Our Fees
We keep fees and expenses minimal, so you can give more to charity. We are proud to provide a premier DAF capability at lower fees.
Overview
Charityvest offers two account types: Basic Accounts, which are held in cash, and Invested Accounts, where donors can choose from low-cost ETF portfolios to grow their balance.
Both account types share all same basic fees, minimums, and policies. Invested Accounts are subject to an additional admin fee, assessed monthly on the Charityvest account balance.
Comparison of Charityvest Accounts vs. Other DAFs
Charityvest Basic | Charityvest Invested | Other DAFs | |
Starting Admin Fees | None | 0.45% | 0.60% (Fidelity) |
Investment Fees | None | 0.73% (Schwab) | |
Initial Contribution | $0 | $0 | $25,000 (Vanguard) |
Investment Choices | None | Often, high-fee captive funds | |
Asset giving | Stock, crypto, equity/RSUs, and more | Stock, crypto, equity/RSUs, and more | Varies; can be complex |
Charityvest Fees & Minimums
Our goal at Charityvest is to catalyze more intentional giving. We believe minimal, simple fees and expenses help donors focus on what matters: doing more good.
We're proud to offer the only completely free, zero-fee donor-advised fund account:
Fees for All Account Types | |
Account Opening Fee | $0 |
Account Maintenance Fee | $0 |
Account Closing Fee | N/A |
Contribution Fee (via linked bank account) | $0 |
Contribution Fee (via all other modalities) | |
Grant Fee | $0 |
Minimum Initial Contribution | $0 |
Minimum Balance Requirement | $0 |
Minimum Contribution, Grant, or Gift Amount | $15 |
Charityvest Invested Account Fees
Charityvest Investing has launched 🚀 Visit your Dashboard to activate Investing today!
Our investing feature offers the most competitive fee structure among DAFs. We assess these fees once per month, directly to your Charityvest balance:
Fees for Invested Accounts Only | Annualized Fee |
First $500,000 of Fund Balance | 0.45% |
Next $500,000 of Fund Balance | 0.25% |
From $1M to $10M of Fund Balance | 0.10% |
Above $10M of Fund Balance | 0.05% |
Minimum Monthly Investing Fee | $4 / mo. |
Here's an example of invested account fees at various balance levels. We make it affordable to grow your giving balance over time by keeping fees to a minimum, so you can give more to charities you care about.
Average Balance | Admin Fee | Core (0.05%) | Total Annual Costs |
$2,500 | $48 | $1 | $49 |
$10,000 | $48 | $5 | $53 |
$100,000 | $450 | $50 | $500 |
$250,000 | $1,125 | $125 | $1,250 |
$500,000 | $2,250 | $250 | $2,500 |
$1,000,000 | $3,500 | $500 | $4,000 |
There is no minimum amount required to begin investing. A $4 minimum monthly fee applies, regardless of balance.
How We Compare
We believe our model compares favorably to other donor-advised fund sponsors, not just from substantially reduced fees, but from superior features and experience:
All of our investment options are affordable by default. Our Core portfolio runs approximately 0.05%, and our ESG option is approximately 0.15%. You don't have to go searching for the lowest expense ratio funds.
Our lower-cost investment options give you more control. We provide access to various single asset class index ETFs for 0.05% all-in expense ratio, so you can construct the portfolio that is appropriate for your charitable goals. Compare this to Fidelity Charitable, whose single asset class pools range from 0.35% to 1.04% expense ratios.
Being socially-conscious doesn't require big tradeoffs. Our ESG portfolio provides access to the same asset classes as our Core portfolio, and costs only 0.06% more (0.11% total). At Schwab Charitable, the Socially-Responsible Fund will run you 0.67%, and is available only in an approximate 60 / 40 mutual fund.
Our minimums work for everyone. Our minimum activity of any type is just $15. While Vanguard Charitable's investment options are superb, low expense ratio, and thoughtfully constructed, they have high minimums that may not be compatible with flexible giving. Vanguard Charitable's minimum opening contribution is $25,000.
We're accessible to all. Local community foundations and bespoke donor-advised fund sponsors provide great philanthropic advice and insights, and can handle some additional complex bells and whistles, but generally can't compare with our level of fees and self-directed charitable freedom.
Last updated