Personal Finance · head to head
Betterment vs Copilot Money
The short version
- Only Copilot Money has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Betterment digital automated investing charges $5 per month fee for accounts under $24,000 balance; Copilot Money apple only: web, iPhone, iPad and Mac, with no Android app
- They diverge on capability: Betterment covers Automated investing, Copilot Money covers AI-powered insights.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Betterment and Copilot Money actually diverge.
| Attribute | Betterment | Copilot Money |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $5/month | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | freemium |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Founded | 2008 | 2020 |
Identical on both: platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Personal Finance).
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
- Investment accounts
Only in Copilot Money
- AI-powered insights
- Spending analysis
- Budget optimization
- Financial planning
- Credit cards
Both cover
- Bank accounts
- Web support
- IOS support
- Android 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 Copilot Money
- Fee-only digital wealth management for accounts under $24,000 via $5/month flat feenot Copilot Money
- Premium advisory access for high-net-worth individuals with $100,000+ balancenot Copilot Money
Copilot Money
- Tracking spending across connected accountsnot Betterment
- Budgeting by category with automatic transaction taggingnot Betterment
- Investment and net worth trackingnot Betterment
- Reviewing recurring subscriptionsnot 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
Copilot Money
- Apple only: web, iPhone, iPad and Mac, with no Android app
- No free tier; $95 a year billed annually, which works out at $7.92 a month
- The trial only starts once accounts are connected
Pricing, plan by plan
Betterment
$5/monthNo published plan breakdown. See the Betterment review.
Copilot Money
Free- FreeFree
- Basic budgeting
- Spending tracking
- Premium$12.99/month
- AI insights
- Advanced analytics
- Financial planning
Which should you pick?
Choose Betterment if
- You need automated investing.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want retirement planning.
Choose Copilot Money if
- You need ai-powered insights.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android.
- You also want spending analysis.
Questions people ask
- Is Betterment or Copilot Money better?
- Neither clearly leads. Betterment starts at $5/month and Copilot Money at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Betterment or Copilot Money?
- Copilot Money has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $5/month for Betterment and Free for Copilot Money.
- Does Betterment or Copilot Money run on more platforms?
- Betterment runs on Web, iOS, Android. Copilot Money runs on Web, IOS, Android.
- Can I use Copilot Money for free?
- Yes. Copilot Money has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Betterment starts at $5/month.
- 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 Copilot Money is typically brought in for.
- What can Betterment do that Copilot Money cannot?
- Betterment covers Automated investing, Retirement planning, Financial advisory, Goal tracking. Copilot Money covers AI-powered insights, Spending analysis, Budget optimization, Financial planning. Both handle Bank accounts, Web support, IOS support, Android support.