Seedling is a flat monthly subscription. $5/month for one child. $8/month for up to four children in the same household. No percentage-of-assets fee, no minimum balance, no transaction fees on individual contributions, no upsell to a "premium" plan.
That's the whole pricing page. Everything below is detail.
What's Included
Every plan gets every feature. There's no feature-gated tier.
- Round-up contributions on all linked cards and accounts
- Recurring contributions on any schedule
- Paycheck-match contributions (percent of direct deposit)
- Booster months (2x or 3x round-ups)
- Multi-contributor tracking (grandparents and family using the same account)
- $5,000 annual cap enforcement (stops contributions automatically at the cap)
- Monthly balance summary email
- IRS Form 4547 Filler access
- Growth Calculator and Fund Recommendation tools
- Plaid connection to your bank
- Email and in-app support
What Seedling Doesn't Charge
- No percentage of assets. Many child-investing apps charge 0.25%–1% per year on the balance. On a $50,000 account, that's $125–$500/year. Seedling's flat $5 doesn't scale with the balance.
- No transaction fees. Each round-up or contribution is free. ACH costs are absorbed by Seedling.
- No fund fees. The expense ratio on your chosen fund is charged by the fund issuer (Vanguard, Fidelity, etc.), not by Seedling. Typical range: 0.00%–0.08% for index funds.
- No custody fees. Robinhood and BNY Mellon handle custody without charging the 530A.
- No transfer-out fees from Seedling. If you decide to stop using Seedling, you cancel. The 530A continues at Robinhood untouched. Your bank connection disconnects.
The Cost Over 18 Years
At $5/month for 18 years: $1,080 total. At $8/month (multi-child household): $1,728 total.
Compare to a percentage-based app at 0.5%/year on a $50,000 average balance over 18 years: approximately $4,500 in fees. On a $100,000 average balance: $9,000.
The flat-fee structure matters more the more you contribute. Families who max out the $5,000 annual cap are the ones who save the most from flat pricing.
What About the $1 Fee Thing I Saw on the App Store?
Some users see Seedling advertised at a lower price in certain markets or launch promotions. Launch pricing is temporary. The stable, long-term price is $5/child/month or $8/family/month (4 kids or fewer).
We maintain pricing transparency as an operational commitment. When pricing changes, current users are grandfathered for at least 12 months, and every change is communicated 60 days in advance.
Is Seedling Free?
No. There is no free tier. We don't sell user data, don't run ads, and don't collect a percentage of your child's money — the $5/month is the entire business model. The math works because Seedling has low per-user costs and a narrow product focus.
If you're looking for a truly free option: you can manage 530A contributions manually through your brokerage (Robinhood's app lets you set up recurring transfers for free). Seedling's automation is the thing you're paying for — round-ups, paycheck matching, multi-contributor tracking, and cap enforcement. Without those, the brokerage handles the basics.
Billing and Cancellation
- Billed monthly via the app store (iOS/Android) or directly through Seedling.
- Cancel any time. No cancellation fee. No retention waits.
- Refunds within 7 days of purchase.
- 30-day grace period after cancellation before Seedling disconnects from your bank. Already-scheduled contributions during grace still transfer.
What Happens to Your 530A If You Cancel Seedling
Nothing. The 530A exists at Robinhood (or your chosen brokerage) independent of Seedling. Cancelling Seedling:
- Stops new round-ups and recurring contributions
- Disconnects the Plaid link to your bank
- Leaves the 530A account, its balance, and its holdings entirely unchanged
- Preserves all historical contribution data and monthly summaries for download
You can re-enable Seedling later without any reconnection process other than re-linking Plaid.
Common Questions
Do I pay per contribution?
No. A family making 100 round-ups in a month pays the same $5 as a family making 10.
Is there a family plan?
Yes. $8/month for up to four children in the same household. Each child's 530A is tracked independently, and contributions from any parent or grandparent can be allocated to any child.
Does Seedling take a cut of the $1,000 government deposit?
No. The $1,000 is deposited by the Treasury directly into your child's Robinhood 530A. Seedling never touches it and never sees it — it's a government-to-brokerage transfer that happens whether you use Seedling or not.
What if I only use Seedling for a few months?
Cancel any time. You pay only for the months you use it.
Are there any upsells?
No. Every feature is included. We don't sell "premium" tiers, additional asset classes, managed portfolios, or advisory services.
Is Seedling a registered investment advisor?
No. Seedling is a contribution automation service, not an RIA. We don't recommend funds, don't manage investments, and don't charge based on assets — which are the activities that would require RIA registration. See How Seedling Works.
The Bottom Line
$5/month for one kid. $8/month for up to four. No percentage fee, no transaction fees, no upsells. Cancel any time. The 530A itself is free — Seedling is the automation on top.
If your 530A isn't open yet, the Form 4547 Filler gets it opened in about five minutes. Pricing applies after the account is open.
Pricing is current as of publication. Rates may change with 60-days' notice to existing users. See our terms of service for full details.