The 10 Best Online Financial Advisors in 2026

The new year is rapidly approaching so it’s time to start making resolutions for 2026. There are a lot of ideas to choose from depending on your personal circumstances, from learning a new skill or hobby, improving your health and fitness, traveling more, etc.

Greater than all these, though, would be making a long-term investment in your financial stability. In 2026, make your New Year’s resolution to become more financially sound than ever before.

Take control of your money, optimize your spending and grow your savings automatically

The best way to achieve this is by securing the services of a financial advisor, someone who will provide you with the financial advice you need to make 2026 your year. To help you launch this process, we’ve researched the 10 best online financial advisors, all respected experts who can help transform your life. You can receive financial advice at every budget; let’s look at how.

Key takeaways

• Choose an online financial advisor based on minimum investment and fees: options range from $12 startup with Ellevest to $500,000 for personalized Charles Schwab plans.
• Compare advisory services for goals: retirement-focused plans like Ameriprise, niche socially responsible investing with Ellevest, or diversified portfolios including crypto with Harness Wealth.
• Use free consultations strategically: companies like Zoe Financial, Fidelity, and SoFi offer initial guidance to evaluate compatibility before committing 0.3–1.5% annual management fees.

Ten Low-Cost or (Nearly) Free Financial Advisors

1. Zoe Financial

This company is a good start if you’re not sure what you’re looking for as Zoe Financial offers a free initial consultation. All you need to do to get started with the process is answer a few simple questions about your finances, and Zoe Financial will set up a consultation for you – a low-pressure way of finding an investment advisor you can trust. The company’s financial advisors cover everything from retirement and equity management to debt consolidation and college planning.

Zoe Financial consistently scores highly on review sites, with most reporting scores of 4.9 to 5 out of 5. However, while the initial consultation process is free, you will need to pay a percentage fee set by your advisor, so it’s difficult to provide an exact figure of how much this will cost long-term. The minimum investment is also fairly high, at $150,000.

2. Fidelity Investments

Fidelity Investments has a long history of providing financial advice to the American public. If you’re looking for a safe option that will provide stability for your long-term financial plans, then this could be the option for you. The company’s online financial advisors also have a particularly good reputation for strategic planning and goal tracking.

The potential downside is that Fidelity Investments options are relatively limited and are focused on core financial planning options like retirement savings plans and tax investing. To get started, you’ll also need $250,000 in assets, which could be too steep for entry-level financial planning. There’s a free consultation, but with advisory fees of up to 1.5% per year, this option could prove prohibitively expensive for some readers.

3. Betterment (formerly Ellevest digital plans)

Ellevest built its reputation on investing designed specifically for women, with values-based portfolios, advisor-led workshops, and a financial content library. In April 2025, however, Ellevest transferred its automated investing accounts to Betterment to focus on wealth management for clients investing $500,000 or more.

For everyday investors, that makes Betterment the practical successor. There’s no account minimum on its digital plan, the management fee is 0.25% per year (or a small flat monthly fee on lower balances), and clients keep access to socially responsible portfolio options similar to what Ellevest offered. If you specifically want Ellevest’s women-focused advisory team, be ready to meet the $500,000 wealth-management threshold.

4. Merrill Guided Investing

Merrill Guided Investing is a well-known name in the financial advising industry and if you’re wondering how to get the financial advice that comes with a low barrier of entry, this could be a good option for you. All you need is an initial $1,000 investment, and then after that, there’s a 0.45% annual management fee. The catch is that there are more costs if you want to access ‘human’ consulting.

Merrill Guided Investing’s low barrier to entry is contrasted with the higher fees it charges for consultations with its human online financial advisors. Any advice you receive for free will be bot-generated and there’s little to no option for tax strategy planning either. As such, this financial advisor company is suited to people who want a basic service.

5. J.P. Morgan Private Client Advisor

For those looking for even more brand name recognition, the J.P. Morgan financial advisor pool offered via its private client program should be just right. By signing up with J.P. Morgan, you will receive a template investment plan. The fees are fairly reasonable too, starting at 0.6% for assets up to $250,000.

For those wanting to go the extra mile with their online financial advisors there’s the option to create a fully personalized investment plan with a personal advisor. This comes at an increased cost, at 1.45% of your investment per year; however, this cost decreases as your portfolio grows.

6. Harness Wealth

Harness Wealth is likely to prove popular with those wanting to take a more diversified approach to their long-term investment portfolio. The company’s online financial advisors have experience with conventional investments like real estate but also have considerable knowledge about cryptocurrency as well. This provides its clients with considerable financial flexibility.

The downside is that Harness Wealth certainly doesn’t come free, and it has a higher barrier of entry than some of the others on this list, at up to 1% per year with a minimum investment of $250,000. As such, this financial advisors company represents an intermediate-to-advanced option for people looking to invest their money.

7. Ameriprise Financial Investments

In contrast to the previous entry on this list, Ameriprise Financial Investment is more suited to people looking for financial advisors who will help them with a specific aim: securing a financially stable retirement. The company is highly rated for its advanced charting features and fiduciary expertise, and you can open an account in the following formats: individual brokerage accounts, traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, simple IRAs, SEP IRAs, 401(k)s, 403(b)s, 529 plans, and Coverdell education savings accounts (CESA).

It’s a niche specialist, so Ameriprise Financial Investments isn’t for everyone. It also has a complex fee system, so you will need to get in touch with the company directly to find out how much these financial advisors will cost.

8. Vanguard

None of the financial advisors we’ve listed thus far are actually free but Vanguard is one of the options that comes closest, at least relatively speaking. The company has a low barrier of entry for new clients at $50,000, and its management fee is 0.30% per year, which is very competitive for a wide range of prospective clients.

Vanguard also offers a more advanced service for clients willing to invest at least $500,000, providing a certified financial planner (CFP), an industry-recognized professional title. As such, this financial advisors team could prove to be a good option for those who are willing to create a long-term investment plan that will grow with the company.

9. SoFi Automated Investing

SoFi Automated Investing stands out thanks to several features that are very appealing to new investors, including zero advisory fees. Also, while some robo-advisors charge an annual fee and do not provide free one-on-one consultations with Certified Financial Planners (CFPs), SoFi can offer this to its clients.

The trade-off is that SoFi clients have to choose between five portfolio templates; you can’t customize your choices. You can choose from moderate, moderately conservative, conservative, moderately aggressive, and aggressive, so there should be something for most clients. Just keep in mind that SoFi’s tax management options are fairly limited, so if you need that, look elsewhere.

10. Charles Schwab

Rounding out our list of companies that will provide you with the right amount of financial advice is Charles Schwab, an online brokerage firm with a well-established reputation. The company provides complimentary access to financial consultants for clients with assets totaling $500,000 or more and a personalized financial plan.

The standard fee rate of 0.80% is steep but lower than some other rates provided on this list. The problem for new investors is likely to be the high initial investment barrier of $500,000. However, if you can reach this standard, the high levels of personalization offered by Charles Schwab’s financial advisors should more than make up for the cost.

Cheap Financial Advice Is Never Free – Except for PocketGuard

Investment advice from a crack team of online financial advisors will go a long way towards securing your financial future; there’s another piece of free advice we can give you today. When it comes to managing your money, you have to start small. 

Sound investments start with managing your daily budget. Thanks to PocketGuard, this process is as simple as possible.

Our budgeting app is ideal for ensuring that all your daily expenses, bills, payments, etc. can be managed in one location. With full control over your routine finances, you’ll be able to plan your long-term future. Create a free account today and make sure you get in touch to learn more.

FAQ

Are online financial advisors worth the fees?

Usually, yes. Fees run 0.25% to 1.5% per year, and an advisor who stops you making one bad decision earns that back. If you only need a diversified portfolio, a robo-advisor is the cheaper fit.

What’s the cheapest way to get financial advice?

Free, if you start with SoFi’s no-fee CFP consultations or the free intro calls at Zoe Financial and Fidelity. For ongoing management, Betterment (0.25%) and Vanguard (0.30%) are the lowest fees on this list.

What’s the difference between a robo-advisor and a human advisor?

A robo-advisor manages your portfolio automatically – cheap and hands-off. A human advisor costs more but helps with tax strategy, retirement planning, and big decisions.

Do I need a lot of money to work with a financial advisor?

No. Minimums here run from $0 (Betterment, SoFi) to $500,000 (Charles Schwab). The lower the minimum, the more automated the service.