Betterment at Work Review
by Betterment Holdings Inc.
Betterment at Work is a 401(k) for small and mid-market businesses with fiduciary services, compliance testing, expert-built portfolios and 350+ payroll integrations. Essential costs $100 a month billed annually plus $5 per participant.
- Company size
- Small businesses, mid-market companies2
- Pricing model
- Base fee + per employee1
- Integrations
- 350+3
- Deployment
- Cloud4
Best for
- Small and mid-market employers that want a published 401(k) price
- Employers that want 3(16) and 3(38) fiduciary support on the entry plan
- Plans that want automatic enrollment and auto-escalation
Not ideal for
- Employers that want month-to-month base fees (the base fee is billed annually)
- Buyers who need a published ISO 27001 certification
How we evaluated Betterment at Work
This review rests on the 17 facts this page shows, each checked against the source listed under “Sources”, most recently on . We did not test the product hands-on: the score uses only those verified facts, as our methodology explains; third-party ratings, where we quote them, never count in the score.
Our verdict
Betterment at Work is the 401(k) for small and mid-market businesses from Betterment, based in New York, with 3(16) and 3(38) fiduciary services, compliance testing and 350+ payroll integrations. Essential costs $100 a month billed annually plus $5 per participant and a 0.25% advisory fee; Flagship is quoted.
Strengths
Fiduciary support included
Essential includes 3(38) and 3(16) fiduciary services with administrative, compliance and investment support.
Evidence: Fiduciary services: Yes1
Compliance work
Yearly 410(b), ADP/ACP, limit and top-heavy testing, plus Form 5500 preparation.
Evidence: Compliance testing: Yes5
Payroll coverage
Integrates with 350+ payroll providers to track eligibility and automate contributions.
Evidence: Native integrations: 350+3
Security reports
SOC 2 Type II and SOC 1 Type II reports are available to clients.
Evidence: SOC 2 Type II: Yes4
Weaknesses
Annual base fee
The base fee is billed each calendar year and is not prorated.
Evidence: Contract term: Annual1
One-time fees
A $500 implementation fee for new plans and $1,000 for conversions.
Evidence
Implementation fee: $500 for new plans, $1,000 for conversion plans1
Asset-based advisory fee
Participants pay a 0.25% annual advisory fee.
Evidence
Extra costs: 0.25% annual advisory fee on participant assets, Additional fees or hourly charges for some compliance consulting services, Financial Coaching as a paid add-on (Pro)5
Price at a glance
Betterment at Work cost at 10 to 100 employees
- Essential$100/mo base + $5/employee/mo
- Pro$150/mo base + $7/employee/mo
| Employees | Essential | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | $150/mo | $220/mo |
| 25 | $225/mo | $325/mo |
| 50 | $350/mo | $500/mo |
| 100 | $600/mo | $850/mo |
Monthly cost at each plan’s annual-billing rate, before add-ons and taxes, from the published price model of each plan.
Quick answers
- How much does Betterment at Work cost?
- Essential is $100 a month billed annually ($1,200) plus $5 per participant a month; Pro is $150 plus $7. Both add a 0.25% advisory fee on participant assets; Flagship is quoted.Based on Extra costs: 0.25% annual advisory fee on participant assets, Additional fees or hourly charges for some compliance consulting services, Financial Coaching as a paid add-on (Pro)5
- Is there a setup fee?
- Yes. A one-time implementation fee of $500 for new plans and $1,000 for conversion plans.Based on Implementation fee: $500 for new plans, $1,000 for conversion plans1
- Does Betterment at Work act as a fiduciary?
- Yes. All plans list 3(38) and 3(16) fiduciary services with administrative, compliance and investment support.Based on Fiduciary services: Yes1
- How many payroll providers does Betterment integrate with?
- More than 350, including Gusto and TriNet; Apex, Paychex and UltiPro are third-party-facilitated.Based on Native integrations: 350+3
Coverage of core 401(k) providers capabilities
Each core capability we evaluate in 401(k) Providers, checked against Betterment at Work’s own documentation. “Not verified yet” means we have not confirmed it either way, not that it is missing.
8 verified of 10 core capabilities
Specifications
Betterment at Work integrations
6 integrations we document, by how they connect or as the vendor names them. Betterment at Work says it has 350+ integrations.
Named by the vendor
- Apex
- UltiPro
Betterment at Work integration coverage
The 4 apps that 401(k) providers products document most often, and whether Betterment at Work documents each.
2 of the 4 most-connected apps documented by Betterment at Work; median of the 5 products compared: 2
- Gusto · documented by 3 of 5
- Paychex · documented by 3 of 5
- Paylocity · documented by 3 of 5
- QuickBooks · documented by 2 of 5
Integrations each vendor documents (native, marketplace, Zapier, API or named by the vendor), 5 live 401(k) providers products. Not documented does not mean not possible.
Where it ranks
- #2 of 3 scored401(k) Providers
- #3 of 3 scored401(k) Providers for Mid-Sized Companies
- #3 of 3 scored401(k) Providers for Small Business
Betterment at Work alternatives
Fidelity Workplace Investing
Human Interest- Vanguard Workplace Solutions
Principal Financial Group90% similar
Empower70% similar
Paychex Retirement Services70% similar
Implementation and support
Betterment at Work: frequently asked questions
Is Betterment at Work SOC 2 certified?
Betterment at Work provides clients a SOC 2 Type II report and a SOC 1 Type II report.
What do participants pay with Betterment at Work?
Participants pay a 0.25% annual advisory fee on their assets; some compliance consulting services carry extra fees or hourly charges.
What plan types does Betterment at Work offer?
Traditional and Roth 401(k), Safe Harbor 401(k) and profit-sharing, with automatic enrollment; 529 education savings and financial coaching are also offered.
Does Betterment at Work handle compliance testing and the Form 5500?
Yes. It lists annual compliance testing and a signature-ready Form 5500, backed by its Hassle-Free Compliance Guarantee.
Which 401(k) types does Betterment at Work offer?
Traditional and Roth 401(k), Safe Harbor 401(k) and profit-sharing, with automatic enrollment; 529 education savings and financial coaching are also offered.
What is Betterment at Work used for?
Betterment at Work is a 401(k) providers product built for small businesses and mid-market companies. Its modules include Traditional 401 and Roth 401, Safe Harbor 401, Automatic enrollment, Profit-sharing, 529 Education Savings, and Financial Coaching.
What are the best alternatives to Betterment at Work?
In our 401(k) providers ranking, the highest-scored products other than Betterment at Work are Human Interest and Fidelity Workplace Investing. Compared side by side, by reason to switch: Betterment at Work alternatives.
What are the pros and cons of Betterment at Work?
Strengths documented on the vendor’s own pages: fiduciary support included, compliance work, and payroll coverage. It is less suited to employers that want month-to-month base fees (the base fee is billed annually) and buyers who need a published ISO 27001 certification.
Does Betterment at Work have a mobile app?
Yes. Betterment at Work confirms a mobile app.
Is Betterment at Work good for small businesses?
Betterment at Work lists small businesses among the company sizes it is built for (small businesses and mid-market companies); for 10 employees its list prices come to $150 a month. It ranks #3 of 3 in our 401(k) providers for small businesses.
How this page was made
What it is built from
17 verified facts, each checked against the vendor's own pages or another primary source, most recently on Oct 25, 2026.
Method
Scored and compared with the LeadChange methodology, version 1.5. Read the methodology
Independent review
Not reviewed yet by our independent reviewer. How we review
Hands-on testing
We have not tested Betterment at Work hands-on: this page uses public information only.
Who made it
The LeadChange Research Team, following a written research process. No named expert has reviewed this page. About us
Independence and errors
Who pays us never changes a score or a rank. If something here is wrong, tell us and we correct it publicly. Request a correction
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Betterment at WorkLeadChange Score 7.9
Sources
The 8 pages this page's facts come from. The date beside each is our last check of the facts taken from it (the oldest, when they differ). The numbers beside the figures above link here.
Quotes from the sources
- Betterment betterment.com/work/pricing“monthly record-keeping fee per participant” “It is a set fee and not prorated because the work necessary to ensure your 401(k) plan is compliant is a yearly effort.”
- Betterment betterment.com/work“Betterment makes it easy for small and mid-market businesses to provide a scalable retirement plan.” “Weighted avg. app store rating as of 9/3/25 (reviews since: 9/10/10 Apple, 10/30/13 Google).”
- Betterment betterment.com/work/payroll-integrations“We integrate with 350+ payroll providers”
- Betterment betterment.com/hubfs/PDFs/b4b/employer-dashboard/Betterment%20at%20Work%20Security%20Brochure.pdf“For instance, some of our production infrastructure and storage is provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS).” “Audit reports are made available to clients, including a SOC 2 Type II with coverage for the security program, as well as a SOC 1 Type II report with coverage for internal controls specifically relevant to us.”
- Betterment betterment.com/work/401k-compliance“For the above referenced services, additional fees and/or hourly charges may apply.”
- Betterment betterment.com/work/investments
- Betterment betterment.com/work/401k
- Betterment betterment.com/work/employers“Traditional 401(k) and Roth 401(k)” “Apex, Paychex, and UltiPro are 3rd-party-facilitated integrations.”