Vanguard Review

Vanguard

Founded 1975

Minafi Score

99 /100

Minafi Rating

10 /10

Usability Rating

5 /10

Cost Rating

9 /10

Trust Rating

10 /10

Retirement Score

10 /10

Company Age Score

5 /5

JD Power Rating

10 /1000

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Vanguard Alternatives

All comparisons:

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Vanguard

99

Minafi's Take

Vanguard is the industry leader for low cost, diversified index funds. 6 of the 10 largest mutual funds in the world are Vanguard funds. Unlike their competitors, Vanguard is owned by their investors – like a credit union. This means they don’t need to increase their revenue. They’re optimized around increasing revenue for investors.

Minafi absolutely recommends Vanguard for anyone hoping to invest for retirement – despite the user interface that looks like it was created in the 90s.

Just The Facts

Here’s everything you want to know about Vanguard.

Who Manages Your Money?

Vanguard is categorized as a Self-Guided Account.

What Features Does Vanguard Offer?

Vanguard allows you to invest using at least 9 different account types, over at least 3 platforms.

How Much Does Vanguard Cost?

Assuming a 0.05% average expense ratio for a portfolio.

Current Promotions

Fees & Expenses View all fees

  • $20/yr fee for accounts with less than $10,000.
  • 0.03% - 0.93% expense ratio for mutual funds and ETFs.
  • Some funds have a purchase or redemption fee from 0.25% to 1% (I’d recommend avoiding these).

How Do I Sign Up?

Open an Account

Pros

  • Investor-owned – Like a credit union, Vanguard doesn’t need to make money for investors.
  • Largest mutual fund provider in the world.
  • Unlimited free trades of Vanguard mutual funds and ETFs.
  • Automatic investing down to the penny with mutual funds.
  • Industry leader in retirement investing.

Cons

  • Outdated user interface
  • Fees for accounts with balances under $10k
  • Fractional shares not offered for ETFs (only mutual funds)
  • $25 fee to purchase non-Vanguard mutual funds for accounts with less than $1 million.

Vanguard Alternatives

Here's a look at how Vanguard compares with it's closest competitors.

Vanguard

99

Open An Account
Ratings
Rating Type Rating
Minafi Rating 10 /10
Usability Score 5 /10
Cost Rating 9 /10
Trust Rating 10 /10
Company Age Score 5 /5
JD Power Score 10 /10
Overview
Overview Feature Included
Founded 1975
Min Investment $1,000.00
Classification
Accounts Offered
How to Access
Allows Investors from
Features
Feature Included
Automatic Investing
Automatic Rebalancing
Automatic Tax-Loss Harvesting
Checking Account
Fractional ETF Shares
Free Trades
Good for Beginners
Good for Day Trading
Good for Retirement
Sign Up Bonus
Fees & Expenses
Fee Type Included
Management Fee -
Monthly Fee -
Options Fee -
Trade Fee -

M1 Finance

98

Open An Account
Ratings
Rating Type Rating
Minafi Rating 10 /10
Usability Score 8 /10
Cost Rating 10 /10
Trust Rating 8 /10
Company Age Score 5 /5
JD Power Score -
Overview
Overview Feature Included
Founded 2015
Min Investment $100.00
Classification
Accounts Offered
How to Access
Allows Investors from
Features
Feature Included
Automatic Investing
Automatic Rebalancing
Automatic Tax-Loss Harvesting
Checking Account
Fractional ETF Shares
Free Trades
Good for Beginners
Good for Day Trading
Good for Retirement
Sign Up Bonus
Fees & Expenses
Fee Type Included
Management Fee -
Monthly Fee -
Options Fee -
Trade Fee -

Betterment

87

Open An Account
Ratings
Rating Type Rating
Minafi Rating 9 /10
Usability Score 10 /10
Cost Rating 5 /10
Trust Rating 9 /10
Company Age Score 5 /5
JD Power Score -
Overview
Overview Feature Included
Founded 2008
Min Investment $0.00
Classification
Accounts Offered
How to Access
Allows Investors from
Features
Feature Included
Automatic Investing
Automatic Rebalancing
Automatic Tax-Loss Harvesting
Checking Account
Fractional ETF Shares
Free Trades
Good for Beginners
Good for Day Trading
Good for Retirement
Sign Up Bonus
Fees & Expenses
Fee Type Included
Management Fee
Monthly Fee -
Options Fee -
Trade Fee -

Compare Vanguard with other platforms »

Ready to Sign up?

Open an Account

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