Monarch Money and Copilot Money are two of the most popular personal finance apps to emerge after Mint’s shutdown (announced in late 2023, completed in March 2024). Both charge premium prices, both sync with your bank through data aggregators such as Plaid, and both promise to give you a clear picture of your money. But they take noticeably different approaches to platform support, design philosophy, and feature depth.
This guide breaks down the real differences between Monarch Money and Copilot Money so you can figure out which one fits your financial life — or whether a third option might be a better match.
If you are still replacing Mint, see our guide to Mint alternatives.
Quick Answer
Choose Monarch if you use Android, want to invite a partner or advisor into your budget, or want a 7-day trial before paying $99.99 a year. Choose Copilot if you live in the US, use an iPhone, iPad or Mac, and are happy to share one account; it costs $95 a year after a 1-month trial.
| Monarch Money | Copilot Money | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $14.99/month or $99.99/year | $95/year |
| Free trial | 7 days | 1 month |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | iPhone, iPad, Mac, web |
| Coverage | 13,000+ financial institutions | US only |
| Bank connections | Several data providers | Plaid for most banks, plus Mastercard, MX, Akoya and some direct links |
| Partner access | Invite a partner or advisor at no extra cost | Partner logs in to the same account through a Magic Link |
Facts checked on Monarch’s and Copilot’s own websites on October 14, 2026.
Quick Overview: What Each App Does Well
Monarch Money
Monarch Money launched in 2021 as a modern replacement for legacy budgeting tools. It’s built for the web first, with native iOS and Android apps. Monarch’s standout strength is collaborative finance — it was designed from the ground up for couples and families who want to manage money together. You get shared dashboards, split views, and real-time syncing across accounts.
Monarch connects to more than 13,000 financial institutions through several data providers, covering banks, credit cards, investment accounts, loans, and more. Its interface is clean and functional, with solid reporting, net worth tracking, and budgeting tools.
Copilot Money
Copilot Money takes the opposite approach to platform strategy: it emphasizes native Apple apps, with web access too. The app runs natively on iOS and macOS, with no Android app, but a web version since December 2025. What you get in exchange is one of the best-looking finance apps on any platform. Copilot feels fast and polished in a way that web-based competitors rarely match.
Copilot connects most banks through Plaid, with Mastercard, MX, Akoya and some direct integrations for the rest. It covers US banks and offers clean spending breakdowns, budgeting, net worth tracking, and investment monitoring. The Apple-native approach means tight integration with widgets, shortcuts, and the overall iOS experience.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Monarch Money | Copilot Money | Monavio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $14.99/mo | about $8/month billed annually ($95/year) | $4.99/mo (from $3/mo annual) |
| Annual price | $99.99/yr | $95/year | $36/yr |
| Free trial | 7-day | 1-month | 14-day (no card required) |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | iPhone, iPad, Mac, web; no Android | Web, iOS, Android |
| Bank connection | Several data providers | Plaid and others (US only) | Statement upload (any bank, any country) |
| Budgeting | Category budgets, rollovers | Category budgets | Category budgets, pace indicators |
| Investment tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes, with portfolio analytics |
| Net worth | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-currency | Limited | No | Yes, native support |
| Collaborative (couples) | Yes, built-in | No | No |
| Encryption | Standard (at rest) | Standard (at rest) | AES-256-GCM field-level + per-user Cloud KMS |
| Reports/analytics | Detailed | Clean visuals | Interactive charts, Sankey cash flow |
| AI features | Not listed on its site | AI categorization, assistant (beta) | AI extraction + AI assistant |
Budgeting: Different Depths
Monarch’s Budgeting
Monarch offers a straightforward category-based budgeting system. You set monthly limits for categories like dining, groceries, and entertainment, then track progress as transactions sync in. Budgets roll over month to month if you want them to, and you can see at a glance which categories are on track.
Where Monarch really shines is budgeting for couples. Both partners see the same budget in real time, and you can assign transactions to specific household members. If you’re managing money with a partner, this is a genuine differentiator that few apps match.
Copilot’s Budgeting
Copilot’s budgeting works similarly — category limits with visual progress bars. The presentation is where it excels. Charts and graphs render beautifully on Apple hardware, and the overall experience feels lightweight. You’re less likely to feel overwhelmed by numbers when using Copilot.
However, Copilot’s budgeting is less configurable than Monarch’s. There are fewer options for rollovers, custom rules, and multi-person scenarios. If you want granular control, you may find it limiting.
What About Monavio?
Monavio takes a different approach to budgeting entirely because it doesn’t connect to your bank in real time. You upload statements, and AI categorizes everything. Budgets include real-time pace indicators that tell you whether your current spending rate will keep you within your limit by month-end. It’s less immediate than live-syncing apps, but the trade-off is that it works with any bank in any country — not just those supported by Plaid.
Investment Tracking
Monarch
Monarch pulls in investment account data through its data providers, showing holdings, performance, and allocation breakdowns. It handles brokerage accounts, retirement accounts, and crypto wallets. The investment dashboard gives you a portfolio-level view alongside your spending and budgets, which is useful for seeing the complete picture.
Copilot
Copilot also tracks investments through its bank connections. It shows balances, performance trends, and basic allocation data. The visualizations are attractive, but the depth of analysis is more limited than Monarch’s. If investment tracking is a primary need, Monarch gives you more to work with.
Beyond US Brokerages
One limitation both Monarch and Copilot share: they can only sync investment accounts their data providers can connect to. If you hold assets at international brokerages, use platforms outside the US, or have investments that don’t connect through aggregators, you’ll need to track those manually.
Monavio handles investments differently — you add portfolio holdings directly, and the app tracks performance, day-over-day changes, and allocation across all your accounts regardless of where they’re held. It also feeds investment data into a financial independence planner with Monte Carlo simulations.
User Experience and Design
Monarch: Functional and Consistent
Monarch’s design is clean and professional. It won’t win any design awards, but everything is where you’d expect it to be. The web app and mobile apps share the same layout logic, so switching between devices feels seamless. For couples, the shared dashboard experience is well-executed — both users see the same data without confusion about whose view they’re looking at.
The learning curve is moderate. There are enough features to explore that it takes a few sessions to feel fully comfortable, but nothing is buried or confusing.
Copilot: Best-in-Class Apple Design
If you live in the Apple ecosystem, Copilot is hard to beat visually. The native iOS and macOS apps feel like they belong on your device in a way that web-wrapped apps never quite manage. Animations are smooth, transitions are fast, and the overall aesthetic is premium.
The trade-off is real, though. No Android app means a partner on Android has to use the web app, which launched in December 2025 and also covers a work computer or a Chromebook. If you’re all-in on Apple, this is fine. If you’re not, expect a browser rather than a native app on your other devices.
Pricing: Neither Is Cheap
Both Monarch and Copilot charge premium prices relative to the broader market:
- Monarch Money: $14.99/month or $99.99/year (about $8.33/month)
- Copilot Money: $95/year (about $7.92/month billed annually)
For what you get, these prices aren’t unreasonable — maintaining Plaid connections to thousands of banks costs real money, and both apps deliver polished experiences. But they’re meaningfully more expensive than some alternatives, especially if you’re a single user who doesn’t need collaborative features.
Monavio comes in at $3/month on the annual plan ($4.99/month if you pay monthly). The lower cost reflects a different business model — statement uploads don’t carry the per-connection fees that Plaid-based apps pay. Whether the convenience trade-off is worth the savings depends on how you feel about uploading statements versus automatic syncing.
Privacy and Security
Both Monarch and Copilot connect to your bank accounts through data aggregators such as Plaid. This means you’re granting a third-party aggregator read access to your transaction data. Plaid has faced scrutiny over its data practices, including a $58 million class-action settlement approved in 2022; Plaid denied wrongdoing. Both apps encrypt data at rest on their servers using industry-standard practices.
If the Plaid connection model gives you pause, upload-based alternatives like Monavio avoid it entirely. You download your own statement from your bank and upload the file — no bank credentials leave your browser. Monavio goes a step further with AES-256-GCM field-level encryption, where each user’s sensitive data is encrypted with a dedicated key managed through Google Cloud KMS. It’s a meaningfully different security model.
That said, automatic bank syncing is genuinely more convenient than manual uploads. There’s a real trade-off here, and it depends on how much you value convenience versus control over your data.
When to Choose Monarch Money
Monarch is the right pick if:
- You manage finances with a partner. Collaborative budgeting is Monarch’s strongest differentiator. No other app in this comparison handles shared finances as well.
- You want cross-platform access. Web, iOS, and Android means you can check your finances from any device.
- You prefer automatic bank syncing. Bank connections mean transactions appear without manual work.
- You want investment tracking alongside budgeting. Monarch’s investment features are solid for a budgeting-first app.
- You’re US-based with major banks. Plaid coverage is strongest for US financial institutions.
Monarch is less ideal if you’re outside the US, on a tight budget, or uncomfortable with the Plaid data-sharing model.
When to Choose Copilot Money
Copilot is the right pick if:
- You’re all-in on Apple. The native iOS and macOS experience is best-in-class. Nothing else feels this polished on Apple devices.
- Design matters to you. If you’re more likely to use an app that looks great, Copilot’s UI could be the difference between sticking with it and abandoning it.
- You’re a single user. Copilot has no separate partner logins; a partner shares your account with full control, so it suits individual use best.
- You’re in the US. Copilot’s bank coverage is limited to US-based accounts.
- You want simplicity. Copilot doesn’t overwhelm you with options. It does fewer things, but does them well.
Copilot is less ideal if you need a native Android app, manage finances with a partner, or live outside the US. For a broader look at what else is available, see our best Copilot Money alternatives roundup.
When to Consider Monavio
Monavio is worth a look if:
- You live outside the US. Monarch and Copilot both depend on bank aggregators, whose coverage is strongest in the US. Monavio works with any bank that issues statements — which is every bank. See our guide on managing finances across multiple countries for more.
- Privacy is a priority. No bank login, no Plaid, no credential sharing. Field-level encryption with per-user keys goes beyond what most finance apps offer. We cover more options in our best budget apps without bank login guide.
- You want a complete financial picture. Spending, budgets, investments, net worth, and financial independence planning in one place.
- Price matters. At $3/month (annual), Monavio costs roughly a third of what Monarch charges and roughly a third of Copilot’s annual rate.
- You have accounts at multiple banks or in multiple currencies. Upload statements from any institution, in any currency, from any country.
The trade-off is clear: you’re giving up automatic bank syncing. If downloading and uploading a PDF once a month per account feels like too much friction, a Plaid-based app will serve you better. But if you’re already downloading statements anyway — or if Plaid doesn’t support your bank — the upload model removes a dependency rather than adding a burden.
You can try Monavio free for 14 days with no credit card required.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Monarch Money or Copilot Money better for budgeting?
They’re roughly comparable for individual budgeting. Both offer category-based budgets with progress tracking. Monarch pulls ahead if you budget with a partner, thanks to its collaborative features. Copilot wins on visual presentation. If you’re also considering YNAB’s zero-based approach, our Monarch Money vs YNAB comparison covers that angle. If detailed budget analytics matter more than collaboration, you might also consider Monavio’s pace-based budgeting system.
Does Copilot Money work on Android?
No. Copilot Money is available on iPhone, iPad, Mac and web. There’s no Android app, but a web app since December 2025. If you use an Android phone, Monarch Money or Monavio are better options.
Can I use Monarch Money or Copilot Money outside the US?
Copilot officially supports only the US. If you’re outside the US, an upload-based app like Monavio will be more reliable since it doesn’t depend on bank-aggregator coverage.
Is Monarch Money worth $99 a year?
For couples managing shared finances across multiple accounts, Monarch provides genuine value that’s hard to find elsewhere. For single users with straightforward finances, the price is harder to justify — especially when alternatives offer similar core features at lower price points. The 7-day free trial is short, so make time to test thoroughly.
How do Monarch and Copilot handle investment tracking?
Both pull investment account data through their data providers, showing holdings, performance, and allocations. Monarch goes slightly deeper with more detailed portfolio views. If investment tracking is a core need, evaluate whether the depth of analysis matches what you’re looking for, or whether a tool that combines spending and investment tracking might be a better fit.
What’s the most affordable alternative to both?
Among apps with comparable features (budgeting, investments, net worth), Monavio is significantly cheaper at $3-7/month (billed annually) depending on the plan. It trades automatic syncing for statement uploads and broader bank compatibility. Free options like Credit Karma exist but lack the budgeting and investment tracking depth that Monarch, Copilot, and Monavio offer.
Bottom Line
Monarch Money and Copilot Money are both solid personal finance apps, but they serve different users. Monarch is the better all-around choice for most people — it works on every platform, handles couples well, and offers deeper features. Copilot is the better choice for US users in the Apple ecosystem who value design and simplicity above all else.
If neither fits — because of price, platform limitations, international banking, or privacy concerns — Monavio offers a genuinely different approach that’s worth evaluating. The upload-based model won’t appeal to everyone, but for the right user, it solves problems that Plaid-based apps simply can’t.
The best way to decide is to try them. All three offer free trials, so test each one with your real accounts and see which experience you actually want to open every week.