Schwab Intelligent Advisory, which includes unlimited guidance from a CFP and an in-depth financial plan, will charge customers $300 upfront plus $30 monthly subscription fee - moving away from the current model of 0.28% of assets. The hybrid robo service is being renamed Schwab Intelligent Portfolios Premium.
Current users won’t have to pay the $300 fee, and they’ll be transitioned to the new pricing model, but only once they have enough assets to make it more cost-efficient for them, at around the $125,000 level. The free version of the service, Schwab Intelligent Portfolios, which automatically builds and rebalances ETF portfolios as well as offering more limited guidance, will continue charging no advisory fee. The subscription model has become increasingly popular in the technology industry. Netflix, Amazon and Apple have many millions of users, so even small monthly fees can quickly add up to significant revenue. Schwab has 300,000 accounts and $37 billion across its digital offerings, including the robo adviser service, accounting for a small portion of its assets.