Acorns Review
Invest your spare change automatically with Round-Ups. Independent Acorns review: 3.8/5 for robo-advisor. Best for Beginners starting with small amounts.
By Michael Hewitt, Founder & Editor-in-Chief. Rates last checked September 7, 2026.
Our verdict
Beginners who need a nudge get one from Round-Ups, which invest spare change from everyday purchases. The price is a flat $4, $8 or $12 a month depending on tier, which is expensive on a small balance, and custom portfolios and the 3% IRA match are Gold-only. That fee drag on small accounts is what holds it down.
Skip it if your balance is small and will stay that way, since the flat fee is expensive there.
About Acorns
Invest your spare change automatically with Round-Ups. Acorns is offered by Acorns Advisers, LLC. Our editorial rating is 3.8 out of 5.
Best for: Beginners starting with small amounts.
Editorial grade: B (composite score 76/100).
Highlights
- Round-Ups invest spare change from everyday purchases
- Bronze $4/mo · Silver $8/mo · Gold $12/mo bundled tiers
- Acorns Early (UTMA/UGMA) for kids + Acorns Later IRA
What we like
- Effortless way to start investing with hands-off automation
- Gold tier adds custom portfolios and 3% IRA match on contributions
- Bundles investing, retirement, kids, and checking in one app
- Taxable, Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SEP IRA, and UTMA/UGMA accounts
Where it falls short
- $4–$12/month flat fee is expensive on small balances
- Limited portfolio customization on lower tiers
Fees, minimums, and rates
Monthly fee: $4–$12/mo. Minimum to open: $5. New-customer bonus: 3% IRA match (Gold, first year). Rates and fees last checked on September 7, 2026.
How we reviewed it
This is a desk review: we have not opened an account with Acorns Advisers, LLC. It is built from Acorns Advisers, LLC's published rates, fee schedule and terms and from the public complaint record, and compared with the other products in the Robo-Advisor shortlist. Our brokerage and robo-advisor reviews weight costs and fees (25%), platform and tools (20%), asset selection (15%), account types (10%), education and research (10%), customer support (10%), and trust and safety (10%). The rubric is the same for every brand.
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Read our full editorial methodology for how we review products.