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Monarch vs Cleo
Monarch scores higher overall (8.4 vs 7.1), but the right pick depends on what you need.
Choose Monarch if…
Couples and households who want one shared, detailed view of their money
8.4/10★★★★★Full review →Choose Cleo if…
Younger users who want an engaging chat-first way to check their spending
7.1/10★★★★★Full review →Side by side
| Monarch | Cleo | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 8.4/10 | 7.1/10 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 10 | #7 of 10 |
| Price | Free trial · from $14.99/month | Freemium · from $5.99/month |
| Free version | — | Budgeting, spending tracking and chat insights |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | iOS, Android |
| Made by | Monarch Money, Inc. | Cleo AI Ltd |
| Money insight quality | 8.5 | 7 |
| Ease of use | 8.5 | 8.5 |
| Features | 8.5 | 6 |
| Value for money | 7.5 | 7 |
| Platforms | 9.5 | 7 |
Monarch: what the AI does
- AI assistant that answers questions about your finances
- Automatic transaction categorisation
- AI insights that flag unusual spending and net-worth changes
- Weekly Recap summaries
- Receipt scanning that splits purchases into categories
- Very highly rated on both app stores
- Share budgets with a partner or invite a financial professional
- Works on web, iPhone and Android
- Steady stream of new features through 2026
- No free plan after the 7-day trial
- AI assistant explains your money but can't make changes or move money
- Plus plan costs twice as much as Core
Cleo: what the AI does
- Conversational AI money coach
- Real-time two-way voice chat
- Autopilot savings roadmap that adjusts to your spending
- Debt Reset payoff plan
- The most natural AI chat here, including voice
- Free plan includes the chat
- Huge user base and high iOS rating
- Budgeting tools are shallower than Monarch or Copilot
- Pushes cash advances, which carry express fees
- No web app