Four Things to Look at When Deciding Between Robo Advisors and Brokerage Accounts

One of the largest differences between traditional brokerages and robo advisors can be found in the fees charged for their services. Most brokerages charge annual fees and commissions on each executed trade. Over time, these fees can add up to a considerable sum. The best robo advisors charge a simple and low management fee expressed as a percentage of your holdings, making them a much lower-cost alternative for investors who are wary of high brokerage costs.

Another major difference between robo advisors and standard brokerage accounts is the degree of control you’ll have over your portfolio. Most robo advisors will allow you to adjust your holdings to include different mixes of stocks and bonds but will not let you allocate money directly to particular funds or ETFs. This fact makes them convenient for more passive investors who aren’t comfortable picking securities on their own. A brokerage account, on the other hand, will let you individually select every stock, bond and ETF that goes into your portfolio and give you vastly more direct control over your holdings.

Because they are often geared toward younger investors, many robo advisors do not require a minimum balance to open an account. By contrast, brokerages tend to require an initial deposit of several hundred dollars or more to open an account. If you do not have enough investment capital to open a brokerage account, you can use a robo advisor to start with and gradually save toward having the minimum deposit required by your preferred brokerage. Alternatively, you can search for a brokerage with a low initial deposit requirement. Online investing sites will typically show the minimum requirements upfront so you can tell.

When making investment decisions, taxes should always be taken into consideration. While the taxes you pay will depend on your exact holdings and strategy, there are some differences between brokerage accounts and robo advisors where taxes are concerned. Generally, trading with a brokerage account will expose you to full standard capital gains tax. Robo advisors, on the other hand, tend to offer users IRA plans that are tax advantaged. Some robo advisors also offer automatic tax loss harvesting as a tool for offsetting the burden of capital gains taxes. Curious about IRAs? This article will help.