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Acorns vs Robinhood

Acorns logo

Acorns

Software

Invest your spare change

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Robinhood logo

Robinhood

Software

Investing for everyone

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Robinhood 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; Robinhood robinhood Gold costs 5 USD a month after a 30 day free trial
  • They diverge on capability: Acorns covers Round-up investing, Robinhood covers Commission-free trading.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Acorns and Robinhood actually diverge.

Attributes where Acorns and Robinhood differ
AttributeAcornsRobinhood
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
Founded20122013

Identical on both: platforms (Web, IOS, Android), 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
  • Credit cards
  • Debit cards

Only in Robinhood

  • Commission-free trading
  • Options trading
  • Crypto trading
  • Fractional shares
  • Crypto wallets

Both cover

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

Robinhood

  • Commission free trading of US stocks and ETFs from a phonenot Acorns
  • Options and futures trading for retail investorsnot Acorns
  • Holding an IRA with a contribution matchnot 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

Robinhood

  • Robinhood Gold costs 5 USD a month after a 30 day free trial
  • The 3.35 percent APY on brokerage cash is available only to Gold subscribers
  • The 3 percent IRA contribution match requires keeping the Gold subscription for one year and leaving the assets in the IRA for five years, and is capped at 225 USD against 2026 contribution maximums
  • Reduced contract fees of 0.50 USD per futures contract and 0.35 USD per index option apply only to Gold subscribers
  • Management fees are waived only above 100K USD in expert managed portfolios

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

Robinhood

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Commission-free trading
    • Real-time data
    • Mobile app
  • Gold$4.99/month
    • All Free features
    • Extended hours trading
    • Premium research

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 Robinhood if

  • You need commission-free trading.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want options trading.
Robinhood review

Questions people ask

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