The short answer
If you want the closest like-for-like Mint replacement: Monarch Money. If you want to stop subscription leaks: Rocket Money. If you want a calm, private, manual-first overview without handing your bank login to a third party: ClearPace. If you want strict discipline: YNAB.
Below is the long answer — what each app does well, where it falls short, and who it's really for.
The 8 apps at a glance
| App | Starts at | Bank link | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| ClearPace | $5/mo · 14-day free trial | No | People who want a calm, private overview without handing a third party their bank login. |
| YNAB (You Need a Budget) | $14.99/mo or $109/yr | Optional | People ready to assign every dollar a job and stick to a strict method. |
| Monarch Money | $14.99/mo or $99.99/yr | Required | Couples and families wanting shared dashboards with auto-synced accounts. |
| Copilot Money | $13/mo or $95/yr | Required | iOS/Mac users who want the most beautiful app in the category. |
| Rocket Money | Free tier + $6–12/mo premium | Required | People who suspect they're leaking money to forgotten subscriptions. |
| Empower (formerly Personal Capital) | Free (advisory upsell) | Required | Investors who want one screen for accounts, portfolios, and retirement projections. |
| PocketGuard | Free tier + $12.99/mo Plus | Required | People who liked Mint and just want a single 'can I spend this?' answer. |
| Spreadsheet (Google Sheets / Tiller) | Free (Sheets) or $79/yr (Tiller) | Optional | Power users who want total control and don't mind building their own system. |
1. ClearPace
Manual-first clarity. Know exactly what you can spend today.
Pricing: $5/mo · 14-day free trial · Best for: People who want a calm, private overview without handing a third party their bank login.
Strengths
- Safe-to-spend math after bills, budgets and goals
- No bank connection — your data stays yours
- Forecast next month before it happens
- Recurring-payment radar catches forgotten subscriptions
Trade-offs
- Manual entry (or CSV import) — not auto-synced
- Younger product, smaller community than YNAB
2. YNAB (You Need a Budget)
Zero-based budgeting. The discipline option.
Pricing: $14.99/mo or $109/yr · Best for: People ready to assign every dollar a job and stick to a strict method.
Strengths
- Proven zero-based methodology
- Strong community and education
- Excellent goal tracking
Trade-offs
- Steep learning curve
- Expensive vs peers
- Bank sync is hit-or-miss outside the US
3. Monarch Money
Mint's closest spiritual successor. Polished, all-in-one.
Pricing: $14.99/mo or $99.99/yr · Best for: Couples and families wanting shared dashboards with auto-synced accounts.
Strengths
- Beautiful UI, well-funded team
- Multi-user collaboration
- Net-worth tracking and investments
Trade-offs
- No free tier
- Bank-sync errors still happen (Plaid limitations)
- Feature surface can feel overwhelming
4. Copilot Money
Design-first, Apple-ecosystem darling.
Pricing: $13/mo or $95/yr · Best for: iOS/Mac users who want the most beautiful app in the category.
Strengths
- Best-in-class design and animations
- Smart categorization with on-device ML
- Investment tracking included
Trade-offs
- iOS / macOS only (web in beta)
- US-only bank connections
- Premium price for solo use
5. Rocket Money
Subscription canceller first, budgeter second.
Pricing: Free tier + $6–12/mo premium · Best for: People who suspect they're leaking money to forgotten subscriptions.
Strengths
- Negotiates bills on your behalf
- Strong subscription detection
- Free tier exists
Trade-offs
- Premium features locked behind paywall
- Aggressive in-app upsells
- Budgeting tools are basic
6. Empower (formerly Personal Capital)
Net-worth and investment dashboard, with budgeting bolted on.
Pricing: Free (advisory upsell) · Best for: Investors who want one screen for accounts, portfolios, and retirement projections.
Strengths
- Excellent investment analytics
- Genuinely free
- Retirement planner
Trade-offs
- Sales calls from advisors if you have >$100k
- Weak everyday-budgeting features
7. PocketGuard
"In My Pocket" — a simpler safe-to-spend number.
Pricing: Free tier + $12.99/mo Plus · Best for: People who liked Mint and just want a single 'can I spend this?' answer.
Strengths
- Simple, friendly UI
- Free version is usable
- Detects recurring bills automatically
Trade-offs
- Sync reliability complaints
- Limited customization
8. Spreadsheet (Google Sheets / Tiller)
The DIY route. Tiller adds automated bank import.
Pricing: Free (Sheets) or $79/yr (Tiller) · Best for: Power users who want total control and don't mind building their own system.
Strengths
- Infinitely customizable
- You own the data
- Cheapest long-term option
Trade-offs
- Hours of setup
- No mobile-friendly UX
- You're the support team
How to pick
- You valued Mint's dashboards → Monarch Money or Copilot.
- You valued Mint's subscription alerts → Rocket Money or ClearPace.
- You want to stop overspending → YNAB (strict) or ClearPace (calm).
- You don't want to connect your bank → ClearPace, YNAB (manual mode), or a spreadsheet.
- You're an investor first → Empower.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Mint shut down?
Intuit shut down Mint in March 2024 to focus on Credit Karma. Existing users were prompted to migrate to Credit Karma, which dropped most of Mint's budgeting features in favour of credit-score and loan-product upsells.
What's the closest replacement for Mint?
Monarch Money is the closest like-for-like replacement — auto-synced accounts, dashboards, net-worth tracking. Rocket Money is closest if you mostly used Mint to spot subscriptions. ClearPace is closest if you want a calmer, manual-first alternative without sharing bank credentials.
Is there a free alternative to Mint?
Empower (formerly Personal Capital) is the strongest fully free option, though it's investment-focused. Rocket Money and PocketGuard have usable free tiers with paid upgrades. Most budgeting-first tools (YNAB, Monarch, Copilot, ClearPace) are paid subscriptions, typically $5–15/mo.
Do I have to connect my bank account?
No. YNAB, Tiller, spreadsheets, and ClearPace all work fine with manual entry or CSV import. If privacy or bank-sync reliability is a concern, a manual-first tool is usually a better fit than a tool that requires Plaid.
How is ClearPace different from YNAB?
YNAB asks you to assign every dollar a job before you spend it (zero-based budgeting). ClearPace shows you a single calm number — what's safe to spend today after bills, budgets and goals — so you don't have to follow a strict methodology to benefit.