# Backer: Smart 529 Savings — Simple, fast, fun way to 529 > Open and manage a tax-advantaged 529 college savings plan. (iPhone/iPad app by Principly, Inc..) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backer-smart-529-savings/id1486259059 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Principly, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1473295597) - Category: Finance, Education - Price: Free - Rating: 4.70/5 from 504 App Store ratings · 27 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 15.6 · 64 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2019-12-11 - Data updated: 2026-08-25 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backer-smart-529-savings/id1486259059/reviews.md ## What is Backer? Welcome to Backer! Easily open a 529 plan for your child, invite family & friends to chip in, and watch your savings grow. Join the 250K+ parents and kids we’ve already helped avoid over $500 million in student debt. TO COLLEGE AND BEYOND! Studies have shown that having even a bit of college savings can propel a young person toward the college of their dreams. With Backer, you can supercharge this effect by building a team of supporters (“backers”) for your kid. • SIMPLE - Get the right 529 plan for your child in just a few minutes • SMART - Enroll for free, fund your account, and set up recurring contributions • SOCIAL - Boost your savings with gifts from family & friends A TOP-TIER 529 PLAN 529s are confusing, with over 100 different options. We’ve done the hard work of evaluating them so we can recommend the right one for your family in just a few minutes. SUPER SIMPLE SAVINGS Paperless setup. Automated contributions. Real-time projected savings. It's everything you need to manage your fund, all from your phone. GIFTS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE Every fund has a custom link that’s easy to share, so family & friends can contribute. Think birthdays, holidays... Wednesdays. SAVE MONEY FOR COLLEGE TAX-FREE A 529 is like a retirement account for education, featuring tax-free growth and withdrawals. Your Backer 529 savings can be used to cover all kinds of education expenses, not just college tuition. Think books and supplies, housing, various K12 expenses, bootcamps, apprenticeships, and more. If you've been wondering how you'll be able to save enough for college, a 529 plan is the answer. SECURITY YOU CAN TRUST Your account is protected with the strongest available browser encryption and secure servers monitored 24/7/365. Your 529 investments are managed in a government-sponsored account that you can access any time. NEED OUR HELP? Head over to help.backer.com or reach out to our team at support@backer.com with any questions. Disclosures: This app is operated by Principly, Inc., an SEC-registered investment adviser using the trade name Backer. Investing involves risks, and any account you open or send money to may lose value. Investing in 529 plans in particular involves certain tax considerations and related risks. For disclosures, see backer.com/legal. "Backer" is a registered trademark of Principly, Inc. Copyright © 2026. ## Key features - Open 529 plan quickly - Invite family and friends to contribute - Automated recurring contributions - Tax-free growth and withdrawals - Paperless setup - Real-time projected savings ## What do users think of Backer? Overall sentiment: mixed **Pros** - 👍 User-friendly and intuitive interface - 💡 Simplifies 529 college savings setup - 🎁 Easy shareable links for gift contributions - 👥 Multi-user fund management capabilities - 📱 Clean and modern app design - 🔒 Strong security measures for accounts - ⭐ Excellent customer support - 🎯 Great for grandparents tracking multiple accounts **Cons** - 💰 Unexpected monthly fees ($2-5) - 🐛 Broken preview links for account sharing - 🐛 Save button non-functional across platforms - 🐛 Profile editing issues on mobile app - ⚠️ Contributions not automatically invested - ⚠️ Slow withdrawal processing (monthly only) - ⚠️ Gift transaction reliability issues - 🔐 Privacy policy concerns with data sharing - ❌ Incomplete onboarding process after verification **Commonly reported bugs** - Save button doesn't work on any platform version - Profile editing not functional on iPhone app - Financial page loads only partially (vertical cut-off) - Broken preview page link for account sharing - Contributor name incorrectly displays for joint managers - Gift emails cancelled without notice or reason - Gifts not applied to correct accounts - Missing next steps after bank account verification - App performance slow with occasional glitches **Most requested features** - One-time contribution option - Direct deposit/automatic weekly deposits - Faster ACH processing and instant withdrawals - Plaid integration for easier deposits - Gear/settings icon on mobile app - Automatic investment of contributions - Better gift transaction tracking and notifications ## Recent user reviews (10 of 27) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backer-smart-529-savings/id1486259059/reviews.md ### 2/5 — Good but needs improvements *2023-05-05, version 1.21.0* I love the idea and the app is generally easy to use, but I’ve identified a few bugs/areas for improvement that have made the app pretty frustrating to use. 1. I can’t figure out a way to make a one-time contribution. The only option seems to be to adjust my recurring contribution, but I was hoping to dump some extra money into the fund when I find myself with extra money in my checking account. 2. I made my husband a fund manager on my kids’ account, but the app somehow changed my name to his as well. So when our kids receive contributions from each of us, his name shows up as the contributor for both transactions. Not great for record-keeping. 3. My daughter’s birthday is coming up and I’m planning to send friends and family a link to her Backer account, so I was fussing with some settings on the backend. I was trying to preview what it would look like as a prospective backer, but the link to the preview page was broken. Argh. ### 5/5 — 529s on easy mode *2023-04-30, version 1.20.0* As a parent looking for an efficient way to save for my child's college education, Backer hits the mark like never before! The app simply blew me away with its user-friendly interface and seamless integration of tax-free savings options. Planting the seed for my son’s educational future has never been so easy. The app not only helps me track our progress but also provides excellent tips and guidance on choosing the best 529 plan for our family. This makes it tailor-made for first-time savers as well as seasoned investors. Accessing and monitoring my account is a breeze, with top-notch security measures to ensure our hard-earned money stays safe. And as an added bonus, the app's customer support always goes above and beyond, providing timely answers to any questions that sprout up. They're always eager to help and keep my peace of mind intact. In conclusion, the Backer App is a fantastic tool for any ambitious parent who wants to nurture the growth of their little sapling's higher education fund. I highly recommend this app to harvest those valuable tax-free savings and give your child the brightest future possible. Don't leaf it to chance – start saving now, and watch your investments grow! 🌱🎓💰 ### 5/5 — Great way to save for your daughters education *2023-04-30, version 1.20.0* I was really confused about how to set everything up for my child until I heard about this app. I found it very intuitive to use. ### 1/5 — Did Not Invest My Contributions *2022-06-22, version 1.10.0* I have put thousands into my daughter’s 529 via backer yet it’s not actually invested. They charge 5 dollars a month to be a checking account. I’ve also had a hard time with their customer service. ### 3/5 — Great service but marginal app *2022-03-24, version 1.9.4* I started a 529 for my daughter via Backer but have been frustrated by bugs or missing components in the iPhone app. For instance, I cannot save any edits I make to my profile and there is no gear symbol to update my daughter’s profile like in the desktop web-based version. In fact, at this time, the “Save” button doesn’t work on any version of the Backer platform. This is an elementary stuff, please fix your user interfaces! ### 1/5 — Trustworthy *2021-12-13, version 1.9.0* I was asked to verify my bank account. However, after giving my banking information there were no “next steps”. ### 5/5 — Amazing savings app *2021-05-05, version 1.8.0* What a beautiful app. Love the fresh new look and intuitive interface! It’s made saving for our kid so easy. It let me add my partner to help manage the fund. Best of all we get a link to our kid’s fund so that it’s simple to collect gifts for her birthday. Keep up the great work! ### 2/5 — Objection. *2021-04-01, version 1.6.0* I object to the $4.50. The added “tip” to my donation of $50.00 ### 4/5 — Upgrades needed *2021-03-01, version 1.5.4* The app and savings is great. I just wish it was possible that they a deposit account were I can direct deposit to every week or two weeks. It is like putting my account on auto pilot. Growing the account faster. Because waiting for the one withdrawal a month is lame. Something may happen and you need that money. Also, wish that they could withdraw the money much faster. Like other app withdrawal instant or that night. Faster ACH processing. And connected to plaid to make deposits to the account. ### 1/5 — Surprise - there’s a fee *2021-02-13, version 1.5.4* I wanted to use this to link to my existing NY 529 plans that have no app. Easy setup and link - all good. After linking, it forces you into choosing a monthly fee to continue. They get all your data and then surprise, they want $2 a month. ## Frequently asked questions about Backer ### What is Backer: Smart 529 Savings? This app helps you easily open a 529 plan, a tax-advantaged savings account for education expenses. It allows you to invite family and friends to contribute to your child's fund and provides tools for managing your savings. ### How does Backer help me save for college? It simplifies the process of opening a 529 plan, recommends a suitable plan for your family, and allows for automated contributions. You can also leverage social contributions from friends and family to boost your savings. ### Is there a cost to use Backer? Based on the provided information, the app itself is free to use. While the 529 plan involves investments, the app facilitates the setup and management without upfront charges. ### What kind of education expenses can I use the savings for? The 529 savings can be used for a wide range of education expenses, including college tuition, books, supplies, housing, and even certain K12 expenses, bootcamps, and apprenticeships. Withdrawals for qualified expenses are tax-free. ### How secure is my money with Backer? The app utilizes strong browser encryption and secure servers monitored 24/7/365 for account protection. Your 529 investments are held in a government-sponsored account that you can access at any time. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.28.0 — 2026-08-15 A few small improvements to help you save better together! ### 1.27.3 — 2026-05-03 A few small improvements to help you save better together! ### 1.27.2 — 2026-03-12 A few small improvements to help you save better together! ### 1.27.1 — 2026-03-02 A few small improvements to help you save better together! ### 1.27.0 — 2025-10-25 A few small improvements to help you save better together! ## Apps similar to Backer | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Mostt: Investing for Parents](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mostt-investing-for-parents/id6596767612) | 4.7 (58) | Free | Finance | | [Sootchy: 529 College Savings](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sootchy-529-college-savings/id1456803875) | 4.2 (24) | Free | Finance | | [Save - Get more from your cash](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/save-get-more-from-your-cash/id1532630119) | 3.2 (52) | Free | Finance | | [Daffy: Save, Invest, Give](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/daffy-save-invest-give/id1578035540) | 4.9 (507) | Free | Finance | | [Purple - Banking & Benefits](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/purple-banking-and-benefits/id6452120048) | 3.8 (13) | Free | Finance | | [Halfmore: Roth IRA for Child](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/halfmore-roth-ira-for-child/id6502849053) | 4.8 (71) | Free | Finance | ## Related topics [ugift529](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/ugift529) · [iadvisor 529 plan](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/iadvisor-529-plan) · [njbest](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/njbest) · [college savings](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/college-savings) · [college savings plan](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/college-savings-plan) · [my529](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/my529) --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-25.*