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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Ameriprise Financial vs M1: Invest & Bank Smarter

Ameriprise Financial 4.9★ · Free to download 75
Winner Ameriprise Financial
M1: Invest & Bank Smarter 4.7★ · Free to download 60

Ameriprise Financial is better for users seeking comprehensive financial advisory services and a stable, if sometimes clunky, app experience, while M1 is better for self-directed investors focused on automated, long-term portfolio management, despite recent fee increases and app bugs.

Full reviews: Ameriprise Financial · M1: Invest & Bank Smarter

Ameriprise Financial offers a robust advisory service and a functional app for managing diverse financial needs, though it struggles with modern app features like 2FA and mortgage access. M1 provides an innovative 'pie' investing system for automated portfolio management, but recent fee introductions and persistent app bugs have frustrated many users.

Head to head

Features & Functionality tieR6R9R13R14
Ameriprise Financial Ameriprise Financial users appreciate the comprehensive view of their finances and the ability to manage various aspects of their portfolio, including OmniView R14. However, the app is criticized for lacking basic functionalities like direct deposits R9, direct withdrawals to bank accounts R6, and clear access to mortgage documents or payment options R13. Some users also note issues with viewing detailed tax lot information and credit card transaction history beyond three months .
M1: Invest & Bank Smarter M1's 'portfolio pie' system and auto-invest feature are highly praised for making long-term, passive investing easy and flexible, allowing users to control allocation percentages and rebalance automatically . However, users are frustrated by the limited two daily trading windows R87R88R108, the inability to update pie slices after creation , and the lack of 'lot details' for tracking individual stock performance . Some features, like the checking account and credit card, have been removed .
Ease of Use & User Interface tieR1R2R14R21
Ameriprise Financial Ameriprise Financial receives mixed reviews on ease of use. Some users find the app easy to navigate and use for financial tasks R14. However, others describe the information as disorganized and poorly presented R1, requiring many clicks to get basic information . Specific complaints include the app being vastly inferior to the website R1, issues with landscape-only mode on iPad R21, and the inability to use the app on multiple devices simultaneously R2.
M1: Invest & Bank Smarter M1's app is often described as simple and straightforward for its core investing function . However, many users find it not very user-friendly, especially for beginners . The UI is criticized for being bad , with difficulty finding tickers and issues with saving new portfolios on mobile .
Reliability & Performance tieR4R6R7R10
Ameriprise Financial Ameriprise Financial users report significant reliability issues, particularly with two-factor authentication (2FA). Problems include 2FA codes not being sent via text R6, the app not remembering trusted devices R4, and the inability to autofill or paste authenticator codes R4R7R12. Other issues include losing attached accounts after upgrades R10, face recognition not working after updates , and the app jamming up iPads .
M1: Invest & Bank Smarter M1 users frequently report bugs and stability problems. Common issues include the 'Invest' tab showing blank , problems with the website's scroll and pop-up displays , and the save button for new portfolios being non-functional on iOS . Some users note that the app used to be great but is now constantly buggy and that updates are needed faster .
Price & Value edge: Ameriprise FinancialR5R11R23R26
Ameriprise Financial Ameriprise Financial is free to download, and reviews focus more on the value of their advisory services rather than app-specific fees. Users express satisfaction with the overall service provided by their financial advisors R5R11R23R26.
M1: Invest & Bank Smarter M1, while free to download, has introduced a mandatory $3/month platform fee that has caused significant user dissatisfaction R85R97R101. Users feel these fees are hidden or undisclosed R97. Additionally, M1 charges a $100 fee for closing Roth IRA accounts, which is seen as excessive compared to competitors R78R97.
Customer Support edge: Ameriprise FinancialR5R11R17R23
Ameriprise Financial Ameriprise Financial receives overwhelmingly positive feedback regarding its customer support and financial advisors. Users consistently praise their advisors for being professional, helpful, knowledgeable, attentive, and responsive R5R11R17R23.
M1: Invest & Bank Smarter M1's customer support is a significant pain point for users. Many report a lack of customer support , difficulty getting assistance for accessing money , and issues with changing basic information like email addresses . Some describe customer service as a 'joke' and note that the chat function is unhelpful .
Pick Ameriprise Financial if

You prioritize comprehensive financial advisory services and a wide range of financial management tools, even if the app's interface and modern features like 2FA can be clunky R5R11R23R26. You value direct access to a dedicated financial advisor and excellent customer service R23R26.

Pick M1: Invest & Bank Smarter if

You are a self-directed, long-term investor who values automated portfolio management and fractional share investing through a 'pie' system . You are comfortable with limited trading windows and are willing to overlook recent fee increases and app bugs for the core investing concept .

Evidence note: Ameriprise Financial's reviews are heavily skewed towards praising its financial advisors and overall service, with fewer detailed comments on the app's specific features or performance. M1's reviews, while highlighting its unique investing concept, are significantly impacted by recent negative feedback regarding new fees and persistent app bugs.

Frequently asked

Does Ameriprise Financial's app support 2-factor authentication?
Yes, Ameriprise Financial's app requires 2-factor authentication (2FA), but users report significant issues with its implementation, including codes not being sent, inability to autofill or paste codes, and constant re-authentication even with Face ID R4R6R7R12.
Are there fees associated with using the M1 app?
Yes, M1 has introduced a mandatory $3 per month platform fee that many users find undisclosed or hidden R85R97R101. Additionally, M1 charges a $100 fee for closing Roth IRA accounts R78R97.
Can I transfer money directly to my bank account using the Ameriprise Financial app?
No, users report that you cannot withdraw money directly to a bank account through the Ameriprise Financial app; you have to call your advisor to do so R6.
How many trading windows does M1 offer?
M1 restricts trading to only two buy windows during the day, which some users find unacceptable, especially in volatile markets R87R88R108.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R6] Ameriprise Financial 3/5 · US Some Limitations: The app requires MFA but frequently the text message with the code doesn’t get sent. You can’t withdraw money direct to a bank account as you can with E*Trade or other financial apps. You have to call your advisor. These two limitations make the app less user friendly.
  2. [R9] Ameriprise Financial 3/5 · US How to make deposits: Don’t know how to make deposits through app yet. I don’t see where I can do this plainly listed in the app. Any icon or anything?
  3. [R13] Ameriprise Financial 1/5 · US Mortgage Access: Literally the worst app ever there’s no clear way to access your mortgage documents, pay your mortgage or do anything related to your mortgage, even though it directs you to this app. As a developer myself this app is just trash for anything mortgage related.
  4. [R14] Ameriprise Financial 5/5 · US Easy to use App: I really enjoy using the app for all things financial. I’m also really enjoying the OmniView feature!
  5. [R1] Ameriprise Financial 1/5 · US Vastly inferior to the website: Has trouble with my login (says I’m trying to change my user name) and once I’ve wrestled my way in, the information is disorganized and very poorly presented graphically. Used it once, deleted it. It added nothing the website didn’t do better.
  6. [R2] Ameriprise Financial 4/5 · US Only One Device at a Time: I like the app very much now. But if you specify your iPad as primary device you can't use it on your iPhone. This is stupid. Only financial app I have that does this. Fix.
  7. [R21] Ameriprise Financial 3/5 · US Good…could be better: This App is pretty darn good. Works pretty much just like a normal web interface. My only pet peeve is the orientation of the App. On an iPad it HAS to be landscape mode. I never use my iPad that way and find it cumbersome and inconvenient. I wish the developers would add the option for portrait mode. Then I would give it 5 Stars.
  8. [R4] Ameriprise Financial 1/5 · US Trash 2FA implementation: Doesn’t remember trusted devices, doesn’t support authenticator autofill for iOS passwords app, doesn’t allow pasting authenticator codes, and doesn’t support Plaid integration. Cannot opt out of 2FA. Garbage.
  9. [R7] Ameriprise Financial 2/5 · US 2-Factor Authentication: I don’t want to use this app primarily because of the log in process. I have 2-factor authentication activated and for years I have been waiting for the ability to automatically insert the verification code from the iPhone Passwords app. For some reason, the developers make us have to open the Passwords app, search for the Ameriprise login info, copy the verification code,
  10. [R10] Ameriprise Financial 1/5 · US Bad upgrades: I had my accounts set up like I wanted them. They do an upgrade and I lose all my accounts I had attached to Ameriprise.. lousy service
  11. [R5] Ameriprise Financial 4/5 · US Great service: Tanveer has been a professional financial advisor.
  12. [R11] Ameriprise Financial 5/5 · US Mr. Pallazo: Neil Pallazo has done a great job handling my affairs at a difficult time for us. Much appreciated!
  13. [R23] Ameriprise Financial 5/5 · US Top-Notch Business: We have been with Ameriprise for several years now. I find the employeees to be professional, efficient and personable. I always get my questions answered in a timely manner. Joe Enders has been terrific at guiding us through this new financial endeavor. A++
  14. [R26] Ameriprise Financial 5/5 · US Lee Morris: We couldn’t be more happy with Lee & the staff. Having someone like Lee that we have total trust is very hard to find. Every question we have had has been answered. Lee & others get back to us right away. Getting Lee to handle our finances is one of the best decisions I have ever made.
  15. [R17] Ameriprise Financial 5/5 · US Very Helpful: I had a very helpful and patient helper today! Thank you for providing great guidance.
  16. [R12] Ameriprise Financial 3/5 · US App 2FA Needs tags: The 2FA is lacking the metadata for my password app (Dashlane) to recognize the field should be filled in by the 2FA value. The keyboard is also set such that it won’t allow the password manager app to show so now I have to manually go out and enter the 2FA
  17. [R78] M1: Invest & Bank Smarter 3/5 · US Charges $100 when you close your account: I closed my account since I wanted to consolidate all my retirement accounts with the one offered by my employer. I can’t withdraw all my funds since M1 is charging $100 for Roth IRA account closures. I’ve been holding the account since 2021. I did the same thing with my Roth IRA with Fidelity and everything went smoothly.
  18. [R85] M1: Invest & Bank Smarter 1/5 · US Not worth it with the platform fee: Fee sucks
  19. [R97] M1: Invest & Bank Smarter 1/5 · US Greedy app with tons of fees: I’ve been using M1 since I could start investing in 2018, they were originally free and a great option for automated investing. Now that I’m having some financial troubles and needing to pull funds out, not only do they charge you $3/month but they are now charging $100 to liquidate your account… that’s so absurd. Will be moving funds to another platform asap.
  20. [R101] M1: Invest & Bank Smarter 1/5 · US They will get their $3 fee when you try to close your account: I do not recommend this app as it is not worth it to pay the mandatory $3 dollar platform fee. I avoided it for the most part but then when closing my account it was very hard to time the transfer of money out and so at the end of one month while still waiting for the account to close, I got charged the fee!! I reached out to them and
  21. [R87] M1: Invest & Bank Smarter 3/5 · US Good: Can be better; even with two investing windows, if you set up buying it will take over 15 to close half hour to buy in that window. Faster investing buying would make this app one of the best.
  22. [R88] M1: Invest & Bank Smarter 1/5 · US Modern portfolio management concept but poor execution: Love the concept of pie. It makes portfolio management really easy. Cons and why only one star: today when markets are moving more than 2-3% intraday, restricting to only 2 buy windows during the day is not acceptable. The thought that this is long term holding and it shouldn’t matter, is completely wrong. Most times market show reversal du
  23. [R108] M1: Invest & Bank Smarter 4/5 · US Sad to leave, but Robinhood fits my needs better.: M1 is great for long term investors who want an easy, worry-free, investing style. I love the pie feature however there are two places where M1 has fallen short compared to Robinhood. There are only two trade windows where Robinhood is all trading sessions including overnight. Also Robinhood offers a higher APY on uninvested cash. This is why I’ve

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store