Monarch Review

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What it is: Budgeting and personal finance app
Best for: Couples, all-round money view
Price: Core $99.99/yr or $14.99/mo; 7-day trial, checked October 26, 2026
Prices checked: October 26, 2026

We researched Monarch's official pricing, plan terms, product pages and help documentation. We haven't used Monarch ourselves, so this is a research-based review, not a hands-on test.

Who it’s best for

People who want all their accounts in one place.
Couples who want to share a budget.
People who want goals and long-term planning.

Who should skip it

Probably not the best fit if you want a free budgeting app.

How it works day to day

This part draws on Monarch’s own product pages, help center and documentation, read October 26, 2026 (listed under Sources). We haven’t used Monarch ourselves.

Day to day, transactions flow in from linked accounts, you check and categorize them, review your budget and see progress on goals and net worth.

Key features in use

Account aggregation.
Budgets and cash flow.
Goals.
Investment tracking.
Shared access for partners.

Setup and learning curve

You start the trial, link your accounts, set up budget categories and invite a partner.

Integrations

Monarch connects to banks and brokerages through data providers and offers web and mobile apps.

Support

Monarch has a help center and email support.

Real-world use cases

A couple tracks shared spending.
A family saves for a house.
A saver tracks net worth.

What it costs

Prices checked October 26, 2026, from Monarch’s own pricing page unless noted. Prices change often, so check the official page before you buy.

Core: $99.99 a year ($8.33 a month), or $14.99 a month.
Plus: $199.99 a year; adds advanced investment analysis, forecasting and a will.
An offer shown on October 26, 2026: 30% off Core for one year with a welcome code.
7-day free trial; a payment method is required. Cancel in settings before the trial ends.

What we like

Connects bank, card, loan and investment accounts.
Flexible budgets by category or group.
Share with a partner at no extra cost.
Goals and investment tracking.
No ads.

What to watch for

No free plan.
Payment method needed for the trial.
Plus costs twice as much as Core.

The fine print

The trial converts to paid unless you cancel.
Sign up on the web for easier subscription management.
Account connections depend on data providers.

The main alternative: YNAB

YNAB is the alternative for zero-based budgeting, where you give every dollar a job.

What it costs: $109/yr; 34-day trial, checked October 26, 2026

Read our full YNAB review

Pick Monarch if you…

want one view of all your money.
budget with a partner.
want goals and investment tracking.

Pick YNAB if you…

want a strict, hands-on budgeting method.
want a longer free trial.

Our take

Monarch is a polished all-in-one money app for tracking accounts, budgets and goals, and easy to share with a partner. If you want a hands-on budgeting method, compare YNAB.

Side by side

Company	Best for	Starting price	Trial / refund
Monarch	Couples, all-round money view	Core $99.99/yr or $14.99/mo; 7-day trial, checked October 26, 2026	7-day trial
YNAB	Strict zero-based budgeting	$109/yr; 34-day trial, checked October 26, 2026	34-day trial

From our company records. Check the official pages for current prices.

What we checked

Monarch's pricing page and plan terms, read October 26, 2026
YNAB's details: from our existing company record and review, not re-checked on October 26, 2026
Monarch's feature, help and integration pages listed below (links checked October 26, 2026)

Sources

Visit Monarch’s official site

How we review

We read the company's own terms, test the sign-up or booking steps where we can, and compare it with alternatives. A commission never changes what we write. Read our disclosure.