Data study
2026 Budgeting App Pricing Report
We tracked pricing, features, and value across 5 major budgeting apps. Here's what the data shows about cost, coverage, and which app gives you the most for your money.
Key findings
What the data shows
$85/yr
Average annual price across all 5 apps
$61
Price spread between cheapest and most expensive
9/20
Features included by all 5 apps
$3.69
Lowest cost per feature (Rocket Money)
90%
Highest feature coverage (Monarch Money)
34 days
Longest free trial (YNAB)
Pricing data
Complete pricing breakdown
| App | Monthly | Annual | Savings | Free Trial | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Rocket Money | $6/mo | $48/yr | Save 33% | 7 days | Flexible pay-what-you-want model ($6–12/mo) |
 Simplifi by Quicken | $5.99/mo | $71.88/yr | Annual only | 30 days | Annual billing only; 30-day money-back guarantee |
 Copilot Money | $13/mo | $95/yr | Save 39% | 14 days | — |
 Monarch Money | $14.99/mo | $99.99/yr | Save 44% | 7 days | — |
 YNAB | $14.99/mo | $109/yr | Save 39% | 34 days | — |
Prices verified against official websites. Last check: 2026-02-25.
Value analysis
Cost per feature
We divided each app's annual price by its number of included features. Lower cost per feature = better value.
Rocket Money
13/20 features · $48/yr
$3.69
per feature/yr
Simplifi by Quicken
15/20 features · $71.88/yr
$4.79
per feature/yr
Monarch Money
18/20 features · $99.99/yr
$5.55
per feature/yr
Copilot Money
14/20 features · $95/yr
$6.79
per feature/yr
YNAB
14/20 features · $109/yr
$7.79
per feature/yr
Feature coverage
Which apps have which features
Full feature matrix across 20 categories. Green = included, gray = not available.
| Feature | Rocket | Simplifi | Copilot | Monarch | YNAB | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank Syncing | 5/5 | |||||
| Net Worth Dashboard | 5/5 | |||||
| Bill Tracking | 5/5 | |||||
| Custom Categories | 5/5 | |||||
| Recurring Transactions | 5/5 | |||||
| Goal Tracking | 5/5 | |||||
| Mobile App | 5/5 | |||||
| Web App | 5/5 | |||||
| Reports & Charts | 5/5 | |||||
| Subscription Tracking | 4/5 | |||||
| Custom Rules | 4/5 | |||||
| Investment Tracking | 3/5 | |||||
| Shared Household Access | 3/5 | |||||
| Credit Score Monitoring | 3/5 | |||||
| Zero-Based Budgeting | 3/5 | |||||
| CSV Import | 3/5 | |||||
| Envelope Budgeting | 2/5 | |||||
| Crypto Tracking | 2/5 | |||||
| Learning Center | 1/5 | |||||
| Negotiation Service | 1/5 | |||||
| Total features | 13 | 15 | 14 | 18 | 14 | 20 tracked |
Differentiators
Features that set apps apart
Universal features (all 5 apps)
Rare features (2 or fewer apps)
Monarch YNAB Copilot Monarch YNAB Rocket Methodology
How we collected this data
Pricing verification
Prices are checked weekly against each app's official pricing page. We track monthly, annual, and per-month-billed-annually rates. Any price change greater than 50% from the previous value is flagged for manual review to prevent data errors.
Feature tracking
We track 20 features across categories including budgeting methodology, financial tracking, account access, data management, platform availability, and reporting. Features are marked as included only if available on the standard plan (not enterprise or add-on tiers).
Cost-per-feature calculation
Cost per feature = annual price / number of included features. This metric normalizes pricing across apps with different feature sets. It is one factor among many — a higher cost-per-feature app may still be the best choice if its specific features match your needs.
Scope and limitations
This report covers the 5 most popular paid budgeting apps in the US market. Free tools (spreadsheets, bank-provided budgeting) are excluded. Feature availability is binary (yes/no) — we do not assess quality or depth of implementation. App store ratings are sourced from Apple App Store and Google Play.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do budgeting apps cost in 2026?
The average annual price of the top 5 budgeting apps is $85. Prices range from $48/yr (Rocket Money) to $109/yr (YNAB). All offer free trials from 7 to 34 days.
Which budgeting app has the most features?
Monarch Money offers 18 out of 20 tracked features (90% coverage). It includes investment tracking, shared household access, envelope budgeting, and CSV import.
Which budgeting app is the best value per feature?
Rocket Money has the lowest cost per feature at $3.69/yr per feature. It offers 13 features for $48/yr.
How often does StackSwitch verify pricing?
We verify pricing against official app websites weekly using automated checks with manual review. All prices shown are for standard plans (no enterprise or family tiers). Last verification date is displayed on each app profile.
Are there any free budgeting apps?
None of the top 5 budgeting apps are free, but all offer free trials. YNAB has the longest at 34 days. For free alternatives, basic bank-provided tools or spreadsheet templates are available, though they lack automated bank syncing and advanced features.
What features do all budgeting apps include?
All 5 apps include: Bank Syncing, Net Worth Dashboard, Bill Tracking, Custom Categories, Recurring Transactions, Goal Tracking, Mobile App, Web App, Reports & Charts. These are considered table-stakes features for any modern budgeting app.
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