The 6 Best Alternatives to Mint for Replacing the Budgeting App That Shut Down.
Intuit has decided to shut down the well-known budgeting app Mint. Several popular alternatives have been tested, and here are our recommendations.
As a regular Mint user, I felt quite frustrated to learn about its closure at the end of 2023. Like millions of people, I appreciated how easily Mint allowed me to keep track of all my accounts and monitor my credit score. I also regularly used it to track my spending and set goals, such as paying off my mortgage faster and managing my finances in general. So I set out to find an alternative to Mint after its disappointing shutdown.
I tried Credit Karma, another financial app from Intuit, but it didn't turn out to be a good option for me. In this article, I share my experience exploring some of the most popular replacement apps for Mint in search of my new budgeting tool. The best alternative I found remains Quicken Simplifi, even months after Mint closed, thanks to its user-friendly interface, good income and payment detection, and affordable pricing. However, there are many other solid options to meet different needs.
Quicken Simplifi is a comprehensive and easy-to-use app that costs less than the competition and feels more like Mint. Among its advantages are its pleasant interface, good detection of recurring income, lower cost compared to other services, and the option to share app access with a spouse or financial advisor. On the downside, it lacks a free trial and does not allow for account creation using Apple or Google IDs.
What I like about Quicken Simplifi is its simplicity. Unlike other budgeting apps that try to stand out with dark themes and customizable emojis, Simplifi has a clean interface that provides a detailed summary of all my statistics. It includes balances, net worth, recent expenses, upcoming recurring payments, and an expense plan. You can also set savings goals in other sections of the app.
Additionally, the setup was quite straightforward, and I was impressed by how easily it connected to Fidelity, something that not all budgeting trackers manage to do. Another plus is that it allows inviting others to co-manage your account. However, I wish it had integration with Zillow to easily track my home's value since I have to manually add real estate assets.
While testing other apps like Monarch Money, I found that it offers numerous details and customization opportunities but has a steeper learning curve. Its interface, while more complicated, allows you to visualize a balance sheet with budgets and detailed expense updates. It also allows integration with Zillow and has a vehicle value history.
On the other hand, Copilot Money stands out for its attractive design, although it is currently exclusive to iOS and Mac. The app promises a wonderful experience, although it still lacks certain features. Meanwhile, NerdWallet is a free option that focuses on providing valuable financial information, although it suffers from a somewhat unpersonalized interface.
Finally, PocketGuard presents itself as an option with a highly limited free model, which can be frustrating for new users.
In conclusion, the decision of which app to use will depend on personal needs and preferences. My top two recommendations are Quicken Simplifi and Copilot Money. After thoroughly researching, I am currently using both apps while deciding which one better fits my financial habits.
