AI-powered finance tools promise to simplify our money habits, automate insights, and make budgeting less painful. But which ones actually help — and which are just hype?
I spent three weeks testing five of the most popular AI finance apps available in 2025. This is an honest review of how they worked for me, what they got right (and wrong), and which tools are genuinely worth your time if you want to spend smarter and save more.
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💬 Cleo
Tagline: Chat-based budget assistant with attitude
Best For: People who want fun, casual budgeting nudges
Cleo is an AI chatbot that connects to your bank accounts and turns your financial data into short, quirky, text-style updates. It uses a conversational tone to help you track your spending, build budgets, and check in on your progress.
Pros
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Fun and engaging personality that makes money feel less serious
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Daily or weekly check-ins that hold you accountable
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Goal setting, spending breakdowns, and “roasting” or “cheering” options for motivation
Cons
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Can be too casual for some users
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Not a full budgeting platform — more like a smart sidekick
Example
Cleo texted me after a weekend splurge: “You spent $62 on snacks. Were you feeding a party or just emotionally attached to Doritos?” I laughed — and also spent less the next week.
📱 Copilot Money
Tagline: iOS-exclusive smart finance tracker
Best For: iPhone users who want automated money tracking
Copilot is a sleek app built for Apple devices. It uses machine learning to automatically categorize your transactions, show smart visualizations, and send alerts when your spending changes in unexpected ways.
Pros
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Auto-categorization that improves over time
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Tracks subscriptions, net worth, and investments
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Highly customizable charts and dashboards
Cons
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iOS only — no Android or web version
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Subscription required after trial period
Example
Copilot flagged that my restaurant spending had jumped 37% compared to the previous month. That one nudge helped me tighten up immediately.
🧮 Monarch Money
Tagline: All-in-one budgeting with smart goal tracking
Best For: Serious planners and couples managing money together
Monarch is a robust budgeting and financial planning tool that blends spreadsheets with smart automation. It lets you create shared budgets, track future cash flow, and plan long-term financial goals using AI-powered suggestions and alerts.
Pros
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Built-in projections and forecasting tools
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Allows you to link accounts with a partner
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Custom categories, goals, and rules
Cons
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Takes time to set up
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One of the more expensive paid apps
Example
Monarch forecasted that I’d be $1,200 short on my travel savings goal in five months — giving me enough time to increase my savings transfers and fix it without stress.
🤖 YNAB + ChatGPT Plugin
Tagline: Zero-based budgeting meets conversation
Best For: Tech-savvy YNAB users who love automation
This unofficial setup lets you connect your YNAB data to ChatGPT (via plugin or API) and ask natural language questions like “How much did I overspend in groceries last month?” or “Can I afford a $500 trip in August?”
Pros
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Amazing for reflective, custom questions
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Speeds up planning and reviewing
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Combines YNAB’s precision with AI’s flexibility
Cons
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Requires tech setup and permissions
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Doesn’t always pull perfect data
Example
I asked ChatGPT, “How much extra did I put toward debt this quarter?” and got a breakdown that saved me 20 minutes of spreadsheet work.
🧾 Pegg AI by Sage
Tagline: Small business finance chatbot
Best For: Freelancers and solopreneurs needing quick expense tracking
Pegg was originally designed for small businesses but works great for anyone self-employed. It tracks income and expenses through chat, logs receipts, and integrates with accounting tools like Sage Business Cloud.
Pros
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Chat-first, so it feels natural to use
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Excellent for expense logging on the go
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Helps keep records clean and export-ready
Cons
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Not ideal for personal finance or goal setting
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Limited unless paired with Sage’s full accounting suite
Example
I messaged Pegg “I spent $86 on client lunch,” and it auto-tagged it as a business meal and filed it under expenses. Fast, frictionless, and tidy.
📎 Download the AI-Powered Finance Tools Review (PDF)
This printable includes:
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A full-page review for each tool
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Pros and cons checklists
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Best use case summary
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SEO keywords and category
📥 Click here to download the AI-Powered Finance Tools Review (PDF)