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Acorns vs PocketGuard

Acorns logo

Acorns

Software

Invest your spare change

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PocketGuard logo

PocketGuard

Software

In Your Pocket personal finance

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only PocketGuard 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; PocketGuard every budgeting feature requires a paid subscription, with only a 7 day trial rather than a free tier
  • They diverge on capability: Acorns covers Round-up investing, PocketGuard covers Real-time spending alerts.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Acorns and PocketGuard actually diverge.

Attributes where Acorns and PocketGuard differ
AttributeAcornsPocketGuard
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
  • Debit cards

Only in PocketGuard

  • Real-time spending alerts
  • Budget tracking
  • Goal setting
  • Spending insights

Both cover

  • Bank accounts
  • Credit cards
  • Web support
  • IOS 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 PocketGuard
  • Retirement saving through Acorns Later IRA accountsnot PocketGuard
  • Checking and high-yield savings alongside investingnot PocketGuard
  • Custodial investing and debit cards for children through Acorns Earlynot PocketGuard
  • Earning cashback that is invested rather than bankednot PocketGuard

PocketGuard

  • Tracking spending and bills against a personal budgetnot Acorns
  • Finding and cancelling recurring subscriptionsnot 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

PocketGuard

  • Every budgeting feature requires a paid subscription, with only a 7 day trial rather than a free tier
  • Paying monthly is $12.99 against an effective $6.25 on the annual plan, so the flexible option costs roughly double
  • The lifetime option is not offered to everyone and is described as available only inside the app

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

PocketGuard

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Expense tracking
    • Budget creation
  • Premium$9.99/month
    • Advanced insights
    • Goal tracking
    • Bill negotiation

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 PocketGuard if

  • You need real-time spending alerts.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want budget tracking.
PocketGuard review

Questions people ask

Is Acorns or PocketGuard better?
Neither clearly leads. Acorns starts at On request and PocketGuard at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Acorns or PocketGuard?
PocketGuard has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Acorns and Free for PocketGuard.
Does Acorns or PocketGuard run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, IOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use PocketGuard for free?
Yes. PocketGuard 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 PocketGuard is typically brought in for.
What can Acorns do that PocketGuard cannot?
Acorns covers Round-up investing, Automated investing, Portfolio management, Recurring investments. PocketGuard covers Real-time spending alerts, Budget tracking, Goal setting, Spending insights. Both handle Bank accounts, Credit cards, Web support, IOS support.
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