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Money Manager vs Acorns

Money Manager logo

Money Manager

Software

Personal and household finance tracker

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Acorns logo

Acorns

Software

Invest your spare change

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Money Manager has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Money Manager databases created by version 1.4.x are not readable by current releases and produce the error MMEX database version 13 doesn't work with this MMEX version, requiring a manual conversion procedure; 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: Money Manager covers Expense tracking, Acorns covers Round-up investing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Money Manager and Acorns actually diverge.

Attributes where Money Manager and Acorns differ
AttributeMoney ManagerAcorns
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelopen-sourcesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, Mac, Linux, IOS, AndroidWeb, IOS, Android
Founded20052012

Identical on both: 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 Money Manager

  • Expense tracking
  • Budget tracking
  • Reporting
  • Multi-currency support
  • Import/Export
  • CSV
  • Windows support
  • Mac support

Only in Acorns

  • Round-up investing
  • Automated investing
  • Portfolio management
  • Recurring investments
  • Bank accounts
  • Credit cards
  • Debit cards
  • Web support

Both cover

  • IOS support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Money Manager

  • Free desktop personal finance tracking on Windows, macOS and Linuxnot Acorns
  • Running a portable personal accounts file from removable media on Windowsnot Acorns
  • Categorising spending and reporting on personal accounts without a subscriptionnot Acorns

Acorns

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

Where each one falls short

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

Money Manager

  • Databases created by version 1.4.x are not readable by current releases and produce the error MMEX database version 13 doesn't work with this MMEX version, requiring a manual conversion procedure
  • Linux is supported only through Flatpak builds for aarch64 and x86_64
  • The download page states no system requirements, deferring them to a separate compatibility page
  • There is no vendor support contract; the project is distributed as open source with no paid tier

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

Money Manager

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Expense tracking
    • Budget management
    • Reports

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 Money Manager if

  • You need expense tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Mac, Linux, IOS, Android.
  • You also want budget tracking.
Money Manager 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 Money Manager or Acorns better?
Neither clearly leads. Money Manager 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, Money Manager or Acorns?
Money Manager has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Money Manager and On request for Acorns.
Does Money Manager or Acorns run on more platforms?
Money Manager runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, IOS, Android. Acorns runs on Web, IOS, Android.
Can I use Money Manager for free?
Yes. Money Manager has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Acorns starts at On request.
What is Money Manager best used for?
Money Manager is most often used for free desktop personal finance tracking on windows, macos and linux, running a portable personal accounts file from removable media on windows, categorising spending and reporting on personal accounts without a subscription. Of those, free desktop personal finance tracking on windows, macos and linux and running a portable personal accounts file from removable media on windows are not what Acorns is typically brought in for.
What can Money Manager do that Acorns cannot?
Money Manager covers Expense tracking, Budget tracking, Reporting, Multi-currency support. Acorns covers Round-up investing, Automated investing, Portfolio management, Recurring investments. Both handle IOS support, Android support.
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