SigFig review
How this robo-advisor’s investment minimums, fees and features stack up against competitors.
SigFig designs automated portfolios based on your risk tolerance and goals. Its 0.25% management fee after the first $10,000 is competitive and could make it a solid choice for beginner investors, but you need to make a minimum deposit of $2,000.
- Consider SigFig if you want your portfolio designed and managed for you.
- Look elsewhere if you want to manage investments yourself or if the $2,000 minimum deposit is too high.
What's in this review?
How does SigFig work?
SigFig works a bit differently than other robo-advisors because it doesn’t manage your investments on its own. It takes over your brokerage account at Fidelity, TD Ameritrade Institutional or Charles Schwab. So if you have an account with one of these firms, your money stays there and SigFig manages it there.
If you have an account with another brokerage or if you don’t have one at all, SigFig opens your account with TD Ameritrade Institutional and transfers your funds over, if applicable. You can choose from an individual account, joint account and most IRAs.
Additional services from SigFig include:
- Building your portfolio based on your risk tolerance, financial situation and whether you plan to invest short or long term
- Investing your money in low-cost, commission-free ETFs
- Offering exposure to real estate and short-term US Treasury securities
- Rebalancing your portfolio automatically
- Suggesting free tax-loss harvesting services to minimize your tax burden
How easy is it to use?
To begin using SigFig, first answer a quick questionnaire about your financial situation and investing goals. The platform then recommends a diversified portfolio built with up to 27 different ETFs. The process should take about three minutes and you can manage your account via your desktop or the mobile app. You can also track your portfolio’s performance.
Who is SigFig best for?
This robo-advisor is likely to best suit:
- New investors who want their accounts managed for them. SigFig builds and manages your portfolio for you, so it’s solid for the set-it-and-forget-it investor.
- Retirement investors. Because SigFig can manage most IRAs and rollovers, this may be a strong option for investors who want retirement assets automatically managed.
Pricing and fees
SigFig charges no management fee for the first $10,000. After, it charges a management fee of 0.25%, which is comparable to other portfolio management companies. Still, you can find robo-advisors that charge no management fees like SoFi.
As with all robo-advisors, expect to pay expense ratios based on the underlying funds you’re invested in. SigFig uses ETFs with expense ratios ranging from 0.07% and 0.15% — a similar range to its competitors.
SigFig also offers free access to financial advisers. This is a huge advantage over its competitors that only offer this service with a high minimum investment or sometimes not at all.
| Features |
|
| Account minimum | $2,000 |
| Annual fee | None for first $10,000, 0.25% after |
| Fund fees | 0.07% to 0.15% |
| Transfer fees and commissions | None |
Is SigFig legit?
SigFig was founded in 2007 and is currently based in San Francisco. It’s not accredited with the Better Business Bureau (BBB), but it holds an A+ rating.
SigFig doesn’t actually hold your assets, so you could look into partnered brokers Charles Schwab, Fidelity Investments and TD Ameritrade. All three are well-known investment management firms and are rated by the BBB.
- Charles Schwab: A
- TD Ameritrade: B
- Fidelity Investments: C –
There are no complaints against SigFig listed on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) database. However, all three partner brokerages have recent complaints listed there.
FirmRecent CFPB Complaints
| Charles Schwab |
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| TD Ameritrade |
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| Fidelity Investments |
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SigFig reviews and complaints
SigFig has few reviews, but most are relatively favorable. While none are listed on the BBB, the organization gave it an A+ rating. Trustpilot offers one review, which praised the platform for its portfolio performance tracker and other technological features. Commentary on Reddit mostly deals with comparing the partner brokers.
As of November 2020, the SigFig app has a 4.2 rating on the Google Play store and a 4.5 rating on the Apple App Store. Most positive reviews highlighted the app’s interface and metrics features. But several negative ones mentioned being unable to link specific accounts.
Pros and cons
Pros
- No account management fee on the first $10,000 invested
- Free access to human financial advisers
- Partnered with three major brokerage firms
Pros
- Minimum deposit of $2,000
- Investment options limited to ETFs
- Lack of control over investments
How do I sign up?
Signing up for SigFig is fairly straightforward.
- Visit its homepage and select the Invest With SigFig tab.
- Answer questions about your financial situation and goals.
- Review your portfolio options.
- Choose a portfolio.
- Fund your account.
How do I contact SigFig support?
Get in touch with SigFig by:
- Phone. Call 855-974-4344 weekdays from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. PT.
- Email. Send an email to premier-support@sigfig.com for a response from the team.
- Live chat. Reach out on SigFig’s website weekdays from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. PT.
Compare with other robo-advisors
Bottom line
SigFig charges no management fee on the first $10,000 invested and a competitive 0.25% fee thereafter. It also stands out for offering free access to financial advisers.
However, its $2,000 minimum is higher than what many competitors require. And your investment options are limited to ETFs, so it may not be the best bet for active investors. Before making a decision, compare investment management providers.
