Acorns Review

Hands-off investors who want automated ETF portfolios

SEC FINRA

Why investors choose this broker

Round-Ups invest spare change once it reaches at least $5
Automatic rebalancing keeps Base portfolio allocations on track
Dividends are automatically reinvested
No hidden costs, transaction fees, or commissions stated

Review summary

Acorns is an automated saving and investing app with ETF portfolios, Round-Ups, retirement accounts, and pricing from $3/mo.

Pros

Round-Ups invest spare change once it reaches at least $5
Automatic rebalancing keeps Base portfolio allocations on track
Dividends are automatically reinvested
No hidden costs, transaction fees, or commissions stated
Checking has no overdraft, maintenance, or AllPoint ATM fees
Gold adds individual stocks and ETFs to Custom Portfolios
SIPC protection up to $500,000 for Invest, Later and Early

Cons

Lowest listed subscription is $3/mo.
Gold costs $12/mo. for the full suite
Custom Portfolios are available only to Gold customers
Acorns Early Invest is a Gold subscription exclusive
Money Manager is available with Acorns Gold
No direct Bitcoin access; exposure is through BITO ETF
Investment products are not FDIC insured or bank guaranteed

Company background

Acorns is an automated saving and investing app focused on long-term investing. Its Invest account uses expert-built portfolios, and Acorns recommends a portfolio based on details such as age, time horizon, income, goals, and risk tolerance. The service also includes Acorns Later retirement accounts, Acorns Early Invest custodial accounts, checking and Emergency Savings features, Round-Ups, recurring investments, and Money Manager on the Gold plan.

Fees and pricing

Acorns uses subscription pricing. Bronze costs $3/mo., Silver costs $6/mo., and Gold costs $12/mo. The pricing page describes the plans as having no hidden costs or transaction fees, and the site also states no commissions. Managed accounts with more than $0 as of the subscription fee date are subject to a $0.10 advisory fee that is allocated from the Subscription Fee, so the total Subscription Fee is the same whether that advisory fee is charged or not.

Regulation and safety

Investment products and services are offered by Acorns Advisers, LLC, an SEC Registered Investment Adviser. Brokerage products and services are provided by Acorns Securities, LLC, an SEC registered broker-dealer and FINRA/SIPC member. Acorns Invest, Later and Early accounts are SIPC-protected up to $500,000. Acorns is not a bank, and checking and banking services are issued by Lincoln Savings Bank or nbkc bank, members FDIC. Checking balances are insured up to $250,000 per depositor through those partner banks.

Platform experience

The Acorns experience is built around its app and online service. The crawl mentions the Acorns app on iOS and Android, a web app, and sign-up through Acorns online. The investing workflow is designed to be simple: users can invest spare change through Round-Ups, set recurring investments, use automatic portfolio rebalancing, and have dividends automatically reinvested.

Pros and cons

Acorns gives hands-off investors an automated way to build ETF portfolios without choosing every holding themselves. Round-Ups can invest spare change once it reaches at least $5, and Gold users can add individual stocks and ETFs through Custom Portfolios. The main limitations are the mandatory monthly subscription tiers, Gold-only access for several features, and the lack of direct Bitcoin access.

Ready to open an account at Acorns?

Open an account directly with the broker. Confirm current fees and account eligibility on the broker's website before depositing.

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Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply.

Trading fees & commissions

Acorns uses monthly subscription pricing: Bronze is $3/mo., Silver is $6/mo., and Gold is $12/mo. The pricing page describes the plans as having no hidden costs or transaction fees, and the site also states no commissions. Managed accounts with more than $0 may include a $0.10 advisory fee allocated from the Subscription Fee.

Fees

Item	Fee
Account	Bronze $3/mo., Silver $6/mo., Gold $12/mo.
Overdraft	No overdraft fees
Maintenance	No maintenance fees
Min Deposit	No minimum opening deposit or minimum balance required for Mighty Oak and Emergency Savings banking services
Advisory Fee	$0.10 advisory fee for managed accounts with greater than $0, allocated from the Subscription Fee
Atm Withdrawal	No ATM fees for cash withdrawals from within the AllPoint Network ATMs

Trading platform & features

Platforms

Web app
iOS app
Android app

Regulation and investor protection

Acorns Advisers, LLC is an SEC Registered Investment Adviser. Brokerage products and services are provided by Acorns Securities, LLC, an SEC registered broker-dealer and FINRA/SIPC member.

Broker FAQs

Is Acorns safe?

Acorns Advisers, LLC is an SEC Registered Investment Adviser, and Acorns Securities, LLC is an SEC registered broker-dealer and FINRA/SIPC member. Acorns Invest, Later and Early accounts are SIPC-protected up to $500,000.

Is Acorns a scam?

No. Acorns operates through SEC-registered entities, and brokerage products and services are provided by Acorns Securities, LLC, a FINRA/SIPC member.

Is Acorns regulated and by whom?

Acorns Advisers, LLC is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser. Acorns Securities, LLC is an SEC registered broker-dealer and a FINRA/SIPC member.

What happens to my money if Acorns goes bankrupt?

Acorns Invest, Later and Early accounts are SIPC-protected up to $500,000. Checking balances are insured up to $250,000 per depositor through Lincoln Savings Bank or nbkc bank, members FDIC.

Are there hidden fees at Acorns?

Acorns describes its subscription plans as having no hidden costs or transaction fees. The listed monthly plans are Bronze at $3/mo., Silver at $6/mo., and Gold at $12/mo.

What does Acorns charge for stock trades?

Acorns states no commissions and no transaction fees, while monthly subscription fees still apply. Custom Portfolios, which can add individual stocks and ETFs, are available only to Acorns Gold customers.

Does Acorns charge ATM withdrawal fees?

Acorns Checking clients are not charged ATM fees for cash withdrawals from within the AllPoint Network ATMs. The site also states no overdraft fees and no maintenance fees for Acorns Checking.

What products does Acorns offer?

Acorns offers automated ETF portfolios through Acorns Invest, Acorns Later retirement accounts, Acorns Early Invest custodial accounts, checking and Emergency Savings features, Round-Ups, recurring investments, and Gold-only Custom Portfolios.

Does Acorns offer ETFs?

Yes. Acorns expert-built portfolios contain Exchange Traded Funds, or ETFs, and there are five different Acorns Core portfolios.

Does Acorns offer crypto?

Acorns does not provide access to invest directly in Bitcoin. Bitcoin exposure is provided through the ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF, BITO, which invests in Bitcoin futures.

What is the minimum deposit at Acorns?

Acorns Early Invest can start with as little as $5. Round-Ups invest spare change once it reaches at least $5, and Mighty Oak and Emergency Savings banking services have no minimum opening deposit or minimum balance requirement.

How do I open an account at Acorns?

Acorns says users can sign up in minutes. For investing, Acorns recommends a portfolio based on factors such as age, time horizon, income, goals, and risk tolerance.

Does Acorns have a mobile app?

Yes. The Acorns app is referenced for iOS and Android, and the service also mentions a Web app.

Is Acorns good for beginners?

Acorns is designed for users who want simple, automated saving and investing. It emphasizes no confusing charts or investing tools, portfolio recommendations, Round-Ups, and recurring investments.

Is Acorns good for long-term investing?

Acorns Invest uses expert-built diversified ETF portfolios designed for long-term investing. Automatic portfolio rebalancing and automatic dividend reinvestment are included.

How does Acorns choose an investment portfolio?

Acorns recommends a portfolio based on age, time horizon, income, goals, and risk tolerance. Its ETF portfolios range from aggressive portfolios made of stocks to conservative portfolios made of bonds, with mixes in between.

Does Acorns offer retirement accounts?

Yes. Acorns Later is an Individual Retirement Account, either Traditional, Roth or SEP IRA, selected based on a suitability questionnaire or self-selected by the client.

Does Acorns offer custodial accounts for kids?

Yes. Acorns Early Invest is an UTMA/UGMA investment account managed by an adult custodian until the minor beneficiary comes of age.

Bottom line

Acorns suits investors who want automated ETF portfolios, spare-change investing, and simple subscription pricing. It may not suit users who want a free investing account, direct Bitcoin access, or full feature access without the Gold plan.

Acorns

Hands-off investors who want automated ETF portfolios

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Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply.