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Stash Review – Does the $12 Monthly Fee Actually Pay for Itself?

Andrew Schrage
Our Rating
3.5/5
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Stash

  • Best for: Beginners who will use the debit card monthly and fund an IRA
  • What Sets It Apart: A 3% match on new IRA contributions plus stock rewards on debit spending
  • Cost: $12 per month or $108 annually; plus a 0.25% yearly advisory fee on Smart Portfolios of $1,000 or more and on all managed retirement assets
  • Features: Fractional shares of thousands of stocks and funds; Traditional and Roth IRAs; up to ten custodial accounts; Smart Portfolio robo-advisor; FDIC-insured banking through Stride Bank
  • Pros: Genuine retirement match; $25 bonus on a $5 opening deposit; no account minimum; one fee spans every account type
  • Cons: Flat fee is steep on small balances; rewards capped at $10 monthly; match clawback inside four years

Just the Tip:

Stash is worth its $12 a month only if you actually use it. Fund the IRA to collect the full 3% match and swipe the card every month, and the perks outrun the fee. If you just plan to buy and hold a few funds, open a free brokerage instead.

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The subscription bundles a brokerage account, a Roth or traditional IRA with a 3% contribution match,4 and a debit card that pays its rewards in stock.3 One fee covers every account type, which is the whole pitch and the whole problem.

Key Features

  • $12 per month, or $108 if you pay for the year up front1
  • A 0.25% yearly advisory fee on Smart Portfolio balances of $1,000 or more, and on all managed retirement assets2
  • Fractional shares of thousands of stocks and exchange-traded funds, with no account minimum
  • Traditional or Roth IRA earning a 3% match on new contributions, worth up to $225 a year at the current limit4
  • Stock-Back debit card whose rewards all share one $10 monthly ceiling3

Pros

  • A 3% retirement match is real money, and few brokerages offer one at all4
  • The same subscription opens an IRA, a managed portfolio, and up to ten custodial accounts for kids6
  • No minimum and fractional shares let you start with a few dollars
  • Rebalancing and dividend reinvestment run without you touching them2
  • A $25 bonus after your first $5 deposit into a taxable account trims the first-year cost, though it has to sit untouched for 90 days5

Cons

  • The flat fee bites hardest on small balances, where $144 a year works out to 2.9% of $5,000
  • Stock-Back rewards stop at $120 a year, so the card alone never covers the subscription3
  • Robinhood Gold pays the same 3% retirement match for $50 a year
  • The 0.25% advisory fee stacks on top of the subscription, and hits managed retirement assets from the first dollar2
  • Pulling contributions back out of the IRA inside four years can claw back the match you earned4

Stash earns its keep from people who use all of it. Swipe the card every month and feed the IRA enough to collect the full match, and you get back more than the $144 you paid. Do neither and Fidelity hands you the same fractional shares and a no-fee IRA for nothing.

Nothing in this material should be construed as an offer, recommendation, or solicitation to buy or sell any security. All investments are subject to risk and may lose value. Subscription plans and pricing are subject to change.

Stash Financial, Inc. is a digital financial services company offering financial products for U.S. based consumers. Stash is not a bank or depository institution licensed in any jurisdiction. Advisory products and services are offered through Stash Investments LLC, an SEC registered investment adviser. Stash Capital LLC, an SEC registered broker-dealer and member FINRA/SIPC, serves as introducing broker for Stash Clients’ advisory accounts. Apex Clearing Corporation, a third-party SEC registered broker-dealer and member FINRA/SIPC, provides clearing and execution services and serves as qualified custodian for advisory assets of Stash Clients. Products offered by Stash Investments LLC and Stash Capital LLC are Not FDIC Insured, Not Bank Guaranteed, and May Lose Value. For more information, see Stash’s disclosures.

1 Ancillary fees charged by Stash and/or its custodian are not included in the subscription fee. The subscription fee also does not include fees charged by each ETF’s investment adviser or other fees and expenses reflected in the price of each ETF’s shares.

2 Stash has full authority to manage a “Smart Portfolio,” a discretionary managed account. Diversification and asset allocation do not guarantee a profit, nor do they eliminate the risk of loss of principal. Stash does not guarantee any level of performance or that any client will avoid losses in their account. In addition to the monthly subscription fee, Stash charges an asset-based advisory fee of 0.25% per year on Taxable Managed Portfolio assets of $1,000 or more, and 0.25% per year on all Managed Retirement Portfolio assets. See the advisory agreement for details. Not all stocks pay out dividends.

3 Stash Banking services provided by Stride Bank, N.A., Member FDIC. The Stash Stock-Back® Debit Mastercard® is issued by Stride Bank pursuant to license from Mastercard International. Mastercard and the circles design are registered trademarks of Mastercard International Incorporated. Any earned stock rewards will be held in your Stash Invest account. Investment products and services provided by Stash Investments LLC, not Stride Bank, and are Not FDIC Insured, Not Bank Guaranteed, and May Lose Value. In order for a user to be eligible for a Stash banking account, they must also have opened a taxable brokerage account on Stash. All Stock-Back® rewards contribute to a single $10 per month cap. All rewards earned through use of the Stash Stock-Back® Debit Mastercard® will be fulfilled by Stash Investments LLC and are subject to Terms and Conditions. You will bear the standard fees and expenses reflected in the pricing of the investments that you earn, plus fees for various ancillary services charged by Stash. In order to earn stock in the program, the Stash Stock-Back® Debit Mastercard must be used to make a qualifying purchase. Stock rewards that are paid to participating customers via the Stash Stock Back program are Not FDIC Insured, Not Bank Guaranteed, and May Lose Value. What doesn’t count: cash withdrawals, money orders, prepaid cards, and P2P payment. If you make a qualifying purchase at a merchant that is not publicly traded or otherwise available on Stash, you will receive a stock reward in an ETF or other investment of your choice from a list of companies available on Stash. Stock rewards are not available in tax-advantaged accounts, including retirement and custodial accounts.

4 The 3% retirement account match is given only on net contributions completed within a given month and is subject to IRA Match Rewards Terms and Conditions. Rewards are capped at 3% of your annual IRA contribution limit. Rollovers, ACATs, and transfers from external accounts are not eligible deposits. Rewards are subject to a four-year holding period and an Early Removal Fee may apply to withdrawals within that period. An active Stash subscription is required to continue receiving rewards. Stash does not monitor whether a customer is eligible for a particular type of IRA, or a tax deduction, or if a reduced contribution limit applies. You should consult with a tax advisor.

5 The $25 bonus offer is subject to $5 First Deposit Promotion Terms and Conditions. To receive the bonus you must open a Personal Portfolio, link a funding account, and complete a deposit of at least $5 into a Personal or Smart Portfolio. Bonus funds must remain in your Personal Portfolio for 90 days. Limit one per customer. Custodial accounts and IRAs are not eligible. Bonus funds may be taxable income to you. Offer amount is set by the offer you receive and is subject to change or cancellation at any time.

6 The money in a custodial account is the property of the minor.

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