When Intuit killed Mint in March 2024, ~3.6 million Americans had to find a new budgeting app. I tested the major options for 90 days each while building a side project during my CFP® study breaks.
What changed in the US budgeting app landscape since 2024?
- Mint shut down → Credit Karma absorbed parts of it (subscription tracking only, no budgeting)
- Monarch Money became the de-facto “Mint replacement”
- Rocket Money pivoted hard toward subscription canceling
- YNAB raised to $109/year (still expensive but unchanged)
- Copilot Money launched Android beta in late 2025
- Empower (formerly Personal Capital) still free + net-worth focused
YNAB (You Need A Budget) — best for zero-based budgeters
Cost: $109/year (~$14.99/month)
Platforms: Web, iOS, Android
Approach: Zero-based — every dollar gets a job before the month starts
What I liked: The discipline. YNAB’s “Four Rules” force you to confront overspending in real time. After 30 days my variable spending dropped 22%.
What I didn’t: Steep learning curve. Took me 3 weeks to feel comfortable. Bank-sync is occasionally flaky for smaller credit unions.
Best for: people who want behavioral change, not just tracking.
Monarch Money — best Mint replacement
Cost: $99.99/year or $14.99/month
Platforms: Web, iOS, Android
Approach: Auto-categorize + track net worth + custom budgets
What I liked: Clean interface, multi-account aggregation, net worth dashboard, partner shared accounts. Closest to “Mint but better.”
What I didn’t: Categorization needs cleanup in week 1. Some smaller banks don’t sync via Plaid reliably.
Best for: ex-Mint users who want tracking + budgeting in one place.
Rocket Money — best for killing subscriptions
Cost: Free tier + Premium $4–$12/month (you set the price in a range)
Platforms: Web, iOS, Android
Approach: Bill negotiation, subscription canceling, basic budgeting
What I liked: Found and canceled 3 forgotten subscriptions in 5 minutes ($47/month). Bill negotiation feature claims to negotiate cable/internet bills — they take 30–60% of savings, but I haven’t tested it personally.
What I didn’t: Budgeting features are basic. Not a true zero-based replacement.
Best for: Subscription cleanup + light tracking.
Copilot Money — best iOS design
Cost: $95/year or $13/month (free 30-day trial)
Platforms: iOS (primary), Android (beta), macOS
Approach: Visual, color-coded category tracking
What I liked: Genuinely beautiful design. Best transaction categorization I tested. AI-powered review of recurring transactions.
What I didn’t: iOS-first means Android users get a less mature product. No partner sharing yet.
Best for: Solo iOS users who care about design.
Empower (formerly Personal Capital) — best free
Cost: Free (they monetize via wealth-management upsell calls)
Platforms: Web, iOS, Android
Approach: Net worth + investment tracking + light budgeting
What I liked: Free + excellent investment tracking. Best for people with brokerage accounts who want one consolidated view.
What I didn’t: The phone calls. If you cross ~$100K in tracked assets, expect calls from a wealth advisor. Budgeting tools are basic.
Best for: Investors who want net-worth tracking + don’t need deep budgeting.
The honest sixth option — Google Sheets
For people who want zero subscription cost and full control, a Google Sheets budget works. The CFPB publishes free budget worksheets. Tiller Money ($79/year) auto-syncs transactions into Google Sheets if you want the spreadsheet + automation hybrid.
Pros: Free, fully customizable, no data-sharing concerns
Cons: Manual entry takes 10 min/week, no automation unless you pay Tiller
Which one should you actually pick?
| Use case | Pick |
|---|---|
| I want behavior change, will pay for it | YNAB |
| I just miss Mint | Monarch Money |
| I have 10+ forgotten subscriptions | Rocket Money |
| iOS user who cares about design | Copilot Money |
| Investor with multiple brokerage accounts | Empower |
| I want free and full control | Google Sheets + Tiller |
What about security?
All five apps use Plaid or MX for bank aggregation — read-only access tokens, not your password. None of them can move money out of your account. Per CFPB guidance on open banking, you can revoke aggregator access from your bank’s online portal anytime.
That said: enable 2FA on every account, use a unique strong password, and read the app’s privacy policy about data sales (Monarch and YNAB don’t sell data; Empower uses your data for their wealth-advisor pipeline).
What I’m using personally
I run Monarch for budgeting/tracking + Empower (free tier) for investment net-worth view. Combined cost: $99/year. I considered YNAB but the price and learning curve weren’t worth it for someone whose tracking habits were already solid.
FAQ
Q1. Is YNAB worth $109/year?
Only if you actually use the zero-based method. If you treat it like a tracker, you’re overpaying — Monarch does tracking for less. YNAB pays for itself if you save more than ~$9/month by being more deliberate (most users do, but not all).
Q2. Will any of these help my credit score?
No — that’s Credit Karma / Experian territory. Budgeting apps track spending and savings, not credit utilization or reporting. Don’t conflate the two.
Q3. Can I trust these apps with my bank login?
You’re not giving them your login — you’re authorizing read-only via Plaid/MX. The CFPB Section 1033 rule formalized consumer rights here in 2024. Revoke access anytime via your bank’s portal.
Q4. What about Quicken or Simplifi?
Both still active. Simplifi (by Quicken) is $59.88/year and a solid Monarch alternative. Quicken Classic is the legacy desktop product — overkill for most people, but power users like it.
Q5. Do any of these handle joint household finances?
Monarch and YNAB both support partner accounts. Copilot doesn’t yet. Empower handles it via shared logins. For couples, I’d lean Monarch first.
Related: expense tracking apps comparison, monthly budget planner, 50/30/20 rule explained.