# Can You Buy Individual Stocks on Acorns? What to Know About Custom Portfolios Apr 17, 2026 ## In a nutshell - Customization meets diversification: Acorns Gold subscribers can add individual stocks and ETFs to a Custom portfolio. - To help manage risk, you can allocate up to 50% of your investments to your Custom portfolio. - Your Round-Ups® and Recurring Investments are automatically split between your Base and Custom portfolios. ## How Acorns Custom Portfolios Work By default, the Acorns app helps you start small by investing your spare change into a Base portfolio. This is a diversified mix of ETFs—essentially baskets of stocks and bonds—designed by experts to help give your money a chance to grow over time. When you upgrade to Acorns Gold, you unlock the ability to create a Custom Portfolio. Here is how the two-part structure works: - **Base portfolio**: This remains the foundation of your account, managed by Acorns and diversified in ETFs which invest in thousands of stocks and bonds. - **Custom portfolio**: This is where you choose specific companies or specialized ETFs you want to own. ### Allocation Limits and Your Investment Profile To help you stay diversified, Acorns uses guardrails. Depending on your investment profile, you can allocate up to 50% of your total Acorns Invest account to your Custom portfolio. For example, if your profile is set to Moderate, you might have 70% of your money in your diversified Base portfolio and 30% in your Custom portfolio picks. ## Investing in Specific Companies With Custom Portfolios, you aren’t limited to broad market funds. You can invest in specific companies from a curated list of individual stocks. Whether you want to back a brand you use every day or a company whose mission you believe in, you can add those shares directly to your account. Your Round-Ups® and Recurring Investments are also automated to support your choices. When you transfer money into your Invest account, it is automatically split between your Base and Custom portfolios according to the percentages you’ve set. ## The Case for Diversification: What the Data Shows While picking individual stocks can be exciting, it’s important to understand the risks. Diversification—the practice of spreading your investments across many different assets—is designed to help manage risk. The historical data suggests that for most people, a diversified approach is a reliable path to long-term wealth which also helps mitigate market risk: - Active vs. Passive: Over a 15-year period, more than 90% of U.S. large-cap active equity funds lagged the S&P 500 (Source: SPIVA U.S. Mid-Year 2025 Report). - Stock Performance: A study from Arizona State University found that 58.6% of individual stocks actually reduced shareholder wealth between 1926 and 2022 (Source: Hendrik Bessembinder, ASU, 2023). At Acorns, we provide the tools for you to pick stocks, but we always lead with the Base portfolio to ensure your financial foundation remains strong. ## Is Acorns Gold Right for You? Acorns offers three main subscription tiers to fit your stage of life: - **Acorns Bronze ($3/mo)**: Includes essential investing tools like Round-Ups® and a diversified Base portfolio. - **Acorns Silver ($6/mo)**: Adds features like a 1% IRA match in your Acorns Later retirement account. - **Acorns Gold ($12/mo)**: Unlocks the full suite of tools, including Custom Portfolios, a 3% IRA match, and a no-cost Will (valued at $259) to help plan for your family’s future. ### Can you buy or pick individual stocks on Acorns? Yes. You can add individual stocks and ETFs to your portfolio using the Custom Portfolios feature, which is available on the Acorns Gold plan. ### What percentage of my portfolio can be in individual stocks? You can allocate up to 50% of your total Acorns Invest account to individual securities in your Custom portfolio, depending on your investment profile. ### Which Acorns plan do you need to invest in individual stocks? You need an Acorns Gold subscription to invest in individual stocks. ### What's the difference between the Base portfolio and Custom Portfolio? The Base portfolio is an expert-built, diversified mix of ETFs managed by Acorns, while the Custom Portfolio is a selection of individual stocks and ETFs chosen by you. ### How do I get started with Custom Portfolios on Acorns? To get started, tap **Customize your portfolio** within the **Invest** tab of your Acorns app. Choose from a curated list of individual stocks and ETFs and how much to invest for each. After saving your choices, your portfolio’s ready to go! ## Start Managing Your Future Whether you want the total automation of our expert-built portfolios or the added control of picking your own stocks, Acorns is built to help you look after your financial best interests. Tap [here](https://www.acorns.com/) to start investing with Acorns. 🌱