Which is cheaper: YNAB, Monarch, or Copilot?

Copilot at $7.92/mo annual ($95/yr) is the cheapest. Monarch Core at $8.33/mo annual ($99.99/yr) is a close second. YNAB at $9.08/mo annual ($109/yr) is the most expensive. On monthly billing, all three are within ~$2 of each other ($13–$14.99/mo). The price gap is small — feature fit matters more than the dollar difference.

Is YNAB worth $109/year if Monarch and Copilot are cheaper?

It depends on whether you'll actually use YNAB's zero-based methodology. YNAB is a budgeting *system*, not just a tracking app — it forces you to assign every dollar a job before you spend it. People who follow the methodology consistently report better outcomes (less debt, more savings) than people who just track. If you want passive tracking with minimal behavior change, Monarch or Copilot is a better fit. If you want a system that actively changes how you spend, YNAB earns its $10/year premium.

Why isn't Mint on this list?

Mint shut down in March 2024. Intuit (Mint's parent) directed users to Credit Karma, which doesn't have the same budgeting features. The three apps in this comparison are the most popular post-Mint replacements. Monarch Money was specifically built by ex-Mint engineers and is the closest feature-for-feature replacement.

Can I use Copilot Money on Android?

No — Copilot Money is Apple-only. It's available on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and the web app, but there's no Android version (and based on their public roadmap, no plans for one). If you have an Android phone, your two real choices are YNAB or Monarch.

Which budgeting app is best for couples?

Monarch's 'Household' shared view (included in Core) and YNAB's family sharing (up to 6 people on one subscription) are both strong for couples. Monarch is better for couples who want a unified financial dashboard with both partners' accounts visible. YNAB is better for couples who want to actively budget together using the zero-based methodology. Copilot is single-user only — skip it if you need to share with a partner.

Do these apps charge to import data from Mint?

No. Both Monarch Money and Copilot have built-in Mint CSV importers that bring over your historical transactions and categories at no extra cost. YNAB requires manual setup — there's no Mint-specific importer, though you can import generic CSV files. If you have years of Mint data you want to preserve, Monarch is the easiest migration.

Which app has the best account-linking reliability?

All three use Plaid as the primary account-linking provider, so reliability is similar across the board for major US banks. Monarch advertises 13,000+ supported institutions — the broadest coverage of the three. YNAB supports US, Canadian, UK, and EU banks, which makes it the only option for non-US users. Copilot is US-only. Plaid outages affect all three roughly equally when they happen.

YNAB vs Monarch vs Copilot (2026)

Three of the most popular post-Mint budgeting apps, side by side. We compared pricing ($95–$109/yr or $13–$14.99/mo), features, account-linking coverage, and platform availability to figure out which app wins for which type of user.

Updated May 1, 2026 · What changed: WebSearch-verified all three apps' current pricing and feature sets against vendor sites; confirmed Monarch's new two-tier structure (Core $99.99/yr, Plus $199/yr); confirmed Copilot's Apple-only platform support; refreshed YNAB family-sharing limit to 6 people.

Quick Answer

Best for active budgeters who want a system, not just tracking: YNAB — $109/yr, zero-based methodology that forces behavior change. Worth the $10/yr premium if you'll use it.
Best for couples + ex-Mint users: Monarch Money — $99.99/yr (Core), Household sharing, built-in Mint CSV importer, 13,000+ supported institutions.
Best for Apple users who want the most beautiful app: Copilot Money — $95/yr, AI-driven categorization and adaptive budgets, Apple-only.
Skip Copilot if: you have an Android phone (no Android app) or need couples sharing (single-user only).

Side-by-side comparison

Feature	YNAB	Monarch Money	Copilot Money
Annual price	$109/yr ($9.08/mo equivalent)	Core: $99.99/yr ($8.33/mo) · Plus: $199/yr	$95/yr ($7.92/mo equivalent)Best
Monthly price	$14.99/mo	$14.99/mo (Core)	$13/moBest
Free trial	34 days, no credit cardBest	7 days (with card)	1 month, full access
Free tier	No	No	No
Mobile platforms	iOS + Android + WebBest	iOS + Android + Web	iOS + iPad + Mac + Web (no Android)
Account linking	Plaid (US, Canada, UK, EU)	13,000+ US institutions via PlaidBest	Plaid (US-only)
Couples / household sharing	Up to 6 people, shared budget, separate logins	'Household' shared view (Core+) — multi-user budgetsBest	Single-user only
Budgeting philosophy	Zero-based ('Give every dollar a job')	Flexible categories + cash-flow forecasting	AI-adaptive budgets based on past behavior
Investment tracking	Basic (account balances only)	Robust on Plus tier (Morningstar-powered)Best	Decent (account balances + holdings)
Mint-importer / migration tool	Manual setup	Yes — built-in Mint CSV importerBest	Yes — Mint CSV importer
Best for	Hands-on zero-based budgeters who want full control	Couples and ex-Mint users who want a flexible all-in-one	Apple users who want a beautiful, AI-driven app

Each app, in detail

YNAB (You Need A Budget)

Best methodology

Founded 2004. Built around four rules of zero-based budgeting: give every dollar a job, embrace your true expenses, roll with the punches, age your money. The most opinionated of the three apps — YNAB doesn't just track your spending, it actively shapes it.

Zero-based budgeting methodology with a long track record (founded 2004)
Longest free trial: 34 days, no credit card required
Family sharing for up to 6 people on one subscription
International support: US, Canada, UK, EU bank linking via Plaid
Free educational workshops and a strong community
Most expensive of the three at $109/yr
Steeper learning curve — methodology requires real engagement, not passive tracking
No built-in Mint importer (manual CSV import only)
Investment tracking is basic (account balances only)

Try YNAB free for 34 days

Zero-based budgeting that changes how you think about money. 34-day free trial — no credit card required. $109/yr or $14.99/mo after.

Start Free Trial →

Monarch Money

Best Mint replacement

Founded 2018. Built specifically as a Mint replacement after Mint's 2024 shutdown — several of Monarch's engineers are ex-Mint. Two-tier pricing: Core ($99.99/yr) covers most users; Plus ($199/yr) adds advanced forecasting, business/rental income tracking, and Morningstar-powered investment analysis. 13,000+ supported institutions — the broadest coverage of the three.

Built-in Mint CSV importer — easiest migration if you have Mint history
13,000+ supported financial institutions — broadest US coverage
Household shared view (Core tier) for couples and families
Forward-looking cash-flow projections (Mint never had these)
AI Assistant for spending insights and category suggestions
Investment tracking with Morningstar data on the Plus tier
No free tier — biggest objection from former Mint users
Plus tier doubles the price for features most users won't need
US-only institution coverage (international users should pick YNAB)

Try Monarch Money — best Mint replacement

Built by ex-Mint engineers with the features Mint never had. 13,000+ supported institutions, Household sharing for couples, Mint CSV importer included. $99.99/yr Core or $14.99/mo.

Start Free Trial →

Copilot Money

Best for Apple users

Founded 2019 by ex-Google engineers. The most beautiful UI in the category, with AI-driven categorization and adaptive budgets that learn from your spending patterns. Apple-only — no Android app, and no public roadmap to add one. The cheapest of the three at $95/yr.

Cheapest of the three at $95/yr ($7.92/mo equivalent)
AI categorization auto-classifies thousands of transactions accurately
Adaptive Budgets that adjust based on your historical patterns
Native Mac app — best desktop experience of the three
1-month free trial with full feature access
Built-in Mint CSV importer
Apple-only — no Android app, with no plans to build one
Single-user only — no couples / household sharing
US-only Plaid coverage

Which budgeting app should you actually pick?

Pick by what you actually need: zero-based methodology, Mint-replacement coverage, or Apple-native AI.

You want a system that actively changes how you spend→ YNABZero-based methodology forces every dollar to have a job. Steepest learning curve, biggest behavior change.
You're a former Mint user with years of data to preserve→ Monarch MoneyBuilt-in Mint CSV importer + ex-Mint engineering team + 13,000+ institutions = easiest migration.
You're budgeting with a partner or family→ Monarch (or YNAB)Monarch Household shares one dashboard; YNAB family sharing covers 6 people on one subscription.
You want the cheapest option with the best UI→ Copilot Money$95/yr, AI-driven categorization, native Mac app — but only if you're on Apple devices.
You have an Android phone→ YNAB or MonarchCopilot is Apple-only with no plans to add Android. Skip it entirely.
You bank in the UK, Canada, or EU→ YNABOnly one of the three with non-US bank linking via Plaid.
You want passive tracking, not active budgeting→ Monarch (Core) or CopilotBoth work as passive trackers. YNAB's methodology requires engagement — won't help if you don't use it.
You need advanced investment tracking→ Monarch Plus$199/yr but includes Morningstar-powered analysis. Overkill for most users.

$95/yr

Cheapest annual price (Copilot)

13,000+

Most institutions (Monarch)

34 days

Longest free trial (YNAB)

2004

All three founded after

Our methodology: We research, test, and verify every opportunity to ensure accuracy and value.

WalletGrower is independently owned and operated. We maintain editorial independence from our affiliate partners.

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Methodology

We compared each app on the dimensions that determine actual long-term fit: pricing (annual and monthly), free-trial generosity, account-linking coverage, platform support (especially Apple-only vs cross-platform), couples/household sharing, budgeting philosophy (zero-based vs flexible vs adaptive), Mint-importer availability, and investment tracking depth. We weight platform support and household sharing heavily because those are absolute deal-breakers for some users — there's no point in saving $14/yr on Copilot if you have an Android phone.

All pricing and feature claims were WebSearch-verified against each vendor's official pricing page in May 2026. We do not have an affiliate relationship with Copilot Money. YNAB and Monarch are partners; the recommendation logic above is the same we'd give a friend regardless of compensation.

Frequently asked questions

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