Disclosure: VaultFlow is ours, and it is listed first. It gets the same four fields as every other app, including its drawbacks.
Short answer
For a free net worth with no bank login, our pick is VaultFlow. For free linked budgeting, Rocket Money’s free tier or Empower’s dashboard.
Monarch is one of the best-rated money apps on the App Store — the Wall Street Journal called it the “Best Budgeting App”, per its listing. It is free for 7 days, then a membership.
If the membership is the problem, here is what you give up and what you keep with each alternative.
Switch to VaultFlow if
- You mostly check your net worth
- You want something free
- You’d rather not link your bank
Stay with Monarch if
- You budget with a partner every week
- You rely on automatic transaction categories
- The membership saves you more than it costs
At a glance
| App | Best for | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| VaultFlow (ours) | People who want their whole net worth in one place without giving an app their bank login | Free |
| Monarch | Couples and households budgeting together | Membership after a 7-day free trial |
| Rocket Money | People who want free budgets and help cancelling subscriptions | Free tier plus Premium plans |
| Empower | People who want a free linked net worth dashboard | Free dashboard; optional paid advisory |
| Copilot Money | Apple users who want the best-designed budgeting app | Subscription after a 1-month trial |
| YNAB | People who want a strict budgeting method | Subscription after a free month |
The apps in detail
VaultFlow
Ours
- Best for
- People who want their whole net worth in one place without giving an app their bank login
- Highlights
- Assets, debts, property and investments in one net worth, with live prices for holdings
- Import the CSV, OFX or QFX statement your bank already gives you — duplicates skipped
- Or let ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini do the typing with ready-made prompts
- No bank login and no account; your data stays on your device and exports any time as a spreadsheet
- Pricing
- Free
- Watch out
- There is no automatic bank sync — to update, you import the statement file your bank lets you download (CSV, OFX or QFX) or add numbers yourself. It needs iOS 26.2 or later and runs on iPhone and iPad only.
Monarch
- Best for
- Couples and households budgeting together
- Highlights
- All accounts and net worth
- Bills and subscriptions calendar
- Partner access
- Pricing
- Membership after a 7-day free trial
- Watch out
- Not free.
Rocket Money
- Best for
- People who want free budgets and help cancelling subscriptions
- Highlights
- Subscription finder
- Budgets by category
- Free budget features
- Pricing
- Free tier plus Premium plans
- Watch out
- Bill negotiation and the AI assistant are paid.
Empower
- Best for
- People who want a free linked net worth dashboard
- Highlights
- All accounts in one place
- Net worth tracking
- Free dashboard
- Pricing
- Free dashboard; optional paid advisory
- Watch out
- Leads toward paid advice.
Copilot Money
- Best for
- Apple users who want the best-designed budgeting app
- Highlights
- Budgets, investments and net worth
- Web, iPhone, Mac, iPad
- Apple Editor’s Choice
- Pricing
- Subscription after a 1-month trial
- Watch out
- Not free either.
YNAB
- Best for
- People who want a strict budgeting method
- Highlights
- Shared plans for up to six
- Bank import
- Net worth
- Pricing
- Subscription after a free month
- Watch out
- Not free, and a method to learn.
Budgeting vs net worth
Monarch does two jobs: a monthly budget and a net worth. If you only need the second, you don’t need a budgeting membership.
VaultFlow covers net worth — accounts, investments with live prices, crypto, property and every debt — free, with no bank login: import the statement file your bank provides.
Common questions
Is Monarch free?
Monarch is free for 7 days, then a monthly or annual membership.
What is a free alternative to Monarch?
Rocket Money’s free tier or Empower’s dashboard for linked accounts; VaultFlow for a free net worth with no bank login.
Can I track net worth without linking accounts?
Yes — VaultFlow imports your bank’s statement files or takes numbers you type, with no bank login.
App Store listings checked on 27 September 2026. Prices change — each entry describes how an app is paid for rather than a number that goes stale.
Published · No affiliate links
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