Browse 48 providers in this category.
Provider ranking
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Fidelity Investments
Plan Administrator • Pro Score 2.4
Boston, MA
Stats: 37,255 clients • $4.4T under management • 44.2M participants
Pricing: $100 base fee • $8.33/employee
Company: Est. 1949 • 50,000 employees
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Empower
Plan Administrator • Pro Score 1.3
Greenwood Village, CO
Stats: 80,895 clients • $1.8T under management • 16.7M participants
Company: Est. 2014 • 6,000 employees
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Voya Financial
Plan Administrator • Pro Score 1.5
New York City, NY
Stats: 65,135 clients • $729.0B under management • 5 participants
Company: 9,000 employees
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Alight Solutions
Plan Administrator • Pro Score 2.4
Chicago, IL
Stats: 2,000 clients • $600.0B under management • 117.0M participants
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TIAA
Plan Administrator • Pro Score 1.9
New York, NY
Stats: $600.0B under management
Company: Est. 1918
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Principal Financial Group, Inc.
Plan Administrator • Pro Score 2.5
Des Moines, IA
Stats: 11,086 clients • $540.4B under management • 12.1M participants
Company: Est. 1879 • 20,000 employees
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The Vanguard Group, Inc.
Plan Administrator • Pro Score 1.8
Malvern, PA
Stats: 1,400 clients • $523.0B under management
Company: Est. 1975 • 20,000 employees
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Transamerica
Plan Administrator • Pro Score 2.5
Cedar Rapids, IA
Stats: $416.0B under management
Company: Est. 1946
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Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
Plan Administrator • Pro Score 2.1
Westlake, TX
Stats: 1,179 clients • $341.7B under management • 1.6M participants
Company: Est. 1971 • 4,200 employees
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Ascensus, LLC
Plan Administrator • Pro Score 1.7
Dresher, PA
Credentials: Other
Stats: 147,067 clients • $315.0B under management • 3.8M participants
Company: Est. 1980 • 5,600 employees
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John Hancock
Plan Administrator • Pro Score 1.9
Boston, MA
Stats: 54,358 clients • $253.0B under management • 200K participants
Company: Est. 1863 • 4,000 employees
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Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company
Plan Administrator • Pro Score 2.4
Columbus, OH
Stats: 15,241 clients • $235.8B under management • 2.1M participants
Company: Est. 1926 • 24,000 employees
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ADP Retirement Services
Plan Administrator • Pro Score 2.0
Roseland, NJ
Credentials: Other
Stats: 135,642 clients • $158.8B under management • 3.9M participants
Pricing: $325 base fee • $5/employee
Company: Est. 1949
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Milliman
Plan Administrator
Seattle, WA
Stats: 1,463 clients • $140.5B under management • 2.0M participants
Company: Est. 1947 • 3,500 employees
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Corebridge Financial
Plan Administrator • Pro Score 1.7
Houston, TX
Stats: 89,609 clients • $127.7B under management • 5.0M participants
Company: 2,000 employees
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Lincoln Financial Group
Plan Administrator
Radnor, PA
Stats: 21,200 clients • $116.4B under management • 1.6M participants
Company: Est. 1905 • 11,000 employees
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BPAS
Plan Administrator
Utica, NY
Stats: 3,478 clients • $110.0B under management • 348K participants
Company: Est. 1991 • 172 employees
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Capital Group
Plan Administrator
Los Angeles, CA
Stats: 19,753 clients • $81.4B under management • 3.1M participants
Company: Est. 1931 • 9,300 employees
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NWPS
Plan Administrator
Seattle, WA
Stats: 997 clients • $56.6B under management • 360K participants
Company: 120 employees
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Paychex
Plan Administrator • Pro Score 1.8
Rochester, NY
Stats: 124,000 clients • $55.7B under management • 1.6M participants
Company: Est. 1971 • 15,000 employees
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Equitable
Plan Administrator
New York, NY
Stats: 24,176 clients • $48.8B under management • 1.1M participants
Company: 5,000 employees
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Epic Retirement Plan Services
Plan Administrator
Rochester, NY
Stats: 9,500 clients • $37.0B under management • 400K participants
Company: Est. 1993 • 300 employees
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TruStage
Plan Administrator
Madison, WI
Stats: 10,091 clients • $36.1B under management • 251K participants
Company: Est. 1935 • 3,000 employees
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Vestwell
Plan Administrator • Pro Score 4.0
New York City, NY
Stats: 12,086 clients • $34.9B under management • 180K participants
Pricing: $39 base fee • $8/employee
Company: Est. 2016 • 350 employees
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Aspire Financial Services
Plan Administrator
Tampa, FL
Credentials: CEFEX Certified • ASPPA
Stats: 28,000 clients • $31.0B under management • 850K participants
Company: Est. 2001 • 128 employees
The Top 10 Largest 401(k) Recordkeepers Ranked by Assets
Selecting a recordkeeper is a pivotal decision for any plan sponsor. The market is dominated by a few massive players, yet the "best" provider depends entirely on your company's specific needs—whether that is payroll integration, advanced financial wellness technology, or white-glove service. While assets under management (AUM) indicate stability and scale, the number of plans serviced often highlights a provider's expertise with small-to-mid-sized businesses.
Below is a ranking of the top 10 largest 401(k) recordkeepers. This list highlights their scale and unique value propositions to help you identify the right administrator.
- Fidelity Investments Assets: $4.4 Trillion+ | Plans: 30,000+ Fidelity is the industry titan, managing more retirement assets than any other firm. They are best suited for organizations that prioritize a premium participant experience, offering a top-tier mobile app, extensive educational resources, and a vast array of investment options.
- Empower Assets: $1.8 Trillion+ | Plans: 80,000+ Empower has rapidly grown into the second-largest provider through strategic acquisitions, including Prudential and MassMutual's retirement businesses. They stand out for their focus on personalization and financial wellness, making them a strong choice for employers who want to actively improve their employees' financial health.
- The Vanguard Group Assets: $800 Billion+ | Plans: 14,000+ Synonymous with low-cost investing, Vanguard brings that same philosophy to plan administration. They are the ideal partner for sponsors focused on minimizing fee friction and fiduciary risk, typically offering streamlined, index-based investment lineups.
- Principal Financial Group Assets: $520 Billion+ | Plans: 45,000+ Principal is a powerhouse in the SMB market, offering sophisticated plan designs that many large providers overlook. They are particularly unique in their ability to service complex arrangements, such as combining a 401(k) with a Defined Benefit or ESOP plan.
- Alight Solutions Assets: $600 Billion+ | Plans: 1,500+ Alight caters almost exclusively to the mega-large market, serving some of the biggest corporations in the world. Their platform is built for complexity, excelling in total benefits outsourcing where health, wealth, and payroll are integrated into a single ecosystem.
- Voya Financial Assets: $585 Billion | Plans: 50,000+ Voya is a versatile provider with a strong presence in both the corporate and tax-exempt markets. They are well-regarded for their user-friendly digital tools and "orange money" financial wellness branding, which helps drive high participant engagement rates.
- TIAA Assets: $400 Billion+ (DC Assets) | Plans: 15,000+ TIAA is the dominant force in the non-profit, healthcare, and education sectors (403b), but they are also a major 401(k) player. Their unique value lies in their "pension-like" annuity options, offering participants a path to guaranteed lifetime income.
- Charles Schwab Assets: $300 Billion+ | Plans: 10,000+ Schwab appeals to a specific demographic of professional firms and savvy investors. Their inclusion of a Self-Directed Brokerage Account (SDBA) as a core feature makes them perfect for plans where participants want access to individual stocks and ETFs.
- Ascensus Assets: $250 Billion+ | Plans: 150,000+ Ascensus is the volume leader in the industry, servicing more individual plans than nearly anyone else. They are the engine behind many "white label" small business plans, offering a cost-effective and compliant solution for startups and small employers.
- ADP Retirement Services Assets: $150 Billion+ | Plans: 110,000+ ADP dominates the micro-to-small market by leveraging their payroll customer base. For businesses already using ADP for payroll, their 401(k) solution offers unmatched data integration, significantly reducing the administrative burden of contribution processing.
Find the Right Administrator for Your Business Size
While the "Big Three" offer incredible scale, they aren't always the best fit for every company. If you are a startup or a growing company, you may get better service and pricing from specialized small business 401(k) providers. Alternatively, if you are looking for an all-in-one solution that packages administration, investments, and fiduciary services together, consider exploring bundled 401(k) providers. For a broader look at all administrative options, visit our main guide on 401(k) recordkeepers.