Before comparing fees or features, it's worth confirming a robo-advisor actually supports the account type and minimum balance your goal requires. This guide covers what's commonly available, as part of the broader robo-advisor evaluation framework.
Account Minimums Vary Widely
Robo-advisor account minimums range from no minimum at all to a few thousand dollars, depending on the platform. Some platforms also layer in higher minimums for specific features — for example, requiring a certain balance before automated tax-loss harvesting or access to a human planner becomes available. Always check both the base minimum to open an account and any additional thresholds tied to features you actually want.
Common Account Types Offered
Most robo-advisors support some combination of the following:
- Individual taxable brokerage accounts — general investing with no contribution limits or withdrawal restrictions, but subject to capital gains taxes on realized gains.
- Joint taxable brokerage accounts — shared ownership between two people, though availability varies by platform.
- Traditional IRAs — tax-advantaged retirement accounts, with contributions potentially tax-deductible and withdrawals taxed in retirement.
- Roth IRAs — funded with after-tax dollars, with qualified withdrawals in retirement generally tax-free, subject to IRS income eligibility limits.
Some platforms extend further to SEP IRAs for self-employed savers, custodial accounts for minors, or trust accounts — but these are less universally available and worth confirming directly.
| Account type | Typical purpose | Key consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Individual taxable | General investing, no restrictions | Capital gains taxes apply on realized gains |
| Joint taxable | Shared investing between two people | Not offered by every platform |
| Traditional IRA | Retirement savings | Tax treatment set by IRS rules, not the platform |
| Roth IRA | Retirement savings | Subject to IRS income eligibility limits |
The Platform Manages Investments, Not Tax Rules
It's worth being clear that a robo-advisor manages how your money is invested within an account — it does not change the underlying tax treatment of that account type, which is set by IRS rules. Whether a Roth IRA's withdrawals are tax-free, for instance, depends on IRS qualification rules, not on which platform holds the account.
Matching Account Type to Your Goal
- If your goal is general, flexible investing with no withdrawal restrictions, a taxable account fits.
- If your goal is retirement-specific saving with tax advantages, a traditional or Roth IRA fits — which of the two depends on your current versus expected future tax situation.
- If you're investing on behalf of a minor, check specifically for custodial account support, since it is not universal.
This decision also affects which other features matter: tax-loss harvesting is only relevant in taxable accounts, while rebalancing applies across all account types.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Assuming every robo-advisor supports every account type without checking directly.
- Overlooking additional balance thresholds required to unlock specific features.
- Confusing platform-level investment management with IRS-set tax rules for account types.
- Opening a taxable account for a goal that would have been better served by a tax-advantaged IRA, or vice versa.
Conclusion
Account minimums and supported account types are foundational — no amount of low fees or automated features matters if the platform doesn't support what you actually need. Confirm minimums, account type availability, and any feature-specific thresholds before opening an account, as part of a complete robo-advisor evaluation.