Best Free Expense Trackers in 2026: YNAB vs Monarch vs Manual Entry Tools
After Mint shut down in 2024, millions of users were left scrambling for a replacement. The personal finance app market has since split into two camps: bank-linked automation (YNAB, Monarch) and manual-entry simplicity (Toshl, spreadsheets). Which approach actually helps you understand your spending?
We tested the most popular options across what matters: ease of use, privacy, cost, and whether you actually stick with it.
The Contenders
YNAB (You Need a Budget)
The gold standard for zero-based budgeting. YNAB connects to your bank and assigns every dollar a job.
Pros: Powerful budgeting methodology, bank linking, goal tracking, excellent educational content, cross-platform.
Cons: $14.99/month ($99/year) with no free tier. Steep learning curve — the "YNAB method" takes weeks to internalize. Requires sharing bank credentials via Plaid. Overkill if you just want to see where money goes.
Monarch Money
The most polished Mint replacement. Clean dashboard, automatic categorization, investment tracking, and collaborative budgeting for couples.
Pros: Beautiful UI, automatic transaction import, investment tracking, couples budgeting, net worth dashboard.
Cons: $9.99/month ($99.99/year). Free trial only. Bank linking required for core features. Data stored on Monarch's servers.
Toshl Finance
A colorful mobile expense tracker with manual entry and optional bank linking. Known for its quirky monster-themed design.
Pros: Fun design, manual entry option, multiple currencies, decent free tier (200 entries/month).
Cons: Mobile-first with limited web app. Free tier is restricted. Pro is $2.99/month. Bank linking only in select regions. Outdated interface.
Pennyscope
A dead-simple manual expense tracker focused on privacy. No bank linking, no budgeting methodology — just log spending and see charts.
Pros: 5-second expense entry, no bank credentials needed, clean spending charts by category, works in any country and currency, syncs across devices.
Cons: No automatic transaction import. No investment tracking. Advanced stats require Pro subscription.
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Feature | YNAB | Monarch | Toshl | Pennyscope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank linking | Yes | Yes | Optional | No |
| Manual entry | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (primary) |
| Budget tools | Advanced | Yes | Basic | No |
| Spending charts | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Free tier | No | No | 200/month | 10/day |
| Cost | $14.99/mo | $9.99/mo | $2.99/mo | Free / $3/mo |
| Privacy | Bank data shared | Bank data shared | Bank data shared | No data sharing |
Which Should You Use?
For full zero-based budgeting, YNAB is the gold standard — if you're willing to invest the time and money to learn its methodology.
For a polished Mint replacement, Monarch Money offers the smoothest transition with automatic categorization and a clean interface.
For mobile-first tracking on a budget, Toshl's free tier is decent if you don't mind the 200-entry limit and quirky design.
For no-fuss simplicity, Pennyscope strips away the complexity. No bank linking means no credential sharing, no Plaid dependency, and it works in any country. The 5-second entry flow makes it easy to actually stick with daily logging — which is the whole point. If you just want to answer "where does my money go?" without a budgeting philosophy, it's the simplest path.
The Bottom Line
The best expense tracker is the one you actually use. Bank-linked tools are convenient but require trust and cost more. Manual entry requires discipline but gives you full control over your data. If you've bounced off YNAB or Monarch because they felt like too much, a simple manual tracker might be exactly what you need.