Key takeaways
A robo-advisor is an automated investing platform built and overseen by financial experts, so you don't have to pick individual stocks yourself.
The best beginner picks share three things: low fees, low minimums, and simple setup.
Many investing platforms let you start with $10 or less, and Chime® members can start with as little as $1 through Chime Invest™.
Fees are usually a small yearly percentage of your balance or a flat monthly charge.
Investing can feel intimidating when you're just starting out. A robo-advisor takes away much of the guesswork by building and managing a diversified portfolio for you at a low cost. This guide covers what a robo-advisor is, the best robo-advisors for beginners in 2026, and how to choose the right robo-advisor for you.
How we chose the robo-advisors
No single robo-advisor is the best choice for every beginner. Different platforms stand out depending on how much you have to invest, what you’re comfortable paying, and how much guidance or automation you want. We evaluated each robo-advisor using publicly available information and compared the features that matter most when you’re getting started.
Our review focused on:
Fees: Management or subscription fees, along with the cost of underlying investments where applicable.
Account minimums: How much money you need to open an account or start investing.
Ease of use: How simple it is to set up an account, navigate the app or platform, and understand your investment options.
Automated investing features: Features such as portfolio management, automatic rebalancing, recurring contributions, and goal setting.
Beginner guidance: Educational resources, explanations, and other tools that can help newer investors understand what they’re doing.
Account options and support: Available investment account types, access to customer support, and other features that may become useful as your investing needs grow.
Rather than ranking these robo-advisors from first to last, we highlight what each one does particularly well so you can compare your options and choose the platform that best fits your budget, starting amount, and preferred level of guidance.
What is a robo-advisor?
A robo-advisor is an online service that builds and manages an investment portfolio for you automatically. When you sign up, you answer a few questions about your goals, your timeline, and your risk tolerance. The service uses your answers to build a diversified portfolio, usually made of low-cost exchange-traded funds (ETFs) – a basket of many investments you can buy in a single share.
The service then does the ongoing work for you. It rebalances your portfolio over time, so you don't have to research stocks, time the market, or manage anything by hand. Many managed portfolios also let you set up automatic deposits, so you can add to your balance on a schedule that fits your budget.
This setup tends to suit beginners for a simple reason. You get a diversified portfolio and steady management without needing to learn everything first. You can always get more hands-on later if you want to.
A robo-advisor is a type of technology developed and overseen by financial professionals. They design the strategy, and the technology handles the labor-intensive work at scale. That's a big reason robo-advisors usually cost less than a traditional human advisor. If you want to dig into how these services work, you can read theSEC's robo-adviser overview.
How we chose these robo-advisors
We focused on what matters most to a first-time investor. Here's what we weighed:
Fees: Both the management fee and the cost of the underlying funds.
Account minimums: How little you need to start.
Ease of use: Setup, app experience, and guidance for beginners.
Features: Automatic rebalancing, goal setting, education, and account types.
Support and trust: Access to help and a regulated, protected structure.
We leaned toward options with low fees, low minimums, and simple setup, since those matter most when you're getting started. We also gave credit to platforms that explain investing in plain terms, because feeling confident is part of sticking with it. No single pick wins on every measure, so we've noted who each one fits best. Your ideal choice depends on your budget, your starting amount, and how much guidance you want. Chime Invest is included because it's available directly in the Chime app; Chime is the publisher of this comparison.
6 best robo-advisors for beginners
Here are six of the best robo-advisors for beginners in 2026. Each one keeps fees and minimums low and setup simple. We put the fee and the minimum right up front so you can compare them at a glance.
Chime Invest™
Chime Invest builds investing right into the Chime app, and members can start with as little as $1.1 Managed Portfolios are automated and built around your goals, timeline, and risk tolerance. Self-directed investing lets you buy individual U.S. stocks and ETFs commission-freeCI 03, which means you don't pay a trading fee to place an order.
The advisory fee for Managed Portfolios fee is $0 for Chime Prime™ members, 0.10% for Chime Plus™ members, and 0.25% for standard accountsCI 09. Chime Invest sits right beside your Chime Checking account, so you can invest in the same app. That can make it easier to move money over and keep an eye on everything in one place.
Brokerage services are provided by Atomic Brokerage LLC, a member of FINRA and SIPC. SIPC protects customers of its member firms up to $500,000, including up to $250,000 for cash.CI 10
Best for: Starting with as little as $1 in the app.
Betterment
Betterment® is a well-established robo-advisor, and it's built for hands-off investing. It creates an automated portfolio based on your goals, then rebalances it over time so you don't have to.
You can start investing with little or no minimum. The management fee is $5 per month if your balance is under $24,000 and you don't have at least $200 in recurring monthly deposits. If you have a balance of $24,000 to $1 million, or at least $200 in recurring monthly deposits, the management fee is 0.25% per year.2 Betterment also offers tax-loss harvesting, a feature that sells losing investments to help lower the taxes you owe on your gains.
Its goal-based tools let you set up separate buckets for things like a home, a trip, or retirement. You can track your progress toward each one in the app. It’s a well-rounded platform for investors who want it to mostly run itself.
Best for: Hands-off investors who want strong automation and goal planning.
Acorns
Acorns® is popular with beginners who want investing to feel effortless. Its round-ups feature invests your spare change from everyday purchases. Spend $4.50 on coffee, and Acorns can round up to $5 and invest the extra 50 cents. Those small amounts can add up without you thinking about them.
Acorns offers three subscription plans with different monthly fees, so the amount you pay depends on the features you choose. There's no minimum to start investing.3 The app is simple and beginner-friendly, so you can turn on automatic contributions and check your balance in a few taps.4
Best for: Beginners who want to start with spare change and automatic contributions.
Fidelity Go
Fidelity Go is the low-cost robo-advisor from Fidelity®. There's no account minimum, and you can begin investing with as little as $10. You pay no advisory fee on balances under $25,000, and a flat 0.35% per year on bigger balances. That structure can be a good deal early on, when every dollar of savings counts.
It's also backed by Fidelity's broader lineup of accounts and tools. That gives you room to grow into other products as your balance and your goals expand. That structure can matter most if keeping costs down is your top priority in the early days.5
Best for: Keeping costs as low as possible while you build a balance.
Wealthfront
Wealthfront® is a fully automated robo-advisor for set-it-and-forget-it investors. It charges a low advisory fee of 0.25% a year, and the minimum to open an account is $500.6 That minimum is higher than some picks here, so it fits better if you have a larger sum to invest up front.
Wealthfront also offers tax-loss harvesting, a wide range of account types, and the option to add individual stock investing as you get more comfortable. Once you set your plan, the platform handles the day-to-day work, so you can leave it alone and let it do its job.
Best for: Set-it-and-forget-it investors who want advanced automation.
Stash
Stash® blends automated investing with hands-on learning, so it's a good fit if you want to understand your money while you grow it. Stash offers subscription plans starting at $3 per month and has a low minimum to start investing.7
The app’s real strength is education. It walks you through the basics and explains your choices in plain language, so you learn as you go instead of guessing. That makes it a comfortable starting point if terms like “ETF” or “diversification” still feel new. You can pick from ready-made portfolios or lean on the app’s guidance. Like other flat-fee options, it's smart to weigh the monthly cost against your balance, especially in your first few months.8
Best for: Beginners who want to learn while they invest.
How to choose the right robo-advisor for you
Once you know your options, the right pick comes down to your situation. Start with fees, and compare them against how much you plan to invest. A flat monthly fee eats into a small balance more than it does a larger one, while a percentage fee scales with your account. For example, $5 a month may be hardly noticeable on a $50,000 balance, but it’s a whopping 5% on a $100 balance.
Next, check the minimum you need to start. Some platforms let you start investing with a few dollars, while others may require $500 or more. If you're starting small, look for an app with a low or no minimum.
Then think about how much guidance you want. Some apps focus on automation and stay out of your way, and others add education and coaching to help beginners learn. Neither is better – it depends on how much hand-holding feels right to you. Finally, consider whether you'd rather invest through an app you already use, like your banking app. Using a familiar app can make the whole process feel less like a chore.
It also helps to match the account type to your goal. Many robo-advisors offer both regular taxable accounts and retirement accounts, such as IRAs. If you're saving for something years away, a retirement account may come with tax perks worth asking about. If you might need the money sooner, a standard account gives you more flexibility.
One more tip: building a small savings cushion first can help you invest without having to withdraw money later. Saving and investing serve different jobs, and it helps to keep them separate. A savings account is one place to keep that cushion, alongside an emergency fund. Think of it as a savings foundation, not an investment.
Are robo-advisors worth it for beginners?
For many beginners, the answer is yes. A robo-advisor gives you a lot of what a first-time investor needs, and it does it at a low cost. Still, it's not the right fit for everyone. Here's an honest look at both sides.
Pros:
Low cost compared with a traditional human advisor.
Low effort, since the platform manages your portfolio for you.
Built-in diversification, which spreads your money across many investments to help lower risk.
Less emotional decision-making, so you're not reacting to every market swing.
Low entry points, so you can start small and add more over time.
Cons:
Less direct human interaction, which may not suit everyone's preferences.
Customization is more limited compared with a fully personalized, advisor-led strategy.
It also helps to be realistic about your potential returns. A robo-advisor doesn't promise a profit, and your balance can drop when markets fall. What it does well is keep you diversified and consistent, which are habits that help many long-term investors. If you'd rather have a person to call for detailed planning, a human advisor may serve you better, though going this route usually costs more.
The bottom line: if you want a low-stress way to start investing, a robo-advisor is a solid first step. You can always add a human advisor later as your needs grow more complex.
How to start investing with a robo-advisor
Getting started is simpler than you might expect. Here's how to do it in five steps:
Set a goal and timeline. Decide what you're investing for and when you'll need the money, since that shapes the rest of your choices.
Pick a platform based on fees and minimums. Match your choice to your budget and your starting amount.
Answer the risk questionnaire. Your answers help the service build a portfolio that fits how you feel about ups and downs.
Fund the account. Many platforms let you start small, and eligible members can start with as little as $1 through Chime Invest.
Set up recurring contributions. Automate a regular deposit so you keep adding to your balance without having to remember.
Try not to check your balance every day. Investing works best over the long run, and daily swings can tempt you to make changes you'll regret. Set your plan, keep your deposits going, and give it time. Want a fuller walkthrough before you begin? Read our beginner's guide to investing.
Start investing at your own pace
You don’t need a huge chunk of money to start investing. Pick a low-cost robo-advisor that fits your goals, and begin when you're ready. If you'd like to start with as little as $1 in the associated app, consider Chime Invest. Get started with Chime today.