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Charles Schwab vs Acorns

Charles Schwab is a good choice for beginning and advanced investors looking to invest in ETFs and mutual funds or investors that require extensive research. How does it compare to Acorns? Read our comparison chart below.

Charles Schwab offers stock and ETF trades at $0 commission and options trading at $0 commission + $0.65 per contract. There is no minimum deposit, no maintenance fee, and no inactivity fee.

While Acorns is geared towards young investors who have trouble saving. This investment app automatically rounds up and invests your spare change whenever you make a purchase. The service fee starts at $3/month for accounts. There is no minimum to open.

Compare Charles Schwab with Acorns, side-by-side. Read on for an in-depth look, including ratings, reviews, pros and cons.

 Acorns
 Learn MoreVisit Site
 

Charles Schwab

Acorns

SPECIAL OFFER
$0 Commissions on Online Stock, ETF, and Options Trades - Learn More

Read Charles Schwab Review

SPECIAL OFFER
$20 Investment Bonus - Learn More

Read Acorns Review

 

Benefits and Features

Savings 
No
Stock Trading$0 commission on U.S. stocks and ETFsPart of service fee. No add-on trading fees.
Options Trading
$0 + $0.65 per contract
No
Annual Fee 
  • Acorns Personal ($3/mo) - includes personal taxable account, IRA, and checking account
  • Acorns Personal Plus ($5/mo) - includes everything in Personal, emergency fund, and 25% match on rewards
  • Acorns Premium ($9/mo) - includes everything in Personal Plus, investment accounts for kids, 50% match on rewards, custom portfolio, Trust & Will, $10K Life Insurance, and free GoHenry account
Cryptocurrency Trading 
No
Minimum Deposit
$0
$0
Checking 
Yes
Mutual Fund Trading$0 for no-transaction-fee funds $49.95 for all other funds
No
Commission Free ETFs2,000+ across asset classes and fund companies, $0 commission through Schwab ETF OneSourceā„¢.A selection automatically chosen by Acorns
Phone Support 
Yes
Live Chat Support 
No
Email Support 
Yes
Human Advisors 
No
Robo Advisor 
Yes
Assets Under Management 
$4.7 Billion
Tax Loss Harvesting 
No
Goal Tracker 
Yes
Automatic Deposits 
Yes
Broker Assisted Trades
$25.00 service charge
Acorns automatically invest and trade for you
Good For Beginners; Passive investors; Those who have trouble saving/investing on their own
Inactivity Fee
None
None, but you will keep paying the monthly fee
Maintenance Fee
$0
Monthly fee for the service
Online Platform 
Yes
iPhone App 
Yes (4.7 stars, 760k ratings)
Android App 
Yes (4.3 stars, 156k ratings)
Banking
Yes
Included in Acorns Personal ($3/mo). Free metal debit card, no minimum balance, no overdraft fees, and 55,000+ fee-free ATMs nationwide.
Mobile App
Yes
Yes
Desktop App
Yes
 
Two-Factor Authentication 
Yes
Futures Trading
$2.25 per contract
 
Customer Service
24/7
 
Locations
300 locations
No
Online Community
Yes
No
Seminars
Yes
No
Virtual Trading
Yes (thinkorswim platforms)
No
Fractional Shares 
Yes
Taxable Accounts 
Yes
401k Plans 
No
IRA Accounts 
Yes
Roth IRA Accounts 
Yes
SEP IRA Accounts 
Yes
Trust Accounts 
No
529 Plans 
No
 

CreditDonkey® Reviews

 Acorns
Stock TradingStarStarStarStarHalf Star
Options TradingStarStarStarHalf StarEmpty Star
Mutual Fund TradingStarStarStarStarEmpty Star
Online PlatformStarStarStarStarStar
BankingStarStarStarStarStar
Mobile AppStarStarStarHalf StarEmpty StarStarStarStarStarHalf Star
Commissions and FeesStarStarStarEmpty StarEmpty Star
Ease of UseStarStarStarStarEmpty StarStarStarStarStarStar
ResearchStarStarStarStarStar
Annual FeeStarStarStarEmpty StarEmpty Star
Minimum DepositStarStarStarStarStar
Customer ServiceStarStarStarEmpty StarEmpty Star
Pros & ConsPros:
  • Vast selection of commission-free ETFs and mutual funds
  • 2 platforms (one for beginners and one for advanced traders)
  • 24/7 customer service including online chat
Cons:
  • Commission costs on mutual funds outside of the commission-free funds
  • Robo-advisor option requires a minimum investment of $5,000
Pros:
  • No minimum to open account
  • Invest with spare change
  • Cash-back program
Cons:
  • Fees are high for small balances
  • No tax benefits
  • Limited investment options
Bottom LineGood choice for beginning and advanced investors looking to invest in ETFs and mutual funds or investors that require extensive research... Read full reviewInvestment app that automatically invests your spare change. Good for young investors to get into the habit... Read full review
 Learn MoreVisit Site

Blank fields may indicate the information is not available, not applicable, or not known to CreditDonkey. Please visit the product website for details.

Charles Schwab: Pricing information from published websites as of 04/09/2024.

Acorns: Pricing information from published website as of 09/28/2020.

Acorns

$20 Investment Bonus

  • Open an Acorns account (new users only)
  • Set up the Recurring Investments feature
  • Have your first investment be made successfully via the Recurring Investments feature

Which is Better: Charles Schwab or Acorns?

Still need help deciding which investing is better? Read the in-depth reviews below. You may also be interested in comparing Charles Schwab or Robinhood.

In short: Acorns' mobile app and ease of use are notable. In particular, the ease of use is outstanding.


Articles on Charles Schwab

Charles Schwab Review

Charles Schwab is one of the oldest names in the world of investing. With low fees, no account minimums, and robust research tools, it's a good brokerage for all levels of investors.

Articles on Acorns

Acorn App Review

Acorns automatically invests your spare change. But can it help make you money? Find out if this app is safe and legit.

Is Acorns Legit

Acorns lets you invest spare change from every purchase. But is it safe to use? Learn just how secure the micro-investing app is.

How to Make Money Using Acorns

Acorns "rounds up" everyday purchases and invests it for you. What's the catch? Read this review to find out how to make money using the app.

Comments

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