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Acorns vs Quicken

Acorns logo

Acorns

Software

Invest your spare change

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Quicken logo

Quicken

Software

Take control of your finances

From
$3.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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; Quicken quicken Simplifi (cloud version) costs $3.99 annually if billed yearly, but renews at full price $6.99/month unless cancelled before renewal
  • They diverge on capability: Acorns covers Round-up investing, Quicken covers Budget creation.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Acorns and Quicken actually diverge.

Attributes where Acorns and Quicken differ
AttributeAcornsQuicken
Starting priceOn request$3.99/month
PlatformsWeb, IOS, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS
Founded20121983

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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
  • Web support
  • Android support

Only in Quicken

  • Budget creation
  • Bill management
  • Investment tracking
  • Tax planning
  • Investment accounts
  • Windows support
  • Mac support

Both cover

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

Quicken

  • Individuals managing personal finances via Quicken Simplifi cloud app for budgeting and savings trackingnot Acorns
  • Freelancers and self-employed managing business and personal finances via Quicken Business & Personal plannot Acorns
  • Users preferring local data storage via Classic desktop editionsnot 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

Quicken

  • Quicken Simplifi (cloud version) costs $3.99 annually if billed yearly, but renews at full price $6.99/month unless cancelled before renewal
  • Renewal pricing significantly higher than introductory rate; annual cost jumps from $47.88 (promotional) to $83.88 (regular renewal)

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

Quicken

$3.99/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Quicken review.

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 Quicken if

  • You need budget creation.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS.
  • You also want bill management.
Quicken review

Questions people ask

Is Acorns or Quicken better?
Neither clearly leads. Acorns starts at On request and Quicken at $3.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Acorns or Quicken?
Acorns starts at On request and Quicken at $3.99/month.
Does Acorns or Quicken run on more platforms?
Acorns runs on Web, IOS, Android. Quicken runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS.
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 Quicken is typically brought in for.
What can Acorns do that Quicken cannot?
Acorns covers Round-up investing, Automated investing, Portfolio management, Recurring investments. Quicken covers Budget creation, Bill management, Investment tracking, Tax planning. Both handle Bank accounts, Credit cards, IOS support.
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