Software · head to head
Betterment vs Tiller Money
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Betterment digital automated investing charges $5 per month fee for accounts under $24,000 balance; Tiller Money no native mobile app means mobile access limited to Google Sheets or Excel apps
- They diverge on capability: Betterment covers Automated investing, Tiller Money covers Auto-populates financial data.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Betterment and Tiller Money actually diverge.
| Attribute | Betterment | Tiller Money |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $5/month | $79/year |
| Pricing model | subscription | Unknown |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web, Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel |
| Founded | 2008 | 2015 |
Identical on both: 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
- Investment accounts
- IOS support
- Android support
Only in Tiller Money
- Auto-populates financial data
- Customizable spreadsheets
- Budget tracking
- Financial templates
- Google Sheets
- Excel
Both cover
- Bank accounts
- Web 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 Tiller Money
- Fee-only digital wealth management for accounts under $24,000 via $5/month flat feenot Tiller Money
- Premium advisory access for high-net-worth individuals with $100,000+ balancenot Tiller Money
Tiller Money
- Budget Managementnot Betterment
- Expense Trackingnot Betterment
- Investment Trackingnot 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
Tiller Money
- No native mobile app means mobile access limited to Google Sheets or Excel apps
- Spreadsheet-based interface can be intimidating for non-technical users unfamiliar with formulas
- Requires manual customization and setup of templates and formulas for advanced features
- No built-in investment performance tracking or analysis at the depth some competitors offer
- Customer support is email and community-based, not real-time chat or phone support
Pricing, plan by plan
Betterment
$5/monthNo published plan breakdown. See the Betterment review.
Tiller Money
$79/year- Annual Subscription$79/year
- Unlimited transaction import
- Up to 5 connected spreadsheets
- AutoCat categorization
Which should you pick?
Choose Betterment if
- You need automated investing.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want retirement planning.
Choose Tiller Money if
- You need auto-populates financial data.
- You work on Web, Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel.
- You also want customizable spreadsheets.
Questions people ask
- Is Betterment or Tiller Money better?
- Neither clearly leads. Betterment starts at $5/month and Tiller Money at $79/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Betterment or Tiller Money?
- Betterment starts at $5/month and Tiller Money at $79/year.
- Does Betterment or Tiller Money run on more platforms?
- Betterment runs on Web, iOS, Android. Tiller Money runs on Web, Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel.
- 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 Tiller Money is typically brought in for.
- What can Betterment do that Tiller Money cannot?
- Betterment covers Automated investing, Retirement planning, Financial advisory, Goal tracking. Tiller Money covers Auto-populates financial data, Customizable spreadsheets, Budget tracking, Financial templates. Both handle Bank accounts, Web support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Tiller Money: How much does Tiller Money cost?
Tiller Money costs $79 per year with no free tier. A 30-day free trial is available. The annual subscription includes 5 connected spreadsheets and unlimited categories.
SourceTiller Money: Does Tiller work with Google Sheets and Excel?
Yes. Tiller automatically feeds daily bank transactions and account balances to Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel spreadsheets you own. Your data remains yours permanently.
SourceTiller Money: How many banks and financial institutions does Tiller connect to?
Tiller connects to 21,000+ US banks, credit card accounts, brokerages, and loan servicers via Yodlee and MX data providers. New banks are added weekly.
SourceTiller Money: What is AutoCat in Tiller?
AutoCat is Tiller's 100% customizable automatic categorization feature that learns your spending patterns. You can set rules like 'file all grocery store transactions above $10 as groceries and below $10 as snacks.'
SourceTiller Money: Does Tiller have a mobile app?
Tiller does not have a dedicated mobile app. Instead, it uses Google Sheets and Excel apps on mobile devices to access your spreadsheets. Mobile access is primarily for viewing, not transaction entry.
Source