Software · head to head
Splitwise vs Acorns
The short version
- Only Splitwise has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Splitwise the free tier limits how many expenses can be added in a day and shows adverts; 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: Splitwise covers Bill splitting, Acorns covers Round-up investing.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Splitwise 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 Splitwise
- Bill splitting
- Expense tracking
- Group management
- Settlement tracking
- Venmo
- PayPal
Only in Acorns
- Round-up investing
- Automated investing
- Portfolio management
- Recurring investments
- Bank accounts
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
Both cover
- Web support
- IOS support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Splitwise
- Splitting shared household bills between flatmatesnot Acorns
- Tracking who owes what on a group tripnot Acorns
- Settling up across currencies on the Pro plannot Acorns
- Recording IOUs between friends over timenot Acorns
Acorns
- Automated investing of spare change from everyday purchasesnot Splitwise
- Retirement saving through Acorns Later IRA accountsnot Splitwise
- Checking and high-yield savings alongside investingnot Splitwise
- Custodial investing and debit cards for children through Acorns Earlynot Splitwise
- Earning cashback that is invested rather than bankednot Splitwise
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Splitwise
- The free tier limits how many expenses can be added in a day and shows adverts
- Transaction import works in the United States only
- Currency conversion, receipt scanning, charts and expense search are all Pro features
- The Pro price is not shown on the product page
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
Splitwise
Free- FreeFree
- Bill splitting
- Group tracking
- Mobile app
- Splitwise Pro$4.99/month
- Receipt scanning
- Advanced analytics
- No ads
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 Splitwise if
- You need bill splitting.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android.
- You also want expense tracking.
Choose Acorns if
- You need round-up investing.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android.
- You also want automated investing.
Questions people ask
- Is Splitwise or Acorns better?
- Neither clearly leads. Splitwise 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, Splitwise or Acorns?
- Splitwise has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Splitwise and On request for Acorns.
- Does Splitwise 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 Splitwise for free?
- Yes. Splitwise has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Acorns starts at On request.
- What is Splitwise best used for?
- Splitwise is most often used for splitting shared household bills between flatmates, tracking who owes what on a group trip, settling up across currencies on the pro plan, recording ious between friends over time. Of those, splitting shared household bills between flatmates and tracking who owes what on a group trip are not what Acorns is typically brought in for.
- What can Splitwise do that Acorns cannot?
- Splitwise covers Bill splitting, Expense tracking, Group management, Settlement tracking. Acorns covers Round-up investing, Automated investing, Portfolio management, Recurring investments. Both handle Web support, IOS support, Android support.