Acorns and Stash are two of the most popular finance apps on the market, offering customers a convenient way to save and invest their money. Choosing between the two depends on various factors such as the features you require, the type of investments you are interested in, your budget, and other unique elements offered by each app.
Let’s compare Acorns and Stash on some critical factors for investors.
Investment Plans: Acorns vs. Stash
Acorns and Stash both provide multiple investment plans with different service tiers. Here’s a breakdown of their plans and costs:
Acorns offers the following service plans:
- Personal: Includes an individual investing account, an IRA, and a cash management account for $3 per month.
- Personal plus: Adds a 1% IRA match, spending rewards, and more for $6 per month.
- Premium: Provides life insurance, custodial accounts for children, and more for $12 per month.
On the other hand, Stash offers:
- Stash Growth: Includes an individual investing account, a cash management account, and $1,000 in life insurance for $3 per month.
- Stash+: Adds custodial accounts, premium investment advice, and more for $9 per month.
When it comes to investment choices, Stash offers a slight advantage with more options at a lower price point.
Investment Choices and Costs: Acorns vs. Stash
Stash provides a wider range of options for investors to tailor their portfolios, while Acorns focuses on preselected portfolios with ETFs. Both apps offer low-cost funds, but Stash allows users to buy individual stocks right from the entry tier.
While Stash gives you more freedom to choose your investments, Acorns offers a unique option to allocate a portion of your portfolio to a Bitcoin fund.
Advantage: Stash offers more choices at a lower price, making it ideal for investors looking for customization.
Cash Management Accounts: Acorns vs. Stash
Both Acorns and Stash provide robust cash management accounts with various features, including no overdraft fees, early direct deposits, and FDIC insurance. Acorns, however, stands out for paying interest on your balance.
Advantage: Acorns wins in this category due to its interest-bearing account.
Other Features: Acorns vs. Stash
Acorns and Stash offer similar features like basic planning tools, automatic rebalancing, and round-ups on purchases. Stash excels in providing educational content, while Acorns focuses more on micro-investments.
Advantage: Stash may be preferred for investors seeking educational resources.
Account Types: Acorns vs. Stash
Both apps offer individual taxable investing accounts, retirement accounts, and managed portfolios. Acorns includes a wider range of retirement account options, while Stash offers access to custodial accounts at a lower price.
Advantage: Acorns is ideal for users needing a SEP IRA, while Stash caters to those looking for custodial accounts.
Transfer Fees: Acorns vs. Stash
When it comes to transfer fees, Stash has a clear advantage over Acorns, charging lower fees for moving your investments to another broker.
Advantage: Stash wins in this category with lower transfer fees.
Final Thoughts
Deciding between Acorns and Stash depends on your specific needs and preferences. Acorns is great for those seeking a basic portfolio with essential features at a low cost, while Stash is ideal for investors looking for more customization and additional investment features.