Understanding robo-advisor performance | Vanguard (2024)

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There is no guarantee that any particular asset allocation or mix of funds will meet your investment objectives or provide you with a given level of income.

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Enrollments in Vanguard Digital Advisor require at least $3,000 in each Vanguard Brokerage Account. For each account you wish to enroll, the entire balance must be in certain allowable investment types (based on eligibility screening by Digital Advisor at the time of enrollment) and/or the brokerage account's settlement fund. We'll typically invest your assets in a portfolio of Vanguard ETFs, all of which are commission-free through a Vanguard Brokerage Account. Vanguard Brokerage Accounts are offered through and maintained by VMC, a registered broker-dealer and member FINRA and SIPC. If you decide to manage your investments on your own, you can buy and sell Vanguard ETF Shares through Vanguard Brokerage Services or another broker (which may charge commissions).

Vanguard Digital Advisor is an all-digital service. Digital Advisor charges Vanguard Brokerage Accounts an annual gross advisory fee of 0.20% for its all-index investment options and 0.25% for an active/index mix. The gross advisory fee is reduced by a credit of the actual revenue VGI or its affiliates retain from investments in each managed account, resulting in a net advisory fee that will be the actual fee collected from your account. The actual net fee amount will vary based on your unique asset mix, investment setting, account types, and specific investments in each managed account. Note that this fee doesn't include investment expense ratios—such as fees paid to the funds' third-party managers, which aren't credited. While we generally recommend using low-cost Vanguard funds to build your portfolio, it's important to be aware that actively managed funds will have higher expense ratios than index funds. You should consult your plan fee disclosure notice for the applicable annual gross advisory fees that apply to your 401(k) account. For more information, please reviewVAI's Form CRS and the Vanguard Digital Advisor Brochure.

Understanding robo-advisor performance | Vanguard (2024)

FAQs

How well do robo-advisors perform? ›

Robo-advisor performance is one way to understand the value of digital advice. Learn how fees, enhanced features, and investment options can also be key considerations. Five-year returns from most robo-advisors range from 2%–5% per year.

Which robo-advisor has best performance? ›

Best Robo-Advisors for May 2024
  • Best Overall, Best for Goal Planning, Best for Portfolio Construction, Best for Portfolio Management: Wealthfront.
  • Best for Beginners, Best for Cash Management, Best for Tax-Loss Harvesting, Best for Crypto Portfolio Selection: Betterment.
  • Best for Low Costs: SoFi Automated Investing.

Do robo-advisors outperform the S&P 500? ›

Do robo-advisors outperform the S&P 500? Robo-advisors can outperform the S&P 500 or they can underperform it. It depends on the timing and what they have you invested in. Many robo-advisors will put a percentage of your portfolio in an index fund or a variety of funds intended to track the S&P 500.

What is the average yearly return for a robo-advisor? ›

For example, as of December 31, 2022, the 5-year annualized trailing return for robo-advisors with portfolios with a 60/40 allocation ranged from 2.84% to 5.12%, according to The Robo Report by Condor Capital.

What is the biggest downfall of robo-advisors? ›

No Human Contact

This type of personal contact is relegated to the traditional financial advisory models. Most robo-advisors won't hold your hand and comfort you after a significant market drop. By contrast, a human financial advisor can be available to assuage your fears and explain how the investment markets work.

What is one of the biggest downfalls of robo-advisors? ›

Limited human interaction: Robo-advisors do not offer the same level of human interaction as traditional financial advisors. This can be a disadvantage for investors with more complex financial needs or investment goals.

Do millionaires use robo-advisors? ›

Nearly 7 in 10 Millennial millionaires have some money in robos or automated portfolios. Moreover, nearly 20% of Millennial and Gen Z households who know the investment products they own have some money in robos versus only 13% of Gen X and only 2% of Boomer+ households (Boomers and older).

What are 2 cons negatives to using a robo-advisor? ›

The generic cons of Robo Advisors are that they don't offer many options for investor flexibility. They tend to not follow traditional advisory services, since there is a lack of human interaction.

Does Wealthfront outperform the S&P 500? ›

In 2022, the Wealthfront Smart Beta strategy outperformed its benchmark by 4.71%. Figure 4 shows the total return of each factor portfolio over the full comparison period, along with the total return of the S&P 500.

Does Warren Buffett recommend the S&P 500? ›

Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett has regularly recommended an S&P 500 index fund.

Is robo-advisor better than etf? ›

Robo-advisors help automate the decision-making, recommending a portfolio that aligns with an investor's goals and preferences. Robo-advisors may carry higher fees than ETFs, but their costs usually remain below those of a traditional human advisor.

Is robo-advisor better than trading? ›

The interface that connects the trader and the buyer is known as the online trading platform. Whereas a Robo Advisor is an algorithm-based process of financial advising with minimal human intervention. Read our experts' take on Online Brokerage vs Robo Advisor to make an informed decision between them.

What is a good robo-advisor fee? ›

Funds' expense ratios: The robo-advisor will invest your money in various funds that also charge fees based on your assets. The fees can vary widely, but across a portfolio they typically range from 0.05 percent to 0.25 percent, costing $5 to $25 annually for every $10,000 invested, though some funds may cost more.

Do robo-advisors outperform the market? ›

This will vary significantly depending on the risk profile of the portfolio, broader market conditions, and the specific robo-advisor used. Some robo-advisor portfolios may outperform the S&P 500 in certain years or under specific conditions, while in others, they underperform.

Should you use a robo-advisor for retirement? ›

In retirement, a portfolio should be low risk and focused on providing a regular cash flow to support basic living expenses like housing, dining, medical bills and travel. Robo-advisors do the heavy lifting automatically. You don't need any background in investments or portfolio theory to succeed.

Do robo-advisors beat the market? ›

Robo-advisors often build portfolios using a mix of various index funds. But depending on the asset class mix and the particular index funds selected, a robo-advisor may underperform or outperform a broad equity index like the S&P 500.

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