With this Twine app review, you will see how this online savings and investing tool can help couples work towards their joint financial goals.
While there are a lot of factors that affect couples and other relationships in general, money matters definitely play a huge part.
In fact, according to the 2014 American Psychological Association (APA) Stress in America survey, “almost a third of adults with partners (31 percent) reported that money is a major source of conflict in their relationship.”
More so, another study by APA entitled, “For Richer, for Poorer: Money as a Topic of Marital Conflict in the Home. Family Relations” backed those survey findings. In this study, they found that “couples’ arguments about money tend to be more intense, more problematic and more likely to remain unresolved.“
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However, no matter what, still, there are lots of couples who try to manage their finances together.
In fact, a 2019 survey conducted by Policygenius, an online insurance marketplace, found that the majority (78%) of American adults in relationships keep and manage their finances with their partner.
It’s probably safe to say that at least the majority of American couples still believe in teamwork among them. Better yet, at least they are still willing to try and see for themselves if they can work on reaching their joint financial goals.
Sure, the ride won’t be easy, but at least the will to try is there, right?
Anyway, if you are one of those couples, then, we’ve got good news for you!
There are tools out there that are specifically designed to help couples work towards their financial goals (which could be a dream vacation with the family, a wedding, your child’s first birthday, a house, a new car, etc) — and one of them is the Twine app.
It’s a savings and investing app that was created by life insurance giant, John Hancock. The app allows couples to set up automated savings in a high-yield account, or to invest in different portfolios.
In the next sections, we are going to know more about the Twine app, and hopefully, in the end, be able to gauge if this tool is perfect for you and your partner.
In particular, this Twine app review will focus on providing answers to the following questions:
- What is Twine App?
- Who is Twine App best for?
- What does Twine App offer?
- How does Twine App work?
- Are there fees involved?
- Is Twine App safe?
- What to like about Twine App?
- What not to like about Twine App?
WHAT IS TWINE APP?
Twine is a mobile application that was established in 2014 and is specially designed for couples who want to work on reaching a joint financial goal.
Designed and created by life insurance giant, John Hancock, Twine gives users access to both a savings account and an investment account.
By using the Twine app, couples can set up specific savings and investment goals and turn on automated transfers to make them real.
To know more about Twine based on user experience, here’s an insightful report from CGTN America:
Unlike a typical joint account, this app allows couples to keep separate accounts. What happens is by automating Twine, the app gets to pool funds together to help reach the couple’s financial goals.
It’s actually a unique feature in the current automated savings app landscape since most apps support only one user.
Twine app offers a cash savings account that allows account holders to earn a fairly competitive variable interest rate. Currently, the rate is about 100 times what consumers get at big traditional banks. However, the rate is about half of what you can get from top online savings accounts out there. Nevertheless, still a good rate.
Furthermore, on the investment part, Twine uses low-cost exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to helps customers grow their money at low costs.
Once you’ve set up your account, you will see a recommended portfolio, which is based on your personal goals and risk tolerance as a couple.
Twine is powered by John Hancock, one of the top financial institutions for insurance and investment. It is a big, trustworthy, and reliable company that offers insured accounts, including the ones offered via Twine.
All cash accounts are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) for up to $250,000, while invested accounts are insured by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) for up to $500,000.
WHO IS TWINE APP BEST FOR?
Obviously, the Twine app is best for couples who want to work on a joint financial goal, at the same time, be able to keep separate accounts.
The app offers savings and investment products, which makes it easier to save money to be able to fund future activities or purchases.
Since everything is automated, the app should appeal to couples who want to keep a joint savings and investment account sans the hassle of having to do everything manually.
Twine app is all-digital, which means it’s a good option for couples who want to manage finances online and does not want to be bothered going to physical branch locations like what traditional banks require.
In addition, Twine is also best for people who want to start with a small amount to save since the app’s savings feature is free and has no minimum charge for investing.
WHAT DOES TWINE APP OFFER?
As mentioned, Twine offers both savings and investment accounts.
The Twine savings account pays a fairly competitive rate, which currently is at 1.05% annually. This is a variable rate, which means it can change anytime with market interest rates.
If you think about it, the majority of savings apps do not offer interest. Meanwhile, the largest banks in the country offer very low interest. So, if compared, sure there are other online savings accounts that offer higher rates, but Twine savings account is definitely something worth having as well, and the rate still helps make it more appealing.
The Twine app savings account is FDIC-insured under John Hancock, which means all deposits are insured for up to $250,000 per depositor in the event of a bank failure.
To get started with a Twine savings account, you need at least a $5 initial deposit.
Meanwhile, the Twine app also offers an investment account. The account is available as soon as your balance hits $5.
Basically, this account puts your money into one of three portfolios that are made up of low-cost ETFs.
The portfolio, which could be aggressive, moderate, or conservative will be based on several factors like your age, current savings, as well as your willingness to take risks.
Similar to the Twine savings account, the app’s investment offering is also insured. Twine investment accounts are insured by the SIPC for up to $500,000.
Additionally, it is important to know that, unlike other traditional advisory firms, Twine does not require any minimum account balance or even make minimum deposit amounts. It’s all up to you and your partner how much you want to save and invest.
HOW DOES TWINE APP WORK?
Now that you already know what Twine is all about and what it has to offer, in this part of our Twine app review, we are going to talk about how to actually get started with it.
To begin with, setting up an account with Twine is quick and easy. You basically just have to go to the Twine website, and then click the Get Started button.
You will then be asked to provide your email address and your preferred password. Then, you will get to access the account pages.
You will need to connect your bank account to your Twine account to be able to set up a recurring savings deposit. It does not matter how much you want to deposit and how often. It’s all up to you and your partner, of course.
For instance, if you are saving up for a house or for your wedding, you and your partner can opt to set up a deposit of $100 every week or $500 monthly. Again, it’s all up to you.
The rule applies if you opt to start an investment account. You can pick investment goals from a laundry of list or you can opt to choose custom goals.
Remember that each goal generates a conservative, moderate, or aggressive portfolio based on your answers to questions on risk tolerance, asset level, holding periods, as well as other personal information.
By the way, once you are done setting up your Twine account, you can simply “Invite” your partner to join the account with you. All your partner needs to do is download the app, connect their bank account, and similarly, set up a recurring payment of their own as well.
What’s nice about using the Twine app is that it allows the users to change, pause, or cancel savings at any time. You and your partner can also make one-time transfers, as well as set up one or multiple goals.
More so, you get to decide what specifically you want to invest or save money for.
Also, since the app lets you set up your recurring transfers, it makes things so much easier. Needless to say, you don’t have to worry about inconsistencies and missing a week or a month when you’re supposed to deposit your preferred amount.
Withdrawals from your Twine account can be requested with just a few clicks on the account interface. However, the funds may be available within seven to ten business days.
The process is quite slow as compared to the industry average.
It is important to know that individual account holders cannot use margin or borrow from their Twine account. Also, the platform does not offer banking services.
Mobile Access
Unfortunately, the Twine app is currently available for iOS devices only. Yes, you read it right. So sorry for Android users, this app is not available to you. But, who knows, maybe Twine is already working on that. Let’s hope for the best.
Meanwhile, Android (and even iOS) users may opt to use Twine on the web through a browser for now.
Customer Support
Twine website has an FAQ page wherein customers get to find answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about the app and what it has to offer.
However, in case you need assistance, Twine has a support link that leads customers to a Twine Support Center applet. Additionally, there are also available live chat links.
On the FAQ page, you will also find a phone number as well as an email address. There is also a Contact Us page that is linked to the form entry page.
For phone customer support, you may reach them between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Again, Twine does not have a physical branch location like traditional banks so if you have concerns about your account, you only have the above-mentioned options to choose from to get to reach help from Twine.
ARE THERE FEES INVOLVED?
Unfortunately, using the Twine app is not for free. However, the cost is low as compared to other financial apps out there.
For the Twine savings account, there are no monthly costs or fees. The savings account is actually managed by a well-known third-party processor called Apex. Apex may charge fees for less-common activities like paper statements, wire transfers, as well as overdrafts.
Meanwhile, Twine’s investment feature costs $0.25 per month for every $500 invested or 0.60% without minimums.
While others may find the 0.60% higher as compared to fees charged by other investment apps out there, the lack of a minimum makes the app more competitive and appealing for users especially the ones with low balances.
IS TWINE APP SAFE?
Twine app offers an easy-to-read, mobile-ready website as well as an iOS mobile application that features enhances account management features.
As mentioned, currently, the app is not available for Android devices.
Twine understands the importance of data and account safety and security. Thus, the app in particular provides biometric as well as two-factor authentication to avoid a data breach.
Just so you know, the same amount of security is in place on Twine’s website.
As mentioned, both savings accounts and investment accounts are insured by the FDIC and the SIPC, respectively. So, in case of a bank failure, you either get as much as $250,000 for the savings account or $500,000 for investment accounts.
WHAT TO LIKE ABOUT TWINE APP?
In this section, you will find a summary of the things that stand out for us about the Twine app, which includes the following:
- Easy Account Set-up Process – To set up a Twine account, you may either opt to do it online or mobile. Nevertheless, whichever you choose, the overall account setup process is quick and easy.
- Savings Account Earns Interest – Although not the best of all, it is nice knowing that Twine savings account lets customers earn a little more from their money.
- Owned by John Hancock – John Hancock is the maker of Twine, which is one of the top financial institutions for insurance and investment, and has been in the business for over a hundred years.
- No Fees for Savings – The Twine savings account does not charge monthly fees.
- Automated Joint Savings – With Twine, couples can work on achieving their financial goals without having to worry about keeping up because everything is automated.
- FDIC-Insured – Through John Hancock, all savings deposits are insured for up to $250,000 per depositor in case the bank fails.
- SIPC-Insured – Apart from savings, investment accounts are also insured via SIPC. All investments are insured for up to $500,000.
WHAT NOT TO LIKE ABOUT TWINE APP?
To complete our review on the Twine app, listed below are some of the things to not like about it or something that the company could work on in the future:
- Interest Rate at Online Banks is Higher – Although what Twine savings offer is quite reasonable and fairly competitive, some online banks still offer higher rates.
- Not Available for Android Devices – Unfortunately, the Twine app is only available for iOS devices at the moment. If you are an Android user but want to take advantage of what it has to offer, you may open an account via its website instead.
- Lower Fees Elsewhere – Twine charges a 0.60% investment account fee. While it is competitive, you can still find lower rates offered by other online financial platforms out there.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON TWINE APP
Twine is a mobile application that focuses on helping couples work towards their joint financial goals. It offers both savings and investing tools that offer reasonable, fairly competitive rates.
The financial app is powered by one of the leading insurance and investment companies, John Hancock, which makes it more trustworthy and reliable.
While the app has its share of highs and lows, what we like the most is the fact that it helps couples achieve certain goals, at the same time, be able to keep individual bank accounts. Don’t you just love that, too?