Mint Is Gone. Here Are 6 Solid Budgeting Apps To Consider Instead
Mint used to top nearly every list of best budgeting apps, but if you see it on a list now, that list is outdated. The popular app shut down in the spring of 2024, leaving millions of people scrambling for a new way to manage their money.
Fortunately, if you are one of those people, you have plenty of other options. These six candidates are worth investigating.
Rocket money
Best overall replacement
Cost: Free version available; premium version costs between $4 and $12 per month (optional); invoice negotiation feature charges 30% to 60% of first year savings
Ratings: iOS: 4.2 out of 5 stars / Google Play: 4.3 out of 5 stars
Available on: iOS And Android
Rocket Money works similarly to Mint, but depending on your needs, it can be even better. The free version offers basic budgeting tools that may be sufficient for some users. If you want more customization, the paid version costs $4 to $12 per month. You select your price and you get the same features no matter how much you pay. It also has a seven-day free trial to try it out, as well as a bill negotiation service. Rocket Money won our Editors’ Choice Award 2024 for the best budgeting app. And if you use it to cancel unwanted subscriptions, it can save you a lot of money.
Pocket protection
The best for paying off debts
Cost: Free version available; premium version costs $12.99 per month or $74.99 per year
Ratings: iOS: 4.6 out of 5 stars / Google Play: 3.9 out of 5 stars
Available on: iOS And Android
PocketGuard is easy to use. The free version offers basic budgeting features, while the paid version offers additional features like unlimited savings goals, longer transaction histories, and debt repayment scheduling (a feature that sets it apart from Rocket Money). Unlike other budgeting apps, however, PocketGuard doesn’t offer a free trial, so you can’t try out the paid version to see if it’s worth the price for you.
Accelerate Simplification
Best for a general overview of your finances
Cost: $2.99 per month, billed annually
Ratings: iOS: 4 out of 5 stars/Google Play: 4.1 out of 5 stars
Available on: iOS And Android
Quicken Simplifi’s interface isn’t as clean as Rocket Money and PocketGuard, but it does offer a broader view of your personal finances, including assets, liabilities, and net worth, as well as a wide range of customizable reports. With its low price, it’s worth considering if you’re looking to manage your finances on a single platform.
YNAB
Best app for serious budgeting
Cost: $14.99 per month or $99 per year
Ratings: iOS: 4.8 out of 5 stars / Google Play: 4.6 out of 5 stars
Available on: iOS And Android
YNAB — which stands for You Need A Budget — isn’t a set-it-and-forget budgeting tool. This app requires you to think carefully about where your money goes. You’ll get spending trackers, savings goals, and repayment strategies, but you’ll also learn how to live by financial rules that can serve you for the rest of your life. YNAB also offers a regular calendar of workshops to help you get the most out of the app.
Monarch
Best Budgeting App for Couples
Cost: $8.33 per month, billed at $99.99 per year
Ratings: iOS: 4.9 out of 5 stars / Google Play: 4.6 out of 5 stars
Available on: iOS And Android
Monarch offers a generous 30-day free trial, shared savings goals for couples, and monthly reports emailed to each user. This can be a convenient way to have a third party keep an eye on you without paying for a financial planner.
Albert
The best for expert advice
Cost: $14.99 per month (billed monthly)
Ratings: iOS: 4.6 out of 5 stars / Google Play: 4.1 out of 5 stars
Available on: iOS And Android
Instead of syncing your bank details, you can simply replace your bank with Albert. The all-in-one app offers savings, investing and budgeting tools. But the real difference is the Genius offering, which connects you with financial experts to get advice on big decisions like buying a car and save for a down paymentTo be clear, the company is not a standalone bank, but it does offer FDIC-insured savings products through Sutton Bank, Coastal Community Bank and Wells Fargo.
What should you look for in a budgeting app?
A free trial: Choosing the right budgeting tool should be like choosing a new car: You should be able to test drive it. Most budgeting apps offer free trials that range from a week to a month. Use those free windows to compare your options and get a feel for what fits your lifestyle best.
The opportunity to grow with you: You may be focused on cutting your spending or paying off your credit card bill. But in the future, you may want to keep an eye on your investments and plan for retirement. Look for an app with enough robust features to serve you as your needs change.
The security protocol: Whenever you share your banking information, it is essential to verify that the company is doing everything it can to protect it. Make sure the app uses bank-level security, so your data is encrypted at the highest level.
What the app does with your data: Your budgeting app knows everything about you: what you buy each week, what kind of credit card you have, how much you spend on your mortgage payment, and more. Some apps use that information to target you with ads for new products or services from their marketing partners, so be sure to read their privacy policies before signing up.
Alternatives to Using a Budgeting App
A budgeting app can be a great help, but there are other ways to manage your money. Most major banks offer helpful budgeting features in their apps. For example, PNC’s Virtual Wallet provides a categorized view of your spending, and the Chase mobile app includes a daily spending summary for your credit and debit cards. Before you add another app to your phone, check out your bank’s app to see if it can help you make better decisions with your money.
If you don’t want to use your phone to check your cash flow, consider creating an Excel spreadsheet or Old-fashioned: Get down to work every week with pen and paper and look at the numbers.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are plenty of Mint replacements, though the best options often cost money compared to Mint’s $0 price point. The best choice for you will depend on your budgeting style and preferences. With many budgeting apps offering free trials, it’s worth it to test a few to find the one that suits your needs.
The leading budgeting apps all use banking security to protect your data, but it’s just as important to do your part protect your confidential informationsuch as using a strong, unique password, enabling two-factor authentication, and avoiding sharing information over public Wi-Fi networks.
It may seem strange to pay money for a service that helps you manage your money, but the best budgeting apps can be well worth the investment. Think of it this way: You pay a few dollars a month for services like Netflix and Hulu. Why wouldn’t you pay a few dollars a month for something that will make you feel more financially secure? Since many budgeting apps can help you save money, you can get a nice return on your monthly fee.
WallyGPT, the first AI-powered budgeting app, seemed like an interesting alternative to Mint, but is no longer available in the US.
Methodology
CNET rates financial apps by comparing them based on established criteria. We look at each budgeting app’s features and functionality, including user experience, interface, support options, and overall value relative to price. We also evaluate key features and the ability to transfer data from the Mint app.
Other budgeting apps we tested
Empower, Goodbudget, EveryDollar, Zeta, Fudget and Honeydue.
