Software · head to head
Monarch Money vs Acorns
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Monarch Money the free trial is one week, after which a paid subscription is required to keep using the app; 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: Monarch Money covers Budget management, Acorns covers Round-up investing.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Monarch Money and Acorns actually diverge.
| Attribute | Monarch Money | Acorns |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2022 | 2012 |
Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), 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 Monarch Money
- Budget management
- Investment tracking
- Tax planning
- Financial insights
- Investment accounts
- Cryptocurrency
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.
Monarch Money
- Tracking household budgets and spending across linked bank accountsnot Acorns
- Shared budgeting between partners in one accountnot Acorns
- Monitoring net worth and investment balances alongside cash accountsnot Acorns
Acorns
- Automated investing of spare change from everyday purchasesnot Monarch Money
- Retirement saving through Acorns Later IRA accountsnot Monarch Money
- Checking and high-yield savings alongside investingnot Monarch Money
- Custodial investing and debit cards for children through Acorns Earlynot Monarch Money
- Earning cashback that is invested rather than bankednot Monarch Money
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Monarch Money
- The free trial is one week, after which a paid subscription is required to keep using the app
- The advertised 30 percent discount with code WELCOME applies to the first year only and is restricted to new users
- There is no free tier, and a Plus tier gates features above the base subscription
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
Monarch Money
On request- Premium$14.99/month
- Unlimited accounts
- Investment tracking
- Tax planning
- Premier$39.99/month
- All Premium features
- Financial advisor access
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 Monarch Money if
- You need budget management.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android.
- You also want investment tracking.
Choose Acorns if
- You need round-up investing.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android.
- You also want automated investing.
Questions people ask
- Is Monarch Money or Acorns better?
- Neither clearly leads. Monarch Money starts at On request and Acorns at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Monarch Money or Acorns?
- Monarch Money starts at On request and Acorns at On request.
- Does Monarch Money or Acorns run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, IOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- What is Monarch Money best used for?
- Monarch Money is most often used for tracking household budgets and spending across linked bank accounts, shared budgeting between partners in one account, monitoring net worth and investment balances alongside cash accounts. Of those, tracking household budgets and spending across linked bank accounts and shared budgeting between partners in one account are not what Acorns is typically brought in for.
- What can Monarch Money do that Acorns cannot?
- Monarch Money covers Budget management, Investment tracking, Tax planning, Financial insights. Acorns covers Round-up investing, Automated investing, Portfolio management, Recurring investments. Both handle Bank accounts, Web support, IOS support, Android support.