In the world of free budgeting apps, two names dominate the conversation: Mint (the established veteran) and Rocket Money (formerly Truebill, the powerful newcomer). Both promise to help you track spending, create budgets, and save money—but they take very different approaches.
I tested both apps for weeks to give you this unbiased, feature-by-feature comparison.
At a Glance: Key Differences
| Feature | Mint | Rocket Money |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Freemium (Free + Premium) |
| Bill Negotiation | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (Premium) |
| Investment Tracking | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Credit Score Monitoring | ✅ Free | ❌ No |
| Cancellation Services | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (Premium) |
| Mobile App Rating | 4.3★ | 4.7★ |
Detailed Breakdown
🏆 Mint: The All-in-One Financial Hub
Best For: Complete financial overview and investment tracking
Mint has been helping people budget since 2006, and it shows in their comprehensive feature set:
What We Love:
- Completely free – no premium tier or hidden costs
- Investment tracking alongside budgeting
- Free credit score monitoring with updates
- Goal setting for debt payoff, savings, and more
- Bill payment reminders (but not negotiation)
Potential Drawbacks:
- More ads than Rocket Money
- Interface feels dated compared to newer apps
- Can be overwhelming with all the features
Bottom Line: Mint gives you the complete financial picture for free, but the experience isn’t as polished.
➡ <a href=”https://mint.intuit.com/” target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow”>Try Mint for Free Here</a>
🚀 Rocket Money: The Premium Money Saver
Best For: Active bill reduction and subscription management
Rocket Money takes a more aggressive approach to saving you money through its premium services:
What We Love:
- Bill negotiation service (they take a percentage of savings)
- Subscription cancellation service (they cancel for you)
- Clean, modern interface that’s easy to navigate
- Smart notifications that are actually helpful
- Net worth tracking and budgeting tools
Potential Drawbacks:
- Premium features cost 30%-60% of your savings
- No investment tracking capabilities
- Free version is limited compared to Mint
Bottom Line: Rocket Money can literally pay for itself through bill negotiation, but you’ll share the savings.
➡ <a href=”https://www.rocketmoney.com/” target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow”>Try Rocket Money Here</a>
Head-to-Head Feature Comparison
Budgeting & Tracking
Mint wins for comprehensive budgeting. Its categories are more detailed and customizable. Rocket Money’s budgeting is simpler but may be better for beginners.
Bill Management
Rocket Money wins hands-down. The ability to have them negotiate your bills and cancel subscriptions is incredibly valuable.
User Experience
Rocket Money wins for modern design and intuitive navigation. Mint feels functional but dated.
Cost Value
Mint wins for being completely free. Rocket Money’s premium features are valuable, but they come at a cost.
Who Should Choose Which?
Choose Mint If:
- You want a completely free solution
- You need investment tracking alongside budgeting
- You want to monitor your credit score for free
- You prefer having all financial data in one place
Choose Rocket Money If:
- You have subscriptions you want to cancel
- You want help negotiating bills (cable, internet, insurance)
- You prefer a clean, modern app experience
- You don’t mind paying a percentage of your savings for premium features
The Final Verdict
After extensive testing, here’s our honest take:
For most people starting their budgeting journey: Mint is the better choice because it’s completely free and gives you every feature without upsells.
For people serious about reducing bills: Rocket Money is worth trying because the bill negotiation alone can save you hundreds of dollars per year.
Good news: Both apps are free to try, so you can test each and see which fits your style better.
Whichever you choose, taking control of your budget is the real win. Both of these apps are miles better than trying to budget with spreadsheets or (worse) not budgeting at all.
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