Ellevest review
Updated September 28, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
Ellevest is a US robo-advisor for investors who want a professionally run retirement account rather than self-directed trading, with an ira at its core. The catch is the entry price: a minimum investment of $500,000 puts it beyond most readers, even though the pricing itself is not extreme.
Key facts
- Best for
- A managed US retirement account for investors holding a large lump sum.
- Management fee
- 0.35% to 1.25%↗
- Minimum investment
- $500,000↗
- Regulators
- SEC↗
- Investor protection
- SIPC up to USD 500,000↗
- Account types
- IRA↗
- Portfolio types
- ETF, ESG↗
- Legal entity
- Ellevest, Inc.↗
- Headquarters
- United States↗
- Founded
- 2014↗
- Support channels
- Email, Help-centre↗
- Official website
- ellevest.com
Brokers
Facts checked September 26, 2026, 6 sources
Pros and cons
Pros
- An account can be opened with a minimum deposit of $0, so there is no cash floor at the start.
- The account covers stocks, etfs and funds, with portfolio options of etf and esg.
- Investor protection stands at SIPC up to USD 500,000, and the firm is regulated by SEC.
- Ellevest, Inc. has operated from US since 2014.
Cons
- A minimum investment of $500,000 is the hard gate, and Ellevest ranks 82 of 82 brands on that measure.
- Support runs on email and help centre only, so there is no phone line or live chat.
- Two charges apply rather than one: management fees of 0.35% to 1.25% and an account fee of $129.
Who it suits
- Investors with a large sum who want a professionally managed retirement pot rather than self-directed trades.
- US savers holding an ira who can manage written support.
- Readers who want an ESG portfolio option rather than a wide trading menu.
Who should look elsewhere
- Ordinary savers: Axos Invest starts at a minimum investment of $100, well below $500,000.
- People who want to trade their own stocks: eToro charges a management fee of 0%.
- Readers chasing the lowest fee: Empower Personal Dashboard charges a management fee of 0%.
Safety of your money
Ellevest, Inc. is regulated by SEC, placing the firm inside the US supervisory system. Investor protection stands at SIPC up to USD 500,000, and that figure is a cap on what the scheme covers, not a measure of performance. Read the scheme wording before you rely on it, because a cap this shape tells you how much of a shortfall from a firm failure is covered and nothing more.
Fees and currency costs
Two numbers decide whether Ellevest works for you: management fees of 0.35% to 1.25% a year and a minimum investment of $500,000. The fee sits close to the robo-advisor median of 0.35%, so the pricing is ordinary. The minimum investment is the barrier: it ranks 82 of 82 compared brands on that measure, so most readers will look elsewhere.
How Ellevest compares
8.7 vs 9.4
8.7 vs 9.48.7 vs 9.0
8.7 vs 9.4
8.7 vs 8.78.7 vs 8.5
8.7 vs 9.48.7 vs 9.3
8.7 vs 8.78.7 vs 8.9
8.7 vs 9.2A management fee of 0% for readers who would rather pick and trade their own investments.
8.7 vs 8.7
8.7 vs 9.3
8.7 vs 9.0
8.7 vs 9.08.7 vs 9.2
8.7 vs 9.08.7 vs 8.6
8.7 vs 8.5
8.7 vs 8.3
8.7 vs 9.5
8.7 vs 9.4
8.7 vs 9.4- 8.7 vs 9.3
A management fee of 0% marks the cost floor for comparison.
8.7 vs 9.3
8.7 vs 9.3
8.7 vs 9.3
8.7 vs 9.3
8.7 vs 9.38.7 vs 9.3
8.7 vs 9.3
8.7 vs 9.28.7 vs 9.2
8.7 vs 9.28.7 vs 9.2
8.7 vs 9.1
8.7 vs 9.1
8.7 vs 9.1
8.7 vs 9.0
8.7 vs 9.08.7 vs 9.0
8.7 vs 9.0
8.7 vs 9.0
8.7 vs 8.9
8.7 vs 8.6
8.7 vs 8.58.7 vs 8.5
8.7 vs 8.4
8.7 vs 8.2- 8.7 vs 8.0
Where Ellevest is available
- Available
- United States
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What does Ellevest charge to manage money?+
Ellevest charges management fees of 0.35% to 1.25% a year. An account fee of $129 also appears in the published pricing, so two figures matter rather than one. For context, the robo-advisor median on the management fee is 0.35%, so the ongoing cost is not the unusual part.
How much do I need to put in to start with Ellevest?+
The minimum investment is $500,000, which is the number most readers will stop at. The account itself can be opened with a minimum deposit of $0, so there is no cash floor at the point of opening. The gap between the two figures is where the practical barrier sits.
Is my money safe with Ellevest?+
Ellevest is regulated by SEC, and investor protection stands at SIPC up to USD 500,000. Treat that figure as the cap on what the scheme covers rather than a measure of returns or market performance. It is the number to weigh alongside the fees, because a high cap says nothing about how the portfolio is run.
What kind of account does Ellevest offer?+
The account type on offer is an ira, so Ellevest is built around US retirement saving rather than a general investment account. The legal entity behind it is Ellevest, Inc., based in the United States and founded in 2014. Readers saving outside a US retirement wrapper will find the range narrower than a general-purpose platform.
What can I invest in through Ellevest?+
The account covers stocks, etfs and funds and the portfolio options are etf and esg. This is a managed lineup rather than a trading screen, so the decisions you face are about risk level and values, not individual positions. Anyone wanting to choose single shares and trade them directly should look at a broker instead.
How do I get help from Ellevest?+
Support runs on email and help centre, which means a help centre and email. There is no phone line or live chat listed, so plan for written replies rather than a same-day conversation. Email suits questions about balances and fees, where a written record helps.
How does Ellevest compare with cheaper robo-advisors?+
Ellevest charges management fees of 0.35% to 1.25%, close to the robo-advisor median of 0.35%, so cost is not where it loses. The gap is the entry threshold: a minimum investment of $500,000 ranks it 82 of 82 compared brands, where Axos Invest starts at $100.
Sources
- production.assets.ellevest.com/documents/Ellevest-Wrap-Fe... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Investor protection, Regulators
- storage.googleapis.com/advisorfinder/brochures/175476/202... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Account fee
“Clients pay a single Ellevest Membership Fee in the amount of $12 per month, or $129 annually - Ellevest Digital Program”
- support.ellevest.com/hc/en-us checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Support channels
“Submit a request”
- creditdonkey.com/ellevest_wealthsimple.html checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Minimum deposit
“Minimum Deposit $0 for all membership tiers - Ellevest membership plans”
- ellevest.com checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Account types, Founded, Headquarters, Legal entity, Management fee, Minimum investment, Portfolio types
“Ellevest can manage taxable brokerage accounts and individual retirement accounts (IRAs).”
- fool.com/money/buying-stocks/best-robo-advisors/ellevest-... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Markets
“Ellevest membership that includes up to six portfolios, retirement planning, automatic rebalancing - Ellevest Digital Program”
Compiled from 6 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Ellevest
A managed US retirement account for investors holding a large lump sum.