Investment Options | Portfolio Strategies by Betterment

Strategy built on Nobel Prize-winning research to help you earn better returns.
Investments diversified across the globe to benefit from multiple markets.
Low cost with no additional fees, and expense ratios well below industry average.
Personalized digital advice on how to invest based on your goal.

We’ll help you set an investing strategy for every goal.

Let us know how much you want to save and by when.
We’ll recommend a stock-and-bond allocation based on your goal.
As you near your goal’s due date, we’ll adjust your allocation to reduce risk.
Easily adjust your allocation yourself, or even build a custom portfolio.

Betterment Core Portfolio and Climate Impact portfolio.

Our portfolios are designed to help you build wealth.

Our strategies diversify your investments across the globe to optimize returns. You can review any investment strategy’s historical performance before you select it, and you’ll always be able to see your goal’s performance in your account.

Performance details of a portfolio, with an emphasis on earnings, dividends, and tax losses harvested.

Invest in the entire market—not just a single stock.

A portfolio is how you choose to invest. For every goal you set with Betterment, we’ll help you customize your portfolio based on your time horizon, risk tolerance, and more. See your portfolio options below.

Betterment Core

Recommended portfolio strategy focused on global diversification with low-cost, tax-efficient ETFs
Goldman Sachs Smart Beta

Aims to outperform market-capitalization portfolios with Goldman Sachs ETFs
Innovative Technology

Tap into high-growth potential technology companies as part of a well-diversified portfolio with increased exposure to risk

Broad Impact

Includes ETFs with high ESG ratings and weighs criteria equally to keep investments balanced
Climate Impact

Includes climate-conscious ETFs that support companies with lower carbon emissions and helps fund green projects
Social Impact

Includes two ETFs that support minority empowerment and gender diversity in the workplace

Betterment Cash

Cash-only strategy, with money held in our program bank network earning a variable interest rate of 0.10%
BlackRock Target Income

Bond-only strategy that avoids stock market volatility by focusing on bond income rather than market returns

Frequently asked questions

What is a portfolio?

Unlike a traditional retirement plan or options provided by an online brokerage, Betterment doesn’t make you choose your own funds. Instead, we recommend a basket of funds that’s diversified to seek performance without unnecessary risks—that’s a portfolio. For every goal you set a Betterment, we’ll let you choose the kind of portfolio you want and recommend a specific stock-to-bond ratio. For Betterment’s Core portfolio strategy and socially responsible investing options, we provide 101 possible stock-to-bond allocations, giving you a portfolio tailored to your goal.
Why does Betterment invest in ETFs?

An exchange-traded fund (ETF) is a security that tracks an index, a commodity or a basket of assets just like an index fund, but trades like a stock on an exchange. Betterment uses ETFs in both our stock and bond portfolios because of the low management fees and tax-efficiency they offer. Learn more about the advantages of ETF-based portfolios.
What should I expect in terms of returns for my investments?

Each of your goals’ portfolios will see different performance, depending on the stock-to-bond allocation you choose, any changes you make over time, your choice of portfolio strategy, and market volatility. We recommend your investment portfolio’s allocation based on the time horizon of your goal and what kind of goal you have. If your goal is short-term, we’ll recommend a more conservative portfolio with lower expected returns with less volatility, and if your goal is longer term, we’ll likely recommend a more aggressive portfolio with higher expected long-term returns with higher volatility.
Can I use more than one portfolio strategy in my Betterment account?

Yes, you can have multiple portfolio strategies within your Betterment account because you can set a different portfolio strategy (and a different portfolio allocation) for each of your goals. For example, your retirement goal can use the Betterment Core Portfolio, while your safety net goal could invest with a socially responsible investing strategy.
Can my Betterment investments decrease in value?

Yes—far from unusual, downturns are a normal part of even the highest returning investments. Investors often worry and react with panic in response to market drops, even if they are invested properly for their long-term goals, but interim losses are to be expected even during the best investment periods.
Can I see the list of funds in each portfolio strategy?

Log in or sign up to set your goals, choose a portfolio strategy, and see the holdings at any stock-to-bond allocation you choose. You can also review the list of funds in the Betterment Core Portfolio strategy or browse our expert commentary on investments.

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What you get when you invest with us

Strategy built on Nobel Prize-winning research to help you earn better returns.

Investments diversified across the globe to benefit from multiple markets.

Low cost with no additional fees, and expense ratios well below industry average.

Personalized digital advice on how to invest based on your goal.

We’ll help you set an investing strategy for every goal.

Our portfolios are designed to help you build wealth.

Invest in the entire market—not just a single stock.

Learn more about our general investing offerings, which can be compared to a global market index.

Betterment Core

Goldman Sachs Smart Beta

Innovative Technology

Choose from our Socially Responsible Investing portfolios.

Broad Impact

Climate Impact

Social Impact

For a lower-risk approach, try an all-cash or all-bond option.

Betterment Cash

BlackRock Target Income

Looking for more control over your portfolio?

Frequently asked questions

What is a portfolio?

Why does Betterment invest in ETFs?

What should I expect in terms of returns for my investments?

Can I use more than one portfolio strategy in my Betterment account?

Can my Betterment investments decrease in value?

Can I see the list of funds in each portfolio strategy?

Start investing today.