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Apps like Acorns

Acorns brings a robo-advisor together with an automatic savings tool, but it lacks features that make these 5 apps like Acorns stand out.

Acorns is a robo-advisor that rounds up purchases made with a linked debit card and sweeps the spare change into an investment portfolio managed by an algorithm. But its fees can be steep on small balances, and it lacks sophisticated research tools, a larger investment menu and a separate account that lets you pick your own stocks. Acorns’ alternatives offer many of its benefits and pick up where it lacks. Here are five apps like Acorns.

Brokerages like Acorns

These trading platforms are some of Acorns closest competitors.

  1. Wealthfront
  2. Titan Invest
  3. SoFi Invest®
  4. Betterment
  5. Fidelity Investments

1. Wealthfront

Wealthfront

9 Excellent

Go to site Read review
  • Better for families saving for their children's education than Acorns.

Similar to Acorns, Wealthfront is a popular robo-advisor. Its 0.25% annual management fee may be lower than Acorns' fees if you carry a small balance. But its $500 minimum investment may be a bit steep for some.
However, Wealthfront stands out for its automated 529 plan. A 529 plan is a tax-advantaged account meant to help you invest in your child's college education. Unlike a traditional brokerage account, money in a 529 plan grows tax free. You can also withdraw money from a 529 plan tax free if you use it on qualified educational expenses.
But Wealthfront offers plenty of tools to help you make the most out of your 529 plan. Using the Wealthfront app, you select the school you want your child to go to. Using data from the Department of Education, Wealthfront estimates how much it would cost by the time your kid reaches college age. These estimates account for tuition, expenses, projected inflation and how much financial aid you can expect. Wealthfront then recommends a monthly savings amount to meet these expenses.
The Wealthfront 529 plan portfolio invests in a mix of municipal securities and ETFs based on your risk level and other factors. It's automatically managed and functions similarly to a target-date fund (TDF). This means its investment mix is rebalanced to become more conservative as your child gets closer to college age.
The Wealthfront 529 plan incurs an all-in fee of no more than 0.49%. But you may find other 529 plans with smaller fees. Almost every state administers 529 plans. You can invest in any plan, regardless of the state you live in. Still, you can link external 529 plan accounts to the Wealthfront app and take advantage of its tools.

Stock trade fee$0
Minimum deposit$500
Signup bonusGet $50

2. Titan

Titan

7.8 Great

Go to site Read review
  • More investment options than Acorns.

While Acorns invests your money in a mix of ETFs designed to mirror the returns of the market indices they track, Titan Invest puts your money in actively managed portfolios designed to outperform the market.
Titan, also called Titanvest, lets you choose from either its Flagship or Opportunities portfolios. Each invests in 20 stocks and inverse ETFs meant to hedge against market downturns. Inverse ETFs are designed to go up when the market goes down.
Titan uses this strategy to seek large returns while protecting you from market downturns.
These portfolios are professionally managed by Titan's investment team. So you can take a hands-off approach like you do with Acorns.
But it's not for everyone. A stock-heavy portfolio and inverse ETFs require high-risk tolerance. Plus, there's a $100 minimum investment to open a Titan account. Its annual management fee is 1% on accounts of $10,000 or less. For smaller accounts, Titan charges a $5 monthly fee taken from the bank account linked to your Titan account.
Consider Titan if you believe Acorns is not earning you strong enough returns and you can stomach the risks that come with seeking bigger gains.

Stock trade fee$0
Minimum deposit$500
Signup bonusN/A

3. SoFi Invest®

SoFi Invest®

8.6 Great

Go to site Read review
  • Lower fees than Acorns.

Like Acorns, SoFi Invest® offers a computer-managed portfolio built with exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The robo-advisor manages this portfolio for you and rebalances it when market changes deem it necessary.

And if you want to set aside some money to build your own portfolio, you can use its active investing account. This lets you trade stocks and ETFs without worrying about paying commissions.

You can access both accounts online or through the SoFi® app.

Stock trade fee$0
Minimum deposit$0
Signup bonusGet up to $1,000 in stock

4. Betterment

Betterment

8.8 Great

Read review
  • Better than Acorns for smaller portfolios.

Acorns alternative Betterment is also a robo-advisor. Its automated investment platform recommends a portfolio based on your goals and risk level. It also manages it for you. But Betterment's fees can be lower than Acorns' if you have a small balance.
Betterment charges a 0.25% annual fee based on a percentage of assets held in your account. Acorns charges monthly fees that range from $1 to $5 depending on the scope of services you want.
But on small balances, Betterment ends up being more affordable. Let's say you invest $5,000. With Betterment's 0.25% fee, that's $12.50 a year. Acorns charges monthly fees that range from $3 to $12 depending on the scope of services you want.
Plus, Betterment's basic plan comes with automatic tax-loss harvesting. This strategy can reduce the tax burden on your investments. And you'll have access to certified financial planners (CFPs) if your balance is at least $100,000. They can advise you on personal matters like debt management and retirement planning. These CFPs can also provide advice on investments outside Betterment.

Stock trade fee$0
Minimum deposit$10
Signup bonusN/A

5. Fidelity Investments

Fidelity Investments

9.2 Excellent

Go to site Read review
  • More research tools than Acorns.

Like Acorns, Fidelity Investments offers an automated investment platform. But it also lets you open an active investing account with an arsenal of sophisticated research tools and a vast menu of investment choices. You can invest in bonds, mutual funds, index funds and other securities not available through Acorns.
Day traders can use research tools like a stock screener with more than 140 criteria. They can also filter stocks by industry sectors and flip through third-party research from Thomson Reuters and other industry leaders.
Hands-off investors may be interested in Fidelity GO, which combines a robo-advisor and the expertise of an investment team. Fidelity GO waives management fees on balances less than $10,000. This automated platform builds investment portfolios with Fidelity mutual funds. An investment team monitors the markets and makes adjustments to your portfolio if needed.

Stock trade fee$0
Minimum deposit$0
Signup bonusN/A

Pros and cons of Acorns

Acorns puts your deposits in automated portfolios and sweeps excess change from your purchases, making investing easy. But its fee structure may not work for everyone.
Acorns’ fees are $3 to $12, depending on the services you want. For example, the $3 monthly plan gives you an individual brokerage account and an individual retirement account (IRA). Other brokers like Betterment and Wealthfront have basic plans that provide access to IRAs at no extra charge.
Here are some benefits and drawbacks to consider before opening or keeping an account with Acorns.

Pros

  • No minimum to open an account
  • Automated portfolios built with low-fee ETFs
  • Automated savings tool

Cons

  • Complex fee structure
  • No active investing account
  • Limited investment options

How to transfer your brokerage account

If you’re switching brokers, the process can vary depending on your current broker and where you’re transferring funds to. Acorns charges a $50 per ETF outgoing transfer fee. This means that a $50 fee would be charged for each ETF in your portfolio.
Acorns uses the Automated Customer Account Transfer Service (ACATS), so expect to go through the following process.

  1. Get a statement from your broker that has information like your account number and current assets
  2. Open the same type of account with your new broker. For example, an individual brokerage account should go to another individual brokerage account.
  3. Fill out a transfer initiation or ACAT form with your current broker.
  4. Your current broker validates your form or notifies you of the next steps within three business days.
  5. Your old broker completes the process and moves funds within six business days.

Note: Some brokers don’t accept the proprietary funds of others. So you may not be able to transfer mutual funds or ETFs managed by your old broker.

Compare trading platforms

To use these or other brokers, you’ll need to sign up. Here are the details on several.

1 - 12 of 12
Product Finder Score Available asset types Stock trade fee Minimum deposit Cash sweep APY Offer
SoFi Wealth Management logo
Finder score
Stocks, Options, Mutual funds, ETFs, Alternatives
$0
$0
0.01%
Get up to $1,000 in stock when you open and fund a new account. T&C apply.
Trade stocks, ETFs, and options with zero commissions, invest in IPOs or automate your portfolio, with exclusive perks available through SoFi Plus.
OPTO logo
Finder score
Stocks, ETFs
$0
$0
4%
Earn up to $300 when you deposit between $2,000–$25,000+.
Copy top-performing portfolios or build your own stock index on Opto's AI-driven thematic investing platform, and get 4% APY on your cash.
Interactive Brokers logo
Finder score
Stocks, Bonds, Options, Mutual funds, ETFs, Cryptocurrency, Futures, Forex, Treasury Bills, Precious metals
$0
$0
3.83% Lite
4.83% Pro
Trade a wide range of assets, with global market access and pro-grade trading tools.
Zacks Trade logo
Finder score
Stocks, Bonds, Options, Mutual funds, ETFs, CDs
$0.01
$250
2.83%
Get up to $1,000 when you open and fund an account. Terms apply.
Leverage powerful trading tools and low margin rates to trade stocks, options, ETFs, mutual funds and bonds.
eToro logo
Finder score
Stocks, Options, ETFs, Cryptocurrency, Futures, Investments
$0
$0
3.9%
No commission stock, ETF and options trades, with 3.9% interest on your options account balance and no options contract fees. See full disclosure.
Robinhood logo
Finder score
Stocks, Options, ETFs, Cryptocurrency, Futures
$0
$0
4%
Get a free stock when you successfully sign up and link your bank account.
Trade stocks, options, crypto and more, with advanced trading tools, fractional shares and exclusive perks for Gold members.
Public logo
Finder score
Stocks, Bonds, Options, ETFs, Cryptocurrency, Investments, Retirement, Treasury Bills, High-yield cash account
$0
$0
4.1%
Get up to $10,000 and transfer fees covered when you move your portfolio to Public.
Build a diversified portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, ETFs and crypto, with a high-yield cash account and options contract rebates.
Acorns logo
Finder score
Stocks, ETFs
$0
$0
N/A
Get a $20 bonus when you set up an account and make your first recurring investment (min. $5).
Automate investing with recurring contributions starting at $5 and invest spare change from everyday purchases.
Stash Investments LLC logo
Finder score
Stocks, ETFs
$0
$0
0.1%
Get $10 when you sign up and deposit $5.
Bank, automate your portfolio or invest in individual stocks and ETFs for as low as $3 per month.
Wealthfront logo
Finder score
Stocks, ETFs, High-yield cash account
$0
$500
4.00%
Get a $50 bonus when you sign up and fund a taxable automated investing account with at least $500.
Automate your stock and bond portfolio or trade individual stocks for as little as $1 apiece. Plus, earn 4% APY on your cash.
JPMorgan logo
Finder score
Mutual funds, ETFs
$0
$25,000
N/A
Get ongoing access to an advisory team with personalized financial planning and expert-built portfolios. Provider terms & conditions apply
M1 Finance logo
Finder score
Stocks, ETFs, Cryptocurrency
$0
$100
4.00%
Build a custom portfolio of stocks and ETFs with automatic rebalancing. Plus, earn 4.00% APY with a high-yield cash account.
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What is the Finder Score?

The Finder Score crunches 147 key metrics we collected directly from 18+ brokers and assessed each provider’s performance based on nine different categories, weighing each metric based on the expertise and insights of Finder’s investment experts. We then scored and ranked each provider to determine the best brokerage accounts.

We update our best picks as products change, disappear or emerge in the market. We also regularly review and revise our selections to ensure our best provider lists reflect the most competitive available.

Read the full Finder Score breakdown

Paid non-client promotion. Finder does not invest money with providers on this page. If a brand is a referral partner, we're paid when you click or tap through to, open an account with or provide your contact information to the provider. Partnerships are not a recommendation for you to invest with any one company. Learn more about how we make money.

Finder is not an advisor or brokerage service. Information on this page is for educational purposes only and not a recommendation to invest with any one company, trade specific stocks or fund specific investments. All editorial opinions are our own.

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Written by

Writer

Javier Simon is a freelance finance writer at Finder and a certified educator in personal finance (CEPF). He’s featured on NerdWallet, Bankrate, Yahoo Finance and Fox Business, where he’s shared his expertise on personal finance topics, such as investing, retirement planning, taxes, budgeting and savings. He has also covered breaking news, such as student loan forgiveness initiatives, the housing market and inflation’s impact on consumers’ wallets. His passion is turning complex financial concepts into actionable content that can help people improve their financial lives. Javier holds a bachelor’s degree in multimedia journalism from SUNY Plattsburgh. See full bio

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