Honest comparison
PeakWorth vs E*TRADE Core Portfolios
E*TRADE's robo is a clean ETF wrapper at 0.30%/yr. PeakWorth is the planning layer above it.
The short version
E*TRADE Core Portfolios is 0.30%/yr with a $500 minimum, invested in a diversified ETF mix and rebalanced semi-annually. It manages a single E*TRADE-side account well. It does not plan. PeakWorth is the planning layer above it.
E*TRADE Core Portfolios is best for
E*TRADE (now Morgan Stanley) customers who want a hands-off ETF portfolio inside the same login as their self-directed brokerage, with a low entry point and SRI / smart-beta options.
0.30%/yr advisory fee, $500 minimum to open. Built on a diversified ETF lineup. No separate commissions inside the managed account. Optional socially-responsible and smart-beta portfolio variants.
PeakWorth is best for
Households who want a household-wide plan, FI age, and Decision Hub spanning every account — not just a managed E*TRADE-side portfolio.
14-day free trial. Then $9.99/mo Navigator.
Feature by featureHow they compare
| Feature | PeakWorth | E*TRADE Core Portfolios |
|---|---|---|
Advisory fee | $9.99/mo | 0.30%/yr |
Account minimum | None | $500 |
Automated rebalancing | Semi-annual + drift triggers | |
Tax-loss harvesting | Not a standard feature | |
Socially-responsible / smart-beta options | n/a — planning only | Yes |
CFP access included | AI advisor on your numbers (Peak plan) | Not in this tier |
Holds and trades your assets | No — planning only | |
Multi-decade net worth projection | ||
FI age — when work becomes optional | Retirement-readiness check | |
Decision Hub (buy/rent, kids, job change) | Built-in | |
Tax-aware projections Household-wide, marginal bracket, withdrawal order | Within E*TRADE accounts only | |
Account aggregation (full picture) | E*TRADE / Morgan Stanley assets | |
Built for dual-income households | ||
Cost on $100k portfolio | $119.88/yr | $300/yr |
Cost on $500k portfolio | $119.88/yr | $1,500/yr |
Cost on $1M portfolio | $119.88/yr | $3,000/yr |
The real reasonsWhy people switch
- 0.30%/yr sits between Vanguard Digital Advisor (~0.15%) and Betterment / Wealthfront (0.25%). The value is the E*TRADE ecosystem and SRI / smart-beta portfolio options.
- Tax-loss harvesting isn't a standard Core Portfolios feature. If TLH is the reason to pick a robo, Betterment or Wealthfront are stronger.
- Core Portfolios plans against your E*TRADE-side portfolio. PeakWorth plans every account, every spouse, every major decision.
- On $500k, the robo is $1,500/yr forever. PeakWorth is $119.88/yr at any portfolio size.
Context
E*TRADE Core Portfolios (now part of Morgan Stanley) is a straightforward 0.30%/yr managed-ETF account with a $500 minimum. Rebalancing is done semi-annually with drift triggers in between. Investors can opt into a socially-responsible portfolio or smart-beta variant alongside the default mix.
The product's strength is its integration with the rest of the E*TRADE platform — the same login as a self-directed brokerage, options, and (after the Morgan Stanley acquisition) Morgan Stanley wealth services for higher balances. The trade-offs are no standard tax-loss harvesting and the same single-institution planning view every brokerage robo carries.
Most PeakWorth users keep E*TRADE for the management and custody piece and use PeakWorth as the planning layer that spans every account. For the category-level discussion, see /vs/robo-advisor.
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Run it through PeakWorthFrequently asked
Is E*TRADE Core Portfolios competitive on fee?
0.30%/yr is in the middle of the robo pack — slightly above Betterment and Wealthfront (0.25%) and Vanguard Digital Advisor (~0.15%), and slightly below Fidelity Go above $25k (0.35%) and J.P. Morgan Automated Investing (0.35%). Not the cheapest, not expensive.
Does Core Portfolios do tax-loss harvesting?
Tax-loss harvesting is not a standard Core Portfolios feature. If daily TLH on a taxable account is what you're after, Betterment or Wealthfront are the stronger robo choices.
Did the Morgan Stanley acquisition change anything?
E*TRADE Core Portfolios continues to operate as the entry-level robo, now under the Morgan Stanley umbrella. Higher-balance customers may be cross-sold into Morgan Stanley advisory services. The 0.30%/yr fee and $500 minimum are unchanged at the Core Portfolios tier.
Does PeakWorth replace E*TRADE Core Portfolios?
No — PeakWorth doesn't hold your money or place trades. The clean stack is E*TRADE Core Portfolios (or any low-cost broker) for management and PeakWorth for the multi-decade plan, decision modeling, and AI advisor. See /vs/robo-advisor for the broader picture.
PeakWorth provides educational projections, not financial advice. We are not a registered investment advisor, broker-dealer, tax preparer, or attorney. Consult a licensed professional before making major financial decisions. Read full disclosures