RESOURCES & EDUCATION

Smart technology. Powerful advice.

Get to know the tech that fuels our advice

Vanguard Digital Advisor® and Vanguard Personal Advisor® both use robo-advisor technology. You may have heard of robo-advisors before. But what are they exactly? And how do they work?

What is a robo-advisor?

A robo-advisor is an online investment service that manages your money. It’s financial advice that comes from an algorithmAn algorithm is a complex set of calculations that computers use to solve a problem or complete a task. created by a team of experts—instead of directly from a person.

Robo-advisors use algorithms to choose your investments and manage your money based on your unique financial situation. So putting robo-advisors to work for you can take a lot of the time, guesswork, and stress out of investing.

Consider it a GPS for your financial life

When you use a GPS app to plan a trip, the app uses an algorithm to find the best route to help you reach your destination. A robo-advisor works the same way—it uses algorithms to create your personalized financial plan, manage your money, and help you reach your financial goals.

Who are the experts behind Vanguard’s advice services?

The algorithms used by our advice services are built and refined by our team of investment professionals, behavioral scientists, and data analysts and engineers.

These experts combine time-tested investing principles, human psychology, and state-of-the-art technology to create algorithms that recommend a personalized mix of investments, manage your money, and help you reach your financial goals.

Investment professionals

Our team of Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) and Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) professionals and PhDs has decades of combined investment expertise.

Behavioral scientists

Our behavioral scientists study why people make certain financial decisions and the outcome of those decisions. They use their expertise to promote good financial health and discourage risky behavior.

Data analysts and engineers

Our data analysts and engineers work together to collect and examine data and build our technology. And they use machine learning and artificial intelligence to enhance our advice services.

How do we get to know you and put your info to work?

First, you give us some info. You’ll fill out a profile, where you’ll tell us about your financial situation and goals.

Then, we get to work. We'll use the info you provided, as well as other factors, to create a financial plan just for you.
You’ll give us info about your financial situation like your:
Current savings and income.
Comfort with risk.
Tax-filing status.
Expected retirement age.
Health care costs.
You’ll tell us about your financial goals, which could include:
Saving for retirement.
Retiring early.
Leaving an inheritance.
Paying for college, a wedding, or a vacation.
We'll also consider outside factors like:
Performance of different types of investments.
Current market conditions.
Potential market volatility.
Inflation scenarios.
Investment and advice fees.
You’ll give us info about your financial situation like your:
Current savings and income.
Comfort with risk.
Tax-filing status.
Expected retirement age.
Health care costs.
You’ll give us info about your financial situation like your:
Current savings and income.
Comfort with risk.
Tax-filing status.
Expected retirement age.
Health care costs.
You’ll give us info about your financial situation like your:
Current savings and income.
Comfort with risk.
Tax-filing status.
Expected retirement age.
Health care costs.

What’s included in your financial plan?

Your personal financial plan includes a custom investment portfolio and financial planning strategies tailored to your unique financial situation and goals. That plan is stress-tested against thousands of scenarios to make sure it can handle the market’s ups and downs.
A custom financial portfolio
  • A diversified investment mix made up of low-cost funds.
  • More than 1,000 potential glide paths A glide path is the rate your investment mix will change over time to become more conservative as you approach a goal, like retirement. With more than 1,000 potential glide paths, our robo-advisors can provide a smooth, gradual transition tailored to your unique needs.
Financial planning strategies
  • Help managing multiple financial goals.
  • Strategies for saving on taxes.
  • Guidance on how much to save.

How do we keep you on track?

We use our algorithms to continuously monitor your investments, manage your money, and make adjustments as needed.

The level of support you get depends on the specific service you choose.

All-digital robo-advice service

Robo-advice with a human touch

Vanguard Digital Advisor is available 24/7 and entirely online. You get ongoing advice and investment management that includes:

With Vanguard Personal Advisor, you get all the features of Digital Advisor, plus unlimited consultations with a financial advisor who can:
Monitoring your investments each business day.
Answer your more complex questions.
Automatic investment rebalancingYour investments will be rebalanced if your actual investment mix strays from your recommended mix by 5% or more. as needed.
Help you prioritize your goals.
Access to tools that help you manage debt, build emergency savings, and more.
Provide extra guidance when you need it.

All-digital robo-advice service
Vanguard Digital Advisor is available 24/7 and entirely online. You get ongoing advice and investment management that includes:
icon-black-check-comparison.svg  Monitoring your investments each business day.
icon-black-check-comparison.svg  Automatic investment rebalancingYour investments will be rebalanced if your actual investment mix strays from your recommended mix by 5% or more. as needed.
icon-black-check-comparison.svg  Access to tools that help you manage debt, build emergency savings, and more.

Robo-advice with a human touch
With Vanguard Personal Advisor, you get all the features of Digital Advisor, plus unlimited consultations with a financial advisor who can:
icon-black-check-comparison.svg  Answer your more complex questions.
icon-black-check-comparison.svg  Help you prioritize your goals.
icon-black-check-comparison.svg  Provide extra guidance when you need it.

What sets our advice services apart?

There are hundreds of robo-advice services out there, but they’re not equal. So what sets Vanguard apart?

Our advice services...

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Look at your big financial picture

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We know that retirement is just one part of your financial life. So we’ll also help you pay down debt, build up your emergency savings, and save for any financial goal—like buying a home or paying for college.

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Offer peace of mind

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We'll check your investment mix each business day and rebalance as needed. So you can be confident you'll stay on track in any type of market.

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Build on decades of experience

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We’ve been leaders in the investment management industry for almost 50 years. And we’ve been providing expert financial advice to investors like you for almost 30 years. See our story.

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Won recognition as best in the industry

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Digital Advisor was named "Best Robo-Advisor for Low-Cost Investing" by NerdWallet four years in a row (awarded 1/2024 based on data as of 10/2023). And it was ranked "Best Overall Robo-Advisor" by MorningStar for the second straight year (awarded 6/2023 based on data as of 12/2022; Vanguard compensated Morningstar to be able to promote the award). Learn more.1

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Cost a fraction of the industry average

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Whether you want a traditional robo-advice service like Digital Advisor or you want the human touch that comes with Personal Advisor, you’ll likely pay less at Vanguard. 2, 3 That means more money can stay in your account, continuously working for you.

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Manage your 401(k) account

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Most robo-advice services don’t manage 401(k) accounts.4 But our services will manage your 401(k) so you can stay on track for retirement while working toward all your other important financial goals.

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Join the growing number of investors who are already using Vanguard advice

Whatever you have planned for your money—from buying a new home, to saving for retirement, to taking that dream vacation—we’re ready to help.
Let's get started
Whenever you invest, there's a chance you could lose the money.
Diversifying means having different types of investments. It doesn’t guarantee you’ll make a profit or that you won’t lose money.

1Vanguard Digital Advisor received the top rating for "Best Robo-Advisor for Low-Cost Investing" for 2024 among 14 other robo-advisors selected by NerdWallet. NerdWallet evaluated each provider across the following weighted criteria as of October 1, 2023, to determine the winner for low costs: management fees (50%), expense ratios on investments (40%), and account fees (10%). NerdWallet also selected Vanguard Digital Advisor for the 2021 award based on November 16, 2020, data; the 2022 award based on October 1, 2021, data; and the 2023 award based on October 1, 2023, data. Additional details about NerdWallet's methodology are available on their website. Current fees may vary for Digital Advisor and the other robo-advisors considered. Although Vanguard compensates NerdWallet for marketing services, NerdWallet's opinions and evaluations are independent and unrelated to the selection of Digital Advisor for this award. ©2017-2024 and TM, NerdWallet, Inc. All Rights Reserved.


Vanguard also received the first overall ranking in Morningstar’s 2023 Robo-Advisor Landscape report among 17 other robo-advisors selected by Morningstar. Morningstar evaluated each provider across the following weighted criteria as of December 2022, to determine their rankings: total price (30%); the process used to select investments, construct portfolios, and match portfolios with investors (30%); the parent organization behind the digital platform (20%); and breadth of services (20%). Morningstar also selected Vanguard Digital Advisor for the 2022 award based on December 2021 data. For more on Morningstar’s methodology, go to The Best Robo-Advisors of 2023 . Current fees may vary for Digital Advisor and the other robo-advisors considered. Although Vanguard compensates Morningstar for marketing services, Morningstar’s opinions and evaluations are independent and unrelated to the selection of Vanguard for this ranking. Following the independent announcement of this ranking, Vanguard purchased a license from Morningstar for the right to include this rating in Vanguard marketing. Source: “2023 Robo-Advisor Landscape” by Amy C. Arnott, et al. © 2023 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved.

2The average retail advisory fee of 20 robo-advisor competitors who charge a management fee is 0.30% as of May 31, 2023. Note that the services and level of support offered by competitors services may be different from the services offered by Vanguard Digital Advisor. This average was calculated in Morningstar's 2023 Robo-Advisor Landscape report, using fee information from company surveys, Form ADV and 13-F filings, and Morningstar research. Current fees may vary for the competitors considered.

Comparison is based on the Personal Advisor fee of 0.30% vs. an average 1.00% fee when receiving advice through a traditional human advisor. Source: "2023 Robo-Advisor Landscape" by Amy C. Arnott, et al. © 2023 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved. Average fee listed in Morningstar's annual Robo-Advisor Landscape report when receiving advice through a traditional human financial advisor. Note that full-service advisors may provide a different fee structure, like a flat fee or tiered-fee structure based on the level of assets being managed, and may require a minimum asset level to manage the accounts. The average fees do not consider other costs, including underlying product costs, transaction costs, or other account costs. Morningstar's 2023 Robo-Advisor Landscape report, using fee information from company surveys, Form ADV and 13-F filings, and Morningstar research. Current fees may vary for the competitors considered.

3Actual costs vary. Digital Advisor and Personal Advisor will reduce your gross advisory fee by the amount of revenue (such as expense ratio rebates) that Vanguard (or a Vanguard affiliate) collects on your portfolio in order to calculate the net advisory fee. Digital Advisor’s annual net advisory fee is approximately 0.15% across your enrolled accounts for a typical investment portfolio. And Personal Advisor’s annual net advisory fee is approximately 0.30% across your enrolled accounts for a typical investment portfolio. However your actual net fee will vary depending on the specific holdings in each enrolled account. Your net advisory fee can also vary by enrolled account type. Plan participants’ actual advisory fees will vary depending on your plan’s lineup and the revenue that Vanguard receives from those investments. Please see your plan fee disclosure notices for the applicable annual gross advisory fees that apply to your plan assets.

4Source: Maria G. Hoffman, Mark A. Klee, and Briana Sullivan. New Data Reveal Inequality in Retirement Account Ownership . U.S. Census Bureau. August 2022.

Vanguard Digital Advisor's and Vanguard Personal Advisor’s services are provided solely by Vanguard Advisers, Inc. (VAI), a registered investment advisor. Please review the Vanguard Digital Advisor and Personal Advisor brochure  for important details about these services. Vanguard Digital Advisor’s and Personal Advisor's financial planning tools provide projections and goal forecasts, which are hypothetical in nature, do not reflect actual investment results, and are not guarantees of future results. 

CFA® and Chartered Financial Analyst® are registered trademarks owned by CFA Institute.

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements.