ACN Review (2026): Can You Really Earn From Other People's Utility Bills?

ACN in One Minute

ACN, originally American Communications Network, is one of the oldest MLMs in telecom. It was founded in 1993 by Robert Stevanovski, Greg Provenzano and brothers Tony and Mike Cupisz, and is based in Concord, North Carolina. Its independent business owners (IBOs) sign up customers for services provided through ACN: landline and VoIP phone service, wireless, internet, TV, home security, and in some areas electricity and natural gas.

ACN is a real company that has operated for more than 30 years in many countries. It became famous in the US when Donald Trump promoted it from 2006 until 2015, which later led to a class action against the Trumps. The business itself pays IBOs a small percentage of their customers' monthly bills, plus bonuses for recruiting. This review explains what that is realistically worth.

What Does It Cost to Become an ACN IBO?

As of 2021, joining ACN cost about $199 upfront, plus a business support fee of about $25 a month. That covers a back office, a personal website, training and support for a year in any country where ACN operates. Over a year, that is roughly $500 before any travel to events, training materials or marketing.

Fees vary by country and change over time, so confirm the current figures in writing before signing up.

How ACN IBOs Get Paid

ACN's model is different from most MLMs, because IBOs mainly sell other companies' services rather than products they buy themselves. The pay plan has three main parts:

1. Customer commissions of about 2% to 8% of your customers' total monthly bills.
2. Team commissions of a smaller percentage of the bills of customers signed up by people you recruit.
3. Recruiting bonuses of about $75 to $600 when new IBOs you recruit sign up a set number of customers quickly.

The percentages are the key point. Here is what customer commissions look like at different levels of total customer billing, using a mid-range rate of 5%:

$1,000 billed$50

$5,000 billed$250

$10,000 billed$500

To earn $500 a month from customers alone, you would need customers spending around $10,000 a month on services through ACN, which could mean 50 to 100 households. Most people cannot reach that from friends and family, which is why the plan's bigger rewards come from recruiting and team building.

What Do ACN IBOs Actually Earn?

ACN's earnings statement has said that only about 1% of its representatives earn income consistent with the top levels of the compensation plan, and that not all representatives make a profit. The company does not guarantee any income. In practice, many IBOs earn little or nothing after their fees, and the 2023 income claims tracked by consumer watchdogs show that sellers still often promote the opportunity with atypical success stories.

Before you join, ask your sponsor for ACN's current income disclosure for your country and look at the median, not the top earners.

ACN's Legal and Regulatory History

• Pennsylvania (2002): ACN settled allegations that IBOs switched customers' services without permission ("slamming") or added unauthorized charges ("cramming"). ACN disputed the claims, and the terms are sealed.
• Montana (2010): the state securities commissioner issued a cease-and-desist order alleging ACN operated as a pyramid scheme. It was vacated in a settlement later that year, with the commissioner finding the problems were isolated and ACN agreeing to more training for its representatives.
• The Trump class action (2018 to 2024): four former participants sued Donald Trump, the Trump Corporation and three of his children, alleging they promoted ACN in exchange for secret payments and misled people into investing. ACN was not a defendant. The federal racketeering claims were dismissed in 2019, the claims against the children were dropped in 2023, and in January 2024 a federal judge dismissed the case and suggested the plaintiffs refile in state court.

None of these resulted in a finding that ACN is a pyramid scheme. But they show the kinds of problems that come with selling services through a large, loosely supervised sales force.

Is ACN a Pyramid Scheme?

No regulator has made that finding. ACN's income is tied to real customers paying for real services, which is a point in its favor. The concern is balance: if most of an IBO's income comes from recruiting bonuses rather than customer bills, the business depends on recruitment. The FTC explains this distinction in its guidance on multi-level marketing and pyramid schemes.

Is ACN a Scam?

No. ACN is a long-established company selling services people genuinely use, and its startup costs are lower than many MLMs. But it is a weak income opportunity for most people. Customer commissions are a small slice of monthly bills, ACN's own statement says few representatives reach the plan's top levels, and the real money depends on recruiting a team.

Pros and Cons

Questions to Ask Before You Join ACN

• What are the current startup and monthly fees in my country?
• What does the current income disclosure say the median IBO earns?
• Can my customers get the same service cheaper directly from the provider?
• How much of my sponsor's income comes from customers versus recruiting?

Who ACN Might Suit

ACN might suit someone who already has a large network of households or small businesses willing to switch services. For most beginners, the math makes it hard to earn meaningful income from customer bills alone.

Our #1 Recommendation for Making Money Online in 2026

If ACN isn't the right fit for you, here's what we suggest instead.

After comparing hundreds of programs over the years, we know what works and what doesn't. In fact, most of the business opportunities are either instant cash grab schemes or scams or they require experience. However, this beginner-friendly system stood out and is our #1 recommendation for 2026.

Other MLM Reviews

• inCruises review: a travel club fined in Poland as a prohibited scheme.
• Scentsy review: a home fragrance MLM that publishes detailed income figures.
• Tranont review: supplements and financial services on monthly packages.

Frequently Asked Questions

Our Verdict on ACN

ACN is a real company with real services, but earning a few percent of other people's utility bills rarely adds up to meaningful income, and its own figures show few reach the top. If you want to build income online, there are better places to start.