M1 Finance vs SoFi for ETF Portfolios

M1 Finance vs SoFi — Feature comparison

M1 Finance: The auto-rebalancing broker

M1 Finance's killer feature is the "Pie." A Pie is a portfolio where you set allocation percentages for each holding, and M1 automatically rebalances when your allocations drift beyond a threshold you set.

This is uniquely valuable for the Five Fund Frame. Your Frame specifies exact percentages — 10% Park, 15% Earn, 45% Build, 20% Roam, 10% Dare. M1 lets you set those exact percentages once, and it keeps them in balance automatically through rebalancing trades or new contributions.

How M1 works with the Five Fund Frame

• Create a Pie with five holdings: SGOV, SCHD, VOO, VXUS, and your Dare pick
• Set each allocation to match your Frame percentages
• M1 automatically rebalances when allocations drift beyond your threshold (default 5%)
• Set up automatic recurring buys — M1 distributes new deposits proportionally across your holdings
• Done. Your Frame stays in balance without manual trading.

M1 pros

• Auto-rebalancing — the only major broker with this feature built in
• Pies — portfolio templates that match your Frame exactly
• Fractional shares — buy any dollar amount of each holding
• $0 commissions — no fees on stock/ETF trades
• M1 Earned — high-yield savings on uninvested cash (rates vary)

M1 cons

• No options trading — if you want to trade options, M1 doesn't support it
• Limited to stocks and ETFs — no mutual funds, crypto, or fixed income beyond their upcoming bond offerings
• No banking yet — checking and savings accounts are coming but not fully launched

M1 verdict

If your priority is "set it and forget it" portfolio management, M1 Finance is the clear winner. The auto-rebalancing feature alone justifies using M1 for a long-term portfolio like the Five Fund Frame. You set your allocation once and let the system handle the maintenance.

SoFi: The all-in-one financial app

SoFi combines checking, savings, and investing in a single app. Set up recurring ETF buys, earn cash back on investments, and manage your entire financial life from one dashboard. Their recurring buy feature makes dollar-cost averaging into your Frame effortless.

How SoFi works with the Five Fund Frame

• Open a SoFi Investing account (no minimum to start)
• Purchase shares of SGOV, SCHD, VOO, VXUS, and your Dare pick
• Set up recurring buys — weekly or monthly automatic purchases
• Manually rebalance when allocations drift (SoFi doesn't auto-rebalance)
• Earn up to 1% cash back on qualifying investments

SoFi pros

• All-in-one app — checking, savings, investing in one place
• Recurring buys — automated weekly or monthly ETF purchases
• Cash back — up to 1% on qualifying investments (with active accounts)
• Fractional shares — buy any dollar amount of each holding
• $0 commissions — no fees on stock/ETF trades
• Options trading — full options support if you want it

SoFi cons

• No auto-rebalancing — you must manually trade to maintain allocation percentages
• Limited investment selection — not every ETF that trades is available
• Cash back requires active accounts — you need a certain level of activity to qualify

SoFi verdict

If you want banking and investing in one app with recurring buy automation, SoFi is the best choice. The cash back on investments is a nice bonus. But you'll need to manually rebalance your Frame — SoFi doesn't have auto-rebalancing like M1.

Which should you choose?

The honest comparison

M1 Finance wins on the feature that matters most for a Five Fund Frame: auto-rebalancing. If your goal is to set allocation percentages and never worry about drift again, M1 is the better choice.

SoFi wins on convenience and ecosystem. If you want banking, savings, and investing in one app with cash back rewards, SoFi is more convenient. You just won't get auto-rebalancing.

Both brokers offer $0 commissions, fractional shares, and recurring buy automation. You can't go wrong with either — it depends on whether you prioritize auto-rebalancing (M1) or all-in-one convenience (SoFi).