Software · head to head
Wealthfront vs Apple Pay
The short version
- Only Apple Pay has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Wealthfront the Automated Investing Account carries a 0.25% annual advisory fee on top of the underlying fund expenses; Apple Pay apple Pay works only in countries and regions that support contactless payments and is not available in all markets
- They diverge on capability: Wealthfront covers Automated portfolio management, Apple Pay covers Digital wallet.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Wealthfront and Apple Pay actually diverge.
| Attribute | Wealthfront | Apple Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | Free |
| Pricing model | transaction | free |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, IOS, Android | IOS, WatchOS, MacOS |
| Founded | 2011 | 2014 |
Identical on both: 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 Wealthfront
- Automated portfolio management
- Tax-loss harvesting
- Financial planning
- Index fund investing
- Investment accounts
- Web support
- Android support
Only in Apple Pay
- Digital wallet
- Secure payments
- Contactless transactions
- P2P money transfers
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
- WatchOS support
- MacOS support
Both cover
- Bank accounts
- IOS support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Wealthfront
- Automated index fund investing with periodic rebalancingnot Apple Pay
- Tax loss harvesting in a taxable brokerage accountnot Apple Pay
- Buying fractional shares of individual stocks with no commissionnot Apple Pay
Apple Pay
- Contactless in store payment from iPhone and Apple Watchnot Wealthfront
- Paying in apps and on the web without entering card detailsnot Wealthfront
- Sending money between Apple users with Apple Cash and Tap to Cashnot Wealthfront
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Wealthfront
- The Automated Investing Account carries a 0.25% annual advisory fee on top of the underlying fund expenses
- Tax-Loss Harvesting and automated rebalancing apply to the Automated Investing Account, not the self-directed Stock Investing Account
- It is a US brokerage product and is not offered to investors outside the United States
Apple Pay
- Apple Pay works only in countries and regions that support contactless payments and is not available in all markets
- Apple Cash is available only in the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico
- Apple Cash Family accounts and Tap to Cash transactions are each capped at 2000 USD within a rolling seven day period
- Mac support requires a Touch ID equipped model
- A card works only if the issuing bank supports Apple Pay, and banks may charge their own overseas usage fees
Pricing, plan by plan
Wealthfront
On request- BasicFree
- Automated investing
- Tax-loss harvesting
- Rebalancing
- Premium Plus$50/month
- All Basic features
- Financial planning
- Human advisor access
Apple Pay
Free- FreeFree
- Secure payments
- P2P transfers
- Transit passes
Which should you pick?
Choose Wealthfront if
- You need automated portfolio management.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android.
- You also want tax-loss harvesting.
Choose Apple Pay if
- You need digital wallet.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on IOS, WatchOS, MacOS.
- You also want secure payments.
Questions people ask
- Is Wealthfront or Apple Pay better?
- Neither clearly leads. Wealthfront starts at On request and Apple Pay at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Wealthfront or Apple Pay?
- Apple Pay has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Wealthfront and Free for Apple Pay.
- Does Wealthfront or Apple Pay run on more platforms?
- Wealthfront runs on Web, IOS, Android. Apple Pay runs on IOS, WatchOS, MacOS.
- Can I use Apple Pay for free?
- Yes. Apple Pay has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Wealthfront starts at On request.
- What is Wealthfront best used for?
- Wealthfront is most often used for automated index fund investing with periodic rebalancing, tax loss harvesting in a taxable brokerage account, buying fractional shares of individual stocks with no commission. Of those, automated index fund investing with periodic rebalancing and tax loss harvesting in a taxable brokerage account are not what Apple Pay is typically brought in for.
- What can Wealthfront do that Apple Pay cannot?
- Wealthfront covers Automated portfolio management, Tax-loss harvesting, Financial planning, Index fund investing. Apple Pay covers Digital wallet, Secure payments, Contactless transactions, P2P money transfers. Both handle Bank accounts, IOS support.