Acorns
Built-in referral
US
Acorns is a mobile investment app that automates investing by rounding up purchases to the nearest dollar and investing the difference. Users link bank accounts and debit/credit cards, and Acorns automatically invests small amounts into diversified portfolios of low-cost ETFs based on risk tolerance.
Micro-investing platform that rounds up everyday purchases and invests spare change into diversified ETF portfolios.
Acorns pays $5 per referral (paid as ETF shares to Acorns account), through a referral link that already sits inside the product, with no application. Referee signs up with referrer's unique code and deposits $5 within 14 days. Both parties must maintain good standing (active account, no violations). Referrer's reward credited 30–45 days after referee's deposit settles. The referred customer gets $5 in etf shares (same as referrer). Verified 22 Aug 2026 from Acorns's own published material.
Your commission
$5 per referral (paid as ETF shares to Acorns account)
Referrer receives $5 in ETF shares when referred friend completes signup with referral code and makes $5 deposit within 14 days. Referrer must maintain good standing. Annual cap: $599.99 per calendar year.
Customer incentive
$5 in ETF shares (same as referrer)
Referee receives $5 in ETF shares credited to their Acorns account after completing signup with referral code, making $5 deposit within 14 days, and maintaining good standing.
Paid whenReferee signs up with referrer's unique code and deposits $5 within 14 days. Both parties must maintain good standing (active account, no violations). Referrer's reward credited 30–45 days after referee's deposit settles.
Must you be a customerYes—referrer must have active Acorns account
DurationOne-time bonus per referral; no recurring component
Commission generatedWhen referred customer signs up with referrer's code, deposits $5 (or more), and maintains good standing (30–45 days after deposit settles)
Payment scheduleETF shares credited to referrer's Acorns account 30–45 days after referee's deposit settles
Cash-out minimum$5 per referral (ETF shares only, no cash conversion available)
Payout rails$5 credited as ETF shares in referrer's and referee's accounts. Shares remain in portfolio until user withdraws.
Attribution windowReferral code must be used at signup. 14-day window for referee to deposit $5 (deposit window). Referral code validity not explicitly stated; assumed permanent for existing referrer accounts.
Important
Annual cap of $599.99 per referrer significantly limits earning potential ($5 × 120 referrals max). $5 deposit minimum required for referee; not pure sign-up bonus. 14-day window is short; deposits outside window don't qualify. Rewards paid as ETF shares (not cash), requiring account maintenance to convert. US-only (excludes Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands). 'Good standing' requirement vague but implies account activity monitoring and fraud/compliance checks.
Annual hard cap of $599.99 makes high-volume referrals less valuable than lower-cap programs. Rewards credited as ETF shares rather than cash or account credit. Referral code must be used at signup; adding code post-signup doesn't qualify. Deposit must settle within 14-day window (external bank transfer timing risk). Good standing requirement could result in clawback if account violates terms. Promotional referral bonuses appear occasionally ($10, $15 offers) but limited availability.
The full terms
Everything Acorns publishes about how the commission is earned and paid. A term shown as not researched is one Acorns does not publish, not one that does not apply.
How it pays
Route inBuilt-in: Acorns app or web (Account → Refer) → share unique referral code → distribute via SMS, email, or social
Must you be a customerYes—referrer must have active Acorns account
Commission basis$5 ETF shares per referral (both referrer and referee receive same amount)
DurationOne-time bonus per referral; no recurring component
Commission generatedWhen referred customer signs up with referrer's code, deposits $5 (or more), and maintains good standing (30–45 days after deposit settles)
Payment scheduleETF shares credited to referrer's Acorns account 30–45 days after referee's deposit settles
Cash-out minimum$5 per referral (ETF shares only, no cash conversion available)
Payout rails$5 credited as ETF shares in referrer's and referee's accounts. Shares remain in portfolio until user withdraws.
Attribution windowReferral code must be used at signup. 14-day window for referee to deposit $5 (deposit window). Referral code validity not explicitly stated; assumed permanent for existing referrer accounts.
Self-referralBanned; only new users eligible as referees. Existing Acorns customers ineligible. Referral code fraud prohibited; Acorns reserves clawback rights.
Customer pricing
What the customer pays. Every figure above is calculated from these prices.
Lite$0/month, round-ups only, no recurring fee
Personal$3/month, round-ups + recurring investing + checking account
Family$5/month, all Personal features + family member access
Premium$4.99/month (when billed annually), all features + premium advisory
Automatic Round-upsRound up debit/credit transactions to nearest dollar; invest spare change automatically
Recurring DepositsSchedule daily, weekly, or monthly automatic transfers to investment accounts
Diversified ETF PortfoliosChoose from professionally-allocated portfolios based on risk tolerance (Moderately Conservative to Aggressive)
Check AccountAcorns Cash (FDIC-insured checking; available on Personal plan and above)
IRA InvestingTraditional or Roth IRA with automated investing (available on Personal plan and above)
Verified
Read from Acorns's own published material on . Figures change without notice — quote this date alongside any figure.
Sources
Acorns Referrer Terms ↗Acorns Referral Terms ↗Acorns Official Website ↗
Acorns Referrer Terms: acorns.com/early/referrer-terms/ (official referral program terms)
Acorns Referral Terms: acorns.com/ref-terms/ (referee incentive terms)
Built-in enrollment: confirmed in Acorns mobile app and web interface
Two-sided incentive: $5 for both referrer and referee documented in official terms
Annual cap: $599.99 per referrer per calendar year per official terms
Geographic scope: US-only program (excludes Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands)
All sources verified August 23, 2026
Citing this page
Ancaster, “Acorns affiliate terms”. Verified 22 August 2026. https://ancaster.io/offers/acorns