Acorns is a popular micro-investing app that allows users to invest the change from their everyday purchases into portfolios of ETFs and stocks. The app is highly rated across the App Store and Google Play, and it’s designed to make it easy for anyone to start investing. So you might be wondering: can I use Acorns in Canada?
Is the Acorns trading app available in Canada?
No. Unfortunately, Canadians can’t use the Acorns app. You’ll need to be a United States citizen or resident and have either a valid Social Security number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to create an Acorns account.
Acorns app alternatives in Canada
Acorns isn’t available in Canada, but there are plenty of great alternatives that are worth checking out. Compare these six Acorns Canada alternatives to help you find the best investing platform for your needs.
How does the Acorns trading platform work?
Acorns offers the following features to investors in the US.
Automated investing with RoundUps
When a user connects a bank account, debit card or credit card to the Acorns app, any purchases they make are rounded up to the nearest dollar. Once you reach at least $5 in RoundUps, these funds are then invested in a portfolio of ETFs designed for long-term investment, while you can also set up recurring investments.
In Canada, Questrade doesn’t offer round-up investing, but it does provide easy access to its pre-built Questwealth portfolios.
Subscription plans
Users can choose from three subscription plans:
- Acorns Bronze. This plan offers a diversified portfolio and the ability to invest spare change with the RoundUps feature. You also get an Acorns Later retirement account.
- Acorns Silver. This plan offers all the features of Bronze and adds a 1% IRA match on new contributions to your Acorns Later retirement account during your first year.
- Acorns Gold. The Gold plan also includes a 3% IRA match on new contributions to your Acorns Later retirement account during your first year, an investment account for kids with a 1% match, and the freedom to customize your portfolio by investing in individual stocks and ETFs.
Acorns Later retirement accounts
When a user provides some information about their financial situation and long-term goals, Acorns will match them with an IRA plan to suit their needs. The investor can then set up a daily, weekly or monthly recurring contribution to their Acorns Later account, while they also get the security of SIPC protection.
Many Canadian brokers allow you to invest through an RRSP, including Moomoo, CIBC Investor’s Edge and Interactive Brokers.
Acorns Early Invest accounts
Acorns users can create Early Invest accounts for their children with just $5. This Uniform Transfer/Gift to Minors account (UTMA/UGMA) offers potential tax benefits and SIPC protection, while it’s also easy to set up recurring contributions in the app.
And for parents that want to teach their kids about the ins and outs of managing their money, there’s also the Acorns Early money app and debit card.
Debit card
The Mighty Oak debit card, issued by nbkc bank, is designed to help customers save as well as invest their money. It provides savings interest rates on an Emergency Savings account as well as a Chequing account, while it has no hidden fees or early balance requirements. It also lets cardholders invest their spare change with RoundUps and automatically invest a portion of their paycheque.
Acorns Earn
The Acorns Earn feature offers Acorns users rewards when they shop special offers from partner retailers. When a user shops through the Acorns Earn section of the app or using a browser extension, they receive cashback-like rewards that are then automatically invested on their behalf.
Can you open an Acorns trading account in another country?
No. You will need to be a US citizen or a legal resident who resides in the United States in order to open an Acorns account.
However, in its online help centre, Acorns does mention that if you’re in the Armed Services and are temporarily overseas, you can create an Acorns account provided that you have a US address.
Can you use Acorns in Canada?
If you’re a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, you can’t use Acorns. You’ll instead need to consider other investing apps and online trading platforms that operate in Canada.
However, if you’re a US resident who is travelling in Canada for a temporary period of time, you should still be able to log in to your Acorns account.
Which countries does the Acorns trading app operate in?
The Acorns app is only available in the United States. So if you’re from Canada or anywhere else around the world other than the US, you’ll need to consider other trading platforms.
What is the best Acorns app alternative in Canada?
Some of the best alternatives to Acorns in Canada include Interactive Brokers and Moomoo. Interactive Brokers excels with its choice of trading platforms, advanced tools and access to a huge range of global assets and markets.
Moomoo, meanwhile, is worth a look if you want competitive fees, a user-friendly trading platform and free access to Level 2 market data for free.
The best Acorns alternative for you really depends on what you’re looking for in a trading platform.
You’ll need to consider your level of investing experience, what you want to trade and how often you want to trade to get a better idea of the key features you need. You can then compare a range of investing apps to find the best platform for you.
Can you download the Acorns app in Canada?
No, the Acorns app is not available to download in Canada. This is due to the fact that you’ll need to be a United States citizen or resident to open an Acorns account.
The good news is that all the Acorns Canada alternatives featured in this article offer free mobile apps. Find the app for the broker of your choice on Google Play or in the iOS App Store.
Bottom line
Acorns isn’t available in Canada, but there are plenty of great investing apps that are. Compare a range of trading platforms to find a user-friendly broker that offers low fees and access to the markets you want to trade. Then you can open an account, deposit funds and start investing.
Frequently asked questions about the Acorns trading app
Sources
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