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Cash Management Accounts vs. Brokerage Accounts: How They Compare
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If you're interested in the stock market, chances are you've heard of brokerages like Wealthfront, SoFi Money and Robinhood. And over the past year or two, more of these firms have begun offering cash management accounts as well as investment accounts.
So what's the difference between the two types of accounts? It lies in whether you’re looking to spend and save or whether you’re looking to invest. Even though cash management and brokerage accounts are both offered by brokerages, their functions are very different.
CMAs — which behave similarly to bank accounts — allow customers to park their money and earn a set interest rate, often with the ability to make purchases with a debit card. Brokerage accounts help customers invest in assets like stocks, bonds and mutual funds, which can earn investment income.
Here's more on the similarities and differences between CMAs and brokerage accounts.
What’s the difference between cash management accounts and brokerage accounts?
Similarities
Differences
Both types of accounts are offered by brokerages.
They both have the potential to earn returns on cash.
These two kinds of accounts can be linked to each other under the same brokerage.
Earnings — whether interest or investment income — come from different places. Brokerage accounts earn income from market performance, and CMA customers earn interest from their CMA provider.
Earnings are potentially much higher for brokerage accounts over time, but can lose value with poor market performance.
CMAs have set interest rates while brokerage earnings are variable depending how your investments are performing.
Insurance coverage comes from different sources. SIPC insurance covers brokerage firm failure or theft, and CMAs receive FDIC insurance when funds are swept to partner banks behind the scenes when a customer makes a deposit.
Money in a CMA can usually be used to pay bills and make purchases, sometimes with use of a debit card or check writing; money in a brokerage account is strictly for buying, trading and selling stocks, bonds, funds and other securities.
Cash management account definition
A cash management account is a cash account that’s offered by nonbank financial service providers and helps customers spend and save their uninvested money. These accounts are often provided by brokerage and investment firms as a way to complement investment accounts.
4.25%Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is accurate as of 01/09/2025. APY may change at any time before or after the account is opened. Available only online.
5.00%Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is accurate as of June 17th, 2025. Start earning 2.50% APY, then qualify to earn 5.00% APY on your balance up to $5,000.00 and 2.50% APY on balances over $5,000 next month by 1) Receiving direct deposit(s) totaling $1,000 or more; and 2) Ending the month with a positive balance in all your Varo Accounts. No fees, no minimums required. Rates subject to change at any time.
Up to 4.50%The Base Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is 4.00% as of 06/30/25, but is variable and is subject to change. If you are eligible for the overall boosted rate of 4.50% offered in connection with this promo, your boosted rate is also subject to change if the base rate decreases during the three-month promotional period. This limited-time promo offers eligible new Wealthfront clients a 0.50% APY increase over the standard variable base APY for 3 months on up to $250K in their personal Cash Accounts. Cash Account offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC, and is not a bank. APY (is representative, requires no minimum) is paid from our Program Banks.
4.65%Cash Reserve offered by Betterment LLC and requires a Betterment Securities brokerage account. Betterment is not a bank. Learn More (https://www.betterment.com/cash-portfolio). Annual percentage yield (variable) is 4.00% as of 12/27/24, plus a 0.65% boost (“APY Boost”) for new clients with a qualifying deposit. $10 min deposit for base APY. Terms apply (betterment.com/boost); if the base APY changes, the Boosted APY will change. FDIC insurance provided by Program Banks (https://www.betterment.com/cash-portfolio), subject to certain conditions.
Min. balance for APY
$0
CDs (certificates of deposit) are a type of savings account with a fixed rate and term, and usually have higher interest rates than regular savings accounts.
CDs (certificates of deposit) are a type of savings account with a fixed rate and term, and usually have higher interest rates than regular savings accounts.
A brokerage account is an investment account that allows customers to buy various investments, including stocks, bonds and mutual funds. The brokerage firm can help customers pick their assets, and customers can earn money on their investments.
If you’re looking to do something productive with your cash, then you have very different options to choose from if you’re considering a brokerage account versus a CMA. The best option for you depends on your financial goals. Here’s what to consider when making your choice.
Think about how you want your cash to work for you. Cash management accounts and brokerage accounts serve different purposes. The earnings from brokerage accounts vary depending on stock market performance, but overall they have the potential to earn much more than CMAs over time. However, there is no guarantee your investments will pay off — there’s always the risk you’ll lose some or all of your cash. A good guideline: Never invest any cash you need back in the next five years, so you can weather inevitable market ups and downs.
CMAs, on the other hand, can be used as a stable place to put and use cash on a daily basis, especially those that offer debit cards that allow customers to make purchases.
Evaluate how you feel about risk. You stand to earn more with an investment account, but you also risk losses. With a CMA, you’ll earn a bit of interest — likely quite a bit less than your investment income — but your savings aren’t at the mercy of the performance of the stock market. A CMA will function more like a traditional checking or savings account.
You can consider getting both kinds of accounts. Since CMAs and brokerage accounts are both offered by brokerage firms, they can often be linked if they’re available from the same provider. With these accounts linked, it can be easy to transfer funds back and forth between investing or spending and saving.
