01 · The comparisons
Pick the app you are comparing
- YNAB alternativeZero-based budgeting vs a FIRE dateYNAB is a zero-based budgeting method with an app. FIYR tracks budgets and net worth and projects when you could reach financial independence.Pick YNAB if you want to give every dollar a job and enjoy the daily ritual.Read the comparison →
- Monarch Money alternativeAll-in-one money app vs FIRE focusMonarch covers budgeting, investments and household sharing, with retirement forecasting on Plus. FIYR includes its FIRE projection on one lower-priced plan.Pick Monarch Money if you share finances with a partner or want investment performance tracking.Read the comparison →
- Copilot Money alternativeApple-native polish vs any browserCopilot is a polished app for iPhone, iPad and Mac with strong investment tracking. FIYR runs in any browser and projects your FIRE date.Pick Copilot Money if you live on Apple devices and want detailed investment performance.Read the comparison →
- Rocket Money alternativeCutting bills vs building toward FIRocket Money cancels subscriptions and negotiates bills. FIYR tracks budgets and net worth and turns them into a FIRE date.Pick Rocket Money if you want help cancelling subscriptions, bill negotiation or a free plan.Read the comparison →
- Mint alternativeWhere Mint users go nowMint shut down in March 2024 and Intuit moved users to Credit Karma. FIYR brings back budgets and adds a FIRE date.Pick Credit Karma if you want to stay free. It is where Intuit moved Mint accounts.Read the comparison →
- Free toolFIRE calculator Not sure you need an app yet? Enter six numbers and get your FIRE number, years to financial independence and the age you could get there. No account needed. Open the calculator →
02 · At a glance
Price, trial and planning, side by side
| App | Price | Free trial | FIRE projection |
|---|---|---|---|
| FIYR | $8/month, or $76.80/year ($6.40/month). One plan with every feature. | 30 days with every feature. No charge until the trial ends. | Yes, on every plan: your FIRE date from your real spending and balances. |
| YNAB | $14.99/month, or $109/year ($9.08/month). Free for a year for college students. | 34 days. No credit card needed when you sign up directly with YNAB. | No retirement projection. Has a loan planner and payoff simulator on web. |
| Monarch Money | Core: $14.99/month or $99.99/year. Plus: $199.99/year. | 7 days. Payment method required. | Forecasting, including retirement scenarios, on the Plus tier. |
| Copilot Money | $13/month, or $95/year ($7.92/month). | 1 month. You choose a monthly or annual plan to start it. | No retirement projection found. Savings goals are available. |
| Rocket Money | Free basic plan. Premium is pay-what-you-choose, about $7–$14/month per Rocket Money. Premium+ is $15/month. | 7 days of Premium. | No retirement or FIRE projection listed. |
| Mint | Was free, funded by ads and financial-product offers. | No longer available. | No longer available. |
03 · Choosing
How to choose a budgeting app
Before comparing features, decide what you want the app to do for you every week. Most people are better served by an app that does one job they care about than by one that does ten they ignore.
If you want a strict budgeting method
Zero-based budgeting, where every dollar has a job before you spend it, is YNAB’s core. It takes daily attention and rewards it.
If you share finances with a partner
Look for separate logins on one subscription. Monarch includes unlimited household members, YNAB Together supports up to six people, and Rocket Money Premium supports one partner. FIYR has one login per account.
If you want to lower your bills
Rocket Money will cancel subscriptions and negotiate bills for you. Most budgeting apps, FIYR included, show recurring charges but leave cancelling to you.
If you track investments closely
Monarch and Copilot show holdings and performance against benchmarks. FIYR tracks investment balances and uses them for your net worth and FIRE date.
If your goal is financial independence
Look for an app that turns your real spending and savings into a timeline. FIYR includes a FIRE date on its only plan; Monarch offers retirement forecasting on its higher Plus tier. You can also start with the free FIRE calculator, no account needed.
04 · Where FIYR fits
What FIYR is built for, and what it isn’t
FIYR links your bank, card, loan and investment accounts through Plaid, categorizes transactions with rules you control, and tracks monthly budgets, recurring charges, goals and net worth, including manual assets like your home and car. Those numbers feed a FIRE date that updates as your spending and savings change.
It costs $8 a month or $76.80 a year, one plan with every feature, after a 30-day free trial. It runs in the browser on desktop and mobile. It does not have native phone apps, zero-based budgeting, shared household logins, per-holding investment performance or bill negotiation. If one of those is essential, the comparison pages point you to the app that does it.