Acorns Review
By Itai Varochik | Last updated February 1, 2026
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Our Verdict
Acorns is an excellent choice for investing novices, individuals seeking a low-friction method to begin building an investment portfolio, and those who struggle with traditional budgeting. Its automated round-up feature effectively removes barriers to entry, making it ideal for cultivating consistent saving and investing habits, particularly for those new to financial planning.
GetASearch Score: 7/10
Rating: 3.9/5 (2340 reviews)
Pros
- Automated 'Round-Up' investing simplifies saving spare change and makes investing effortless.
- No minimum balance required to start investing, making it highly accessible for beginners.
- Integrated IRA retirement accounts (Acorns Later) provide a simple pathway for long-term financial planning.
- User-friendly interface makes investing accessible and intuitive, even for those with no prior experience.
- Educational content helps users understand basic investing principles and financial literacy.
- Offers cashback rewards through partner merchants (Acorns Earn), providing additional value.
- Acorns Spend offers a checking account with a debit card, integrating banking and investing.
Cons
- Monthly fee can be disproportionately high for small account balances, eroding returns significantly.
- Limited investment customization options; users choose from pre-built, diversified portfolios only.
- Performance may be constrained by the limited portfolio options and lack of active management.
- Does not offer tax-loss harvesting or advanced trading features, limiting its appeal for experienced investors.
- The fixed fee structure can make it less competitive compared to percentage-based fees for larger portfolios.
Score Breakdown
| Criteria | Score |
|---|---|
| Features | 6.5/10 |
| Ease of Use | 9.5/10 |
| Value for Money | 6.5/10 |
| Customer Support | 7.0/10 |
| Overall | 7.0/10 |
What is Acorns?
Acorns is a micro-investing application designed to make investing accessible and automatic for everyday users. It achieves this primarily through its 'Round-Ups' feature, which automatically invests the spare change from linked debit and credit card purchases, effectively turning small transactions into consistent savings. Beyond micro-investing, Acorns also offers traditional recurring investment options, dedicated retirement accounts (Acorns Later), and even a checking account with a debit card (Acorns Spend), aiming to foster comprehensive long-term financial habits and simplify money management.
Standout Capability: Effortless Micro-Investing
Acorns' most distinctive feature is its 'Round-Ups' system, which automatically invests the leftover change from everyday purchases. This innovative approach removes the psychological barrier to investing, allowing users to build a portfolio without actively feeling the impact on their daily budget. It's an incredibly effective mechanism for cultivating consistent saving habits, especially for those new to financial planning. This passive accumulation of wealth is a significant differentiator, making investing accessible to a broader audience.
User Experience and Interface
The Acorns app boasts a clean, intuitive, and user-friendly interface, making it highly accessible for beginners. Navigating through account balances, investment performance, and setting up recurring deposits is straightforward and requires minimal effort. The educational content embedded within the app further enhances the user experience by providing basic financial literacy without overwhelming jargon, fostering a comfortable learning environment for new investors. The visual design is modern and engaging, contributing to a positive overall user journey.
Pricing and Value Analysis
Acorns operates on a tiered monthly subscription model, ranging from $3 to $12. While the flat fee can be disproportionately high for very small balances (e.g., 7.2% annually on a $500 balance), it becomes significantly more cost-effective as your balance grows, dropping to 0.72% on a $5,000 balance. The service offers good value for users with balances exceeding approximately $2,000-$3,000, providing automated investing, retirement planning tools, and even a checking account for a reasonable cost. Users with smaller balances should carefully consider the impact of the fixed fee on their returns.
Security and Reliability
Acorns prioritizes the security of its users' investments and personal data. Investment accounts are SIPC-insured up to $500,000, protecting against brokerage failure, and cash in Acorns Spend accounts is FDIC-insured up to $250,000. The platform uses 256-bit encryption, multi-factor authentication, and bank-level security measures to safeguard information. Acorns is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser, ensuring regulatory oversight and adherence to industry standards, providing users with confidence in the platform's reliability.
Acorns Features
| Feature | Available | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Round-Ups | Yes | Automatically invests spare change from linked purchases into your investment portfolio. |
| Recurring Investments | Yes | Set up regular, automated deposits into your investment account. |
| Acorns Later | Yes | Offers IRA retirement accounts (Traditional, Roth, SEP) for long-term savings. |
| Acorns Earn | Yes | Earn bonus investments when shopping with partner merchants. |
| Acorns Spend | Yes | A checking account with a debit card that automatically invests spare change. |
| Found Money | Yes | Similar to Acorns Earn, but often involves one-time bonus investments from specific brands. |
| Diversified Portfolios | Yes | Invests in pre-built portfolios of ETFs based on your risk tolerance. |
| Educational Content | Yes | Provides articles and resources to help users understand basic financial concepts. |
Acorns Pricing
$3 – $12/mo
Best For
- Investing beginners seeking an easy entry point into the market with minimal effort.
- Individuals who struggle with traditional saving methods and benefit from automation.
- People looking to automate their investing process and build wealth passively.
- Students or young professionals with limited disposable income who want to start investing small amounts.
- Users interested in setting up a hands-off retirement account (IRA) with simplified management.
- Those who appreciate integrated financial tools, including a checking account with investing features.
Not Ideal For
- Serious investors with $10,000+ who require advanced features like tax-loss harvesting or direct stock trading.
- Fee-conscious investors with very small account balances, as the fixed monthly fee can be disproportionately high.
- Users who prefer to actively manage individual stocks, cryptocurrencies, or complex portfolios.
- Those seeking in-depth financial planning advice or highly customized investment strategies.
- Investors who prioritize the lowest possible fees, especially for larger portfolios where percentage-based fees might be cheaper.
Final Verdict
Acorns is an excellent choice for investing novices, individuals seeking a low-friction method to begin building an investment portfolio, and those who struggle with traditional budgeting. Its automated round-up feature effectively removes barriers to entry, making it ideal for cultivating consistent saving and investing habits, particularly for those new to financial planning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Acorns worth $3/month?
On a $500 balance, $3/mo equates to a 7.2% annual fee, which is quite expensive and can significantly erode returns. However, on a $5,000 balance, it's a more reasonable 0.72%. Acorns generally becomes cost-effective and offers good value once your investment balance exceeds approximately $2,000-$3,000, as the fixed fee is spread across a larger asset base, making the percentage cost much lower.
How does Acorns make money?
Acorns primarily generates revenue through its monthly subscription fees, which vary based on the tier of services chosen by the user. They also earn a small amount from interchange fees on their Acorns Spend debit card and potentially from partnerships through the Acorns Earn program. Unlike traditional brokerages, they do not charge trading commissions on individual trades, simplifying their revenue model for users.
What kind of investments does Acorns offer?
Acorns invests your money into diversified portfolios consisting of Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). These ETFs hold a mix of stocks and bonds, providing exposure to various asset classes across different industries and geographies. Users select a portfolio based on their risk tolerance, ranging from conservative to aggressive, and Acorns automatically manages the underlying asset allocation and rebalancing.
Is my money safe with Acorns?
Yes, your investments with Acorns are held at a brokerage firm that is a member of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC), which protects securities customers of its members up to $500,000 (including $250,000 for cash claims) in case of brokerage failure. Additionally, cash in Acorns Spend accounts is FDIC-insured up to $250,000. Acorns also employs bank-level security, 256-bit encryption, and multi-factor authentication to protect your personal data and transactions.
What are the different portfolio options available?
Acorns offers five core portfolio options, ranging from Conservative to Aggressive. These portfolios are constructed using a mix of six different ETFs: large company stocks, small company stocks, international stocks, government bonds, corporate bonds, and real estate. The allocation of these ETFs varies depending on the chosen risk level, with more aggressive portfolios having a higher percentage of stocks.