The Best Personal Finance Software

Sunday, September 15th

2024 Personal Finance Software Reviews

Rocket Money

• Free option available
• Costs from $3 to $12 per month depending on your needs
• Includes budgeting, bills, and payments
• 7-day free trial
• Mobile app and desktop option
• Designed for multiple operating systems
• Bill negotiation feature

Rocket Money is an older company in the personal finance industry, having originally been known as Truebill before its acquisition and rebranding by Rocket Companies. But its age is only a bonus.

Impressive capabilities

Rocket Money delivers impressive capabilities to assist you with your finances by consolidating financial transactions from various sources and by offering a range of money management features comparable to those found in some of the most popular applications on the market. Rocket Money distinguishes itself with its top-notch user interface and navigation system, which allows it to offer you quick solutions to your finances with zero hassle. You can use Rocket Money on any platform, desktop and mobile, so it's highly accessible to any user.

Focuses on user-friendliness

The buzz is that most customers have found Rocket Money to be more user-friendly than the majority of personal finance applications. Rocket Money stands out with its uncomplicated and intuitive navigation tools, coupled with an aesthetically pleasing interface featuring clear icons, buttons, links, and a straightforward menu for easy browsing through what is normally a dense topic with lots of confusing numbers. The company serves 5 million+ current members, and offers a free "learning center” to help break down what could be frustrating aspects of your financial membership into easy-to-do tasks with zero stress.

Simplify financial management

Rocket Money offers an array of features to simplify your financial management, from tracking subscriptions and spending to helping you save automatically and monitor your credit score. It also offers a unique service of negotiating bills on your behalf, saving you time and potentially reducing your expenses. With features like Net Worth and Budgeting, you can gain a comprehensive understanding of your financial situation and work towards your financial goals with confidence.

Features built to simplify your life

Some of these user-friendly features include:

• Subscription Management: Rocket Money helps you manage your subscriptions effortlessly by automatically identifying and tracking them
• Spending Insights: Easily keep an eye on your spending across all your accounts in one convenient place
• Bill Negotiation: Say goodbye to long wait times; Rocket Money can negotiate your bills for you
• Net Worth: Get a comprehensive financial overview by linking all your assets and debts
• Autopilot Savings: Start saving without the hassle of actively thinking about it
• Credit Scores: Take charge of your credit health and access your free credit score
• Budgeting: Keep your spending in check and set financial goals for your top spending categories

Free and premium options

Rocket Money is a free app with optional paid services, and here's how it all works. For premium, you can "choose your own price” for Premium, ranging from $3 to $12 per month, with the lower-cost options billed annually. Basically, you choose which price you want to pay (on the sliding scale) and you'll see which features are unlocked at that price point. Premium features offered include balance syncing, Premium Chat, Cancellations Concierge, Custom Categories, Unlimited Budgets, Smart Savings, and more.

Cancel anytime

Premium subscriptions renew automatically but can be canceled anytime within the app by going to Settings, selecting Premium, and following the steps to cancel. You can also choose to add bill negotiation for an extra fee. However, you're only charged if the negotiation is successful. The fee is a percentage of the first-year savings, and you can choose between 30% to 60% when submitting a negotiation request.

7-day free trial and cancel any time

While Rocket Money doesn't offer a money-back guarantee, they do promise that you can cancel your subscription anytime with no hassle. On top of that, you do get access to a 7-day free trial, so you can test out the premium features before you have to start paying.

Popular on desktop and the app

Rocket Money has a solid reputation. The company has earned a "B” rating and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau. On top of that, third-party review sites like Trustpilot show that Rocket Money has an impressive 4.6-star rating out of 5. Plus, Rocket Money's app is just as competitive with a 4.4-star average rating across the Google Play and Apple stores. In general, customers praise how easy the platform is to use, and how much they've learned about finances just from using the app for a short time. With comments that call Rocket Money "amazing” and "life-changing,” it's clear to see that this service offers a lot of benefits to customers looking to improve their finances across the board.

Rocket Money is out of this world

The bottom line is Rocket Money is a comprehensive personal finance management app with enough free features to get you started and competitive prices for their premium membership. With all the benefits including free trials, budgeting assistance, and help managing your subscriptions, this is a modern finance app for all your modern money concerns. Given the wide praise from reviewers, Rocket Money has soared to the top of the pack, earning a 5-star rating and the #1 spot on our list for personal finance software.

Monarch Money

• Costs $14.99 per month or $99.99 for a year
• Network of 11,000 banks
• Includes investments, cash tracking, and budgeting
• Mobile app and desktop option
• Designed for multiple operating systems
• Money back within 30 days for annual membership
• Highly rated by mobile users

Monarch Money, founded by Val Agostino, is money management software that seamlessly integrates with numerous banks and institutions, offering you a comprehensive overview of your financial well-being no matter where you have your money. Going beyond basic financial tracking, Monarch Money is designed to help you and your family with features for goal setting, budgeting, and data security. The company works with 11,000+ financial institutions and promises to serve you with its core values of clarity, security, and user-friendly interactions in the realm of personal finance.

Solid tools with a focus on investments

Monarch Money is both web-based and has an app, offering access to the platform from anywhere. The tools at Monarch Money are specifically helpful for investments. The company offers you a consolidated overview of your investment holdings, enabling you to quickly check the performance and distribution of your entire portfolio. Monarch Money also offers customizable dashboards and visually appealing charts that generate insightful reports and financial trends. These tools shed light on your monthly saving and spending patterns, helping you concentrate on your financial priorities.

Key features

Some of the key features you can expect with Monarch Money include:

• Net worth syncing
• Recurring transactions
• Spending insights
• Advice
• Transaction lists
• Budgeting
• Investments
• Custom dashboard
• Financial goals
• Collaboration

Higher prices but unlimited access

To get access to Monarch Money, you can sign up for a 7-day free trial to try out the company's features. Then, you can choose to sign up either for monthly payments or an annual plan. The monthly option costs $14.99 per month and the annual option costs $99.99. This offers you unlimited access to all the features at Monarch Money, but it does stand out as being more expensive than competitors.

30 days for refunds with annual plan

Monarch Money does offer a refund policy for their product, but only for customers who sign up for the annual plan. For those customers, you have 30 days to try out Monarch Money before you request a refund for cancellation. However, Monarch Money doesn't offer any money back if you subscribe every month, so it might be safer (and more cost-effective) to register for the annual plan here instead.

Highly rated on both app stores

Monarch Money has a solid reputation from reviewers who used the company's mobile apps. On the Apple store, Monarch Money has an impressive 4.8 stars out of 5. And from the Google Play store, the company has an equally impressive 4.5 stars out of 5. Customers praise the simplicity and user-friendliness of Monarch Money. Multiple customer reviews say that despite the higher price, it was totally worth it to use Monarch. Many customers even preferred it over totally free financial services. The only downside is that Monarch Money doesn't appear to have a presence on the Better Business Bureau, but with so many positive comments from reviewers, there's clearly a lot to look forward to with this personal finance software option.

Worth the price for a subscription

Monarch Money is more than just a budgeting application. This versatile platform is perfect for you, your family, as well as investors and more with a strong emphasis on investing and budgeting tools. It's a well-crafted, user-friendly interface that simplifies the process of deciphering spending and saving trends, monitoring investment performance, and staying on course with your financial objectives. With extremely positive feedback from reviewers and an accessible platform, only the higher-than-average price stands out as a downside. But customers say it's worth it, and based on our research we agree with them. For these reasons, Monarch Money receives a high rating and our recommendation in this review.

Mint

• Free software
• Costs from $0.99 to $4.99 for the premium membership
• Network of 16,000 banks
• Includes investments, cash tracking, and credit scores
• Mobile app and desktop option
• Designed for multiple operating systems
• Cancel any time
• Highly rated by mobile users

Mint is widely considered to be the reigning champion as the go-to personal finance platform, offering users a thorough exploration of their financial landscape. Its user-friendly interface and intelligent financial tools have made it a favorite, but it's the free features that really make it stand out.

Over 20 million users

In 2010, Mint reported linking with over 16,000 financial institutions in the United States and Canada, serving more than 17 million individual financial accounts. By 2016, the company stated that its user base had grown to over 20 million users. As one of the few options in this review that still offers fee-free services, it's highly competitive as personal finance software.

Modern and friendly site with desktop and mobile

Mint is a user-friendly platform that offers a comprehensive overview of your finances. All you need to get started is to put in your Social Security number and online bank login details. Right away, you can start seeing insights for your income and expenses. Mint excels by suggesting ways to improve your financial situation. The program offers both a desktop interface and a mobile app so you can access your finances anywhere, anytime. In the mobile app, tracking monthly spending in specific categories is straightforward and very user-friendly, while things like setting budgets are more intuitive in the browser-based version. The site design is slick and modern, creating a feeling of professionalism across the board.

One-stop shop of finance features

Mint has an impressive range of features, creating one of the best one-stop shop sites for your personal finances. At Mint you can expect to find tools like:

• Cash tracker
• Custom budgets
• Personalized insights
• Credit card monitoring
• Investments
• Loan monitoring
• Credit score
• Track subscriptions
• Track bill payments
• Security and alerts
• Connectivity with TurboTax, Creditkarma, and QuickBooks

Popular with users across the board

When it comes to reputation, Mint is extremely popular on review sites and with app store reviews. Unfortunately, it only appears to be available on the Apple store, so Android users will need to rely on the desktop version of Mint. But looking at the reviews, those who can use Mint are enjoying the program. Mint has a 4.8-star rating out of 5 on the Apple app store. Many of the customers have been using Mint for multiple years to track spending, help with savings, and increase investments.

Almost everything on Mint is free

Mint is widely known for its free version. In fact, for most users, everything you need is at your fingertips at no cost at all, making Mint one of the best options for low-cost personal finance software. However, there's also a subscription-based alternative if you want to get all of the features it offers. The premium subscription offers benefits like eliminating in-app ads, pursuing subscription cancellation, and advanced data visualization. There is also a subscription that just takes away ads if you're not interested in the extra features. The prices for either are highly reasonable:

• Premium Subscription: $4.99 per month
• Ad Free Subscription: $0.99 a month

Cancel any time

Now if you do decide to subscribe, there isn't a money-back guarantee, but you are able to cancel your subscription at any time. You won't get your money back for the months that you paid for, however. While this isn't the most robust refund policy we've found, you can get most of their features without paying a dime, so it may not be as essential to have a refund policy here as with Mint's competitors.

Award-winning platform

It has also won awards like the Customer Choice Award, and the company is highly popular on third-party review sites like Sitejabber which awarded Mint 3.8 stars out of 5. The only site that doesn't seem enamored with Mint is the Better Business Bureau which doesn't have a page for Mint itself and only gives Mint's parent company, Intuit, a "NR” rating. But, this doesn't negate its popularity or the benefits of software that's almost completely free.

Top-notch service with free finance software

At the end of the day, Mint offers comprehensive personal finance management, covering various aspects such as income, expenses, and credit scores, and its free tools cover all the bases. Its strengths lie in budgeting, although it can also be used for tracking credit history and investments. Despite an "NR” rating from the BBB, it remains a high-scoring personal finance app and a valuable tool. Given all the benefits of Mint, it easily earns a high recommendation from us.

Quicken

• Paid plans from $2.39 to $5.99 per month
• Includes investments, cash tracking, and budgeting
• Top option for help with taxes
• Mobile app and desktop option
• Designed for multiple operating systems
• 30-day money-back guarantee

Quicken is a personal finance management app that was first created and provided by Intuit, Inc. However, the company has been owned by Aquiline Capital Partners since 2021. Quicken works on both Windows and Macintosh systems, but there's a catch - the data isn't interchangeable between the two versions. So, if you switch between Windows and Mac, keep this in mind.

Comprehensive budgeting and tracking

In general, Quicken offers comprehensive budgeting, income tracking, and the ability to monitor expenses by categorizing and tagging transactions. Quicken stands out with its robust reporting capabilities, allowing you to generate a wide array of reports. Quicken is designed primarily for desktop use: though there is a "companion” app, it doesn't have all the features of the desktop version.

At-a-glance interface

On Quicken, your dashboard acts as a hub for accessing essential financial information. You can select from a variety of customizable "cards" to feature on the dashboard, with quick access to the specific details you're interested in. For instance, you have the option to display a card that compares your expenses to your income, or one that tracks your expenditures with various retailers or vendors. You can also include a card that highlights your top-performing investments or provides insights into the evolution of your net worth over time. The Quicken dashboard offers a user-friendly, personalized, and at-a-glance overview of your financial data.

Four tiers of features

Quicken has an impressive array of features in its modern interface, though the features change depending on which tier you choose. There are four tiers total, and you can expect to find the following features in every tier:

• You can view all your financial accounts in one place on a single dashboard.
• Your transactions are automatically downloaded and sorted into categories for you.
• Based on your income, expenses, and savings, a personalized budget is automatically generated for you.
• You can create and monitor your progress toward both short-term and long-term savings goals.
• Helpful timely insights and notifications are available to assist you in reaching your goals with confidence.

Great software to help with your taxes

One of the most popular benefits of Quicken is that it simplifies the process of tax-related tasks. The ability to categorize and label transactions enables you to generate reports for your tax returns. For instance, you can tag items like charitable contributions and unreimbursed work-related costs throughout the year, and when tax season arrives, you can access detailed reports to score maximum deductions. If you're seeking comprehensive tax assistance, you might find the Deluxe, Premier, or Home and Business packages more suited to your needs, as they offer specialized tax support.

Prices from $2.39 to $5.99

The four different tiers offered at Quicken provide a variety of features depending on how much money you want to spend. All plans can be used on the desktop or mobile app and come with phone and chat support. The tiers include the following:

• Simplifi: $2.39 per month
• View all your financial accounts on one dashboard
• Automatically download and categorize transactions
• A personalized budget based on your income, expenses, and savings
• Ability to monitor progress on short and long-term savings goals
• Timely insights and notifications for confident goal achievement
• Quicken Deluxe: $2.99 per month
• Includes all the Simplifi features plus:
• The ability to connect your banking, credit cards, loans, investments, and property
• Monitoring for monthly bills
• Expense tracking
• Help to grow your savings
• Customize a 12-month budget aligned with your objectives
• Future planning with calendars
• Personalized views and reports for a tailored financial overview
• Quicken Premier: $4.19 per month
• Includes all the Deluxe features plus:
• Ability to track and improve investment portfolio
• Optimization for tax benefits and tax preparation with included reports
• Ability to manage and pay your bills
• Priority access to customer support
• Quicken Home and Business: $5.99 per month
• Includes everything from Premier plus:
• Organizing tools for personal and business finances
• Access to built-in tax reports such as Schedule C and E, P&L, cash flow, and more
• Management tools for tenants, payments, expenses, lease terms, rates, and deposits
• Secure document storage related to your business and rental properties

30-day money-back guarantee

If you want to give Quicken a try, they offer a customer-friendly 30-day money-back guarantee. So, you can easily try out Quicken for one month, and enjoy the range of features, and then if it's not for you, you can cancel with no strings attached. Plus, you'll get your money back, so there are no worries about giving Quicken a shot.

Mixed reviews and low BBB scores

Unfortunately, Quicken's reputation with the Better Business Bureau isn't great. The company holds an "F” rating from the BBB. However, from reviewers, the scores are much better. Quicken has a 4-star average on Google Reviews and a 3.7-star rating out of 5 from third-party review sites. In general, customers who loved Quicken were business owners who wanted to take advantage of the tax-season benefits of this software. On the other hand, there were a host of reviews complaining that issues with the software were never addressed during updates, and the payment plan frustrated many customers who prefer to pay one-time for finance software.

Top option for taxes

Quicken has been around for a long time, and recent improvements have helped it keep pace with newer competitors. However, with low-scoring reviews and an "F” from the BBB, its reputation is a little more questionable than it should be. The company does offer a comprehensive range of financial management capabilities, covering budgeting and investment management, and most importantly: taxes. If you're not a business owner, or if you prefer a simpler, more streamlined approach to financial management with better reviews, you might want to keep shopping. But, given the helpful nature of this tool, it earns a solid rating despite its low BBB score.

Greenlight

• Personal finance software geared towards children and teens
• Costs from $4.99 to $14.98 per month
• Offers banking as part of membership
• Includes investments, teaching tools, and budgeting
• Mobile app and desktop option
• Designed for multiple operating systems

Have you ever felt like you needed to teach your kids about finance, but you wanted something better than school books or having long chats about money? Well, Greenlight steps up to help.

Designed for kids

Greenlight is not your typical financial app; it's more like a banking app designed to help kids learn about handling money, all while you and Greenlight keep a watchful eye on your child's funds. Greenlight isn't trying to beat those serious money apps for grown-up finances, so this software may not stand out for adults who want to grow their assets. Instead, Greenlight stands out as a great option for your kid's first step into the world of financial management.

User-friendly parent and child portals

Greenlight offers a user-friendly account setup process that begins by asking you for your basic family information. To fully utilize the app, you need to link your (and your child's) bank account so real money transfers into your accounts and those of your children. Supervising the accounts is straightforward, and with funds stored in the Parent Wallet, you can make easy money transfers to your child's account while keeping tabs on their spending limitations.

Kids benefits

For your child, their app displays their available balance and any spending restrictions. Greenlight also offers prepaid debit cards, so your child can have a way to pay if they're somewhere without you. As added security, you can enable or disable notifications for various events, such as a child's money request or family debit card purchases. This system provides a transparent transaction history for both you and your children.

Manage allowance and teach investing

If you subscribe to Greenlight there are a wide variety of tools and features that help your child learn the ins and outs of financial responsibility. Within the Greenlight app, kids have the convenience of requesting funds from their account supervisor, while adults can provide money for specific purposes or as part of allowances, which can be made automated or contingent. For instance, you can assign chores like tidying up a room or caring for the family pet on the app, complete with deadlines and frequencies. The app offers a list of suggested chores, and parents can also input custom tasks.

Kids can allocate their spending

Kids are offered the flexibility to allocate their earned money according to the app's recommendations (70% to Spend Anywhere, 20% to General Savings, 5% to Giving, and 5% as Cash to Invest), or you can create a different allocation that's better for your family. Teenagers with jobs can conveniently have their paychecks directly deposited into their Greenlight account. Plus, both parents and teens can learn about investing and make trades, though children must get approval.

Prices include banking capability with 1-5% APY for kids

Greenlight offers three pricing plans, which you'll need to pay for only after a one-month free trial. However, to really get a sense of the app, you'll need to link it to an actual bank account and activate the debit cards that come with it. Unwinding all that can be a hassle if you decide Greenlight isn't for you, so the free trial isn't as risk-free as it is with some other apps.

3 tiers of paid membership

The paid membership options are offered through monthly pricing. Here's what the three tiers look like:

• Greenlight Core: $4.99 per month
• Comes with essential tools for saving and spending
• Savings account offers come with a 1% interest rate
• Adults can access "lite" investing tools, and kids get fun educational content and quizzes
• Greenlight Max: $9.98 per month
• Get all the perks of Core plus:
• More investing tools for kids and more advanced investing options for supervising adults
• Priority support, and a protection plan covering identity theft, purchases, and phone protection
• The associated savings account yields a 2% interest rate
• Greenlight Infinity: $14.98 per month
• Includes everything from the Max plan, plus:
• Family location sharing
• An SOS feature for quick alerts to emergency contacts and 911, and crash detection that can automatically dispatch 911
• The interest rate for the savings account is bumped up to 5%

No listed money-back guarantee

Unfortunately, beyond the 1-month trial period where you aren't paying for anything with Greenlight, we couldn't find any mention of a money-back guarantee or refund policy listed on their website. While you can get help through Greenlight to process refunds when you use a debit card issued by the company, there aren't any statements regarding returns for the actual membership.

Solid reputation and great for kiddos

In terms of the company's reputation, it's pretty solid. Greenlight has a "B” rating with the Better Business Bureau. On top of that, with over 4,000 individual verified reviews, Greenlight has a 3.8-star average from third-party review sites. And, according to app users, Greenlight has an impressive 4.8-star rating out of 5. Parents praise how easy it is to set up Greenlight and how helpful it is to actually teach financial know-how. A few customers complained about the features for older kids, finding that it wasn't as effective for them as with younger kids since there are some limitations for withdrawing money. In general, the comments for Greenlight are mostly positive, so parents with young kids or young teens might enjoy this family app for finances.

Great for kids, but missing some features for adults

The bottom line is: Greenlight offers a range of tools aimed at educating kids about various aspects of personal finance, combining practical learning with interactive features. Even if you don't opt for the top-tier package with extra features, the core services remain accessible, making it a practical choice for families with lower budgets. However, this isn't the ideal platform for adults looking to truly grow their portfolios or increase solid investments. Geared toward kids and families with kids, Greenlight provides a fantastic service, but for a really specific user base. For this reason, it receives a solid rating but doesn't get higher on our list because adults looking for personal finance software will probably be disappointed here.

PocketSmith

• Free plan available
• Paid plans from $9.95 to $26.66 per month
• Includes investments, cash tracking, and budgeting
• Specializes in future projections
• Mobile app and desktop option
• Designed for multiple operating systems

PocketSmith has its roots in New Zealand and has been in operation since 2008. It offers a distinctive blend of budgeting and financial forecasting, allowing you to project your financial path from the near future to decades ahead. PocketSmith offers integration with international financial institutions, making it particularly useful for customers who have international portfolios. One thing that sets PocketSmith apart is that it features a calendar-based approach, scenario testing, and robust security measures, so you can really focus on your future with this software.

Color-coded design for easy visuals

Incorporating a user-friendly calendar interface akin to Google, PocketSmith offers a convenient snapshot of both your present account balances and future financial outlook. In our research into PocketSmith, we noted it can surpass typical financial tracking apps with its robust forecasting tool, so you can really get clear and helpful views of your future finances to guide you toward your goals. You can create and track your budget or adjust your spending plans monthly, quarterly, yearly, or any other period that works for your needs. This is a super user-friendly process and includes visual helpers like the ability to highlight your recurring costs and track them with a budget calendar that offers color-coding for your expenses by category.

Future-focused finance features

Some of the features you can expect to find at PocketSmith include:

• Future Financial Forecasting:
• Precise projections up to 30 years into the future
• Daily estimates for your bank balance
• Calculates compound interest with automatic interest
• Bank Integration:
• Integrates with over 12,000 banks
• Connect in 49 countries for multiple banks
• Budget Calendar:
• Tracks recurring costs and projected expenses
• Color-coded categories and customizable options
• Simple budgeting with drag-and-drop features
• Accurate budgeting on calendar
• Scenario Testing:
• Examines the financial impact of different major decisions
• Visualize the short and long-term finances
• Plan and test various scenarios
• Income and Expense Statements:
• Generate income and expense reports
• Track local and international net worth and outstanding debts

Four pricing tiers

There are four different plan options available at PocketSmith: one free plan and three premium options. The differences between the options are fairly minimal (except for the free plan), but the prices change significantly. For example:

• Free Plan: PocketSmith refers to this as ideal for "casual budgeters," but it may not fully support your needs. When you get a full financial overview and forecasts, all data must be entered manually, which can be time-consuming. Users are limited to tracking two accounts.
• Foundation Plan: At $9.95 per month, you unlock features such as automatic bank feeds and transaction categorization. It eliminates the need for manual data entry, provided your bank is among the 12,000+ supported institutions. This plan allows for unlimited budgeting and financial projections for up to ten years. A 10-account limit is in place, which should suffice for most users.
• Flourish Plan: This plan costs $16.66 per month and is ideal if you want to manage over ten accounts. You get all the same features as the Foundation plan but with more banks (up to 18 from all countries) and projections up to 30 years.
• Fortune Plan: This plan costs $26.66 per month and is for financial professionals. You get all the same features as the Flourish plan but with unlimited access across the board.

It's notable that the price, even for the Foundation plan, is higher than many competitors, and since the free program requires you to do most of the work yourself, it doesn't stand out as a competitive option.

No money-back guarantee

Unfortunately, according to PocketSmith, there aren't any guarantees or refunds available if you don't enjoy the program. Their site notes that PocketSmith offers the service on an "as is" and "as available" basis and does not provide any warranties of any kind. So you'll need to be sure about the program before you buy if you don't want to be out any money.

Mixed reviews and mid-tier ratings

Like many other software options in our review, PocketSmith doesn't have any presence on the Better Business Bureau. So, during our research into the company's reputation, we needed to rely on reviews and ratings on mobile app stores. Unfortunately, the ratings aren't overly impressive. Across both app stores (Apple and Google Play), PocketSmith only has a rating of 3.3 stars out of 5. Customers are mostly unimpressed with the pricing here. They feel like the higher prices don't add much value, and many customers say that the app lacks features compared to the desktop version. Considering that many companies have much higher ratings from users, PocketSmith falls behind the pack a little.

Great option for future projections

If you're looking for the best option for future projections and international compatibility, PocketSmith remains a solid choice for personal finance software. However, given the higher costs and the 3.3-star average from reviewers, we have to agree with the crowd that PocketSmith isn't an outstanding service compared to other options out there.

Banktivity

• Costs from $4.17 to $8.34 per month or from $49.99 to $99.99 per year
• Network of 14,000 banks
• Includes investments, plans, property, taxes, budgeting, bills, and payments
• 90-day money-back guarantee
• Mobile app and desktop option
• Designed for Apple users
• "A+” rating from the BBB

Banktivity, developed by IGG Software, is a financial management solution that offers a personalized touch. Based in Putney, Vermont, this small, dedicated company specializes in developing applications for Mac and Apple mobile devices.

User engagement sets it apart

What sets Banktivity apart is its commitment to user engagement. Embracing the advantages of remote work, Banktivity interacts regularly with its customers, encouraging suggestions for improvements or new features. The only downside with this is that you do have to have an Apple device to operate the program, which makes it a no-go for Windows or Android users.

User-friendly budgeting

The latest update for Banktivity offers an impressive financial tool compatible with Mac, iPad, and iPhone devices. Setting up the app is a breeze, with the option to connect to over 14,000 banks and even monitor the value of your home and other real estate holdings. After the initial setup and syncing, Banktivity offers you assistance with budgeting, so you can control every dollar of your paycheck. With the user-friendly prioritization features, you can trust Banktivity to put your big budget items first, limiting spending when you run out of your budget in one area, and providing a clear roadmap for financial management. However, the design and layout of the program come across as a little dated, so if you're looking for a modern streamlined look, this might disappoint you.

Full range of features backed by a 14,000-bank network

From tracking and tagging to categorizing and reconciling transactions, you can use Banktivity's range of features to maintain a well-organized financial life. You can easily create account groups, budgets, and reports all in one place. On top of that, Banktivity offers detailed reports that can be transformed into PDFs or printed for your convenience or for tax purposes. And if you're interested in investing, Banktivity will monitor individual assets, split dividends, and perform accurate ROI and IRR calculations with ease. Banktivity maintains active and secure connections to a network of 14,000 banks, so you always have real-time data at your fingertips.

Standout features

Some of the software's standout features include:

• Investment monitoring
• Loan management
• Property management
• Transaction history
• Tax reports
• Spend tracker
• Financial dashboard
• Expense groups
• Budgeting
• Bills management
• Payment gateway
• Reports
• Multi-currency support

Three pricing tiers to choose from

Banktivity offers three pricing tiers as well as a 30-day free trial to get you started. The premium plans break down with the following benefits:

• Bronze Subscription: $4.17 per month or $49.99 per year
• Account types: Checking, Savings, Credit cards, Basic asset, and Basic liability
• Automatically connect to banks (via Direct Access and OFX)
• Create budgets
• Create reports
• Setup goals to pay down debt
• Build an emergency fund
• Encrypted Cloud Sync (see all data on all devices)
• Technical support (with US-based representatives)
• Silver Subscription: $5.84 per month or $69.99 per year
• Includes features of Bronze plan and:
• Account types: Investment, Retirement, Real Estate, Mortgage
• Download stock prices
• Investment reports
• Download home values (US-only)
• Save for education
• Plan for retirement
• Gold Subscription: $8.34 per month or $99.99
• Includes features of Silver plan and:
• Track accounts in different currencies
• Download currency exchange rates
• Check printing

90-day money-back guarantee

Banktivity provides a customer-friendly policy for getting your money back. If you're happy with the software within 90 days, you are offered a money-back guarantee for software purchased through Banktivity's online store. So if you find yourself dissatisfied, you can easily contact customer support, and your purchase will be refunded in its entirety. It's important to note that refund policies for purchases from other vendors don't qualify for the 90-day return policy, so buying directly from Banktivity is the best way to get that safeguard.

Decent reputation, but not a lot of users

During our research into Banktivity's reputation, we found that Banktivity's parent company IGG has an "A+” rating from the Better Business Bureau. On top of that, Banktivity shows an average rating of 4.2 stars out of 5 on the Apple mobile app. However, there are fewer reviews for this service than with other companies we evaluated. At the time that we checked out Banktivity, there were only 49 reviews on the Apple app store and only 9 total reviews on third-party review sites where Banktivity holds a 3.9-star rating out of 5. In general, we'd prefer it if this app had higher popularity.

Good solution for Apple users only

If you're an Apple user who is looking for a budgeting and investment app, Banktivity is one possible solution. With competitive tools and the ability to consolidate all your financial accounts, you'll be supported in every aspect of your finances. However, if you aren't an Apple user, you can't use this app at all. Considering that massive drawback (and the number of Windows users today), Banktivity falls lower in the rankings, since it's just not usable for a large number of potential customers.

YNAB

• Costs $14.99 monthly or $99 per year
• Includes budgeting, bills, international transactions, and payments
• 34-day free trial
• Mobile app and desktop option
• Designed for multiple platforms
• High ratings for mobile app

YNAB, or You Need a Budget, adopts a unique approach to personal finance. This online financial tool operates on the principle that every dollar you anticipate earning should have a designated purpose, whether for spending or saving.

Automatically imports transactions

YNAB links to your financial accounts, importing balances and transactions directly into your budget. This gives you real-time insights into your financial situation. While YNAB might have somewhat of a learning curve, it offers a wealth of educational resources, including tutorials and philosophical guidance, to assist users in mastering its distinctive method.

Unique budgeting but a steep learning curve

YNAB sets itself apart from the crowd with a unique and dynamic budgeting system. Unlike most budgeting apps, it doesn't solely involve allocating predetermined amounts to spending categories. Instead, it operates as a "living budget" that adapts as the month progresses. However, navigating its distinct system might not be intuitive from the start, so you might have trouble from the get-go even if you've used other personal financial software in the past.

Known for its collaborations

YNAB collaborates with various bank connection providers, including Plaid. YNAB offers the flexibility to switch to a different provider if you're dissatisfied with the one you initially chose, a feature not commonly found in personal finance services. Once you've linked your accounts, YNAB guides you through the setup, which is the most user-friendly part of the software. However, unlike some other financial platforms, YNAB doesn't automatically categorize transactions, which could be frustrating if you want help with keeping track of different expenses.

Pricey, but competitive trial period

YNAB is available for $14.99 monthly or $99 annually, which stands out as being much more expensive than other options we evaluated. YNAB offers a generous 34-day free trial, extending beyond the typical month-long trial period. This way, you have a few extra days to cancel the membership if you decide you don't want one. The best part is there's no need to provide credit card information during the trial sign-up.

Extremely popular with reviewers

In some respects, YNAB doesn't have a top-tier reputation. The company only holds a "C+” rating from the Better Business Bureau. However, when we checked out the reviews for YNAB through the mobile app stores, the company had a much better reputation. At Google Play YNAB shows a 4.7-star average out of 5, and from the Apple store the software has an impressive 4.8 stars out of 5, and this is with tens of thousands of individual reviews to back up the ratings. Customers particularly praised the budgeting features of YNAB with one review calling it "using budgeting as a GPS” for your finances.

Mid-tier due to high prices

At the end of the day, YNAB is a solid option for budgeting software but it has a steep learning curve, which makes it harder for customers to get into the groove with YNAB than with other personal finance software. On top of that, YNAB stands out for being much more expensive than its competitors without offering any clear ideas as to why the price is so high. However, a 34-day free trial and rave reviews for the mobile version balance out some of the negative aspects. At the end of the day, YNAB gets a middle-ground rating as it has some standout options for those looking for budgeting software. But, its drawbacks balance out the positives, keeping YNAB from being a top contender for personal finance management.

SEE Finance 2

• Costs $39.99 for MacOS and $4.99 for iOS
• Includes budgeting, bills, international transactions, and payments
• 30-day free trial
• Mobile app and desktop option
• Designed only for Apple

SEE Finance 2 offers software that enables users to centralize all their financial accounts, whether they involve banking, credit cards, investments, or other types, into one convenient platform. You can work with over 150 currencies, and the platform serves a global audience, making your international interests that much easier to handle. However, there's one drawback to SEE Finance 2: it is only usable by customers who have Mac OS. So, you need to have a Mac computer, an iPad, or an iPhone, which excludes a large number of customers who use Windows or Android.

Steep learning curve and requires iCloud storage

Understanding how SEE Finance 2 reconciles accounts is not the most user-friendly process. But, users have noted the program's speed and reliability which helps make up for the steeper learning curve. One thing you might love is that SEE Finance 2's capability to handle multiple currencies and provide budgeting tools adds versatility, but if you're not an international investor, it might not do you much good. Another thing that is a bit of a problem is that SEE Finance 2 relies on data stored in iCloud for functionality, so you may need to purchase extra storage to be able to reliably use the platform.

Competitive features for organization

SEE Finance 2's flexibility shines through features like adjusting transaction displays, modifying fonts, color coding, fine-tuning import preferences, and generating tailor-made reports. SEE Finance 2 also includes capabilities such as importing various file formats (OFX, QFX, CSV, QIF, and QMTF), investment tracking, multi-currency support, detailed reporting, budget oversight, scheduled transactions, and more. With both calendar and list views, quick transaction entry, batch editing, attachments, and the ability to create multiple files, you can count on pretty much all your bases being covered by SEE Finance 2.

Single-purchase software

SEE Finance 2 is available for a single purchase, which sets it apart from many of its competitors. The program costs $39.99 and is downloadable right away onto any device running MacOS. You can also find it in the Apple Store for the same price. If you want to buy the mobile version, it only costs $4.99.

30-day trial period

SEE Finance 2 offers you 30 days to try the software for free before you have to commit. While the company doesn't promise a money-back guarantee if you start paying, you have a similar time frame as other companies to test the program before you decide. Just make sure to keep track of the 30 days, so you don't get charged when the time is up.

Not a lot of buzz for SEE Finance 2

Digging up details on SEE Finance 2's reputation was a little difficult. Neither SEE Finance 2 nor its parent company Scimonocoe Software has a page on the Better Business Bureau. Instead, we had to look for details on the Apple store to find reviews and ratings. SEE Finance 2 only had 151 reviews at the time that we did our research, which was a little concerning regarding its popularity. But the company does have a solid 4.2-star average rating out of 5. The reviews are pretty generic, but many customers praise the interface between this software and MacOS, stating that this is the best option for Mac users on the market. However, other reviews note that there is a high learning curve with the software, especially if you've never used personal finance software before.

Doesn't quite hit the mark even for MacOS

While this might provide a decent option for Mac users, it has some concerning points. The lack of user-friendliness is one of them. With other programs out there that are more friendly for newcomers to personal finance software, SEE Finance 2 doesn't stand out as well as it should. Then, when you consider that anyone who doesn't own a Mac (that's a lot of folks), can't ever use SEE Finance 2, it falls in the ratings even further.

Moneydance

• Costs $64 one time, $9 per month, or $90 for a year
• Includes investments, cash tracking, and budgeting
• Mobile app and desktop option
• Designed for multiple operating systems
• Money back within 90 days
• Highly rated by Apple users

Moneydance offers flexible personal finance software that is compatible with Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, and Android. Emerging not long after Quicken's introduction in 1991, Moneydance initially took shape as a free, open-source desktop application. However, as time progressed, Moneydance underwent a transformation, evolving from its open-source origins to a platform providing users with a wide range of financial management features accessible across different operating systems. However if you're looking for a sleek modern interface, you may not find it here as Moneydance's design is reminiscent of much older computer software.

Looks old-fashioned, but has tons of modern connectivity

Based on first impressions, you may feel like Moneydance is more like a digital equivalent of your traditional checkbook. However, this personal finance software helps you with tracking your spending patterns, managing income, and overseeing investment portfolios. Plus, Moneydance distinguishes itself by accommodating various foreign currencies and even cryptocurrencies, making it ideal if you have international investment interests. Its mobile accessibility offers access to all modern users, so your banking data remains at your fingertips, whether you're managing budgets or making online bill payments.

Comprehensive features for tracking

Moneydance offers a wide array of valuable features, making your financial management a breeze. Here are some of the top features you can expect from this platform:

• Summary Dashboard: This dash displays balances across various accounts, from checking to stocks, and even provides bill reminders. Customization is key, with multiple themes and color adjustments available. You can fine-tune settings, including printing and backups.
• Graphing Tool: For visual learners, Moneydance simplifies graph creation, allowing you to generate both preset and customized graphs with ease.
• Bill Pay: Track bills directly from Moneydance.
• Payment Reminders: Get timely reminders for upcoming bills, so your finances stay on track.
• Budget Reports: Generate insightful budget reports and investment reports, effortlessly tracking your account balances, cash flow, and more.
• Investment Tracking: Moneydance streamlines investment tracking, displaying your total portfolio value and individual investment performance. This includes various investments like CDs, mutual funds, and stock splits.

Pay one time or subscribe

In today's world, numerous software applications lean towards subscription-based models. However, Moneydance distinguishes itself with a more straightforward approach. Instead of recurring subscription costs, Moneydance offers a single, flat fee of $65, saving you from the hassle of managing yearly payments and steering clear of intricate subscription options. On top of that, Moneydance goes the extra mile by providing a risk-free trial, allowing prospective users to explore its features with up to 100 transactions before making a purchase commitment. Now, if you prefer a subscription plan you can subscribe instead. This would cost either $9 per month or $90 per year.

90-day money-back guarantee

One of the benefits of choosing Moneydance is that they offer a money-back guarantee. You can try the app and see if it meets your needs. If not, you have 90 days to decide if you want to request your money back. This is one of the longer refund periods in our review, which shows Moneydance's commitment to your satisfaction.

Smaller user base

During our research, we struggled to find Moneydance on the Better Business Bureau. There are a decent number of reviews for Moneydance on app stores, though it's clear that Moneydance has a significantly smaller user base compared to competitors. At the Apple store, Moneydance has a 4.6-star rating out of 5 with around 400 different reviews to back up that score. However, from the Google Play store, Moneydance isn't nearly as popular. The app has only received a 2.7-star rating out of 5 with also around 400 reviews to back up that score.

Reviews show some problems with the program

So, the reviews come across as fairly mixed. Happy customers loved the one-time payment and the user-friendliness. Unhappy customers complained about the app crashing regularly or getting stuck on particular pages with no way to navigate. With these bugs popping up across the reviews, it might be safer to pick a more reliable program for your financial management.

Not worth the hassle of a crashing app

For individuals seeking a robust personal finance solution, Moneydance presents an appealing choice since you can access all of its features with a one-time payment. However, with concerns about the app's functionality on both Apple and Android platforms, particularly with respect to service crashes, it might be safer to find a more reliable app.