$3,600 or $6,600 annualized
Planning and Premier are comprehensive ongoing relationships billed quarterly with no annual commitment.
Flames FP vs Nino
Flames FP vs Nino: Flat-Fee Planning, Investment Management, and Tax Help
Flames and Nino both reject percentage-of-assets pricing, but they deliver the service differently. Flames centers a dedicated advisor relationship with investment management; Nino centers a CFP, CPA, and software platform with read-only account connections.
Reviewed August 26, 2026 by Joel Miller, CFP. Pricing and services can change; confirm current terms with each provider.
Short answer
Is Flames FP or Nino the Better Flat-Fee Fit?
Choose Flames FP when you want a dedicated Minnesota advisor, ongoing personalized investment management, comprehensive planning, estate-document access, and quarterly flexibility. Choose Nino when an in-house CPA-and-CFP team, software-based modeling, quarterly calls, crypto readiness, and add-on tax filing are more important. Nino's public site says account connections are read-only and that it does not move money, so confirm investment-implementation responsibilities before deciding.
$2,000, $3,500, or $6,000+ per year
Tax filing is listed as an add-on starting at $1,000, $1,500, or $2,000 depending on tier.
Managed portfolio vs read-only platform
Flames includes personalized investment management in comprehensive memberships. Nino says its connections are read-only and it does not move money.
Side by side
Flames FP and Nino Compared at a Glance
The two companies overlap on flat fees, tax-aware planning, and software, but not on every implementation responsibility.
| Question | Flames FP | Nino |
|---|---|---|
| Fee model | Flat quarterly membership; no AUM advisory fee | Flat annual fee; 30-day money-back guarantee |
| Published prices | $3,600 Planning; $6,600 Premier annualized | $2,000 Core; $3,500 Plus; $6,000+ Ultra |
| Tax filing price | Included for eligible Premier members through the designated independent tax partner | Add-on from $1,000 Core, $1,500 Plus, and $2,000 Ultra |
| Human team | Dedicated Flames advisor for Planning and Premier, supported by the planning team | A CFP and CPA working with the software platform |
| Meeting cadence | Ongoing planning conversations; quarterly billing | Quarterly calls |
| Investment implementation | Personalized management, monitoring, and rebalancing included | Public site says connections are read-only and Nino does not move money |
| Tax planning | Proactive guidance in Planning; advanced projections and modeling in Premier | Basic through complex tax planning depending on tier, with an in-house CPA |
| Estate scope | Wealth.com documents included in Planning and Premier; advanced coordination in Premier | Estate coordination and legacy planning listed in Ultra |
| Platform | Free Financial Dashboard plus paid advisor relationship | AI-powered platform connecting accounts, planning, tax, equity, cash flow, and real estate |
| Local emphasis | Minnesota-based | Public positioning is software- and team-led rather than state-specific |
Fees are based on publicly available information reviewed August 26, 2026. Actual fees may vary based on account size, services, negotiation, household complexity, and other factors. Prospective clients should review each adviser's current Form ADV and advisory agreement.
Nino's plans and Flames memberships use different service boundaries. Compare advisor continuity, portfolio implementation, tax-filing cost, estate scope, and commitment before treating similarly priced options as substitutes.
Where Flames may fit better
Choose Flames When You Want Advice and Investment Implementation in One Relationship
Flames is not only a dashboard or planning layer. Planning and Premier include portfolio implementation alongside the broader plan.
Personalized investment management
Flames manages, monitors, and rebalances investments in the context of taxes, retirement, cash flow, and household goals.
Dedicated Minnesota advisor
The relationship is built around an identifiable advisor and Minnesota planning context, not only a software experience.
Estate documents in Planning and Premier
Both comprehensive memberships include day-one Wealth.com access, while Nino publicly lists estate coordination in Ultra.
No annual commitment
Flames bills quarterly. Households do not need to stay in a full-year agreement after the paid quarter.
Where Nino may fit better
Choose Nino When an In-House CPA and Software-Led Modeling Lead the Decision
Nino's strongest distinction is the combination of a CPA, CFP, and interactive platform.
In-house CPA positioning
Nino explicitly pairs tax and planning professionals on one team, which may appeal to households that prioritize an accountant inside the service.
Software modeling
The site emphasizes scenario modeling for homes, retirement, taxes, accounts, equity, real estate, and cash flow.
Crypto and equity emphasis
Core is described as crypto-ready, and Plus or Ultra expand stock-option and equity planning.
Lower listed entry point
Nino Core starts at $2,000 per year, below Flames Planning at $3,600. Compare scope carefully before treating the plans as substitutes.
Decision checklist
Questions to Ask Before Choosing Flames or Nino
- Do I want the firm to implement and rebalance my portfolio, or do I want recommendations that I execute?
- Who is my consistent point person: one dedicated advisor or a coordinated CFP-and-CPA team?
- Is tax filing included or a separately priced add-on?
- Does estate support include document access, or only coordination and planning?
- How are spouse, partner, real-estate, equity-compensation, business, and crypto complexity handled?
- Can I cancel after a quarter, and what refund or guarantee terms apply?
Sources and method
How This Comparison Was Built
We reviewed each provider's public pricing and service pages on August 26, 2026. We compare published list prices, advisor relationship, investment implementation, tax scope, estate scope, commitment structure, and stated service limits. We do not treat a lower headline price as automatically better when the scope is different.
- Flames FP pricing — current Planning and Premier prices and scope
- Nino homepage and pricing — current Core, Plus, and Ultra prices, filing add-ons, quarterly calls, expert model, and read-only security language
- Nino vs Facet page — current comparison structure and Nino's own stated positioning
Company names and trademarks belong to their respective owners. Flames Financial Planning is not affiliated with or endorsed by the compared companies. This page is educational, reflects public information available on August 26, 2026, and is not individualized investment, tax, or legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Flames FP vs Nino Questions
Is Flames FP cheaper than Nino?
Flames Planning is $3,600 annualized, close to Nino Plus at $3,500. Flames Premier is $6,600, while Nino Ultra starts at $6,000 before its tax-filing add-on. Scope matters more than a headline comparison.
Does Nino manage investments?
Nino's current public site emphasizes investment guidance but also says account connections are read-only and that Nino does not move money. Ask Nino exactly what portfolio implementation it performs. Flames Planning and Premier explicitly include personalized investment management, monitoring, and rebalancing.
Does Nino include tax filing?
Nino lists tax filing as an add-on starting at $1,000 for Core, $1,500 for Plus, and $2,000 for Ultra. Flames includes covered filing only for eligible Premier members through an independent tax partner.
Which company has a CPA?
Nino publicly positions an in-house CPA and CFP team. Flames provides tax planning through the advisory relationship and coordinates eligible Premier filing through a designated independent tax partner.
Which option is better for a Minnesota household?
Flames may be the stronger fit when Minnesota-specific context and a dedicated local advisor matter. Nino may fit when its CPA-and-CFP team and software platform are the higher priorities.
Is Nino a direct replacement for Flames FP?
Not exactly. Both are flat-fee and tax-aware, but Flames explicitly includes investment management in comprehensive memberships, while Nino emphasizes a read-only platform, analysis, and coordinated CPA-and-CFP advice.
Compare the fit
The Best Option Is the One Whose Scope Matches Your Financial Life.
If a dedicated Minnesota advisor, transparent flat quarterly pricing, personalized investment management, and coordinated planning are important to you, schedule a discovery meeting and ask direct questions before deciding.