Personal Finance · head to head
Wealthfront vs Cash App
The short version
- Only Cash App 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; Cash App the App Store listing states free ATM withdrawals and up to 200 dollars in free overdraft coverage on the Cash App Card are only available once a user qualifies for Green status, not to all users by default.
- They diverge on capability: Wealthfront covers Automated portfolio management, Cash App covers Money transfers.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Wealthfront and Cash App actually diverge.
| Attribute | Wealthfront | Cash App |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | Free |
| Pricing model | transaction | free |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, IOS, Android | IOS, Android |
| Founded | 2011 | 2013 |
Identical on both: 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 Wealthfront
- Automated portfolio management
- Tax-loss harvesting
- Financial planning
- Index fund investing
- Investment accounts
- Web support
Only in Cash App
- Money transfers
- Direct deposit
- Bitcoin trading
- Stock investing
- Cash Card
Both cover
- Bank accounts
- IOS support
- Android 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 Cash App
- Tax loss harvesting in a taxable brokerage accountnot Cash App
- Buying fractional shares of individual stocks with no commissionnot Cash App
Cash App
- Budget Managementnot Wealthfront
- Expense Trackingnot Wealthfront
- Investment Trackingnot 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
Cash App
- The App Store listing states free ATM withdrawals and up to 200 dollars in free overdraft coverage on the Cash App Card are only available once a user qualifies for Green status, not to all users by default.
Pricing, plan by plan
Wealthfront
On request- BasicFree
- Automated investing
- Tax-loss harvesting
- Rebalancing
- Premium Plus$50/month
- All Basic features
- Financial planning
- Human advisor access
Cash App
Free- FreeFree
- Money transfers
- Direct deposit
- Mobile app
- Cash App Investing$undefined/month
- Stock trading
- Bitcoin trading
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 Cash App if
- You need money transfers.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on IOS, Android.
- You also want direct deposit.
Questions people ask
- Is Wealthfront or Cash App better?
- Neither clearly leads. Wealthfront starts at On request and Cash App at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Wealthfront or Cash App?
- Cash App has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Wealthfront and Free for Cash App.
- Does Wealthfront or Cash App run on more platforms?
- Wealthfront runs on Web, IOS, Android. Cash App runs on IOS, Android.
- Can I use Cash App for free?
- Yes. Cash App 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 Cash App is typically brought in for.
- What can Wealthfront do that Cash App cannot?
- Wealthfront covers Automated portfolio management, Tax-loss harvesting, Financial planning, Index fund investing. Cash App covers Money transfers, Direct deposit, Bitcoin trading, Stock investing. Both handle Bank accounts, IOS support, Android support.