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Robo-advisors need more thorough research than standard brokerage accounts. To be deemed a great Robo-advisor, a provider must meet several criteria. Whether you already have trading experience or are at the start of your trading journey, choosing an advisor is a critical process. Below we will take you through our criteria which includes fees, support and trading offers, and explain what to look for when selecting advisors. Besides costs, we also take into account the current situations on the market. We feel these things put together will help you to choose the perfect Robot advisor.
FEES
Opening an account with a Robo-advisor is often free of charge. However, many companies offering a Robo service will make their money via costs elsewhere. It may be through the dealing spread, real-time prices, add-ons for trading platforms. Depending on your choice of payment method, there may be costs for deposits, withdrawals or a certain number of payments per month. Some companies will also take commissions on your profits.
In addition to trading costs and fees there may be costs associated with using leverage. Leverage allows access to more funds than are available in your trading account. Some Robo-advisors stagger the leverage on invested capital. Particularly high leverage offers are more appealing for experienced traders. While leverage is a crucial point, high leverage may not be a fit for your current trading activities.
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- Can Robo-Advisors Trade Individual Stocks Or Other Types Of Investments?
- Where Can I Find Performance Data For Robo-Advisors?
- Which Markets Are Good For Making Money Using Robo-Advisor Trading?
Account types
Some Robo-advisor companies will offer you the opportunity to choose between a variety of accounts. The account types will usually depend on your initial deposit size and what you receive in terms of trade and portfolio management. You may wish to begin with a starter account, but you will be able to upgrade to another account if you want to do so. Or you can immediately opt for a higher account. The majority of Robo advisor accounts usually allow you to start with a small amount of capital.
When comparing advisor companies, the following questions should be taken into consideration: What services do I get with each account? How do accounts differ? Are there any business offers?
Platforms
Determining the right platform is important with your Robo advisor. The best platforms are clear and easy to follow and allow for ease of operation.
The structure of the platform is essential, and a customizable interface is advantageous but not necessary here. When comparing platforms, the focus should be the layout, where you can view investments and information with ease. The more support the platform offers, the less you have to worry and can let the advisor do its job.
Mobile and tablet apps are a must-have feature when it comes to Robo investing. Apps for smartphones and tablets are typically well-designed and easy to use. A clear structure with an overview of your current investments and gains is particularly helpful.
Usability
When evaluating providers, you should first check that the whole website is available in a language you can understand – sometimes, this is only obvious upon second glance. Some companies may have an English language website, but it is often possible to set the language to your preference. Make sure that the translation is complete and easy to understand. If you can’t understand the information on the website, then you won’t be able to understand the information on the platform once you have opened an account.
Another essential factor is navigation – the website should be organized and guide you through what they offer swiftly.
The website must provide easy access to the following information, contact options, cost models and fees, offers, account types, terms of service, information about the broker and an FAQ area may also be helpful.
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
Once you have opened your Robo advisor account, you may experience problems or may have questions regarding certain functions. It is the reason we place great emphasis on evaluating the companies support and customer service. Some Robo-advisor companies provide a live chat option. However, if this is not available, you can usually reach customer support via hotlines, e-mail or a contact form. All contact forms should be free of charge.
Equally important are the languages that are spoken by the support team. Quite often, the support staff are English speaking, but many companies will have a multi-linguistic team. If you do have any issues with your account, do not hesitate to contact the company to see how they can help. Even if you have general questions, it is better to ask and find out the details.
PAYMENT METHODS
To open an account you will need to deposit money in before the algorithm will start investing for you and, if profitable, you are going to want to withdraw some of your profits to your private bank account. So, we have to take a look at the possible payment methods.
Most Robo advisors offer credit cards, bank transfer and online payment services such as Neteller or Skrill. Credit cards are still a popular means of payment, as transactions are uncomplicated and processed within a short time. Bank transfers are considered very secure, but processing usually takes several days. Many companies also allow deposits and withdrawals through online payment services such as Skrill, Neteller and PayPal – payment methods that are popular because of their transaction speeds.
When determining which is the Best Robo Advisor, it is crucial to consider the possible fees and limits. They could put a minimum limit on withdrawals. Some providers allow only a certain number of payments per month and each extra amount after that comes with a fee. It is often the case that brokers will only allow withdrawals by the same method that you made the deposit. Some companies will link directly to your bank account, and you can set deposits and withdrawals into the account automatically.
Best Offers
Many companies provide useful additional offers to their customers – this could be investment training and education or cash to top up your initial deposit. Only those providers who have well-developed education and training offers are deserving of the ‘Best Robo Advisor for Beginners’ award. Even experienced investors can benefit from extra training and education. The majority of companies will offer only online video tutorials, although some have previously provided seminars.
REGULATION AND DEPOSIT PROTECTION
As well as with general trading accounts regulation and deposit insurance are essential issues for Robo advisor accounts as well, yet, they are not a guarantee that you will get a reputable Robo advisor. It is not possible to completely exclude the possibility of a Robo advisor company falling foul to the law, but you can be sure that regulated providers are licensed to offer their services on the market. The authorities responsible will check their adherence at regular intervals.
To confirm that the company is regulated, you can look up the directory of the authority specified on their website and examine their licensing information. We recommend that you also find out about the amount of deposit insurance offered. It provides a layer of additional protection and secures client funds in the event of bankruptcy, up to a certain amount.
When taking data into account, there are always risks. However, there are things you can do to minimize those risks. In a provider comparison, you should make sure that the data transfer is always encrypted. By choosing a secure password, you can also contribute to your data security.
AWARDS
Trade press information about a Robo advisor company can be helpful in an assessment. Although when looking at trading brokers we don’t recommend scouring forums due to the lack of context. In this instance, forums can be reliable. As the user input is minimal and any profits or losses will come directly from the advisor, meaning any posts will be related to how that advisor performed.
Robo advisors are relatively new, and so there won’t be too much historical information regarding awards and news in the press. However, that doesn’t mean there will be none. Make sure to search and read any information you can find; This will be helpful in your company evaluation. Many of these companies will post the link to media coverage on their website.
Even if a company has been named ‘Best Robo Advisor’ in the past, it is worth seeing if there are any more recent awards. Such awards are essential for them to build trust with their customers. Various magazines subject advisors to tests and give annual titles and awards for top-performing Robo advisor companies. An analysis on their platforms, support services and security is undertaken regularly. Awards are certainly a useful means of assessing a broker – you can usually find awards listed on their website.
