Budgeting apps compared side by side come down to three choices: whether the app pulls in your bank transactions, which budgeting method it uses, and what it costs each year. Many people are choosing again because Intuit closed Mint in 2024 and pointed its users to Credit Karma. This post covers six apps that are still running and the type of person each one suits.
The three choices that matter
- Bank sync or manual entry. Sync saves time. Manual entry makes you look at every purchase, which some people prefer.
- The method. Some apps ask you to give every dollar a job. Others use envelopes or a simple spending plan.
- The price. Most good apps now charge a subscription. Free versions exist, but they cap the features.
Prices below come from each company’s own site in September 2026, and each app named here was still available then. They change often, so check the current price before you sign up.
YNAB
YNAB (You Need A Budget) uses zero-based budgeting: you assign every dollar of income to a category before you spend it. YNAB lists $14.99 a month or $109 a year, with a 34-day free trial that needs no credit card if you sign up on its own site. College students get a free 365-day trial with proof of enrollment.
It takes a few weeks to learn. If you want the method explained first, read our guide to zero-based budgeting.
Simplifi by Quicken
Simplifi starts with your monthly income, subtracts bills and subscriptions, and shows what you have left to spend each day. Quicken says the plan works with zero-based, envelope, and 50/30/20 budgeting, and the app connects to more than 14,000 financial institutions. A reminders list shows upcoming bills, paychecks, and projected balances, and you can share an account with one other person.
Quicken’s page listed $3.99 a month billed annually.
EveryDollar
EveryDollar is a zero-based app from Ramsey Solutions. The free version has no time limit. You build a monthly budget by hand, add your own categories, and enter transactions yourself. Automatic bank connection needs Premium, which costs $79.99 a year or $17.99 a month and includes a 14-day trial. Premium also adds a debt payoff tracker.
Goodbudget
Goodbudget is an envelope app. Money goes into virtual envelopes for groceries, gas, or rent, and you spend from them. The free plan gives you 10 regular envelopes, 10 annual or goal envelopes, one account, sharing across two mobile devices, and one year of history. Premium costs $10 a month or $80 a year. It adds automatic bank sync for US banks, unlimited envelopes and accounts, and sharing across five devices.
If you already use cash envelopes, this is the digital version.
Copilot
Copilot Money costs $95 a year and runs on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and the web. Its site does not mention an Android app, so Android users should look elsewhere. Its site says the app has no ads and lets you look around before you connect any accounts.
Monarch Money
Monarch is a paid app with bank sync, category budgets, and household features for couples. It offers a free first week, then a subscription. The company runs discounts that change, so read the price on its site before you start.
Which one fits you
- You want to assign every dollar: YNAB or EveryDollar.
- You want envelopes and no monthly bill: Goodbudget’s free plan.
- You want automatic tracking at a low price: Simplifi.
- You use Apple devices and want a polished app: Copilot.
- You budget as a couple: Goodbudget shares one budget across devices, and Simplifi shares with one other person. Our guide to merging budgets as a couple covers the money talk.
What an app costs over a year
A $100 app has to save you about $8.33 a month to break even. Here is what the paid plans above cost per year at the listed prices:
- YNAB: $109
- Copilot: $95
- Goodbudget Premium: $80
- EveryDollar Premium: $79.99
Two of the apps have free versions that work without bank sync, so you can test a budgeting method at no cost. One forgotten subscription can cover an app’s price, and our post on auditing subscription creep shows how to find them.
Before you pay
- Use the whole free trial with your real accounts. Set a reminder for two days before it ends, since many trials charge you automatically.
- Keep a spreadsheet as a backup. Our monthly budget planner works without an account.
- Pick the method first and the app second. An app cannot fix a budget you will not follow.
Some newer apps add chat assistants and automatic categories. Our post on budgeting apps with AI features explains what those features do and what data they see.
Revised: September 2026
Sources
- Credit Karma: Intuit Credit Karma welcomes all Minters
- YNAB: Pricing
- Quicken: Simplifi
- Ramsey Solutions: EveryDollar
- Goodbudget: Subscribe to Goodbudget
- Copilot Money: Copilot
- Monarch: Pricing
This article is general education, not financial, legal, or tax advice. Your situation may differ, so check the details with the lender, agency, or a qualified professional before you act. How we research and review articles.
