Finding a New Home for Your Budget: A Comprehensive Guide to Mint Alternatives

Mint, the popular budgeting app, has announced its discontinuation. With over 3.6 million active users, this news has left many individuals in search of a suitable replacement. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore six budgeting apps that promise to track your net worth and spending in one place. These apps were selected based on their ability to import all account data, offer budgeting tools, and track spending, net worth, and credit score.

Before we dive into the details, let’s discuss the process of transitioning from Mint. To download a CSV file of your transactions and other data from Mint, sign in to Mint.com, hit Transactions in the menu on the left side of the screen, select an account or all accounts, scroll down, and look for “export [number] transactions” in smaller print. Your CSV file should begin downloading.

Now, let’s explore the six Mint alternatives:

1. Quicken Simplifi
Quicken Simplifi, a complete and easy-to-use app, is our top pick. It offers a gentle learning curve, does a good job detecting recurring income and bills, and is less expensive than the competition. The app also lets you share access with a spouse or financial advisor and has a handy refund tracker. However, it does not offer a free trial, and you cannot create an account using your Apple or Google ID.

2. Monarch Money (Runner-up)
Monarch Money, founded by a former Mint product manager, is a robust budgeting app with lots of detail and opportunities for customization. It offers helpful “goals” features, allows account access to be granted to other people, and has a Chrome extension for importing from Mint. The month-in-review recap is more thorough than most, and it offers car value syncing and Zillow integration. However, it has a steeper learning curve than some other budget trackers, and the mobile app feels restricted and less intuitive than the web version. It also does not seem to distinguish between bills and other recurring expenses and has some bugginess on mobile around creating rules for expense categories.

3. Copilot Money (The best up-and-comer)
Copilot Money is the best up-and-coming budgeting app. It offers a two-month free trial and has a user-friendly interface. It also does a good job of detecting recurring income and bills and offers a feature to track your net worth. However, it does not offer a free trial beyond the initial two months, and it does not have Zillow integration.

4. NerdWallet
NerdWallet is the best free budgeting app. It offers a wide range of financial tools, including budgeting, credit score tracking, and investment advice. It also has a user-friendly interface and offers customizable alerts for bills and spending. However, it shows ads to stay in business and does not offer advanced budgeting features like the ability to track net worth or create custom categories.

5. YNAB
YNAB (You Need a Budget) is also tested in this guide. It offers a unique budgeting approach, focusing on giving every dollar a job. It also offers advanced budgeting features like the ability to track net worth and create custom categories. However, it is more expensive than the other apps, with a yearly subscription costing $99 or a monthly subscription costing $14.99.

6. Personal Capital
Personal Capital is another budgeting app that was considered in this guide. It offers a wide range of financial tools, including budgeting, investment tracking, and retirement planning. It also has a user-friendly interface and offers customizable alerts for bills and spending. However, it shows ads to stay in business and does not offer advanced budgeting features like the ability to track net worth or create custom categories.

In conclusion, the discontinuation of Mint has left many individuals in search of a suitable replacement. The six budgeting apps discussed in this guide offer various features and benefits, making it essential to consider your specific needs when making a decision. Whether you prioritize a gentle learning curve, advanced budgeting features, or a free budgeting app, there is an option for you.

As these apps continue to add more features and correct known bugs, it is important to keep in mind that this guide will be updated accordingly. Join us as we explore the world of Mint alternatives and find a new home for your budget.