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If you want to grow your wealth with automated investing, Wealthfront and M1 Finance are two strong options. Both provide low-cost, hands-off investing, but they serve different kinds of investors. This guide compares their features, fees, and best uses to help you decide which fits your goals.
Wealthfront started as a classic robo-advisor for people who prefer a fully managed experience. After a short questionnaire, it builds a diversified portfolio based on your timeline, risk tolerance, and goals. Wealthfront handles rebalancing, dividend reinvestment, and offers tax-loss harvesting to help improve after-tax returns. It also supports individual stocks, ETFs, and themed portfolios.
M1 Finance offers thousands of ETFs and stocks and includes screeners to help you build the portfolio you want. It also provides curated expert model portfolios covering retirement, stock and bond mixes, income, global exposure, socially responsible choices, and varying risk levels. M1 will rebalance your portfolio to your chosen allocation when you request it. M1’s basic investing is free with a $10,000 balance or loan; otherwise there’s a $3 monthly fee.
Choose Wealthfront if you prefer a hands-off, tax-efficient, professionally managed portfolio focused on stocks and ETFs. Choose M1 Finance if you want more control—either building your own portfolio or using a model portfolio—and the option to rebalance on your terms.
Both platforms are strong, and the right choice depends on how involved you want to be. Wealthfront stands out for simplicity and built-in tax strategies, while M1 is better for investors who want customization and integrated financial tools. Both offer cash management and socially responsible investing options.
On safety, Wealthfront uses bank-level security and partners with banks to provide FDIC protection for cash and SIPC coverage for investment accounts. Its automated strategies aim to reduce volatility through diversification and tax-loss harvesting. M1 Finance is a registered broker-dealer and also uses partner banks for FDIC protection of cash; investment assets are covered by SIPC. As always, investing carries market risk despite these protections.
