Software · head to head
Mint vs Acorns
The short version
- Only Mint has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Mint service transitioned to Credit Karma platform; standalone Mint features migrated elsewhere; 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: Mint covers Expense tracking, Acorns covers Round-up investing.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Mint and Acorns actually diverge.
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 Mint
- Expense tracking
- Budgets
- Bill tracking
- Credit score monitoring
- Financial insights
- Bank connections
- Bank-level encryption
- Verisign secured
Only in Acorns
- Round-up investing
- Automated investing
- Portfolio management
- Recurring investments
- Bank accounts
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
- IOS support
Both cover
- Web support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Mint
- Legacy free budget tracking for users with supported bank connectionsnot Acorns
- Users transitioning to Credit Karma for continued money management featuresnot Acorns
Acorns
- Automated investing of spare change from everyday purchasesnot Mint
- Retirement saving through Acorns Later IRA accountsnot Mint
- Checking and high-yield savings alongside investingnot Mint
- Custodial investing and debit cards for children through Acorns Earlynot Mint
- Earning cashback that is invested rather than bankednot Mint
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Mint
- Service transitioned to Credit Karma platform; standalone Mint features migrated elsewhere
- Bank connections supported for only 17,000 financial institutions; many regional or international banks not supported
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
Mint
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Mint review.
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 Mint if
- You need expense tracking.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want budgets.
Choose Acorns if
- You need round-up investing.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android.
- You also want automated investing.
Questions people ask
- Is Mint or Acorns better?
- Neither clearly leads. Mint 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, Mint or Acorns?
- Mint has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Mint and On request for Acorns.
- Does Mint or Acorns run on more platforms?
- Mint runs on Web, iOS, Android. Acorns runs on Web, IOS, Android.
- Can I use Mint for free?
- Yes. Mint has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Acorns starts at On request.
- What is Mint best used for?
- Mint is most often used for legacy free budget tracking for users with supported bank connections, users transitioning to credit karma for continued money management features. Of those, legacy free budget tracking for users with supported bank connections and users transitioning to credit karma for continued money management features are not what Acorns is typically brought in for.
- What can Mint do that Acorns cannot?
- Mint covers Expense tracking, Budgets, Bill tracking, Credit score monitoring. Acorns covers Round-up investing, Automated investing, Portfolio management, Recurring investments. Both handle Web support, Android support.