How is a Betterment investment account different from a traditional online brokerage account?

Betterment offers unique features, including:

  • A straightforward pricing model without transaction charges or hidden fees.
  • We focus on the only two investments which tend to matter to most investors: a great stock basket and a bond portfolio.
  • An incredibly easy user experience which makes it easy to understand your money and control your exposure to risk.
  • Automatic, seamless diversification (which often means higher returns with lower risk).
  • Automatic rebalancing of your portfolio.
  • Automatic reinvestment of your dividends.
  • Transaction in exact dollar amounts (so you don't have to buy whole shares).