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Quicken vs Acorns

Quicken logo

Quicken

Software

Take control of your finances

From
$3.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Acorns logo

Acorns

Software

Invest your spare change

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Quicken quicken Simplifi (cloud version) costs $3.99 annually if billed yearly, but renews at full price $6.99/month unless cancelled before renewal; 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: Quicken covers Budget creation, Acorns covers Round-up investing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Quicken and Acorns actually diverge.

Attributes where Quicken and Acorns differ
AttributeQuickenAcorns
Starting price$3.99/monthOn request
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, Windows, macOSWeb, IOS, Android
Founded19832012

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), 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 Quicken

  • Budget creation
  • Bill management
  • Investment tracking
  • Tax planning
  • Investment accounts
  • Windows support
  • Mac support

Only in Acorns

  • Round-up investing
  • Automated investing
  • Portfolio management
  • Recurring investments
  • Debit cards
  • Web support
  • Android support

Both cover

  • Bank accounts
  • Credit cards
  • IOS support

What people use each for

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

Quicken

  • Individuals managing personal finances via Quicken Simplifi cloud app for budgeting and savings trackingnot Acorns
  • Freelancers and self-employed managing business and personal finances via Quicken Business & Personal plannot Acorns
  • Users preferring local data storage via Classic desktop editionsnot Acorns

Acorns

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

Where each one falls short

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

Quicken

  • Quicken Simplifi (cloud version) costs $3.99 annually if billed yearly, but renews at full price $6.99/month unless cancelled before renewal
  • Renewal pricing significantly higher than introductory rate; annual cost jumps from $47.88 (promotional) to $83.88 (regular renewal)

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

Quicken

$3.99/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Quicken 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 Quicken if

  • You need budget creation.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS.
  • You also want bill management.
Quicken 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 Quicken or Acorns better?
Neither clearly leads. Quicken starts at $3.99/month and Acorns at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Quicken or Acorns?
Quicken starts at $3.99/month and Acorns at On request.
Does Quicken or Acorns run on more platforms?
Quicken runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS. Acorns runs on Web, IOS, Android.
What is Quicken best used for?
Quicken is most often used for individuals managing personal finances via quicken simplifi cloud app for budgeting and savings tracking, freelancers and self-employed managing business and personal finances via quicken business & personal plan, users preferring local data storage via classic desktop editions. Of those, individuals managing personal finances via quicken simplifi cloud app for budgeting and savings tracking and freelancers and self-employed managing business and personal finances via quicken business & personal plan are not what Acorns is typically brought in for.
What can Quicken do that Acorns cannot?
Quicken covers Budget creation, Bill management, Investment tracking, Tax planning. Acorns covers Round-up investing, Automated investing, Portfolio management, Recurring investments. Both handle Bank accounts, Credit cards, IOS support.
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