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RIA comparison · SEC Form ADV

Aptus Capital Advisors, LLC vs Circle Wealth Management, LLC

Two independent wealth managers side by side: assets, clients, staff, services and fees, from each firm’s own filing.

The short answer

Aptus Capital Advisors, LLC and Circle Wealth Management, LLC are almost exactly the same size, with $14B and $14B in regulatory assets (Aptus Capital Advisors, LLC slightly ahead), by their latest Form ADV filings. Aptus Capital Advisors, LLC reports more individual clients (12,693 vs 349), while Circle Wealth Management, LLC’s clients hold more on average (about $37 million each against $840,000). Aptus Capital Advisors, LLC is based in Fairhope, Alabama and Circle Wealth Management, LLC in Summit, New Jersey.

FigureAptus Capital Advisors, LLCCircle Wealth Management, LLC
Regulatory AUM$14B$14B
National rank#66#67
HeadquartersFairhope, AlabamaSummit, New Jersey
Individual clients12,693349
High-net-worth clients2,358349
Average client assets$840,000$37 million
Accounts12,7071,138
Discretionary90% of AUM67% of AUM
Employees4023
Advisory staff2611
Clients per advisory employee48832
Offices182
Form ADV filed2026-09-242026-04-08

Aptus Capital Advisors, LLC

Full profile →

Services

  • Financial planning
  • Portfolio management for individuals and small businesses
  • Portfolio management for investment companies
  • Other services

How it’s paid

  • A percentage of assets under management
  • Fixed fees

Circle Wealth Management, LLC

Full profile →

Services

  • Financial planning
  • Portfolio management for individuals and small businesses
  • Selecting other advisers
  • Educational seminars and workshops

How it’s paid

  • A percentage of assets under management
  • Fixed fees

Questions

Which is bigger, Aptus Capital Advisors, LLC or Circle Wealth Management, LLC?

Aptus Capital Advisors, LLC, with $14B in regulatory assets under management against $14B at Circle Wealth Management, LLC. Nationally they rank #66 and #67 among 5,657 independent wealth management RIAs.

How many clients do Aptus Capital Advisors, LLC and Circle Wealth Management, LLC have?

Aptus Capital Advisors, LLC reports 12,693 individual clients (2,358 high-net-worth) with 26 advisory employees; Circle Wealth Management, LLC reports 349 (349 high-net-worth) with 11 advisory employees.

How do Aptus Capital Advisors, LLC and Circle Wealth Management, LLC charge clients?

They list the same forms of compensation on Form ADV: a percentage of assets under management; fixed fees. Fee schedules and minimums are in each firm’s Form ADV Part 2A brochure.

What services do Aptus Capital Advisors, LLC and Circle Wealth Management, LLC offer?

Aptus Capital Advisors, LLC lists portfolio management for investment companies; other services, which Circle Wealth Management, LLC does not. Circle Wealth Management, LLC lists selecting other advisers; educational seminars and workshops, which Aptus Capital Advisors, LLC does not. Both offer financial planning; portfolio management for individuals and small businesses.

More comparisons

Where these numbers come from

Every figure is the firm’s own answer on its latest Form ADV, from the SEC’s registered-adviser list as of October 1, 2026: regulatory assets and accounts (Item 5.F), clients by type (5.D), employees (5.A and 5.B), compensation (5.E) and services (5.G). Average client assets divide the assets held for individual and high-net-worth clients by their number. Ranks compare each firm with all US-based independent wealth management RIAs, the same field as The Largest RIAs. Figures can lag recent deals and market moves.

Not an endorsement or a recommendation of either firm. Before hiring an adviser, read its Form ADV Part 2A brochure and check its record on the SEC’s adviser search: Aptus Capital Advisors, LLC ↗, Circle Wealth Management, LLC ↗. How to check a financial advisor →