Choosing an expense tracker in 2026 shouldn't require a PhD in privacy policy interpretation. But here we are.
The market is flooded with budgeting apps, each claiming to be "the best." But when you look under the hood, most of them have the same business model: harvest your financial data, feed it to third-party services, and make money off your spending habits.
We tested every major expense tracker available in 2026 and ranked them on what actually matters: price, privacy, features, and ease of use.
Quick Comparison Table
| App | Price | Bank Linking | AI Features | Privacy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finly | Free / $6.49/mo | ❌ Never | ✅ Voice, Receipt, Insights | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| YNAB | $14.99/mo | Optional | ❌ None | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Monarch Money | $14.99/mo | ✅ Required | ✅ Basic | ⭐⭐ |
| Goodbudget | Free / $10/mo | ❌ None | ❌ None | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Rocket Money | Free / $6-12/mo | ✅ Required | ✅ Basic | ⭐⭐ |
| Copilot Money | $10.99/mo | ✅ Required | ✅ Basic | ⭐⭐ |
| Pocket Clear | Free / $0.99/mo | ❌ None | ❌ None | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
1. Finly — Best Overall Expense Tracker in 2026
Price: Free tier / $6.49/mo yearly / $10.99/mo monthly
Platforms: iOS, Android
Bank Linking: None — ever
Finly is the only expense tracker that combines privacy-first architecture with genuinely useful AI features. Say "Coffee at Starbucks, $5.50" and it's logged, categorized, and done in 3 seconds. Snap a photo of a receipt and the AI extracts the merchant, amount, date, and items automatically.
What makes Finly unique is its stateless AI architecture. Your data is processed in real-time and then deleted — it's never stored for training, never shared with third parties, and never used for advertising. This is the fundamental difference: you pay for the tool, so the tool works for you — not advertisers.
Who it's best for: Anyone who wants fast, AI-powered expense tracking without sacrificing privacy. Especially good for people who are tired of giving their bank passwords to apps.
See how Finly compares to Monarch Money →
2. YNAB — Best for Zero-Based Budgeting Devotees
Price: $14.99/mo ($109/yr)
Platforms: iOS, Android, Web
Bank Linking: Optional
YNAB (You Need a Budget) has been the gold standard for envelope-style, zero-based budgeting for over a decade. Its "give every dollar a job" philosophy genuinely changes how people think about money. The community and educational resources are unmatched.
The downsides? It costs $14.99/month — one of the most expensive options in the category. The learning curve is steep. And there are zero AI features: no voice entry, no receipt scanning, no automated insights. You're paying premium prices for a methodology, not technology.
Who it's best for: People who want a strict budgeting system and are willing to invest time learning the YNAB method. If budgeting is a discipline you want to master, YNAB is the best teacher.
See the detailed Finly vs YNAB comparison →
3. Monarch Money — Best for Investment + Expense Tracking
Price: $14.99/mo or $99.99/yr
Platforms: iOS, Android, Web
Bank Linking: Required
Monarch Money, built by a former Mint product manager, is the closest thing to a modern Mint replacement. It combines expense tracking with investment monitoring, net worth dashboards, and shared access for couples. If you want one app for your entire financial life, Monarch is compelling.
The trade-off: Monarch requires bank linking through Plaid, costs nearly $15/month, and has no free tier. Your transaction data lives on their servers. If privacy matters to you, this is a dealbreaker.
Who it's best for: Couples who want shared financial visibility with investment tracking. If you don't care about bank linking privacy and want a "dashboard for everything," Monarch delivers.
See the detailed Finly vs Monarch Money comparison →
4. Goodbudget — Best Free Envelope Budgeting
Price: Free / $10/mo or $99.99/yr
Platforms: iOS, Android, Web
Bank Linking: None
Goodbudget digitizes the classic cash envelope system without requiring bank credentials. You manually allocate money into virtual envelopes and track spending against them. It's simple, proven, and the free tier is usable for basic budgeting.
The limitation: Goodbudget has no AI features whatsoever. No voice entry, no receipt scanning, no automated insights. Manual entry means typing every transaction — which is fine for some people, but painfully slow compared to saying "lunch $12 at Panera" and being done.
Who it's best for: People who love the envelope system and want a free, simple app without AI.
See the detailed Finly vs Goodbudget comparison →
5. Rocket Money — Best for Subscription Management
Price: Free / $6-12/mo (variable pricing)
Platforms: iOS, Android (US only)
Bank Linking: Required
Rocket Money (formerly Truebill) is best known for finding and canceling forgotten subscriptions. Their bill negotiation service claims to save users an average of $800/year. As a focused subscription management tool, it's excellent.
As an expense tracker, it's limited. It requires full bank access, only works in the US, and uses variable "pay what you want" pricing for its premium tier. If you're outside the US or care about privacy, it's a non-starter.
Who it's best for: US residents who want automatic subscription detection and bill negotiation. Not ideal for comprehensive expense tracking or privacy-conscious users.
See the detailed Finly vs Rocket Money comparison →
6. Copilot Money — Best iOS Design
Price: $10.99/mo or ~$95/yr
Platforms: iOS only
Bank Linking: Required
Copilot Money is arguably the most beautiful finance app ever made. If "design" is your primary criteria, Copilot wins. The UI is stunning, the Apple ecosystem integration is deep (Shortcuts, Widgets), and the data visualization is best-in-class.
The catches: iOS only (no Android), requires bank linking, costs $10.99/month, and has no free tier. It's the luxury option — beautiful but expensive and exclusive.
Who it's best for: Design-obsessed iOS users who don't mind bank linking and want a premium experience.
See the detailed Finly vs Copilot comparison →
7. Pocket Clear — Best Ultra-Budget Privacy Tracker
Price: Free / $0.99/mo
Platforms: iOS, Android
Bank Linking: None
Pocket Clear is the cheapest privacy-first expense tracker available. At $0.99/month for Pro, it's nearly free. It uses AES-256 encrypted local storage and never touches your bank. For pure simplicity and privacy at the lowest possible cost, Pocket Clear delivers.
The trade-off: no AI features at all. No voice tracking, no receipt scanning, no automated insights. It's manual-entry-only, which makes it slower than alternatives with AI assistance.
Who it's best for: Budget-conscious users who want the absolute cheapest privacy-first tracker and don't mind manual text entry.
See the detailed Finly vs Pocket Clear comparison →
The Bottom Line: Which Expense Tracker Should You Choose in 2026?
If you want privacy + AI features + fair pricing, choose Finly. It's the only app that combines voice tracking, receipt scanning, and AI insights without ever touching your bank credentials.
If you want strict envelope budgeting methodology, choose YNAB — but prepare for the $15/month price tag and learning curve.
If you want everything-in-one-dashboard and don't care about privacy, Monarch Money is the closest thing to the old Mint.
If you want the absolute cheapest option, Pocket Clear is $0.99/month — but you'll miss the AI features that make expense tracking actually enjoyable.
