Silver ($6/month): Everything above + IRA + Checking account + Emergency Fund
Gold ($12/month): Everything above + family investing (custodial accounts) + bonus match
How to Cancel Acorns
Step 1: Withdraw Your Money
Open the Acorns app
Go to your Invest account
Tap "Withdraw" → "Withdraw Everything"
Acorns sells your ETF positions and transfers cash to your linked bank (3-6 business days)
If you have an Acorns Later (IRA), you need to either roll it to another IRA or withdraw (with tax penalties if under 59½)
If you have Acorns Checking, transfer the balance out first
Step 2: Close the Account
Once all balances are $0, go to Settings
Tap "Close Account"
Confirm (Acorns will ask why — pick any reason)
You'll receive a confirmation email
⚠️ Tax Implications of Selling
Withdrawing from Acorns Invest sells your ETF positions, triggering capital gains tax on any gains. For a $500 portfolio with $50 in gains, tax is minimal (~$7-12). But consider an ACAT transfer to Fidelity instead — it moves your ETFs without selling, avoiding taxes entirely. Acorns charges no transfer-out fee.
The ACAT Transfer Option (Tax-Free)
Open a free Fidelity or Schwab account
Initiate an ACAT transfer from the new brokerage's website
Your ETFs transfer directly — no selling, no taxes
Takes 5-7 business days
Once complete, close your Acorns account and cancel the subscription
Why Round-Ups Don't Actually Work
Acorns' signature feature — rounding up purchases and investing the spare change — sounds magical but the math is underwhelming:
Average round-up per purchase: $0.50
Average purchases per month: 40
Monthly round-ups: ~$20
Annual round-ups invested: ~$240
Annual Acorns fee (Bronze): $36
Fee as % of contributions: 15%
You're paying 15% of your investment just in fees. At Fidelity, you can set up a $20/month auto-invest into the same ETFs for $0 in fees. The "spare change" gimmick costs you dearly.
Free Alternatives That Do Everything Acorns Does
Fidelity: $0 fees, fractional shares from $1, auto-invest, IRAs, checking with ATM reimbursement. Does everything Acorns does for free.
Schwab: $0 fees, Intelligent Portfolios (free robo-advisor at $5K+), great customer service
SoFi Invest: $0 fees, auto-invest, 1% match on IRA contributions (no subscription needed)
Every major brokerage now offers fractional shares, auto-invest, and IRAs for free. The things that made Acorns unique in 2014 are table stakes in 2026.
🔍 How Much Are Investment Apps Costing You?
Acorns, Stash, Robinhood Gold, Betterment, stock newsletters — investment-related subscriptions average $20-60/month, directly reducing your returns. JustCancel scans your bank statement to find them all.