Acorns vs. Webull: Points to Remember
• Robo accounts can be opened at both Acorns and Webull.
• Only Webull has self-directed (brokerage) accounts.
• Cash-management resources are available at both firms, although these differ significantly.
Webull vs. Acorns Introduction
Before opening your next securities account, be sure to consider Webull and Acorns. Because investing is only part of the picture at both firms, you may find more than you bargained for.
Pricing
| Broker Fees |
Stock/ETF
Commission |
Mutual Fund
Commission |
Options
Commission |
Maintenance
Fee |
Annual IRA
Fee |
|
Acorns
|
na
|
na
|
na
|
$3, $6, or $12 per month
|
$3, $6, or $12 per month
|
|
Webull
|
$0
|
na
|
$0 per contract
|
$0
|
$0
|
Promotion Links
Acorns:
Get $20 when you open an Acorns account with this referral link.
Webull:
Get 4% deposit or transfer match at Webull.
Securities
Webull and Acorns are both securities firms. The similarity stops there, though, as they have different
approaches to investing. Acorns only offers managed accounts, while Webull has both robo and brokerage
accounts. At both firms, a small selection of ETFs is available for automated investing. For
self-managed investing, Webull offers trading in options, stocks, ETFs (a much larger list), bonds, futures,
and closed-end funds.
In return for its services, Webull charges 0.20% for its robo management and nothing for its brokerage
service. Acorns charges a flat monthly fee for its automated service (there are three packages ranging
from $3 to $9 per month).
Winner: Webull
Cash
Besides investing accounts, Acorns offers checking accounts. And these checking accounts really
deliver. For example, Acorns offers a tungsten debit card that earns fractional shares of equities.
The checking account also comes with FDIC insurance, direct deposit, and a
2.08% APY on balances. A linked emergency fund pays
3.34% APY right now. All of these great products are covered
by Acorns’ monthly fee.
Webull has a cash account that comes with no monthly fee but still manages to yield
3.35% per year with FDIC insurance. That’s the end of the road, though, as the perks we found at Acorns, such as debit cards and paycheck splitting, aren’t available at Webull.
Winner: Acorns
Margin Accounts
Although Webull didn’t offer much in the cash category, it hits a home run out of the park for margin
traders. The brokerage firm has some of the lowest interest rates in the industry
(ranging from 8.74% to 4.54%), and its software displays margin details on entered ticker symbols. Examples include overnight leverage and maintenance requirement. An account with at least $2,000 in equity can switch to margin status on the website, and up to 4:1 leverage is available for day trading.
Because Acorns is an advisory company only, it does not offer margin trading.
Winner: Webull
Mobile Apps
Since Acorns is a robo-only investment firm, it tends to emphasize simplicity above all else. As such, its mobile app is pretty basic without any advanced tools of any kind. What is emphasized is Acorns’ long list of financial services, including its checking account, early payday, educational materials, and cash-back program. Using the main menu at the bottom, it’s easy to scroll around and find everything.
The Webull app is a little more complex, although this is because there are a lot of trading tools. There are two order tickets: TurboTrader and Classic. Combined, they deliver a great deal of trading power that includes advanced choices like conditional and bracket orders.
Charts on Webull’s app can be rotated horizontally, and there are some technical indicators and drawing tools. Option chains are on tap as well, and these have integrated spreads. To top off this rather impressive performance, the app has a digital bulletin board that allows Webull clients to chat about individual securities.
Winner: Webull
Websites
Moving onto websites, we find much the same situation, at least at Acorns. The fintech company’s website reproduces mostly the same resources we found on its mobile app. The dashboard on the site has tiles for various possibilities at Acorns, including kids’ accounts, IRAs, refer-a-friend bonuses, and redeeming Acorns gift cards. There’s an e-shopping mall to earn bonuses for making purchases with various retailers. As far as investing goes, there’s not a great deal, although there is a future-value calculator that projects an account’s balance in the future in graphical format based on a variety of inputs.
Webull, once again, emphasizes trading over long-term investment management, although robo accounts can be accessed through its website anyway. Self-directed customers have a web-browser platform this time. The advantage of it over the mobile app is primarily in the realm of charting. There are more technical studies and plot styles. And full-screen mode on a computer screen really helps to see all the intricacies of price action.
Webull’s web-browser platform also has an extra trade ticket. This one is called Price Ladder, and as the name suggests, clickable prices are shown vertically. Time & sales data and Level II quotes help to produce a pro-level feel.
Winner: Webull
Desktop Software
Rounding out the trading picture is advanced desktop software. Webull, but not Acorns, has a sophisticated program that comes with all sorts of bells and whistles, including heat maps, news articles, global index data (but not global trading), a stock screener, simulated trading, and integrated option spreads. Profit-loss diagrams aid in visualization.
Winner: Webull
Supplementary Services
Fully-Paid Lending Income Program: Available at Webull.
Extended Hours: Also available at Webull (only).
Dividend Reinvestment Plans: Automatic dividend reinvesting is possible at both firms.
IPOs: Webull offers Initial Public Offerings.
Fractional Shares: Whole-dollar investing is on tap at both firms.
IRA Service: Roth and Traditional accounts can be opened at either firm. Acorns also has the SEP account.
Winner: Webull
Our Recommendations
Beginners: A robo account at either firm would be a good way to start investing with professional oversight.
Small Accounts: Webull’s automated service requires $100 to begin, while brokerage accounts have no minimum. Acorns has no minimum, either, although the company’s investment service won’t kick in until a securities account reaches a $5 balance.
Retirement Planning & Long-Term Investing: Acorns has better learning materials, which could be used to help manage a nest egg.
Active Stock and ETF Trading: Definitely Webull with either its browser platform or desktop program.
Webull vs Acorns Summary
Acorns has good resources for cash management and financial education. But for actual investing and
trading, Webull is the better option.
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Updated on 12/28/2025.
Chad Morris is a financial writer with more than 20 years experience
as both an English teacher and an avid trader. When he isn’t writing
expert content for Brokerage-Review.com, Chad can usually be found
managing his portfolio or building a new home computer.
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