Masterworks review

Buying and selling fine art has long been a niche investment area. Previously only accessible to the wealthy, Masterworks is a US-based platform that lets investors around the world invest in works of art.

Beginner and experienced investors alike can buy stocks in art securities without directly owning or storing artwork. Masterworks researches and buys art assets, sells fractional shares in those assets to investors, then sells the artwork and distributes the proceeds. Investors can buy and sell their shares like they would with similar securities.

Masterworks does the hard work, so novice investors can buy in even if they’re not very familiar with the art world.

• Consider Masterworks if you want to invest in fine art and you are okay with above-average risk.

• Look elsewhere if you have a low tolerance for risk or don’t want to wait 3-10 years to receive your profit.

How easy is it to use Masterworks?

Investing in art with Masterworks is about as easy as opening a bank account and making your first deposit. You’ll need to provide your personal information like your name, address and banking information. You’ll also need to put up an initial deposit.

There is no minimum deposit required to open an account. Masterworks representatives work with investors individually to settle on your ideal investment amount based on your goals. You can invest as little as $20 USD into a piece of art. Masterworks also requires a phone interview to approve your application.

Once your account is open and funded, you can browse a broad selection of artwork on the Masterworks website and buy stocks.

Is art a good investment?

Art can be a good investment, but it involves a high risk of loss and a high potential for gain. As is the case with investing in stocks, investors in fine art should have a high tolerance for price fluctuation both short- and long-term.

According to Artprice, the average annual return for its blue-chip art index has been higher than 30% since it began tracking prices 20 years ago. But keep in mind that this is an average. Some pieces of art could have appreciated at a faster rate, while others could have produced much lower—or even negative—returns. There’s no guarantee that you’ll see positive returns.

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What is blue-chip art?

Blue-chip art refers to artwork that is expected to retain its value, and has the potential for future growth. Generally, blue-chip art includes piece by well-known artists you’d see in museums. Examples include masterpieces by artists such as Andy Warhol and Claude Monet.

Masterworks pricing and fees

Masterworks charges a management fee of 1.5%, which is comparable to management fees charged by professional investment advisors. Masterworks also receives 20% of future profits made from selling the art. This commission is expensive but is comparable to what a hedge fund may charge its investors.

The 1.5% management fee covers professional storage, insurance, administrative costs, regulatory filing and annual appraisals.

Is Masterworks legit?

Headquartered in New York City, Masterworks was founded in 2017. As an investment company, Masterworks qualifies its art with the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC), a US government entity that protects the interests of investors. Masterworks is registered with the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

Masterworks reviews and complaints

Since Masterworks hasn’t been operating very long and their artwork typically requires a 3- to 10-year holding period, the company’s track record is insufficient to capture the full user experience. As of November 2020, it has zero complaints with the BBB and only one review on Trustpilot with a score of 2.8.

Negative customer comments about Masterworks are generally complaints about difficulties communicating with company representatives, high fees and long holding periods on the art.

Masterworks pros and cons

How do I sign up?

To sign up for Masterworks, the process requires just a bit more effort than opening an account with a bank or brokerage firm.

1. Visit the Masterworks website.
2. Request an invitation to join.
3. Conduct a phone interview.
4. Open a trading account.

How do I contact Masterworks support?

Masterworks can be contacted by phone or email. Visit the company’s website at www.masterworks.io for more information.

Compare alternative stock trading platforms

If you’re not sure whether investing in art is the right option for you, consider other investing options. These platforms can help you create and manage diverse portfolios of stocks, bonds and funds. Check out our guide on opening a stock trading account to learn more.

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Finder Score	Available Asset Types	Account Types	Stock Trading Fee	Monthly Account Fee
9.6 Excellent Questrade	9.6 Excellent	Stocks, Bonds, Options, Mutual Funds, Index Funds, ETFs, Forex, GICs, Precious Metals, IPOs	RRSP, RESP, RRIF, TFSA, Personal, Joint, FHSA, Margin	$0	$0	Get $50 cash back when you open a Questrade self-directed investing account through Finder. T&Cs apply.	Go to site View details Compare product selection Compare	loading
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8.6 Great Wealthsimple Investing	8.6 Great	Stocks, Options, ETFs, Cryptocurrency	RRSP, RESP, RRIF, TFSA, Personal, FHSA, Margin	$0	$0	Get a 1% match cash bonus on eligible $25,000+ transfers from other financial institutions to your Wealthsimple Self-directed Investing and Managed Investing accounts. T&Cs apply.	Go to site View details Compare product selection Compare	loading
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6.2 Standard GoSmart by RBC Direct Investing	6.2 Standard	Stocks, ETFs	RRSP, TFSA, FHSA	$0 - $9.95	$0	Open your first GoSmart account and get $100 when you deposit $2,000. Valid until November 2, 2026. T&Cs apply.	Go to site View details Compare product selection Compare	loading
9.1 Excellent Qtrade Direct Investing	9.1 Excellent	Stocks, Bonds, Options, Mutual Funds, ETFs, GICs, IPOs	RRSP, RESP, RRIF, TFSA, Personal, Joint, FHSA, Margin	$0	$0	Earn up to $5,000 in cashback (+$100 quick-pay bonus) when you open and fund a new Qtrade account. Valid until January 5, 2027. T&Cs apply.	Go to site View details Compare product selection Compare	loading
9.4 Excellent Interactive Brokers	9.4 Excellent	Stocks, Bonds, Options, Index Funds, ETFs, Forex, Currencies, Futures	RRSP, TFSA, Personal, Joint, Business, FHSA, Margin	Min $1.00, Max 0.5%	$0	View details Compare product selection Compare	loading
8.6 Great Moomoo	8.6 Great	Stocks, Options, ETFs	RRSP, TFSA, Personal, Margin	$1.49/stock	$0	View details Compare product selection Compare	loading
8 Great Webull	8 Great	Stocks, ETFs	RRSP, TFSA, Personal, Margin	$0	$10/year	View details Compare product selection Compare	loading

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Finder Score for stock trading platforms

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Bottom line

If you want to invest in art but don’t know where to begin, Masterworks offers a platform where you can start investing without any prior knowledge of the art industry. Keep in mind that investing in art can be riskier than the stock market but potential returns can also be higher. If you are more risk-averse, explore more investing options.

Frequently asked questions

• Do I have to know anything about art to invest?

  Since the Masterworks team consists of art experts and advisors, investors do not need any prior art knowledge to invest.

• How do I choose the art to invest in?

  You choose from among a preselected portfolio of artwork that has been vetted and purchased by Masterworks experts.

• What if I need to make a withdrawal?

  There is a hold requirement on art for 3-10 years before artwork is sold and profits are distributed to shareholders. If you need to make a withdrawal before the holding period, you can sell your stocks to other investors in a secondary market.

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Written by

Kelly Suzan Waggoner

Editor-in-chief

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Kelly Suzan Waggoner is a Personal Finance Editor at AOL and the former US editor-in-chief at Finder, where she worked with a talented team of expert writers and editors focused on helping readers to save money, earn money and grow their wealth. She joined Finder in 2016 as an editor, germinating the site from money transfers to include the wide scope of personal finance. Kelly has worked with publishers, magazines and nonprofits throughout New York City to develop best practices around editorial, SEO, plain language and accessibility, including Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, HauteLife Press and Queerty. She is quoted on such sites as Lifehacker and CertifiKid, and ghostwrote Copyediting and Proofreading for Dummies, published by Wiley. Kelly earned a BA in English from Russell Sage College and a Poynter ACES Certificate in Editing from Poynter News University. She is trained in digital and website accessibility and plain language, and is a member of ACES: The Society for Editing and the Center for Plain Language. Between projects, she toys with words, flips through style guides and fantasizes about the serial comma’s world domination. See full bio

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Stacie Hurst is an editor at Finder, specializing in loans, banking, investing and money transfers. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Writing, and she has completed FP Canada Institute's Financial Management Course. Before working in the publishing industry, Stacie completed one year of law school in the United States. When not working, she can usually be found watching K-dramas or playing games with her friends and family. See full bio

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