About Acorns

Acorns is a leading American financial technology (fintech) and financial services company based in Irvine, California. It is best known for popularizing the concept of micro-investing. The Acorns app allows users to round up their spare change from everyday purchases (credit and debit card transactions) to the nearest dollar and automatically invests the difference into a diversified portfolio of ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds).

Beyond micro-investing, Acorns has expanded its ecosystem to include retirement accounts (Acorns Later), checking accounts (Acorns Checking), and investment accounts for kids (Acorns Early). The brand targets millennials, Gen Z, and novice investors who want to start building wealth with small amounts of money and minimal effort.

Acorns Affiliate Program Overview

The Acorns affiliate program is one of the most popular in the personal finance niche. It operates on a CPA (Cost Per Action) model, meaning affiliates earn money only when they drive a specific action—usually a new user signing up and funding their account.

Category Details
Industry Finance / Fintech / Investment
Product Type Mobile Application (iOS & Android) & Web Platform
Affiliate Program Type CPA (Cost Per Action)

Acorns Affiliate Program Offers

Acorns is strict regarding where their traffic comes from due to financial regulations in the United States. They provide high-quality creative assets but require affiliates to adhere to strict compliance guidelines regarding how the investment advice is presented.

Category Details
Promotional Materials Banners, text links, dedicated landing pages, and compliance-approved copy.
Affiliate Cookie Duration 30 Days
Accepted Traffic Sources Blogs, Content Sites, Social Media (Influencers), Verified Email Lists. (Incentivized traffic is usually prohibited).
Accepted Countries United States (US Residents only)
Explicit Content Strictly Prohibited
Religious or Political Content Generally restricted; content must be brand-safe and not controversial.

Acorns Affiliate Commissions & Payments

The program is designed for professional marketers and content creators rather than a Multi-Level Marketing scheme. The commission is a flat fee for every qualified lead (a user who deposits money).

Category Details
MLM No
Commission Rate typically $10 to $60 per funded account (Rates vary by network and volume).
Commission Structure Single-tier (You earn on your direct referrals only).
Payout Frequency Monthly (usually Net 30 or Net 15 depending on the network).
Payout Methods Direct Deposit (ACH), Wire Transfer, PayPal (via Impact).
Minimum Payout $10 or $50 (Depending on the affiliate network settings).

Suitable Affiliates for Acorns Affiliate

Because Acorns is a mass-market product with a low barrier to entry ($0 to start, small monthly fees), it appeals to a wide audience.

  • Bloggers: Specifically those in the Personal Finance, “Make Money Online,” Frugal Living, and Student Lifestyle niches. Detailed reviews of the app perform well here.
  • TikTokers: Creators who focus on “Financial Hacks,” “Side Hustles,” or “Gen Z Investing.” The visual nature of the “Round-Up” feature works well in short-form video.
  • KOC (Key Opinion Consumers): Everyday users who share their actual returns and savings growth on social media create high trust.
  • KOL (Key Opinion Leaders): Financial advisors or recognized finance experts who can vouch for the safety and legitimacy of Acorns.
  • Influencers: Lifestyle influencers who promote “getting your life together” or “adulting” content.
  • YouTubers: Channels focused on tech reviews, app reviews, and beginner investing tutorials.
  • Video Editors: While not direct promoters, editors who create finance content can use affiliate links in their portfolio descriptions or social bio.
  • Livestreamers: Twitch or YouTube streamers who discuss personal finance or saving goals during “Just Chatting” segments.

Acorns Affiliate Software

Acorns does not use in-house affiliate software for its public affiliate program.

They utilize a third-party affiliate network to manage tracking, payments, and creative assets. Currently, the Acorns affiliate program is primarily hosted on Impact (Impact.com). They have also appeared on FlexOffers and CJ Affiliate in the past, but Impact is their primary partner management platform.

3 Alternatives for Acorns Affiliate Program

If Acorns does not fit your audience, or if you want to offer a comparison, these three apps are the closest competitors in the “beginner investing” space.

Comparison Factor Acorns Stash Robinhood SoFi
Average Bill (User Cost) $3 – $9 / month $3 – $9 / month Free (Gold is $5/mo) Free
Entry Fees (for User)
$5 to invest)
$0 to open $0 to open $0 to open
Withdrawal Threshold (Affiliate) ~$50 (Network limit) ~$50 (Network limit) ~$50 (Network limit) ~$50 (Network limit)
Payment Frequency Net 30 (Monthly) Net 30 (Monthly) Net 30 (Monthly) Net 30 (Monthly)
Commission ~$10 – $60 CPA ~$30 – $80 CPA Free Stock / CPA var. $50 – $150+ CPA
Conversion High (Easy signup) Medium Very High High
Marketing Materials Excellent (Impact) Good (Impact/CJ) Good (Impact) Excellent (Impact/CJ)