Budgero vs. Monarch Money: Best YNAB Alternative in 2025?
Comparing Budgero and Monarch Money? We break down pricing, features, privacy, and who wins in 2025 for budgeters looking for YNAB alternatives.
Budgero vs. Monarch Money: The 2025 Guide for YNAB Refugees
Looking for a modern YNAB competitor but intrigued by Monarch Money’s automation? You’re not alone. Monarch promises investment integration and bank syncing, while Budgero focuses on privacy, multi-currency support, and analytics. Here’s how they differ in 2025.
Pricing Snapshot
| Plan | Budgero | Monarch Money |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly | $4.99 | $14.99 |
| Annual | $40 | $99.99 |
| Family | Included (share budgets) | $179.99/year Family Plan |
Budgero undercuts Monarch by almost $60/year on personal plans—and by nearly $140/year on the family tier.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | Budgero | Monarch |
|---|---|---|
| Bank sync | Manual import (CSV/OFX) | Automatic bank & credit sync via Plaid |
| Multi-currency | Yes – built-in FX support, unified dashboards | USD-first; no exchange rate handling |
| Offline mode | Full offline read/write (PWA + desktop) | Cloud-only, needs internet |
| Budgeting style | Envelope/zero-based with templates & scheduled transactions | Goal-based budgets, categories, rollovers |
| Analytics | Advanced pivots, compact charts, mobile-friendly dashboards | Cash flow, net worth, high-level summaries |
| Investments | Manual tracking, notes | Native investment syncing, net worth graphs |
| Security | Zero-knowledge encryption, local backups | Bank-grade encryption, no zero-knowledge |
| Platform coverage | Web with Mobile and Desktop PWAs | Web, iOS, Android |
| Price | $4.99/month or $40/year | $14.99/month or $99.99/year |
What Budgero Does Better
- Zero-Knowledge Privacy: Budgero never sees your financial data. Everything is encrypted locally before it reaches the cloud.
- Works Anywhere: Offline-first design lets you budget on a plane or in low-signal rural areas. Budgero syncs automatically when you’re back online.
- Multi-Currency Native: Whether you’re managing US expenses, a Euro side hustle, and Canadian retirement, Budgero handles FX like a pro.
- Affordable: $40/year vs $99.99 (personal) or $179.99 (family) keeps your subscriptions in check.
- Deep Analytics: Prebuilt reports, pivot tables, and compact charts make month-end reviews insightful instead of tedious.
- Cross-Platform UX: Desktop and mobile experiences feel modern everywhere, with responsive layouts and dark mode out of the box.
Where Monarch Money Leads
- Automatic Bank & Investment Sync: Connects to US banks and brokerages, mirroring balances and transactions with minimal manual work.
- Net Worth Dashboard: Monarch excels at high-level net worth charts across accounts.
- Automation Rules: Category auto-assignment, goal tracking, and transaction rules are strong fits for hands-off users.
Who Should Use Budgero?
- Privacy-first households who don’t want a cloud provider decrypting their budgets.
- Frequent travelers, expats, and multi-currency earners needing FX awareness and offline editing.
- Budgeters who prefer hands-on import but want rich analytics to surface trends.
- YNAB veterans priced out by YNAB and unimpressed by other “YNAB alternative” spreadsheets.
Who Should Consider Monarch Money?
- Users heavily reliant on automatic US bank/investment syncing.
- Investors who want a combined budgeting + net-worth tool without spreadsheets.
- Households comfortable with cloud-based storage and higher subscription fees.
Verdict: The Best Monarch and YNAB Alternative for Power Users
Budgero wins the 2025 comparison by combining privacy, multi-currency insight, and advanced analytics in a modern, affordable package. If you’re comparing Monarch alternatives or searching “best budgeting app 2025,” Budgero gives you envelope-level control without sacrificing the data views you need to make smarter decisions.
Start with your Budgero trial, import a few months of data, and see how much clarity a privacy-first YNAB competitor delivers.