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Software · head to head

Rocket Money vs Acorns

Rocket Money logo

Rocket Money

Software

Cancel subscriptions and save money automatically

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Acorns logo

Acorns

Software

Invest your spare change

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Rocket Money has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Rocket Money successful bill negotiation costs a one time fee of 35% to 60% of the first year's savings; 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: Rocket Money covers Subscription tracking, Acorns covers Round-up investing.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Rocket Money and Acorns differ
AttributeRocket MoneyAcorns
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
Founded20162012

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 Rocket Money

  • Subscription tracking
  • Bill negotiation
  • Automatic savings
  • Spending insights
  • Credit score monitoring
  • Utility providers

Only in Acorns

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

Both cover

  • Bank accounts
  • Credit cards
  • Web support
  • IOS support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Rocket Money

  • Finding and cancelling unwanted subscriptionsnot Acorns
  • Tracking bills and spending in one appnot Acorns
  • Having a third party negotiate down recurring billsnot Acorns

Acorns

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

Where each one falls short

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

Rocket Money

  • Successful bill negotiation costs a one time fee of 35% to 60% of the first year's savings
  • Premium is priced on a sliding scale and the help centre publishes no fixed monthly or annual amount, stating rates vary across platforms
  • Custom budget categories, financial goal plans, credit score tracking and real time account syncing are Premium only
  • The Premium free trial is 7 days

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

Rocket Money

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Subscription tracking
    • Spending insights
    • Bill reminders
  • Premium$12/month
    • Bill negotiation
    • Subscription cancellation
    • Smart savings

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 Rocket Money if

  • You need subscription tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want bill negotiation.
Rocket Money 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 Rocket Money or Acorns better?
Neither clearly leads. Rocket Money 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, Rocket Money or Acorns?
Rocket Money has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Rocket Money and On request for Acorns.
Does Rocket Money 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 Rocket Money for free?
Yes. Rocket Money has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Acorns starts at On request.
What is Rocket Money best used for?
Rocket Money is most often used for finding and cancelling unwanted subscriptions, tracking bills and spending in one app, having a third party negotiate down recurring bills. Of those, finding and cancelling unwanted subscriptions and tracking bills and spending in one app are not what Acorns is typically brought in for.
What can Rocket Money do that Acorns cannot?
Rocket Money covers Subscription tracking, Bill negotiation, Automatic savings, Spending insights. Acorns covers Round-up investing, Automated investing, Portfolio management, Recurring investments. Both handle Bank accounts, Credit cards, Web support, IOS support.
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