Best Site for Tracking Expenses
Summary
The best site for tracking expenses is Monarch for full-featured budgeting after Mint's shutdown in March 2024 left the field open. YNAB still leads on the envelope-budgeting philosophy. Copilot Money is the polished iOS-first newcomer. Empower offers solid free net-worth tracking. Most listicles still feature Mint despite its closure — we exclude it explicitly and weight portability of your data, since the Mint shutdown taught users that lock-in is a real risk.
Top 5 at a glance
| # | Site | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monarch | Full-featured budgeting with bank syncing and net worth tracking | Subscription from around $15 per month or annual discount |
| 2 | YNAB | Envelope budgeting with a strong methodology | Subscription with annual or monthly billing |
| 3 | Copilot Money | Polished iOS-first experience with strong categorization | Subscription from a low monthly fee |
| 4 | Empower | Free net-worth tracking and investment overview | Free dashboard; paid wealth advisory upsell |
| 5 | Rocket Money | Subscription cancellation and recurring expense tracking | Free tier with limited features; paid for the cancellation negotiation |
Detailed rankings
Monarch
Full-featured budgeting with bank syncing and net worth tracking
The most direct Mint replacement. Use it if you want a one-stop personal finance app with bank syncing and proper budgeting tools.
Pros
- Comprehensive feature set covering budgeting, tracking, and net worth
- Strong bank syncing through reputable aggregators
- Clean modern interface
- Paid model means user is the customer, not the product
Cons
- Subscription cost adds up — comparable to Mint when it had a paid tier
- Annual plan recommended for the meaningful discount
- No free tier — full feature evaluation requires payment
Price: Subscription from around $15 per month or annual discount
Sources: www.monarchmoney.com
YNAB
Envelope budgeting with a strong methodology
The right pick if the envelope-budgeting method clicks for you. The structured approach genuinely changes spending behavior for committed users.
Pros
- Best-in-class envelope budgeting and zero-based budgeting workflow
- Strong community and educational content
- Mobile and web with reliable sync
- Long history of pro-user design choices
Cons
- Method takes commitment — not for hands-off users
- Bank-syncing in some regions has been intermittent historically
- Higher cost than many competitors
Price: Subscription with annual or monthly billing
Sources: www.ynab.com
Copilot Money
Polished iOS-first experience with strong categorization
The right pick for US-based Apple users who care about app polish. Skip if you need cross-platform or non-US bank coverage.
Pros
- Beautifully designed iOS app
- Strong automatic categorization and rule-building
- Mac client paired with iOS
- Investment tracking included
Cons
- Apple ecosystem only — no Android
- Bank syncing region-limited primarily to the US
- Newer than competitors — smaller ecosystem of integrations
Price: Subscription from a low monthly fee
Sources: copilot.money
Empower
Free net-worth tracking and investment overview
Great if your priority is investment and net-worth visibility rather than transaction-level budgeting. Expect outreach from the advisory side.
Pros
- Comprehensive net worth and investment tracking
- Free for the dashboard tier
- Strong asset allocation and fee analysis tools
Cons
- Free model funded by advisory upsell — expect sales calls if you have meaningful assets
- Budgeting features secondary to wealth tracking
- US-focused
Price: Free dashboard; paid wealth advisory upsell
Sources: www.empower.com
Rocket Money
Subscription cancellation and recurring expense tracking
Worth installing for the subscription audit alone, even alongside another budgeting tool. Treat it as a one-trick utility, not a primary budget app.
Pros
- Specifically strong at identifying and helping cancel forgotten subscriptions
- Negotiates lower bills on cable and similar services for a cut of savings
- Free tier covers the basics
Cons
- Bill-negotiation service takes a percentage of savings
- Categorization less granular than dedicated budgeters
- Acquired by Rocket Companies — direction tied to a mortgage business
Price: Free tier with limited features; paid for the cancellation negotiation
Sources: www.rocketmoney.com
How we chose
- Bank syncing coverage and reliability across major institutions.
- Data portability — can you export your data if you cancel?
- Business model — paid subscription aligns incentives versus free with ad-based monetization.
- Categorization quality including automatic rules and learning.
- Budgeting methodology depth — supports envelope, percentage, or hands-off approaches.
- Net worth and investment tracking integration.
Frequently asked questions
What happened to Mint?
Intuit shut down Mint in March 2024 and migrated users to Credit Karma, which has reduced budgeting features. The Mint app is no longer available. Older listicles still list it; we exclude it because it no longer operates.
Is free expense tracking worth using?
Free tools historically monetized through ads, partnerships, or data — which is part of why Mint's quality declined before shutdown. Paid tools like Monarch and YNAB align incentives toward serving the user. For light use, Empower's free dashboard works well.
Can I import my Mint data?
Monarch, YNAB, and Copilot Money all offer Mint import paths. Quality of the import varies by category and date range. Verify after import that your historical data looks correct.
Is bank syncing safe?
Reputable budgeting apps use read-only credentials via established aggregators like Plaid. Your bank password is not stored by the app itself. The risk is comparable to any other financial app — keep multi-factor authentication on your bank account.
Do these work outside the US?
Monarch supports Canada in addition to the US. YNAB has historically supported the US, UK, Canada, and Australia though sync quality varies. Copilot Money and Empower are US-centric. Outside these regions, options narrow significantly.