Verdict
Winner: Monarch Money
For users who want a full-featured budgeting and investment tracking tool
Monarch is better for comprehensive budgeting and investment tracking. Rocket Money is better for subscription management and bill negotiation. Choose Monarch if budgeting is your priority; choose Rocket Money if you want to cut costs on autopilot.
7-day free trial · No credit card required
TL;DR
Winner: Monarch Money
Best for: Comprehensive budgeters who want investment tracking and shared household access
$30.11/yr more (Monarch $89.99 vs Rocket Money $59.88)
Monarch vs Rocket Money (2026): Which Is Better?
Published Jan 15, 2026 · 8 min read
Pricing verified Feb 23, 2026We compared Monarch Money and Rocket Money on pricing, features, and real-world use. Monarch wins for serious budgeters — here's why, and when Rocket Money is the smarter pick.
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Feature-by-feature
| Features |
Winner
Monarch Money
$7.49/mo
| $4.99/mo |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Price | $9.99/mo | $6.99/mo |
| Annual Price | $89.99/yr | $59.88/yr |
| Free Trial | 7 days | 7 days |
| Prices checked Feb 23, 2026 | ||
| 4.7/5 (12,400 reviews) | 4.5/5 (34,200 reviews) | |
| Bank Syncing | ||
| Investment Tracking | ||
| Net Worth Dashboard | ||
| Bill Tracking | ||
| Shared Household Access | ||
| Custom Categories | ||
| Recurring Transactions | ||
| Goal Tracking | ||
| Credit Score Monitoring | ||
| Subscription Tracking | ||
| Zero-Based Budgeting | ||
| Envelope Budgeting | ||
| CSV Import | ||
| Mobile App | ||
| Web App | ||
| Reports & Charts | ||
| Custom Rules | ||
| Crypto Tracking | ||
| Learning Center | ||
| Negotiation Service | ||
| Get Started with Monarch Money 7-day free trial · No credit card required | ||
Monarch Money
$7.49/mo billed annually
- Bank Syncing
- Investment Tracking
- Net Worth Dashboard
- Bill Tracking
- Shared Household Access
- Custom Categories
- Recurring Transactions
- Goal Tracking
- Credit Score Monitoring
- Subscription Tracking
- Zero-Based Budgeting
- Envelope Budgeting
- CSV Import
- Mobile App
- Web App
- Reports & Charts
- Custom Rules
- Crypto Tracking
- Learning Center
- Negotiation Service
Rocket Money
$4.99/mo billed annually
- Bank Syncing
- Investment Tracking
- Net Worth Dashboard
- Bill Tracking
- Shared Household Access
- Custom Categories
- Recurring Transactions
- Goal Tracking
- Credit Score Monitoring
- Subscription Tracking
- Zero-Based Budgeting
- Envelope Budgeting
- CSV Import
- Mobile App
- Web App
- Reports & Charts
- Custom Rules
- Crypto Tracking
- Learning Center
- Negotiation Service
Pricing breakdown
How much does each app really cost?
Monarch Money
7-day free trial · No credit card required
Rocket Money
Best fit
Who should choose Monarch Money
- Serious budgeters who want detailed category tracking, custom rules, and spending trend analysis
- Households that need shared access — both partners see the same budgets, accounts, and net worth
- Long-term planners who want investment tracking and retirement account monitoring alongside daily spending
Who should choose Rocket Money
- Subscription-heavy users who lose track of recurring charges and want one-tap cancellation
- Hands-off savers who want Rocket Money's bill negotiation team to lower their cable, insurance, and phone bills
- Credit-score conscious users who want free monitoring integrated with their spending dashboard
Switching from Mint?
Monarch Money
Monarch supports CSV import — bring your full Mint transaction history. Categories auto-map to common names, and you can create custom rules for the rest.
CSV importRocket Money
Rocket Money does not support CSV import. It syncs accounts via Plaid and starts tracking from your connection date. Historical Mint data won't transfer.
The bottom line
Our final recommendation
Monarch is better for comprehensive budgeting and investment tracking. Rocket Money is better for subscription management and bill negotiation. Choose Monarch if budgeting is your priority; choose Rocket Money if you want to cut costs on autopilot.
7-day free trial · No credit card required
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Monarch Money better than Rocket Money?
For budgeting and financial planning, yes. Monarch Money has better budgeting tools, investment tracking, and shared household access. Rocket Money excels at subscription tracking, bill negotiation, and credit score monitoring — features Monarch doesn't offer.
How much does Rocket Money cost?
Rocket Money costs $6.99/mo or $59.88/yr ($4.99/mo billed annually). It's significantly cheaper than Monarch Money's $9.99/mo or $89.99/yr, though it offers fewer budgeting features.
Does Rocket Money negotiate bills for you?
Yes. Rocket Money's bill negotiation service contacts your providers to lower your bills. They charge a percentage of the savings achieved. This is a unique feature that Monarch Money, YNAB, and most competitors don't offer.
Can Rocket Money track investments?
No. Rocket Money does not include investment portfolio tracking. It focuses on spending, subscriptions, and bill management. For investment tracking alongside budgeting, Monarch Money or Copilot Money are better choices.
Does Rocket Money include credit score monitoring?
Yes. Rocket Money includes free credit score monitoring as part of its subscription. Monarch Money does not offer credit score tracking.
Which app is better for canceling subscriptions?
Rocket Money is significantly better for subscription management. It identifies all your recurring charges and can cancel unwanted subscriptions on your behalf. Monarch tracks subscriptions but doesn't cancel them for you.
Is Monarch Money safe?
Monarch Money uses Plaid for bank connections, 256-bit AES encryption, and is SOC 2 Type II certified. Your bank credentials are never stored directly by Monarch.
Can I use both apps together?
Yes, some users pair Rocket Money for subscription management and bill negotiation with Monarch for budgeting and investment tracking. The combined cost is around $14.98/mo, which may be worthwhile if you use both feature sets actively.
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