Personal Finance · head to head
Betterment vs Mint
The short version
- Only Mint 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; Mint service transitioned to Credit Karma platform; standalone Mint features migrated elsewhere
- They diverge on capability: Betterment covers Automated investing, Mint covers Expense tracking.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Betterment and Mint actually diverge.
| Attribute | Betterment | Mint |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | free |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Founded | 2008 | 2006 |
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
- Bank accounts
- Investment accounts
- IOS support
Only in Mint
- Expense tracking
- Budgets
- Bill tracking
- Credit score monitoring
- Financial insights
- Bank connections
- Bank-level encryption
- Verisign secured
Both cover
- Web support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Betterment
- Automated portfolio managementnot Mint
- High-yield cash savingsnot Mint
- Self-directed investingnot Mint
Mint
- Legacy free budget tracking for users with supported bank connectionsnot Betterment
- Users transitioning to Credit Karma for continued money management featuresnot 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 $1,000,000 account balance
Mint
- Service transitioned to Credit Karma platform; standalone Mint features migrated elsewhere
- Bank connections supported for only 17,000 financial institutions; many regional or international banks not supported
Pricing, plan by plan
Betterment
On request- Automated Investing$null/month
- AUM-based or flat monthly advisory fees
- Premium Service$0.4/percent of AUM
- Requires $100,000 minimum balance
- Self-Directed InvestingFree
- No wrap fee
- High-Yield Cash$4/APY promotional
- $10 minimum deposit
- New customer boost through 1/15/2027
Mint
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Mint review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Betterment if
- You need automated investing.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want retirement planning.
Choose Mint if
- You need expense tracking.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want budgets.
Questions people ask
- Is Betterment or Mint better?
- Neither clearly leads. Betterment starts at On request and Mint at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Betterment or Mint?
- Mint has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Betterment and Free for Mint.
- Does Betterment or Mint run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Mint for free?
- Yes. Mint has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Betterment starts at On request.
- What is Betterment best used for?
- Betterment is most often used for automated portfolio management, high-yield cash savings, self-directed investing. Of those, automated portfolio management and high-yield cash savings are not what Mint is typically brought in for.
- What can Betterment do that Mint cannot?
- Betterment covers Automated investing, Retirement planning, Financial advisory, Goal tracking. Mint covers Expense tracking, Budgets, Bill tracking, Credit score monitoring. Both handle Web support, Android support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Betterment: What is the minimum to start investing with Betterment?
Betterment requires only $10 to open an account and begin either automated or self-directed investing.
SourceMint: Is Mint still actively sold?
Mint has been reimagined on Credit Karma. The Mint website now directs users to check out the new platform on Credit Karma's net worth signup page rather than maintaining a standalone product.
SourceBetterment: How much does Betterment's Premium Service cost?
Premium Service charges an additional 0.40% fee on your invested balances and requires a minimum account balance of $100,000.
SourceMint: What pricing information is available on the Mint homepage?
The Mint page does not disclose pricing details. For current pricing information, users should visit Credit Karma's website or contact support directly.
SourceBetterment: What APY does Betterment's High-Yield Cash offer?
High-Yield Cash offers 3.25% base APY plus a new customer boost of 0.75% APY (up to $1M) through January 15, 2027, totaling 4.00% promotional APY.
SourceBetterment: Does Betterment charge a wrap fee on self-directed accounts?
No, Betterment waives its wrap fee for self-directed investing accounts, allowing customers to invest without advisory fees.
SourceRelated pages
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