Are there any apps like Cleo?

Alternative Apps
1

Looking for apps similar to Cleo for managing finances. Cleo isn’t working well for me due to certain issues, and I need alternative recommendations that can help track spending and savings effectively.

2

  1. YNAB (You Need A Budget)
    Homepage Link: https://www.youneedabudget.com

    Pros & Cons:
    Pros: Helps you assign every dollar a job, focuses on proactive budgeting, great for people looking to develop better money habits.
    Cons: Monthly/annual subscription can be pricey, learning curve is steeper for beginners.

    Features:

    • Zero-based budgeting approach.
    • Syncs with financial accounts and tracks spending in real-time.
    • Provides goal tracking features for savings or debt payoff.
    • Offers engaging tutorials and workshops.

    User Reviews: Many users praise YNAB for transforming how they think about money—it’s reported as life-changing for some who struggle with irregular income. Others, though, mention its price as a deterrent when free alternatives exist.

    Verdict: Excellent tool if you’re serious about budgeting and ready to commit to a system, but be prepared for the learning curve and subscription cost.

  1. Mint
    Homepage Link: https://www.mint.com

    Pros & Cons:
    Pros: Free to use, robust connection with banks, credit cards, and bills. Offers credit score monitoring.
    Cons: Ads can feel intrusive, budgeting features lack depth compared to YNAB.

    Features:

    • Automatically categorizes transactions across accounts.
    • Sends reminders for bill payments and due dates.
    • Offers high-level financial insights, including net worth.
    • Free credit score report.

    User Reviews: It’s valued for its ease of setup and high-level tracking, but some criticize its lack of granular budget control and dependence on ads.

    Verdict: A strong free option for casual budget-tracking, though advanced users may find it basic.

  1. Personal Capital
    Homepage Link: https://www.personalcapital.com

    Pros & Cons:
    Pros: Excellent for managing investments and tracking net worth, free tools are well-designed.
    Cons: Budgeting features aren’t as robust; focus skews toward wealth management.

    Features:

    • Investment portfolio analysis.
    • Tracks cash flow and income vs. spending trend.
    • Financial planning calculator, including retirement planning.
    • Strong security features.

    User Reviews: Users love it for its professional-grade investment dashboards. However, those expecting better budgeting or savings guidance feel it doesn’t cater as much to general financial discipline.

    Verdict: Perfect for people with investment assets looking for a holistic financial picture. For purely budgeting purposes, other tools are better.

  1. PocketGuard
    Homepage Link: https://pocketguard.com/

    Pros & Cons:
    Pros: Simple, user-friendly interface, makes it clear what’s “safe to spend.”
    Cons: Free plan is limited; lacks customizable categories compared to Cleo.

    Features:

    • Shows only what’s left after bills and savings—avoids overspending.
    • Focused on expense control rather than in-depth budget-building.
    • Allows linking to savings goals.

    User Reviews: Users appreciate the “In My Pocket” feature for making complex budget decisions easier to digest. Others, however, desire more customization options in transaction categorization.

    Verdict: Great for simplicity and those who just want help with staying on track day-to-day.

  1. Emma
    Homepage Link: https://emma-app.com

    Pros & Cons:
    Pros: Fun design tailored to a younger, tech-savvy audience; excellent for spotting recurring subscriptions.
    Cons: Free tier leaves out many insightful data features, borderline naggy upselling.

    Features:

    • Aggregates multiple accounts into one dashboard.
    • Automatically tracks subscriptions and unused memberships.
    • Challenge-style savings nudges.

    User Reviews: Many people love Emma’s playful design and insights into subscription management, but paying for premium features is a sore spot.

    Verdict: Fun and functional, but not as focused on advanced budgeting—great for spending tracking and curbing subscription creep.

  1. Goodbudget
    Homepage Link: https://www.goodbudget.com

    Pros & Cons:
    Pros: Envelope budgeting system makes things clear, suitable for budgeting partners or families.
    Cons: Can’t link directly to bank accounts; manual input is required.

    Features:

    • Digital envelope budgeting, great for traditional budgeters.
    • Provides shared budgets for couples or families.
    • Expense tracking without overwhelming features.

    User Reviews: Users who stick to envelope-based systems find this straightforward and effective but lament the manual aspect as tedious compared to syncing apps.

    Verdict: Great for people who like old-school envelope methods without the paper—but it feels dated if you’re used to automated apps.

  1. Spendee
    Homepage Link: https://www.spendee.com

    Pros & Cons:
    Pros: Beautiful design, supports group budgets (e.g., roommates), automatic syncing.
    Cons: Free tier is quite limited, premium plans are on the costly side.

    Features:

    • Intuitive UI with clear spending visualizations.
    • Currency conversion for international users.
    • Easy to split expenses and track group spending.

    User Reviews: Users appreciate how visually appealing and engaging Spendee is. Complaints mostly center around cost and feeling locked into premium features.

    Verdict: If you’re visual and need group finance tools, it’s worth trying. Could feel limiting without premium, though.

  1. Qapital
    Homepage Link: https://www.qapital.com

    Pros & Cons:
    Pros: Focus on automating savings based on custom rules; easy-to-set goals.
    Cons: Mainly focused on savings, less robust than Cleo’s broader budget tracking.

    Features:

    • Automated savings triggers like “round-up” rules or regular transfers.
    • Group savings goals.
    • Spending monitoring by category.

    User Reviews: Users rave about how saving becomes “effortless” and enjoy the goal-based system. The major downside? It’s weak on full-budget tracking.

    Verdict: If saving is your priority and you like automation, it’s excellent. For spending/budget tracking, find another tool.

  1. Simplifi by Quicken
    Homepage Link: https://www.quicken.com/simplifi

    Pros & Cons:
    Pros: Easy to set up, lowers financial stress by showing cash flow forecast.
    Cons: Paid-only app; lacks advanced investing functions from traditional Quicken.

    Features:

    • Cash flow tracker and spending insights.
    • Tracks live balances across all accounts.
    • Robust mobile app.

    User Reviews: People highlight its cash flow forecasting and clear goal tracking but grumble over its subscription fee (especially compared to Mint).

    Verdict: Excellent app if you don’t mind paying for smart insights—it’s designed to keep everything straightforward.

  1. Money Manager
    Homepage Link: https://realbyteapps.com/moneymanager/

Pros & Cons:
Pros: Very granular reporting, great for microbudgeters.
Cons: UI looks dated, heavier manual input burden (less automation).

Features:

  • Detailed financial reports generated from custom categories.
  • Works offline (perfect for privacy buffs).
  • Expense categorization and reconciliation tools.

User Reviews: Fans love diving into detailed reports, but casual users find it overwhelming. Manual data input isn’t practical for everyone.

Verdict: Best for those who want maximum budget control and don’t mind the effort—it’s more of a nerd’s financial dream than an average user tool.

Final Thoughts: Of all the options above, YNAB takes the crown for hands-on budgeters, while Mint outshines the rest for free, easy accessibility. For savings automation, Qapital is on another level. It really depends on whether automation, visual design, or detailed planning are most important to you. Test a few and see what clicks!