P
Pulsafi

Average Financial Advisor Fees (2026)

1.02%
Average annual AUM fee for human financial advisors
Summary

The average annual fee for a human financial advisor is approximately 1.02% of assets under management in 2026. On a $500,000 portfolio, that's $5,100/year. Robo-advisors (Wealthfront, Betterment) charge 0.25% on average — about 4× cheaper. Fee-only fiduciary advisors charge 0.7-1.2%; commission-based advisors charge 1-3% per transaction.

Breakdown

Human advisor (avg AUM fee)1.02%
Robo-advisor (avg)0.25%
Fee-only fiduciary range0.7-1.2%
Commission-based range1-3% per trade
Annual cost on $500K (1%)$5,100
Annual cost on $500K (0.25%)$1,250
Source
Kitces.com Industry Survey / Investment Advisor magazine· As of 2026-Q1

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All Pulsafi stats are sourced from primary government data and major financial institutions. Read the full methodology and data-sources page.