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Goodbudget vs Acorns

Goodbudget logo

Goodbudget

Software

Digital envelope budgeting app

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Acorns logo

Acorns

Software

Invest your spare change

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Goodbudget has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Goodbudget free plan is capped at 10 regular envelopes, 10 more envelopes, 1 account, 2 devices and 1 year of history; Acorns a flat monthly subscription regardless of balance, so $3 a month on Bronze is a heavy percentage on a small account
  • They diverge on capability: Goodbudget covers Envelope budgeting, Acorns covers Round-up investing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Goodbudget and Acorns actually diverge.

Attributes where Goodbudget and Acorns differ
AttributeGoodbudgetAcorns
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo

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 Goodbudget

  • Envelope budgeting
  • Shared budgets
  • Receipt scanning
  • Expense tracking

Only in Acorns

  • Round-up investing
  • Automated investing
  • Portfolio management
  • Recurring investments
  • Credit cards
  • Debit cards

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.

Goodbudget

  • Envelope method budgetingnot Acorns
  • Sharing a household budget across a couple's devicesnot Acorns
  • Tracking debt payoff alongside envelopesnot Acorns

Acorns

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

Where each one falls short

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

Goodbudget

  • Free plan is capped at 10 regular envelopes, 10 more envelopes, 1 account, 2 devices and 1 year of history
  • Automatic bank sync is Premium only and works with US banks only
  • Premium is limited to 5 devices and 7 years of history
  • Free plan gets community support only; email support requires Premium
  • Premium costs $10 per month or $80 per year

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

Pricing, plan by plan

Goodbudget

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 10 envelopes
    • Basic tracking
  • Plus$5.99/month
    • Unlimited envelopes
    • Advanced reports
    • Receipt capture

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Goodbudget if

  • You need envelope budgeting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want shared budgets.
Goodbudget review

Choose Acorns if

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

Questions people ask

Is Goodbudget or Acorns better?
Neither clearly leads. Goodbudget starts at Free and Acorns at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Goodbudget or Acorns?
Goodbudget has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Goodbudget and On request for Acorns.
Does Goodbudget or Acorns run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, IOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Goodbudget for free?
Yes. Goodbudget has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Acorns starts at On request.
What is Goodbudget best used for?
Goodbudget is most often used for envelope method budgeting, sharing a household budget across a couple's devices, tracking debt payoff alongside envelopes. Of those, envelope method budgeting and sharing a household budget across a couple's devices are not what Acorns is typically brought in for.
What can Goodbudget do that Acorns cannot?
Goodbudget covers Envelope budgeting, Shared budgets, Receipt scanning, Expense tracking. Acorns covers Round-up investing, Automated investing, Portfolio management, Recurring investments. Both handle Bank accounts, Web support, IOS support, Android support.
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