Monarch: budgeting built for couples and families

Monarch treats budgeting as something you do with other people by default, not something you set up alone and optionally share later — a partner, family member, or advisor joins the same plan at no added cost.

What it gives you

Collaboration built in, not bolted on. Add a partner or household member — joint accounts or not — or invite a financial advisor, coach, or tax professional, all included in one membership.

Two budgeting styles in one app: Flex Budgeting for a looser approach, or Category Budgeting for stricter control, switchable to fit how strict you actually want to be.

No ads, and the developer states the platform is read-only, meaning it can see account data but can't move money.

What it costs

No permanent free tier: seven days to try it, then a subscription billed monthly or annually. Goodbudget offers a free tier with no expiration if that matters more than automatic bank sync.

Depends on account linking for its core value — the search and reporting features are built around accounts staying connected.

Who it's for

Couples, families, or anyone who wants a financial advisor to see the same numbers they do, without exporting spreadsheets back and forth. For a solo budget with no one else to add, Rocket Money or YNAB don't charge for that collaboration you won't use.

The rest of the picks are in our best budgeting apps roundup.