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Acorns vs Coinbase

Acorns logo

Acorns

Software

Invest your spare change

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Coinbase logo

Coinbase

Software

Buy, sell, and trade cryptocurrency with ease

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Coinbase has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Acorns a flat monthly subscription regardless of balance, so $3 a month on Bronze is a heavy percentage on a small account; Coinbase the App Store listing states standard Coinbase trades carry fees and that a paid Coinbase One subscription is needed for zero trading fees and boosted staking rewards, and that fractional stock shares start at $1.
  • They diverge on capability: Acorns covers Round-up investing, Coinbase covers Cryptocurrency Trading.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Acorns and Coinbase actually diverge.

Attributes where Acorns and Coinbase differ
AttributeAcornsCoinbase
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes

Identical on both: platforms (Web, IOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown), founded (2012).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Acorns

  • Round-up investing
  • Automated investing
  • Portfolio management
  • Recurring investments
  • Bank accounts
  • Credit cards
  • Debit cards
  • IOS support

Only in Coinbase

  • Cryptocurrency Trading
  • Staking
  • Coinbase Wallet
  • Coinbase Card
  • Bank transfers
  • PayPal
  • Apple Pay
  • Ios support

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Acorns

  • Automated investing of spare change from everyday purchasesnot Coinbase
  • Retirement saving through Acorns Later IRA accountsnot Coinbase
  • Checking and high-yield savings alongside investingnot Coinbase
  • Custodial investing and debit cards for children through Acorns Earlynot Coinbase
  • Earning cashback that is invested rather than bankednot Coinbase

Coinbase

  • Exchangesnot Acorns
  • Tradingnot Acorns
  • Walletsnot Acorns

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Acorns

  • A flat monthly subscription regardless of balance, so $3 a month on Bronze is a heavy percentage on a small account
  • The emergency savings account and the 1 percent IRA match need Silver at $6 a month
  • Custom portfolios, Acorns Early for children and Money Manager are Gold tier only at $12 a month
  • There is no free tier

Coinbase

  • The App Store listing states standard Coinbase trades carry fees and that a paid Coinbase One subscription is needed for zero trading fees and boosted staking rewards, and that fractional stock shares start at $1.

Pricing, plan by plan

Acorns

On request
  • Lite$4.99/month
    • Round-up investing
    • Automated portfolio
  • Plus$9.99/month
    • All Lite features
    • Checking account
    • Dollar-based investing
  • Premier$19.99/month
    • All Plus features
    • Premium investing

Coinbase

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Buy and sell crypto
    • Coinbase Wallet
    • Staking rewards
  • Coinbase One$29.99/month
    • Zero trading fees
    • Priority support
    • Advanced trading tools

Which should you pick?

Choose Acorns if

  • You need round-up investing.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want automated investing.
Acorns review

Choose Coinbase if

  • You need cryptocurrency trading.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want staking.
Coinbase review

Questions people ask

Is Acorns or Coinbase better?
Neither clearly leads. Acorns starts at On request and Coinbase at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Acorns or Coinbase?
Coinbase has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Acorns and Free for Coinbase.
Does Acorns or Coinbase run on more platforms?
Acorns runs on Web, IOS, Android. Coinbase runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Coinbase for free?
Yes. Coinbase has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Acorns starts at On request.
What is Acorns best used for?
Acorns is most often used for automated investing of spare change from everyday purchases, retirement saving through acorns later ira accounts, checking and high-yield savings alongside investing, custodial investing and debit cards for children through acorns early. Of those, automated investing of spare change from everyday purchases and retirement saving through acorns later ira accounts are not what Coinbase is typically brought in for.
What can Acorns do that Coinbase cannot?
Acorns covers Round-up investing, Automated investing, Portfolio management, Recurring investments. Coinbase covers Cryptocurrency Trading, Staking, Coinbase Wallet, Coinbase Card. Both handle Web support, Android support.
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