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Interactive Brokers vs Acorns

Interactive Brokers is a good discount broker for experienced, high volume traders. . How does it compare to Acorns? Read our comparison chart below.

Interactive Brokers offers trades starting at just 0.5 cents per share. It also offers a tiered pricing plan that awards high volume traders with even lower rates. There is a $10,000 opening account minimum ($3,000 for clients 25 and younger). There is a monthly activity fee unless required commission minimums are met.

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

 Acorns
 Learn MoreVisit Site
 

Interactive Brokers

Acorns

SPECIAL OFFER
Referral Program - $200 Bonus - Learn More

Read Interactive Brokers Review

SPECIAL OFFER
$20 Investment Bonus - Learn More

Read Acorns Review

 

Benefits and Features

Savings 
No
Stock TradingIBKR Lite: $0 per share (min $0 per order)
IBKR Pro - Fixed: $0.0005 per share (min $1.00 per order, max 1.0% of trade value)
IBKR Pro - Tiered: Starts at $0.0035 per share for less than 300,000 shares (min $0.35 per order, max 1% of trade value)
Part of service fee. No add-on trading fees.
Options Trading$0.15-$0.65 per contract ($1 minimum per order)
No
Annual Fee
None
  • Acorns Bronze ($3/mo) - includes personal taxable account, IRA, and checking account
  • Acorns Silver ($6/mo) - includes everything in Bronze, emergency fund, 25% match on rewards, and 1% IRA match on Acorns Later contributions
  • Acorns Gold ($12/mo) - includes everything in Silver, investment accounts for kids, 50% match on rewards, custom portfolio, Trust & Will, $10K Life Insurance, free Acorns Early account, and 3% IRA match on Acorns Later contributions
Cryptocurrency Trading0.12% to 0.18% of trade value ($1.75 minimum per order)
No
Minimum Deposit
$0
$0
Checking 
Yes
Mutual Fund Trading$0 for no-transaction-fee funds. For transaction-fee funds, 3% trade value OR $14.95, per transaction, whichever is less
No
Commission Free ETFs
150+
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
$30
Acorns automatically invest and trade for you
Good For Beginners; Passive investors; Those who have trouble saving/investing on their own
Inactivity Fee
$0
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
No
Included in Acorns Bronze ($3/mo). Free metal debit card, no minimum balance, no overdraft fees, and 55,000+ fee-free ATMs nationwide.
Mobile App
Yes
iOS & Android
Desktop App
Yes
 
Two-Factor Authentication 
Yes
Forex TradingAvailable for qualified customers 
Futures Trading
Yes
 
Customer ServiceUnited States: Monday-Friday 8am - 10pm ET; Sunday 1pm - 7pm ET (24/7 Weekday service available in other countries) 
Locations
No
No
Online Community
Yes
No
Seminars
Yes
No
Trading PlatformDesktop, Web Trading, Mobile Apps 
Virtual Trading
Yes
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 TradingStarStarStarStarStar
Options TradingStarStarStarStarStar
Mutual Fund TradingStarStarStarStarEmpty Star
Online PlatformStarStarStarStarStar
BankingStarStarStarStarEmpty Star
Mobile AppStarStarStarStarStarStarStarStarStarHalf Star
Commissions and FeesStarStarStarHalf StarEmpty Star
Ease of UseStarStarStarEmpty StarEmpty StarStarStarStarStarStar
ResearchStarStarStarStarEmpty Star
Annual FeeStarStarStarEmpty StarEmpty Star
Minimum DepositStarStarStarStarStar
Customer ServiceStarStarStarEmpty StarEmpty Star
Pros & ConsPros:
  • Large number of investments, including options, futures, and forex
  • Customize trading platform
  • Tools and opportunities for research
Cons:
  • Platform can be too much for a beginner to understand
  • Complicated pricing structure
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 discount broker for experienced, high volume traders... 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

Referral Program - $200 Bonus

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

Interactive Brokers: Pricing information from published websites as of 10/17/2023.

Acorns: Pricing information from published website as of 11/29/2024.

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: Interactive Brokers or Acorns?

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

In short: Acorns' ease of use is outstanding.


Articles on Interactive Brokers

Interactive Brokers Review

Interactive Brokers offers a robust trading platform that experienced traders favor due to its competitive fee structure and extensive range of trading options.

Articles on Acorns

Acorns

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

Apps Like Acorns

Acorns is one of the best micro-investing apps out there. But is it for everyone? Read on to see some of your alternatives.

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.

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