Monarch Money vs Copilot Money: Which Budget App Is Best in 2025?

Take Control of Your Financial Future—Here’s the Only In-Depth Budget App Review You’ll Ever Need.

Are you tired of using clunky spreadsheets or outdated budgeting apps that barely keep up with your lifestyle? In a world where money management is more important than ever, the right personal finance app can be a total game-changer. Two of the top contenders in 2025—Monarch Money and Copilot Money—offer powerful solutions for taking control of your finances. But which one actually helps you stay ahead, track your net worth, and build the kind of financial future you want?

In this long-form comparison, we’ll walk you through every feature you need to know, from budget automation and investment tracking to user interface and device compatibility. Whether you're looking to eliminate debt, grow your savings, or simply stop asking “Where did all my money go?”, this detailed review will help you figure out whether Monarch or Copilot is the right tool for the job.

Monarch Money: A Powerful Budget App for Serious Financial Planners

What Is Monarch Money?

Monarch Money was built by former Mint team members who wanted to deliver what Mint couldn’t: a truly holistic budgeting platform designed for modern households. Unlike most apps that focus only on tracking daily transactions or weekly budgets, Monarch aims to give users a complete financial ecosystem—from investments and debt management to cash flow forecasting and long-term goal planning. It’s clear from the first login that Monarch was created for people who want to be intentional with their money. Whether you're managing your finances solo, as a couple, or even with a financial advisor, Monarch gives you the structure and insights you need to move forward with clarity and confidence.

Monarch Money Features: Depth Meets Flexibility

Monarch’s features are built for those who like to see the big picture and take control. It offers an all-in-one financial dashboard that tracks your net worth, budgets, income, investments, and financial goals in real time. The app supports multi-account aggregation, syncing securely with thousands of banks and financial institutions using Plaid and Finicity, two of the most trusted data connection platforms in fintech. Whether it’s your checking account, a credit card, a brokerage account, or your mortgage, Monarch can track it all and display it in a seamless, color-coded dashboard.

Its budgeting system is robust and highly customizable, allowing you to assign limits to specific categories (like groceries, entertainment, or transportation), set recurring rules, and roll over unused funds to future months. Unlike some apps that only let you create static monthly budgets, Monarch supports custom date ranges and spending rules, making it ideal for people with irregular income or advanced planning needs. Monarch also allows you to set multi-tiered financial goals, like saving for a down payment, paying off a car, or building an emergency fund—all while visually tracking your progress toward each.

Perhaps one of its standout features is the cash flow forecasting tool, which uses historical spending and income patterns to help you predict where your finances are heading weeks—or even months—into the future. This is incredibly useful if you're trying to avoid overdrafts, plan big purchases, or simply make sure you're not overspending each month.

User Interface: Clean, Professional, and Highly Functional

Monarch’s design isn’t flashy, but it’s professional, clean, and refreshingly easy to navigate. It strikes a perfect balance between functionality and aesthetics. Its user interface (UI) uses a neutral color palette with smart, accessible layouts that make it easy to move between accounts, transactions, and budget categories. Everything is organized in collapsible panels and expandable charts that load quickly on both desktop and mobile platforms. You won’t get unnecessary animations or overwhelming design elements here—it’s all about clarity, precision, and purpose.

The mobile app mirrors the desktop version with full-feature parity, ensuring that you’re not limited by your device. Whether you’re checking on your investments from your phone or adjusting your budget from your laptop, Monarch keeps the experience smooth and consistent.

Bank-Level Security & Privacy You Can Trust

In a world of increasing data breaches and privacy concerns, Monarch takes your security seriously. The app uses AES-256 encryption, two-factor authentication (2FA), and secure API connections to ensure that your financial data stays safe and private. Monarch does not sell your data or run ads, which means your financial information is never used for marketing purposes. Everything you input is treated with the same confidentiality and encryption you'd expect from a top-tier banking institution.

Pricing: Premium Features for a Premium Price

Monarch Money is priced at $14.99/month or $99/year, which puts it on the higher end of the personal finance app market. However, given its comprehensive feature set, multi-device compatibility, and family-sharing capabilities, many users find that the value far exceeds the cost. Monarch also offers a 7-day free trial so you can test all of its features without risk.

Copilot Money: The iOS-First App That Makes Budgeting Feel Effortless

What Is Copilot Money?

Copilot Money is a smart, AI-powered budget app made for iOS users who value automation, minimalism, and beauty. Designed to simplify personal finance through machine learning and intuitive design, Copilot is ideal for busy professionals, freelancers, and solo users who want to track spending and stay on budget—without having to micromanage every dollar. It’s less about long-term planning and more about helping you stay agile and aware in the moment.

Unlike Monarch, which caters to long-term financial planning and couples, Copilot is a solo-oriented, visual-first experience. It does an exceptional job of learning your spending habits and providing intelligent categorization and real-time cash flow insights, all in an aesthetically pleasing app that feels more like a game than a chore.

Copilot Money Features: Smart, Slick, and Ultra-Responsive

At its core, Copilot is all about automation. The app uses machine learning to automatically categorize your transactions, which improves as you manually edit or reassign them. Over time, Copilot becomes incredibly accurate at understanding your behavior, eliminating the need to constantly check or correct your budget. It also uses your historical spending data to suggest dynamic budgets—instead of fixed dollar limits—helping you adjust organically to changes in your income or lifestyle.

One of Copilot’s most praised features is its subscription tracking tool. It automatically identifies recurring charges like Netflix, Spotify, or that gym membership you forgot about, and alerts you to upcoming or duplicate charges. This can help you save hundreds of dollars a year by eliminating unwanted or forgotten subscriptions.

The cash flow chart is a beautiful, animated graph that shows how much you’ve spent, how much you’ve earned, and what your projected balance is based on upcoming recurring expenses. It’s visual, intuitive, and surprisingly motivating. Add in custom emojis, smart tags, and colorful category icons, and you’ve got a budgeting experience that feels more like using a premium fitness app than a financial tool.

User Interface: Best-in-Class Design for Apple Users

Copilot’s UI is arguably the best in the personal finance app market—especially if you’re an iPhone or iPad user. It’s optimized for iOS with smooth animations, intuitive swipes, and custom widgets that update in real time. Every aspect of the design has been carefully considered, from color-coded charts to haptic feedback that makes every interaction satisfying. Even complex financial data feels approachable thanks to Copilot’s interface. It’s also fully integrated with Apple’s privacy framework, Face ID, and iCloud backup—adding an extra layer of trust for Apple loyalists.

However, Copilot is currently iOS-only. There is no Android or desktop version, and no option for shared accounts or family access. If you need multi-user functionality or want to work across devices, this could be a dealbreaker.

Security: Privacy Without Compromise

Copilot Money uses read-only access to your bank accounts via Plaid, meaning it can see your transaction data but cannot move money. It employs end-to-end encryption, Face ID/Touch ID access, and follows Apple’s rigorous privacy standards. Copilot does not sell your data or show ads, which helps maintain user trust in an age where free apps often come with hidden costs.

Pricing: A Smart Investment for Solo Budgeters

Copilot is priced competitively at $13/month or $96/year, which includes all features with no upsells. It offers a generous 30-day free trial, giving you plenty of time to evaluate whether its automation and design are worth the cost. For many solo users, Copilot more than pays for itself in saved time, reduced stress, and smarter spending habits.

Which Budget App Is Best for You?

Choose Monarch Money If:

You’re someone who wants full control over every aspect of your finances—from your retirement accounts to your student loans—and values the ability to collaborate with a partner or financial advisor. Monarch is for planners, long-term thinkers, and anyone who wants to build a financial future with clarity. It’s the best budget app for couples, families, and people with complex financial lives.

Choose Copilot Money If:

You’re a tech-savvy individual who thrives in the Apple ecosystem and prefers a hands-off, smart budgeting assistant that learns as you go. Copilot is ideal if you want to optimize your day-to-day spending, track subscriptions, and stay on top of your finances without diving into spreadsheets or planning out the next 20 years.

Final Verdict: Monarch vs Copilot in 2025

Both Monarch Money and Copilot Money are top-tier budgeting apps—but they cater to very different audiences. Monarch is best for serious financial planners, couples, and long-term thinkers who want to grow their net worth and plan for major life goals. Copilot is perfect for individual users, especially Apple fans, who want a fast, smart, and beautiful budgeting experience with very little effort required.

If you're focused on big-picture finance, choose Monarch. If you're focused on optimizing your spending habits today, choose Copilot.