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Mint is one of the most popular budgeting apps available today. Founded in 2006, Mint was purchased by the software company Intuit in 2009. Our Mint app review will help you learn more about the app, its features, cost and ratings to determine if it’s right for you.
With more than 924,737 ratings on the App Store and Google Play, Mint dwarfs its competitors in terms of reported user experience. Mint earns a spot on Forbes Advisors’ Best Budgeting Apps and is worth strong consideration for helping meet your budgeting needs.
Mobile apps like Mint can automate your budgeting process and help you find ways to save and set aside money toward future goals. Account details and fees are accurate as of March 4, 2022.
Mint and Your Budget
Mint is a free budgeting app that allows you to connect all of your financial accounts in one digital space so you get a high-level overview of your financial health. The app also allows users to track spending and savings and set and track budget goals.
Through Mint, users can sync up bank accounts, money management accounts, retirement and investment accounts, credit cards and other financial accounts. You also can track all of your monthly bills through Mint and receive reminders so you can easily pay your bills on time.
After connecting your financial accounts, Mint tracks your transactions and categorizes them into budget categories to simplify tracking. Users can keep the default categories provided by Mint or create custom categories to fit their needs.
For added customization, you can also add tags and reorganize transactions as necessary to better track your spending. If you’re like most users, many transactions don’t necessarily fall into one specific category. With Mint, users have the ability to separate a single transaction into multiple categories, including any fees charged.
Mint is meant for individual users and there’s no option for joint Mint accounts. However, two people with joint financial accounts can each create their own Mint account and sync the same accounts to view the same information.
Security
Security is of the utmost priority for Mint and its parent company, Intuit. Mint closely guards user information through the latest security measures, including strong encryption, multi-factor authentication and other security protocols. Users also can safeguard their Mint account by adding a four-digit security code to their mobile device.
Users can control mobile access from their account. If your mobile device is ever lost or stolen, you can turn off mobile access or delete your account remotely from your online account to keep your information safe.
Pricing
Mint is free for everyone to use. There are no premium versions of the app available for an added cost. Signing up for a free account gets you access to all of the app’s features and benefits. Mint makes its money on strategic partnerships with other companies, which is why the app features ads and offers for other financial products. Some users may find the product offers to be somewhat intrusive, and there’s no paid option to remove the ads.
Other App Tools
Mint is not an investing app, but it allows you to view and track your investments. Having access to your investments in a budgeting app will enable you to get a complete snapshot of your finances in one spot. You can add all of your investment accounts, including 401(k), brokerage accounts, IRAs and more. The investment tracking tool allows you to compare your investment portfolio to market benchmarks and even track investment fees so you can see if there are any unnecessary charges.
Distinguishing Features
Mint gives account holders free access to their credit score and credit monitoring tools. You can view your TransUnion VantageScore as often as you would like, thanks to a partnership with TransUnion. Checking your credit score through Mint doesn’t negatively affect your credit.
Your score comes with a snapshot of your credit report, along with insights into how scores are calculated and steps you can take to improve your score. Mint also offers free credit monitoring through TransUnion. Users can sign up to receive real-time alerts whenever TransUnion receives new information from creditors.
Access and Ratings
Mint is available for iOS and Android. You also can access your account online through Mint’s website. Mint is ranked #1 among finance apps on the App Store and is rated 4.8 stars out of 5. The app receives 4.5 stars out of 5 on Google Play.
Pros
- Link all of your financial accounts in one place
- Allows you to set up notifications and alerts
- Free credit score access
- The app is free
Cons
- Connectivity issues with financial accounts
- No joint accounts
- Advertisem*nts
How Mint Stacks Up
Mint is not only free—it’s also easy to set up and use. There are times when you may need to reconnect a financial account, which can be a nuisance, but overall the app does exactly what it’s intended to do. Not only can you track spending and create budgets, but also you get overviews of all of your finances.
Having access to Mint online and through the mobile app is helpful, especially if you’re doing a deeper dive into your finances and budget. Insights from Mint also provide extra help to spot trends in your spending so you can save money.
Among free budgeting apps, it’s hard to find another app that provides more value than Mint. It’s not perfect, but it’s an excellent tool whether you’re a budgeting pro or a novice.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is Mint a safe app?
Yes, Intuit, Mint’s parent company, employs the latest security and technology measures to keep its customers’ personal and financial information safe. Security measures include software and hardware encryption and multi-factor authentication.
How much does the Mint app cost?
Mint is an entirely free app. There is no charge to use any of the features that make up Mint.
Can you use Mint without linking accounts?
Although it’s intended for automatic syncing, there is a way to manually add some financial accounts to your Mint account. Doing so adds another level of involvement on your part since Mint can’t automatically update information for these accounts.
What are the key components of a basic budget?
Establishing some priorities for how you and your family spend money is where the budgeting process begins. In order to achieve the financial goals you set for yourself, you need to know how much money is coming in and how much money is going out.
How important are good budgeting habits?
After you create a household budget, what really makes things work is living your budget. Your mindset and your habits play critical roles in how well your budgeting efforts serve your goals. If you find you have money habits that could use some improvement, the right app can help.
