Wealthsimple Invest puts your money to work using an award-winning investment strategy that minimizes risk and maximizes return by diversifying your investments. Wealthsimple Invest is a robo-advisor offering access to 3 different account levels: Wealthsimple Basic, Wealthsimple Black and Wealthsimple Generation.
Wealthsimple Invest review
- Management fee
- 0.40%–0.50%
- Min. Deposit
- $1
- Funding methods
- Direct deposit, Bank transfer
- Available Asset Types
- Stocks
Our verdict
This low-fee robo-advisor puts your money on autopilot to help bring your financial goals to life.
As one of the more popular and better-equipped robo-advisors on the market, it comes as little surprise that Wealthsimple Invest ticks a lot of boxes. There's no minimum deposit requirement, it's got a wide spectrum of accounts to choose from and it offers tax-loss harvesting — a perk worth mentioning since not all robo-advisors are equipped to do this. Plus, Wealthsimple Invest offers multiple tiers of service, fractional share investing and access to human financial advisers — you know, if you're into that sort of thing.
But where Wealthsimple Invest really shines is its socially responsible investment options, including Halal investments screened by a third-party committee of Shariah scholars. Very few robo-advisors offer Halal investment options, and Wealthsimple's Shariah-compliant portfolio is composed of over 50 stocks across a diverse array of approved industries.
Details
Product details
| Management fee | 0.40%–0.50% |
| Asset Types | Stocks |
| Funding methods | Direct deposit, Bank transfer |
| Min. Deposit | $1 |
| Go to site More Info |
How does Wealthsimple Invest work?
- Easy to use. The Wealthsimple Invest mobile app and dashboard make it easy to track your progress and monitor your portfolio. So easy, in fact, that it won an award for the world’s best financial website.
- Diversifies. Wealthsimple Invest places your money in ETFs (funds that contain a mixture of stocks, bonds or commodities) to diversify your investments.
- Product support. Choose between RRSPs, TFSAs, RESPs, RRIFs, LIRAs, personal, joint or business savings accounts when you invest.
- Resources. Wealthsimple Invest offers an informative blog and expert financial advice to help you better understand investing.
- Taxes. Sells some of your less profitable stocks and buys similar ones to lower your tax liability while maintaining your position in the market.
- Personalization. Choose from socially responsible and halal investing options, or opt to roundup your accounts and invest your spare change.
- Security. Money within Wealthsimple Invest investment accounts is protected against bankruptcy and is CIPF-protected up to $1 million, though the value of your investment can fluctuate from market movement. Plus, everything is encrypted and the company is backed by $265 million in investments from leading financial institutions.
- Canadian company. Wealthsimple was founded in 2014 and is based in Toronto, making it an all-Canadian company.
How much does Wealthsimple Invest cost?
Wealthsimple Invest strives to make investing affordable by buying low-cost ETFs and charging low fees:| Wealthsimple Invest Basic | Wealthsimple Invest Black | Wealthsimple Invest Generation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required investment | $1–$100,000 | $100,000+ | $500,000+ |
| Annual management fees | 0.50% | 0.40% | 0.40% |
| Management expense ratio (MER)* | ~ | ~ | ~ |
*The underlying fund companies in your portfolio charge the MER fee, not Wealthsimple Invest. The cost varies depending on the fund and the company.
How do I fund my Wealthsimple Invest account?
There are three ways you can fund your Wealthsimple Invest account:
- One-time transfer from a chequing account.
- Automatic recurring deposits from a chequing account.
- Transfer an existing investment account.
What are the benefits of Wealthsimple Invest?
Wealthsimple Invest is a low-cost, highly personalized service with several benefits that help you get the most out of your investment:- Signup offer. Wealthsimple Invest is a robo-advisor offering access to 3 different account levels: Wealthsimple Basic, Wealthsimple Black and Wealthsimple Generation.
- High returns. Wealthsimple Invest claims it can get you higher returns than savings accounts and standard investment options.
- Award-winning UX. The Wealthsimple Invest website and mobile app offer exceptional user experience design, winning multiple awards for best financial website.
- Human support. While Wealthsimple Invest is primarily a robo-advisor, customers can get one-on-one support from a team of financial experts.
- Perks. Sign up and get a personalized portfolio, tax-loss harvesting, dividend reinvesting and even heavily discounted Medcan health plans.
- Low opening deposit. Open a Wealthsimple Invest Basic account with as little as $1.
- Options. Choose Halal investments that complies with Islamic investment principles or choose socially responsible investments that align with what’s important to you.
What should I watch out for?
Wealthsimple Invest is an innovative investment option that stands out in many ways, but there are still a few things to keep in mind:- Online only. Wealthsimple Invest operates entirely online, so you won’t be able to visit a branch or speak to customer service in person.
- Slightly higher fees. Wealthsimple Invest has slightly higher management fees compared to other robo-advisors.
- Fees are taxed. You’ll be charged tax on any fees you pay Wealthsimple Invest.
- High minimum for Wealthsimple Invest Black and Generation. To get lower management fees and other perks, you’ll need to have a Wealthsimple Invest Black or Generation account, requiring a minimum $100,000 or $500,000 deposit respectively.
If you prefer to do your investing in person, you might want to keep looking. As always, compare your options when choosing a portfolio — robo-advisor or otherwise.
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How do I get started?
Wealthsimple Invest helps you start saving in as little as five minutes with a straightforward online application:- Visit the Wealthsimple Invest website and click Start Investing.
- Enter your email address, set a password and select your country, then click Sign up.
- Read the step 1 overview, then click Get started.
- Enter your personal information and proceed through each additional step.
- Read the step 2 overview, then click Get started.
- Enter your savings, investment experience and so on, and continue through each step.
- Select the plan that best suits your financial situation and click Start with this plan.
- Verify your email address and proceed through the remaining steps to finalize your portfolio, fund your account and start investing.
1. Get started
Enter your email address and country of residence, and create a password.
2. Enter your details
Enter your email address and country of residence, and create a password.
3. Choose your goals
Choose whether you'd like to start investing or start saving. Not sure? There's an option for that too.
4. Personalize your investment account
Enter more personal details, including your income, and then choose what kind of investor you are.
5. View your portfolio
You'll be able to view your portfolio type and the ETFs that you'll be investing in.
Eligibility
To open a Canadian Wealthsimple Invest account, you’ll need to meet a few eligibility requirements:
- Be at least 18 years of age, or the age of majority in your province or territory.
- Have a valid Social Insurance Number (SIN).
- Have a Canadian residential address.
- Be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident, or have a valid Canadian visa.
- Be able to meet identity verification requirements.
- For Wealthsimple Invest Black or Wealthsimple Invest Generation: Make a deposit of $100,000+ or $500,000+ respectively.
Required information
During your application, you’ll need to provide the following information:
- Name, date of birth, phone number.
- Citizenship status.
- Address.
- Employment information.
- Personal information like your gender, age and Social Insurance Number (SIN).
- Investment experience.
- Financial goals.
- Savings, assets and debts.
- Risk tolerance.
I’ve signed up. Now what?
Wealthsimple Invest provides a streamlined platform to invest your money, so there are no special tricks or tips to avoid fees. However, you can use the dashboard and mobile app to monitor progress and manage your account. And if you need help, reach out to a financial adviser who can provide investment advice or answer questions.How to contact Wealthsimple Invest customer service
Despite being an online institution, Wealthsimple Invest makes it easy to get in touch. You can reach the Client Success team at 1-855-255-9038, and if you have questions that they can’t answer, they’ll put you in touch with an experienced Portfolio Manager.
Customer service is available 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST Monday through Thursdays, and 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Fridays.
Frequently asked questions
Disclaimer: This information should not be interpreted as an endorsement of futures, stocks, ETFs, CFDs, options or any specific provider, service or offering. It should not be relied upon as investment advice or construed as providing recommendations of any kind. Futures, stocks, ETFs and options trading involves substantial risk of loss and therefore are not appropriate for all investors. Trading CFDs and forex on leverage comes with a higher risk of losing money rapidly. Past performance is not an indication of future results. Consider your own circumstances, and obtain your own advice, before making any trades. Read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) for the product on the provider's website.
This information should not be interpreted as an endorsement of futures, stocks, ETFs, CFDs, options or any specific provider, service or offering. It should not be relied upon as investment advice or construed as providing recommendations of any kind. Futures, stocks, ETFs and options trading involves substantial risk of loss and therefore are not appropriate for all investors. Trading CFDs and forex on leverage comes with a higher risk of losing money rapidly. Past performance is not an indication of future results. Consider your own circumstances, and obtain your own advice, before making any trades. Read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) for the product on the provider's website.
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