Frank vs. Robo-Advisors: What’s the Real Difference?

If you’ve heard the term “robo-advisor,” you might be wondering—is Frank just another one of those? Not even close. While robo-advisors typically offer automated investment management, Frank is an AI-powered financial advisor built to support your entire financial life—not just your portfolio.

Robo-advisors are great at one thing: managing investments using a preset algorithm. You answer a few questions, and they build a portfolio for you. That’s it. They don’t help with taxes. They don’t think about health coverage, insurance gaps, student loans, Social Security timing, or estate planning. And they definitely don’t evaluate your actual spending, income, or life stage to give personalized, comprehensive guidance.

Frank, on the other hand, connects directly to your financial data to provide advice that adapts to you. He considers your real income, debt, family structure, retirement accounts, employer benefits, and even your healthcare costs. Then, he runs every piece of advice through a validation system that checks for compliance, fiduciary responsibility, and personalized best interest. It’s a full-stack brain, not a set-it-and-forget-it algorithm.

So if you’re looking for help with just your investments, a robo-advisor can handle that job well. But most people need more than portfolio management alone. That’s where Frank comes in. He complements a robo-advisor by looking at your entire financial picture—taxes, healthcare, benefits, retirement planning, and beyond—and making sure every decision works together. Think of robo-advisors as one tool in the toolbox, and Frank as the strategist who helps you use all the tools the right way.