers, Inc. Our editorial rating is 3.9 out of 5.
Best for: Index-fund investors who want fiduciary advice at benchmark cost.
Editorial grade: B (composite score 78/100).
Highlights
- Published ~0.30%/yr all-in advice fee vs ~1% for a typical independent advisor
- $50,000 minimum; dedicated CFP at the $500K Select tier
- All advisors are fiduciaries; portfolios built from Vanguard index funds
What we like
- Roughly a third the cost of a typical matched human advisor
- Fiduciary advice backed by one of the largest asset managers ($120B+ discretionary in the program)
- Tiers scale down to 0.15% (Digital Advisor, $100 minimum) and up to dedicated wealth management
Where it falls short
- Vanguard-only portfolios; less bespoke planning than an independent RIA
- Pooled (not dedicated) advisors below $500K
- January 2025 SEC settlement ($106M) over target-date fund disclosures; service-quality complaints are common on review sites
Fees, minimums, and rates
Monthly fee: ~0.30%/yr (gross 0.35-0.40% less fund revenue credits). Minimum to open: $50,000. 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 Vanguard Advisers, Inc.. It is built from Vanguard Advisers, Inc.'s published rates, fee schedule and terms and from the public complaint record, and compared with the other products in the Financial Advisors shortlist. The rubric is the same for every brand.
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Read our full editorial methodology for how we review products.