Best Expense Tracker Apps in 2026 (Free & Paid)

We tested the apps filling the gap Mint left: what they cost, what they do well, and which type of spender each one actually fits.

The landscape after Mint

Intuit folding Mint into Credit Karma left a genuine gap: free automatic budgeting with real categorization. The market split into paid successors (Monarch, Copilot), a strict method app (YNAB), and the free-but-manual route of spreadsheets and browser trackers like ours. Each fills a different need — the mistake is paying annually for the wrong one on day one.

Monarch Money — the Mint successor

Closest to what Mint was: bank connections, rules-based auto-categorization, goals, and a roadmap that has shipped steadily since 2024. subscription or annual plan with a 30-day trial. Best for households that want automation and will pay for it.

YNAB — the behavior changer

Zero-based budgeting where every dollar gets a job. Steeper learning curve, devoted community, and the strongest evidence of actually changing spending behavior. subscription or annual plan, free for students a year. Choose it if the goal is changing habits, not just viewing them.

Copilot — the Apple-household pick

subscription, best-in-class iOS and iPadOS experience, beautiful visualizations. Choose it if your financial life lives on Apple devices.

The free route — tracker plus spreadsheet

A browser tracker (like ours) plus a sheets template covers categorization and monthly review for $0, with the privacy benefit that nothing connects to your bank. The trade-off is manual entry — about ten seconds per purchase.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a truly free Mint replacement?

Not with automatic bank connections — the free route is manual tracking (like ours) plus a spreadsheet.

Which app has a family plan?

YNAB’s subscription covers the household; Monarch charges per profile after the first.