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Software · head to head

Betterment vs Banktivity

Betterment logo

Betterment

Software

Your path to financial independence

From
$5/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Banktivity logo

Banktivity

Software

Personal finance for Mac and iOS

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Betterment digital automated investing charges $5 per month fee for accounts under $24,000 balance; Banktivity runs on macOS, iPhone and iPad only, with no Windows, Android or web version
  • They diverge on capability: Betterment covers Automated investing, Banktivity covers Account tracking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Betterment and Banktivity actually diverge.

Attributes where Betterment and Banktivity differ
AttributeBettermentBanktivity
Starting price$5/monthOn request
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidMac, IOS
Founded20082007

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Betterment

  • Automated investing
  • Retirement planning
  • Financial advisory
  • Goal tracking
  • Web support
  • Android support

Only in Banktivity

  • Account tracking
  • Bill management
  • Investment tracking
  • Budget forecasting
  • Mac support

Both cover

  • Bank accounts
  • Investment accounts
  • IOS support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Betterment

  • Small investors starting with automated investing at no minimum balancenot Banktivity
  • Fee-only digital wealth management for accounts under $24,000 via $5/month flat feenot Banktivity
  • Premium advisory access for high-net-worth individuals with $100,000+ balancenot Banktivity

Banktivity

  • Personal budgeting and money management on a Macnot Betterment
  • Investment and net worth trackingnot Betterment
  • Retirement planning projectionsnot Betterment
  • Connecting to over 14,000 financial institutionsnot Betterment

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Betterment

  • Digital automated investing charges $5 per month fee for accounts under $24,000 balance
  • Premium advisory service requires minimum balance of $100,000 in eligible investments
  • Foreign transaction fees apply to checking account (though reimbursed after the fact)
  • High-balance fee discounts only available above $1,000,000 account balance

Banktivity

  • Runs on macOS, iPhone and iPad only, with no Windows, Android or web version
  • Pricing is not shown on the product page and sits behind a separate plans page

Pricing, plan by plan

Betterment

$5/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Betterment review.

Banktivity

On request
  • Monthly$4.99/month
    • Full feature access
    • Cloud sync
  • Annual$39.99/month
    • All monthly features
    • Discounted rate

Which should you pick?

Choose Betterment if

  • You need automated investing.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want retirement planning.
Betterment review

Choose Banktivity if

  • You need account tracking.
  • You work on Mac, IOS.
  • You also want bill management.
Banktivity review

Questions people ask

Is Betterment or Banktivity better?
Neither clearly leads. Betterment starts at $5/month and Banktivity at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Betterment or Banktivity?
Betterment starts at $5/month and Banktivity at On request.
Does Betterment or Banktivity run on more platforms?
Betterment runs on Web, iOS, Android. Banktivity runs on Mac, IOS.
What is Betterment best used for?
Betterment is most often used for small investors starting with automated investing at no minimum balance, fee-only digital wealth management for accounts under $24,000 via $5/month flat fee, premium advisory access for high-net-worth individuals with $100,000+ balance. Of those, small investors starting with automated investing at no minimum balance and fee-only digital wealth management for accounts under $24,000 via $5/month flat fee are not what Banktivity is typically brought in for.
What can Betterment do that Banktivity cannot?
Betterment covers Automated investing, Retirement planning, Financial advisory, Goal tracking. Banktivity covers Account tracking, Bill management, Investment tracking, Budget forecasting. Both handle Bank accounts, Investment accounts, IOS support.
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