Betterment new-client Investing Reward explained

Updated November 5, 2026 · Offer data last verified 2026-11-05 · Not financial or tax advice.

Ending soon: the deadline in our data is November 30, 2026 (25 days from this update).

Betterment's new-client tiered Investing Reward pays cash when you open a taxable investing account and fund it with qualifying new money. There are 6 tiers, from $100 on $1,000 up to $2,000 on $200,000+. Our data shows the offer ends November 30, 2026. The catch is a long hold (~1095 days / about three years) with an early-removal fee. Live figures come from our Betterment offer page.

Investing Reward tiers

Qualifying deposit	Bonus	Bonus ÷ deposit	Annualized*
$1,000 – $9,999	$100	10.00%	3.33%
$10,000 – $24,999	$125	1.25%	0.42%
$25,000 – $49,999	$250	1.00%	0.33%
$50,000 – $99,999	$750	1.50%	0.50%
$100,000 – $199,999	$1,250	1.25%	0.42%
$200,000+	$2,000	1.00%	0.33%

*Annualized at the bottom of each band = (bonus ÷ deposit) × (365 ÷ 1095-day hold). Source: official terms ↗ · last verified 2026-11-05.

The best return per dollar in our data is the $1,000 tier at 3.33% annualized — still modest once you spread a cash bonus over three years. The top tier ($2,000 on $200,000) annualizes at only 0.33%. Betterment also charges a management fee (about 0.25%/yr on Digital); our annualized figures do not net that fee out.

How to earn it

Open a new Betterment Investing account as a new client by November 30, 2026.
Fund with qualifying new money to the tier you want. Transfers from other firms and new external deposits typically count; money already at Betterment does not.
Keep the funded balance for the hold. Removing assets early can trigger an early-removal fee that effectively claws back the reward.
Get paid per Betterment's offer terms (timing is on the official legal page).

Eligibility and fine print

New clients only. Existing Betterment customers usually don't qualify for this Investing Reward.
Long hold. Our data uses 1095 days (~3 years). That is much longer than most brokerage cash offers.
Management fee. Subtract ~0.25%/yr (Digital) from any comparison against a self-directed broker that charges $0 commissions and no AUM fee.
Deadline. Open/fund under the current terms by November 30, 2026; offers can end early.

Is Betterment's bonus worth it?

Only if you already planned to use a robo-advisor for years. Against a short-hold cash offer (for example J.P. Morgan's 90-day hold) or a percentage ACATS match, the three-year hold plus AUM fee makes the headline look weaker. Compare with other live offers that have holds of about a year or less:

Offer	Max bonus	Min deposit	Hold	Best yield	Source
CIT Bank / First Citizens Self-Directed Investing	$750	$1,000	60d	15.21%	official terms ↗
E*TRADE	$10,000	$1,000	365d	5.00%	official terms ↗
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing	$1,000	$5,000	90d	4.06%	official terms ↗
Citi Personal Wealth Management	$5,000	$50,000	90d	4.06%	official terms ↗

Also see best brokerage bonuses and holding periods and clawbacks.

Taxes

A cash Investing Reward in a taxable account is generally taxable income when paid. See are brokerage bonuses taxable?

General information only. This isn't financial or tax advice. Offers change or end without notice, and the official terms always govern. Confirm everything on the provider's page before you act. See our disclaimer.

Official Betterment legal page: official terms ↗. Tiers, hold and end date from our offer database (last verified 2026-11-05).

FAQ

How much is the Betterment new-client bonus?

$100 for $1,000 – $9,999, $125 for $10,000 – $24,999, $250 for $25,000 – $49,999, $750 for $50,000 – $99,999, $1,250 for $100,000 – $199,999, $2,000 for $200,000+ of qualifying new money, based on our latest verified data.

When does the Betterment Investing Reward end?

Our data shows November 30, 2026. Confirm on Betterment's legal offers page — promotions can end early.

How long do I have to keep money at Betterment?

About three years (1095 days in our data). Early removal can trigger a fee that clawbacks the reward.

Does Betterment's management fee reduce the bonus?

Our annualized figures do not subtract the ~0.25%/yr Digital fee. Net of fees, the real return is lower than the table shows.

Is the Betterment bonus taxable?

Generally yes in a taxable investing account. This is general information, not tax advice.