Investing comparison
Betterment vs Stash
Updated
Before you compare: This compares features and fees from each company's own pages. It isn't investment advice, and investing involves risk, including loss of money.
Full disclosure: Taylor Price, who runs Priceless Tay, owns Fifecta, so keep that in mind as you read this comparison.
Short answer
Betterment and Stash are both investing apps. Betterment's base price for investing accounts is $5/month, while The Stash Plan costs $12 a month, or $108 billed annually. We checked both on Oct 24, 2026, and the official sources differ on 6 of the 10 rows in the table below.
Betterment vs Stash at a glance
Betterment and Stash are both investing apps. This page puts what each company's official pages and app store listings say side by side, with the date we checked every fact. The sources differ on 6 of the 10 rows in the table below.
Management or subscription fee
Betterment's base price for investing accounts is $5/month. It switches to 0.25% a year of your investing balance once you set up recurring monthly deposits of $200 or more or reach a $24,000 balance. Premium is 0.65% a year and needs $100,000 invested. The Stash Plan costs $12 a month, or $108 billed annually. Stash also charges a 0.25% annual advisory fee on Smart Portfolios with balances of $1,000 or more and on Managed Retirement Accounts. We checked both on Oct 24, 2026.
Account minimum
Betterment says pricing for its investment portfolios begins at $5/month, with no minimum balance. Stash's pricing page says: No minimums. No hidden fees. We checked both on Oct 24, 2026.
Stock and ETF commissions
Betterment says you'll pay no trading commissions on stocks and ETFs, and its management fee doesn't apply to those trades. We haven't verified this for Stash yet, so check the official site for Stash before you decide. We checked Betterment on Oct 24, 2026.
Account types
Betterment lists these account types: Taxable investing accounts, Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SEP IRA, Solo 401(k) and HSA. Stash lists these account types: Brokerage, Retirement and Custodial accounts for kids. We checked both on Oct 24, 2026.
Fractional shares
Stash says you can invest in fractional shares with $5 or less, from thousands of stocks and ETFs. We haven't verified this for Betterment yet, so check the official site for Betterment before you decide. We checked Stash on Oct 24, 2026.
Automatic investing
Betterment says it automates portfolio rebalancing, dividend reinvesting and taxes for you. We haven't verified this for Stash yet, so check the official site for Stash before you decide. We checked Betterment on Oct 24, 2026.
Managed portfolios (robo)
Betterment says it builds a diversified portfolio and handles all trading, rebalancing and tax management for you. Stash says you can let its investing team manage a diversified portfolio for you (a Smart Portfolio). We checked both on Oct 24, 2026.
Protection
Betterment Securities is a member of SIPC, which protects securities of its members up to $500K (including $250K for claims for cash). Stash's security page says Apex Clearing Corporation is a member of SIPC, so the investments in your account are protected up to $500,000 total (including $250,000 for claims for cash). We checked both on Oct 24, 2026.
App store rating
Betterment has 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store from 66,106 ratings. Stash has 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store from 311,480 ratings. We checked both on Oct 24, 2026. Store ratings are a dated snapshot from each listing, not our score.
What it costs
BettermentBetterment's base price for investing accounts is $5/month. It switches to 0.25% a year of your investing balance once you set up recurring monthly deposits of $200 or more or reach a $24,000 balance. Premium is 0.65% a year and needs $100,000 invested.
As of · betterment.com/pricing
Stash$12a month
The Stash Plan costs $12 a month, or $108 billed annually.
As of · stash.com/pricing
Bars show only when every app here lists a yearly price, so these prices sit side by side without them. Prices are list prices from each app's own page, before tax and any offer. Investing fees appear as each company states them. A yearly advisory fee is a percent of your balance, not a monthly price, so it never gets a bar or a price tag.
At a glance
App Store rating
- Betterment
- 4.866,106 ratings
- Stash
- 4.7311,480 ratings
Source
- Betterment has 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store from 66,106 ratings. App Store listing, as of Oct 24, 2026.
- Stash has 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store from 311,480 ratings. App Store listing, as of Oct 24, 2026.
Platforms
- Betterment
- Not verified yet
- Stash
- Not verified yet
Source
- Betterment: Not verified yet.
- Stash: Not verified yet.
Account minimum
- Betterment
- Betterment says pricing for its investment portfolios begins at $5/month, with no minimum balance.
- Stash
- Stash's pricing page says: No minimums. No hidden fees.
Source
- Betterment says pricing for its investment portfolios begins at $5/month, with no minimum balance. betterment.com/pricing, as of Oct 24, 2026.
- Stash's pricing page says: No minimums. No hidden fees. stash.com/pricing, as of Oct 24, 2026.
Stock and ETF commissions
- Betterment
- Betterment says you'll pay no trading commissions on stocks and ETFs, and its management fee doesn't apply to those trades.
- Stash
- Not verified yet
Source
- Betterment says you'll pay no trading commissions on stocks and ETFs, and its management fee doesn't apply to those trades. betterment.com/pricing, as of Oct 24, 2026.
- Stash: Not verified yet.
Protection
- Betterment
- Betterment Securities is a member of SIPC, which protects securities of its members up to $500K (including $250K for claims for cash).
- Stash
- Stash's security page says Apex Clearing Corporation is a member of SIPC, so the investments in your account are protected up to $500,000 total (including $250,000 for claims for cash).
Source
- Betterment Securities is a member of SIPC, which protects securities of its members up to $500K (including $250K for claims for cash). betterment.com, as of Oct 24, 2026.
- Stash's security page says Apex Clearing Corporation is a member of SIPC, so the investments in your account are protected up to $500,000 total (including $250,000 for claims for cash). stash.com/security, as of Oct 24, 2026.
Features
We haven't verified a feature list for either app yet, so this grid is empty for now.
✓ means the official site lists it. ? means we haven't verified it yet, not that the app lacks it.
Screen by screen
Pick a task to see what each app shows for it. App Store and Google Play images are the apps' own marketing, so they can show sample data and staged layouts. Help center images come from the app's support articles. See every app's screens.
Other screens
Betterment
App Store marketing imageApp Store image 1 of 4 from the Betterment listing.App Store listing, as of 
App Store marketing imageApp Store image 2 of 4 from the Betterment listing.App Store listing, as of 
App Store marketing imageApp Store image 3 of 4 from the Betterment listing.App Store listing, as of 
App Store marketing imageApp Store image 4 of 4 from the Betterment listing.App Store listing, as of
Stash
App Store marketing imageApp Store image 1 of 4 from the Stash listing.App Store listing, as of 
App Store marketing imageApp Store image 2 of 4 from the Stash listing.App Store listing, as of 
App Store marketing imageApp Store image 3 of 4 from the Stash listing.App Store listing, as of 
App Store marketing imageApp Store image 4 of 4 from the Stash listing.App Store listing, as of
Betterment and Stash, side by side
Rows marked “Differs” are where the official sources say different things, and 6 rows do here.
Swipe the table sideways to see both apps.
| Field | BettermentInvesting appBetterment is an automated investing app with managed portfolios, IRAs and other retirement accounts, and commission-free stock and ETF trading.Visit Betterment's site | StashInvesting appStash is a subscription investing app with brokerage, retirement and custodial accounts, fractional shares and managed Smart Portfolios.Visit Stash's site |
|---|---|---|
| Management or subscription feeDiffers | Betterment's base price for investing accounts is $5/month. It switches to 0.25% a year of your investing balance once you set up recurring monthly deposits of $200 or more or reach a $24,000 balance. Premium is 0.65% a year and needs $100,000 invested.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: betterment.com/pricing | The Stash Plan costs $12 a month, or $108 billed annually. Stash also charges a 0.25% annual advisory fee on Smart Portfolios with balances of $1,000 or more and on Managed Retirement Accounts.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: stash.com/pricing |
| Account minimumDiffers | Betterment says pricing for its investment portfolios begins at $5/month, with no minimum balance.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: betterment.com/pricing | Stash's pricing page says: No minimums. No hidden fees.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: stash.com/pricing |
| Stock and ETF commissions | Betterment says you'll pay no trading commissions on stocks and ETFs, and its management fee doesn't apply to those trades.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: betterment.com/pricing | Not verified yet. |
| Account typesDiffers | Betterment lists these account types: Taxable investing accounts, Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SEP IRA, Solo 401(k) and HSA.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: betterment.com/pricing | Stash lists these account types: Brokerage, Retirement and Custodial accounts for kids.Also named on another official page: Traditional IRA, Roth IRA.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: stash.com/retireAs of Oct 24, 2026. Source: stash.com/pricing |
| Fractional shares | Not verified yet. | Stash says you can invest in fractional shares with $5 or less, from thousands of stocks and ETFs.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: stash.com/pricing |
| Automatic investing | Betterment says it automates portfolio rebalancing, dividend reinvesting and taxes for you.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: betterment.com | Not verified yet. |
| Managed portfolios (robo)Differs | Betterment says it builds a diversified portfolio and handles all trading, rebalancing and tax management for you.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: betterment.com | Stash says you can let its investing team manage a diversified portfolio for you (a Smart Portfolio).As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: stash.com/pricing |
| ProtectionDiffers | Betterment Securities is a member of SIPC, which protects securities of its members up to $500K (including $250K for claims for cash).As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: betterment.com | Stash's security page says Apex Clearing Corporation is a member of SIPC, so the investments in your account are protected up to $500,000 total (including $250,000 for claims for cash).As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: stash.com/security |
| Platforms | Not verified yet. | Not verified yet. |
| App store ratingDiffers | Betterment has 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store from 66,106 ratings.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: App Store listing | Stash has 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store from 311,480 ratings.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: App Store listing |
App store ratings are a dated snapshot from each store listing, not our score. “Not verified yet” means we don't have a current official source for that line. How we source and date this data. Spotted a change? Tell us if something changed.
Weighing a third option? Add up to two more apps to this table and compare up to four side by side.
Who it's for
Pick the tab that sounds like you. The questions come from app help centers, FAQ pages and user forums, and every answer comes from the app's own pages, with the date we checked it.
Just me
Budgeting on your own? These are the basics people ask about first.
Is it free?
Betterment
Not verified yet
“Not verified yet” means we haven't found a current official source that answers it, not that the app can't. We only say no when the app's own page does.
Which fits your Money Type?
There are four Money Types: Strategist, Spender, Saver and Scrambler. Each card matches one type to what the sources say about these two apps.
StrategistNeither app's sources confirm a feature we match to this type yet, so the quiz is the better place to start.
First fix: Save the Raise.
SpenderNeither app's sources confirm a feature we match to this type yet, so the quiz is the better place to start.
First fix: Sleep on It.
SaverNeither app's sources confirm a feature we match to this type yet, so the quiz is the better place to start.
First fix: Put It to Work.
ScramblerNeither app's sources confirm a feature we match to this type yet, so the quiz is the better place to start.
First fix: Bills First.
Not sure which one you are? Take the free Money Types quiz. It takes about two minutes.
Full disclosure: Taylor Price, who runs Priceless Tay, owns Fifecta, so keep that in mind as you read this comparison.
Another option: Fifecta
If neither Betterment nor Stash feels right, here is one more option to look at. Fifecta gives every paycheck a plan with FUNDS, and it starts from your Money Type, so the plan matches how you already handle money.
FAQ
How much does Betterment charge?
Betterment's base price for investing accounts is $5/month. It switches to 0.25% a year of your investing balance once you set up recurring monthly deposits of $200 or more or reach a $24,000 balance. Premium is 0.65% a year and needs $100,000 invested. We checked this on Oct 24, 2026.
How much does Stash charge?
The Stash Plan costs $12 a month, or $108 billed annually. Stash also charges a 0.25% annual advisory fee on Smart Portfolios with balances of $1,000 or more and on Managed Retirement Accounts. We checked this on Oct 24, 2026.
What is Betterment's app store rating?
Betterment has 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store from 66,106 ratings. That's a snapshot from the store listing on Oct 24, 2026, not our score.
What is Stash's app store rating?
Stash has 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store from 311,480 ratings. That's a snapshot from the store listing on Oct 24, 2026, not our score.
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Keep comparing
- See Betterment alternatives, closest category first.
- See Stash alternatives, closest category first.
- Browse our guide to the low-cost brokerage accounts.
- Want the bigger picture? Compare more money apps.
Full disclosure: Taylor Price, who runs Priceless Tay, owns Fifecta, so keep that in mind as you read this comparison.
Want a plan built on your Money Type?
Fifecta gives every paycheck a plan with FUNDS, so you know where each dollar goes.
Sources and confidence
- Last checked
- Not verified yet
- 5 of 20 facts
Betterment8 of 10 verified, 2 not verified yet, last checked Oct 24, 2026
- Management or subscription feebetterment.com/pricing, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Account minimumbetterment.com/pricing, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Stock and ETF commissionsbetterment.com/pricing, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Account typesbetterment.com/pricing, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Fractional sharesNot verified yet
- Automatic investingbetterment.com, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Managed portfolios (robo)betterment.com, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Protectionbetterment.com, as of Oct 24, 2026
- PlatformsNot verified yet
- App store ratingApp Store listing, as of Oct 24, 2026
Stash7 of 10 verified, 3 not verified yet, last checked Oct 24, 2026
- Management or subscription feestash.com/pricing, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Account minimumstash.com/pricing, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Stock and ETF commissionsNot verified yet
- Account typesstash.com/pricing, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Fractional sharesstash.com/pricing, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Automatic investingNot verified yet
- Managed portfolios (robo)stash.com/pricing, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Protectionstash.com/security, as of Oct 24, 2026
- PlatformsNot verified yet
- App store ratingApp Store listing, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Reference: sipc.org/for-investors/what-sipc-protects, checked Oct 24, 2026.
Each fact links to the official page it came from, with the date we checked it. Once a fact is older than its app's window (8 days for apps whose rates change often, 35 days for the rest), it reads “Not verified yet” until we check it again. How we source, date and index this data.
This is education, not financial advice.
