Monarch Budget App Review 2026
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If you’ve been looking for a budgeting app to replace Mint or take your financial planning a little deeper, you’ve probably come across Monarch. It’s marketed as an all-in-one budgeting and financial planning tool, and for the most part, it delivers.
We tested Monarch from a family perspective and tracked its latest features as we enter 2026. Here’s what to know before signing up.
What Is Monarch?
Monarch is a subscription-based personal finance app that helps individuals and families track their money, build budgets, and plan ahead with more confidence. It supports shared finances and custom goals, and offers a deeper view of your financial life than most basic apps.
Unlike free tools, Monarch charges a monthly or annual fee. In return, you get a thoughtful design, strong data sync across thousands of institutions, and a mix of automation and customization that puts you in control.
What’s New in 2026
Monarch launched several updates at the end of 2025 to start the new year strong. The most notable is the upgraded AI Assistant, which now delivers weekly financial summaries, surfaces trends, and answers money questions directly inside the app. It’s designed to feel less like a spreadsheet and more like a financial companion you can actually interact with.
Receipt scanning is also live. You can now snap a photo of a receipt, and Monarch will match it to the right transaction, breaking it down into item-level categories when needed. For families managing many shared purchases or cash payments, this feature adds clarity and reduces manual entry.
And if you’re budgeting as a couple or co-parents, Monarch’s improved Shared Views feature lets you label accounts as yours, mine, or ours. That helps you stay organized and avoid misunderstandings without relying on spreadsheets or side conversations.
Monarch
Limited-Time Offer: Get 50% OFF your first year with code
MONARCHVIP at Monarch. Offer ends December 31, 2026 at noon PT.
Monarch is an ad-free, community-driven personal finance app that’s secure, fully customizable,
and built to help you manage your money with confidence.
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Key Features
Monarch combines daily financial visibility with goal-based planning. It’s more than just a budget tracker. Each feature is designed to support both solo and shared money management.
Account Connectivity
Monarch connects to over 13,000 banks, credit cards, loan providers, and investment platforms. Once connected, it pulls in real-time balances and transactions, so you don’t have to jump between apps. It also syncs with Zillow to track property values and supports manual accounts when needed.
Budgeting Tools
You can build a budget using either a traditional category-based model or a flexible approach that separates spending into fixed, variable, and non-monthly categories. Monarch makes it easy to adjust targets and track progress as the month goes on. Categories can be renamed, split, or grouped to match your real life, not a template.
Goal Planning
Monarch allows you to set custom savings and debt goals, assign timelines, and connect them to specific accounts. Whether you’re saving for a trip or building an emergency fund, the app shows whether you’re on track, behind, or ahead. You can even spend from your goals when needed and see how it affects your timeline.
Reports and Dashboards
The customizable dashboard helps you see what matters most, from upcoming bills to net worth trends. You can build reports by category, tag, or timeframe and save them for later. Visual summaries make it easier to spot patterns and explain your budget during household money conversations.
Shared Finances
Each Monarch account includes access for one partner or advisor at no extra cost. You can tag accounts and transactions as personal or shared and filter reports accordingly. This is especially helpful for managing joint goals without fully merging finances.
Monarch stands out as one of our favorite budgeting apps for families thanks to its smart design and shared finance tools.
How It Works for Families
Monarch is built to support joint finances without forcing full account merging. You and your partner can both access the same account, tag individual accounts accordingly, and track shared goals together.
For example, you might keep your personal checking and spending separate but contribute to a shared grocery category or vacation savings plan. Monarch lets you organize this without friction or confusion.
In our own setup, Monarch helped us break out personal versus household expenses while still working toward joint priorities. That level of flexibility made it easier to stay aligned without micromanaging each other’s purchases.
Pricing and Discounts
After a 7-day free trial, Monarch offers two pricing options:
- $14.99 per month
- $99.99 per year (about $8.33 per month)
There’s a current promotion that gives 50% off your first year with code MONARCHVIP, available through the end of 2026.
Pros
- Reliable connections with 13,000+ banks and institutions
- Clean, customizable dashboards and reports
- Strong planning tools that go beyond just tracking
- Well-suited for couples and families with shared finances
Cons
- No free version beyond the trial
- Some banks still experience syncing delays
- Support is email-only and not immediate
- Investment tracking is limited outside the US
Who Monarch Is Best For
Monarch is a great fit for:
- Couples or families managing shared and individual finances
- Anyone transitioning from Mint, Lunch Money, or YNAB and needing more planning tools
- Users who want automation without losing customization
Who it’s not for
You may want to look elsewhere if:
- You want a completely free budgeting tool like FreeBudget
- You rely on live chat or phone support to troubleshoot issues
- You need advanced investment tracking, especially for non-US assets
Take Control of Your Budget With Monarch
If you’re looking for a budgeting app that grows with your financial goals, Monarch is worth a closer look. Its 2026 updates bring more clarity and automation to the budgeting process without locking you into a rigid system. And for families or couples sharing expenses, few apps offer the same level of flexibility and visibility.
Try Monarch free for 7 days or get 50% off your first year with code MONARCHVIP.
Kevin Payne is a travel and personal finance writer whose work has been featured in Bankrate, Credible, and Matador Network. He is the creator of Hey Kevin Payne, where he shares practical tips and tools to help individuals with ADHD travel and manage money with more intention. Kevin is also the creator of Family Money Adventure and host of the Family Money Adventure Show podcast.
