Are acrylic nails the same as 'fake' nails?(Two girl conversation)

Kimberly : I want fake nails, and I know acrylics ruin your real nails. Are acrylics the same as 'fake' nails that I would buy at a store vs a salon?

Starcy : Acrylic nails are just add-on nails. It would just take the tip of a fake nail to add the length of your real nail. But however fake nails are like a second layer of nail on your real nail. But actually fake nails are even worse than acrylics. So I would look into getting acrylics not fakes.