Best Robo-Advisors in the Philippines in 2024 (Compared)

Toni Nasr, CFA, FRM

Robo-advisors have become popular in the Philippines as a convenient and cost-effective investment solution. These automated platforms use advanced algorithms and user-friendly interfaces to empower investors to manage their portfolios and achieve their financial goals. However, with a wide array of Robo-advisors available, it can be challenging to determine which one is the best fit for your needs. That's where Robo-Advisor Finder comes in.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a list of the top Robo-advisors in the Philippines for 2024. We considered key factors like fees, investment options, customer service, and user experience when making our picks.

Here’s a quick list of the top Robo-advisors in the Philippines:

  1. inbestMe: Best overall
  2. Seedbox: Best for Piso PHP portfolios
  3. Sarwa: Best for brokerage and Robo-advisory 
  4. Trading 212 AutoInvest & Pies: Best for low fees and low minimum balance  

Best Robo-advisors in the Philippines

If you're an investor living in the Philippines, there are a few things you should keep in mind when choosing a Robo-advisor:

  • Competitive pricing: You want to make sure you're getting a good deal on your investment management.
  • Low minimum deposit requirements: Some Robo-advisors have high minimum deposit requirements, so make sure you find one that fits your budget.
  • The ability to customize investment portfolios: Not everyone has the same investment goals, so you want to make sure you can tailor your portfolio to your needs.

To list the best Robo-advisors in the Philippines, we've checked different platforms and evaluated those main characteristics, and here are the results of our deep dive research.

#1 inbestMe

💲Fees: Between 0.13% and 0.41% per year

💵 Minimum balance: $/€5,000

💰 Number of strategies: 4

A Spanish Robo-advisor that accepts clients from the Philippines and offers a wide range of automatically managed portfolios. They focus on simplicity, transparency, and low costs and provide an innovative way of investing, helping investors achieve their financial objectives.

Key offerings include socially responsible investment options and customization capabilities. Portfolios are available in EUR and USD across 11 risk profiles, incorporating features like global diversification, tax-loss harvesting, and automatic rebalancing. Additionally, InbestMe's mobile app enables convenient portfolio monitoring

Currently, four ETF strategies are available: Standard, SRI, Dynamic, and Value. The onboarding process is easy and fast, with the ability to open an account online with a minimum investment requirement of $/€5,000, which also varies based on the strategy. InbestMe also stands out for its cost efficiency, charging between 0.13% and 0.41% per year, depending on the assets under management (AUM).

Larger portfolios over €100,000 gain access to a personal financial advisor offering a higher degree of customization, allowing for tailored investment plans based on your specific preferences and objectives.

Our InbestMe review provides further analysis of their offerings and features.

inbestMe Homepage

#2 Seedbox

💲Fees: Between 0.50% to 1.50% per year

💵 Minimum balance: Php 1,000

💰 Number of strategies: 23

Founded in 2016, Seedbox is the first fully digital marketplace for investments and financial products in the Philippines. Its primary objective is to empower Filipinos to achieve their financial goals by offering a diverse range of managed funds, including mutual funds, Unit Investment Trust Fund (UITF), and Personal Equity and Retirement Account (PERA) products.

Seedbox exclusively offers regulated funds that have received approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). This regulatory oversight ensures that investors access legitimate and trustworthy investment opportunities.

They offer a user-friendly and intuitive platform that simplifies investment monitoring and tracking. Within the Seedbox package, investors can choose from six different strategies, spanning from conservative to aggressive. These strategies provide opportunities to invest in listed and non-listed fixed income and equity securities of Philippine companies, as well as debt obligations of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines.

In addition to their in-house offerings, Seedbox also provides access to 17 ATRAM funds. These funds enable Filipinos to invest in offshore markets, including the US, Europe, Emerging Markets, and Asia. Each ATRAM fund has its own distinct theme, such as global financials, sustainable development, and global technology.

To make investing accessible to a wide range of individuals, Seedbox has set a low minimum initial investment requirement of Php 1,000. Moreover, investors can incrementally build their portfolios over time with a minimum top-up investment amount of Php 500. As for fees, Seedbox charges trust fees for managing their UITF offerings. These fees range from 0.50% p.a. to 1.50% per year, depending on the specific UITF. It's important to note that these trust fees are already incorporated in calculating the UITF's net asset value per unit.

Seedbox Homepage

#3 Sarwa

💲Fees: Between 0.50% and 0.85% per year (minimum $7 monthly)

💵 Minimum balance: $500

💰 Number of strategies: 5

Sarwa, a UAE-based fintech company founded in 2017, offers two distinct investment services: Sarwa Invest and Sarwa Trade. Sarwa Invest is a Robo-advisor that provides a range of low-cost, automated portfolios, while Sarwa Trade is a zero-commission trading platform for stocks and ETFs.

With a focus on personalization, Sarwa tailors portfolios to match each investor's specific objectives and risk tolerance. They offer five portfolio options: conventional, socially responsible, Halal, and crypto integration for conventional and sustainable portfolios. Each strategy encompasses 5 to 7 risk levels, spanning from very conservative to growth-oriented.

Sarwa simplifies the investment process by automating tasks such as dividend reinvestment, portfolio rebalancing, and recurring deposits. They provide three plan options: Standard, Premium, and Platinum. Depending on your plan, you may benefit from various features such as personalized financial advice, low-cost globally diversified portfolios, smart rebalancing, dividend reinvesting, and financial planning services. 

To start investing with Sarwa, a minimum balance of $500 is required while the annual management fee starts at 0.85% (or $7 monthly) and decreases to 0.50% as your account balance grows. 

Plus, new users get a $50 bonus by using the promo code GHEF9ED9.

You can check our Sarwa review for further insights.

Sarwa Homepage

#4 Trading 212 AutoInvest & Pies

💲Fees: 0% Management fee (other fees apply)

💵 Minimum balance: €/£1

💰 Number of strategies: A wide range of pies available on the platform

Trading 212 AutoInvest & Pies is a commission-free investment solution offered by Trading 212, a leading fintech company that aims to make financial markets accessible to everyone. It is authorized and regulated by reputable financial authorities, including the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Bulgarian Financial Supervision Commission (FSC). They have over 2 million funded accounts and £3.5 billion in assets under management. 

One of the standout features of Trading 212 is its AutoInvest & Pies functionality, which lets you create customized portfolios called "Pies" that consist of a selection of stocks and ETFs. You have the flexibility to choose your desired securities and set target weights for each holding within your Pie with the ability to hold up to 50 securities within each pie.

Trading 212 also offers a social community aspect, where users can access a Pie Library, interact with other investors, and even copy Pies created by other community members. With the Auto-invest feature, you can deposit funds and then automatically invest them into your Pie. Moreover, if the investments in your Pie deviate from their target allocations, you can rebalance the Pie at any time by selecting the ‘Rebalance’ option.

Opening an account with Trading 212 is accessible to all, as the platform requires a minimum balance of just €/£1. Additionally, Trading 212 offers a demo account option, allowing users to practice and familiarize themselves with the platform before committing to real funds.

While Trading 212 AutoInvest & Pies does not charge any fees for auto-investing or creating Pies, it's important to note that a 0.15% foreign exchange fee is applicable for buying assets in a currency different from the account's base currency. Nevertheless, the absence of commission fees for investing and the low entry requirement make Trading 212 an attractive choice for individuals seeking a cost-effective and user-friendly investment platform.

New Trading 212 users can benefit from one free share of up to €100 by using our promo code: IITW.

Trading 212 AutoInvest & Pies

Best Robo-Advisors in the Philippines Compared

Best Robo-Advisors in the Philippines Compared

Filipino investors looking for more robo advisor options can choose from regional providers that offer access to automatically managed portfolios. Two well-known robo advisors in Singapore, Endowus, and Kristal.ai, allow individuals from other countries, including the Philippines, to open accounts and invest through their platform.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, Robo-advisors have become a popular option for investors seeking hassle-free and automated investment solutions. As the number of Robo-advisors in the Philippines continues to grow, selecting the right one can be challenging.

In this article, we have provided a list of the Philippines’ best Robo-advisors to help investors narrow down their choices. However, it's important to note that there are many other companies worth considering. We encourage you to review our comprehensive list of Robo-advisors in the Philippines for further options.

When evaluating Robo-advisors, we recommend visiting their websites to learn about their investment strategies and approaches. Additionally, comparing the fees charged, features, and customer experience are essential steps in the selection process.

A reminder that the above should not be construed as investment advice and should be considered information only. Investors should do their own research and due diligence about the services and opportunities best suited for their risk, returns, and impact strategy.

Wishing you successful and informed investments!

FAQs

What is the best Robo-advisor in the Philippines?

The best Robo-advisor in the Philippines can vary depending on your individual preferences, investment goals, and risk tolerance. However, here is a list of Robo-advisors that we think are among the best for Filipino investors:

How much does it cost to use a Robo-advisor?

Most Robo-advisors have a very low minimum balance requirement to start investing (you can find Robo-advisors that allow you to start investing starting at $5).

Can I customize my investment portfolio with a Robo-advisor?

The degree of customization may vary between Robo-advisors. Typically, you can select from a range of pre-constructed portfolios based on your risk tolerance, investment goals, and preferences. In addition, some Robo-advisors may offer the option to adjust portfolio allocations based on specific investment preferences or restrictions, or they might suggest personalized strategies.

How much money do I need to invest in a Robo-advisor?

Most Robo-advisors have a very low minimum balance requirement to start investing (you can find Robo-advisors that allow you to start investing starting at €1).

Do Robo-advisors beat the market?

No, most Robo-advisors invest in ETFs and work on matching the performance of a particular market benchmark. So, they tend to closely replicate the market's performance rather than beat it.

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