PocketGuard

PocketGuard has been around since roughly 2014, and its pitch hasn’t changed much since: instead of showing you a dozen budget categories, it leads with one figure called “In My Pocket,” the amount left to spend after recurring bills, savings goals, and planned expenses are accounted for. That single number is meant to answer the question people actually ask before swiping a card, can I afford this right now, without making them dig through a category breakdown first.

A free tier covers basic bank syncing through Plaid and the core spending number, while PocketGuard Plus, at roughly $7.99 a month or $34.99 a year, adds custom categories, debt payoff planning, and the ability to flag subscriptions you’ve forgotten you’re paying for. It works for people who find detailed category budgeting tedious and would rather glance at one number than review a full statement. It’s a lighter tool than Monarch or Quicken, with less depth around investments and net worth.