Mint shut down in January 2024. What replaced it? This guide compares the current landscape of budgeting apps for American users, with honest assessments of who each app works for — and who it doesn't.
The post-Mint landscape (2026)
Mint's closure sent millions of users searching for alternatives. Intuit redirected them to Credit Karma — a credit monitoring service, not a budgeting app. The replacement landscape is fragmented but has some strong options.
Comparison of major US budgeting apps
| App | Cost | Bank sync | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| YNAB | $99/year | Yes (Plaid) | Envelope-method devotees |
| Copilot | $156/year | Yes (Plaid) | iPhone users who want beautiful UI |
| Monarch Money | $99/year | Yes | Families, couples budgeting |
| Tiller | $79/year | Yes | Spreadsheet people |
| CashControlly | $19.90 one-time | Manual (privacy) | One-time payment, no subscription |
| Spreadsheet (Excel/Sheets) | Free | Manual | Power users |
The bank sync question
Most US budgeting apps sync via Plaid, which requires connecting your bank credentials through a secure API. After the Plaid settlement with the FTC and various data concerns, more users are choosing manual-entry apps that don't require bank access. There's no right answer — it's a personal tradeoff between convenience and privacy.
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About the author
Enrique 'Kike' Faúndez is an Information Systems and Management Control Engineer from Universidad de Chile, with master’s degrees in Finance from Universidad de Chile and Industrial Engineering from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. He has 15+ years of experience in regulated financial services across finance, operations, and digital product development. He founded CashControlly in Santiago, Chile, with the conviction that personal financial control should not be a privilege, but an accessible and well-designed tool.
- Master's in Finance, Universidad de Chile
- Master's in Industrial Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
- Information Systems and Management Control Engineer, Universidad de Chile
- AI and ITIL certifications
- 15+ years in regulated financial services
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