Fidelity Go is a better choice for investors with smaller balances due to its lower minimum investment and fees, and its mobile app. Schwab Intelligent Portfolios Premium is better suited for investors with larger balances who desire more comprehensive financial planning tools, greater portfolio customization, and tax-loss harvesting.
| Attribute | Schwab Intelligent Portfolios Premium | Fidelity Go |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Investment Requirement | $25,000 to enroll; $5,000 minimum per account | $0 to open an account, $10 to start investing. |
| Annual Advisory Fee | $30 per month, billed quarterly ($90), plus a one-time $300 planning fee | $0 for balances under $25,000; 0.35% for balances over $25,000. This fee includes unlimited 1-on-1 coaching calls. |
| Investment Strategy | Robo-advisor builds diversified portfolios with low-cost ETFs, bonds, and cash; up to 80 portfolio variations using 51 ETFs, 3 investment strategies (Global, US Focused, and Income Focused), and 6 risk profiles; up to 20 asset classes across stocks, fixed income, real estate, and commodities; portion allocated to FDIC-insured Deposit Accounts at Charles Schwab Bank, SSB | Uses pre-built portfolio allocations based on your situation, goals, and timeline. Invests in a mix of stocks, bonds, and short-term investments through Fidelity Flex mutual funds. Offers strategies ranging from conservative (20% stocks, 80% bonds/short-term) to aggressive (100% stocks). |
| Tax-Loss Harvesting | Available for taxable accounts with a minimum balance of $50,000; algorithms identify opportunities to sell losing investments to offset taxes on gains | Not offered. Instead, Fidelity Go prioritizes tax-advantaged investments like municipal bonds in taxable accounts. |
| Access to Financial Advisors (human) | Unlimited access to a team of CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER professionals via phone and video conference (Monday through Saturday with day and evening availability); clients can request to work with the same advisor | Available for clients with account balances over $25,000. Offers unlimited 30-minute 1-on-1 phone calls. Advisors can discuss budgeting, managing debt, and retirement planning. |
| Account Customization Options | Customize portfolios by retaking the initial goals and risk questionnaire; exclude up to 3 ETFs from the portfolio | Offers 14 different risk levels. Supports Rule 3A4, allowing reasonable restrictions within a portfolio. No specialty portfolios or socially responsible investing (SRI) options are available. |
| Types of Accounts Supported | Individual and joint taxable brokerage accounts; Traditional, Roth, Rollover, SEP, SIMPLE, and Inherited IRAs; Trusts, UGMA, UTMA, Tenants in Common, and Community Property accounts | Taxable (individual/joint), Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, Rollover IRA, SEP IRA, Health Savings Account (HSA) |
| Availability of Financial Planning Tools | Comprehensive financial plan providing a customized roadmap; interactive online planning tools; "Schwab Plan" reveals the probability of meeting goals and suggests steps to improve the chances; "Play Zone" allows stress-testing the plan; "Intelligent Income" helps determine how much can be withdrawn in retirement and sets up tax-efficient withdrawals | Goal setting available during account creation. Tools to help balance contributions to multiple accounts. Financial wellness section with links to available tools. |
| Customer Support Channels | 24/7 phone, email, and chat support; in-person branches | Phone: 24/7. Live chat: Weekdays 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET, Weekends 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET. Virtual assistant and email: 24/7. High-level FAQ page. |
| Mobile App Availability and Features | Not available | Available on iOS and Android. Similar functionality to the desktop experience. Push notifications and prompts available. Features include trading, transfers, check deposits, bill payments, real-time quotes, advanced charts, and market analysis. |
| Rebalancing Frequency | Monitored daily and automatically rebalanced as needed; triggered when an asset class shifts above or below its target range | Automatic rebalancing is performed when the investment allocation drifts outside certain parameters based on your assigned portfolio. Managed by Fidelity Go; you cannot request a rebalance. |
| Underlying ETF Expense Ratios | Clients pay the operating expenses on the ETFs in their portfolio; average expense ratio is 0.12%, ranging from 0.04% for conservative portfolios to 0.18% for aggressive ones | Fidelity Go uses Fidelity Flex mutual funds, which have zero expense ratios. |