Wealthtender and Wellspent are the two memberships most often compared by advisors who want to be found online without buying leads. They overlap less than the prices suggest. Wealthtender is strongest on client reviews and on content that ranks. Wellspent is strongest on verified, fee-only records that AI assistants read, with introductions and press built in.
The short version
| Wealthtender | Wellspent | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $59, $79 or $99 a month (2026) | $89 a month ($890 billed yearly) |
| Commitment | No long-term commitment | Cancel any time |
| Who can join | Any advisor | Fee-only advisors only, checked against SEC data |
| Core product | Directory profile, compliant client reviews, AI-ready FAQ content | Verified record in the public graph AI assistants and search read |
| Prospects | Inquiries from the directory | Introductions straight to you, never sold or shared |
| Visibility reporting | Not a core feature | Monthly report on what AI recommends when your ideal clients ask |
| Press | Quoted-advisor features | Quarterly press placement with partners such as Forbes, CNBC and Kiplinger |
| Scale | Self-reported about 63,700 monthly visitors (February 2026) | 24,501 fee-only advisors and 9,148 firms in the public graph; 38,670 AI reads in 28 days to Oct 30, 2026 |
How Wealthtender works
Wealthtender runs an advisor directory alongside a large library of consumer and advisor content. Its standout feature is client reviews collected in a way designed to fit the SEC marketing rule, which advisors can display on their own sites. Higher plans add FAQ content written to be picked up in AI answers.
Wealthtender has also built strong search visibility: it ranks well for advisor questions about AI, the marketing rule and Google Business Profiles. It’s candid that inquiries are “episodic” and lower in volume than SmartAsset’s.
How Wellspent works
Wellspent keeps one structured record per fee-only advisor: fees, specialties, the clients you serve, credentials and your SEC registration, with sources. The record lives in the public graph at find.wellspent.co, which AI assistants and AI search read; AI assistants made 38,670 verified reads of Wellspent pages in the 28 days to October 30, 2026.
Lists and matches rank on fit to the question, with no paid boosts. A prospect who finds you writes to you from your page, and that introduction is never sold or shared. Each month you get a report on what AI assistants recommend when your ideal clients ask. Each quarter, members are matched to stories by specialty with press partners. See how it works.
Where Wealthtender is the better choice
- Client reviews. If you want compliant reviews you can show on your site, Wealthtender is purpose-built for it. That matters: Kitces’ 2026 study found firms that show reviews on their website spent $0.13 per $1 of new revenue, against $0.86 for firms doing the bare minimum.
- Lower entry price. The $59 plan is cheaper than Wellspent’s $89.
- Any compensation model. Fee-based and commission advisors can join Wealthtender. They can’t join Wellspent.
- An established content brand. Wealthtender’s articles already rank, and your profile sits on that domain.
Where Wellspent is the better choice
- Fee-only, verified. Every advisor in the public graph passed an SEC data check: no commissions, no broker registration, no insurance agency. Being fee-only is the entry rule, not a filter a visitor has to find.
- Built for AI answers. Your record is structured facts with sources, served in formats AI assistants read directly, and the monthly report shows what they say about advisors like you.
- Press included. Quarterly placement with partners such as Forbes, Financial Times, CNBC, Kiplinger and Yahoo Finance is part of the $89.
- Introductions, not inquiries to a platform. Prospects write to you directly, and nothing is resold.
What to check before you choose
- Your compensation model. If you’re not fee-only by the SEC test, only Wealthtender is open to you.
- Your compliance view on reviews. Testimonials and reviews are allowed under the SEC marketing rule with conditions. If your compliance team is ready for them, Wealthtender’s review tools are a real asset.
- Where your clients start. If they arrive having asked an AI assistant for an advisor who handles a specific situation, a structured, sourced record matters more than a profile page.
- What you want to measure. Wellspent’s monthly report shows who AI assistants recommend when your ideal clients ask. Decide which signal you’ll judge either service by before you start.
Questions to ask either one
- How do prospects find my profile, and how many saw it last month?
- Does anyone pay for higher placement?
- Who else receives a prospect’s message?
- Can I leave any time, and what happens to my profile if I do?
On Wellspent the answers are: through AI assistants, search and the public graph, with page views in your dashboard; no one pays for placement; only you; and yes, any time.
Using both
Many advisors will be well served by both, because they don’t compete for the same job. Use Wealthtender for reviews and its content audience, and Wellspent for a verified record, introductions and press. Together they cost $148 to $188 a month, about what SmartAsset is reported to charge for a single lead.
Bottom line
Choose Wealthtender if client reviews are your priority or you aren’t fee-only. Choose Wellspent if you’re fee-only and want a verified record built for AI assistants, with introductions and press included. For other options, see the best financial advisor directories and SmartAsset alternatives.