Best Apps to Track Spending: Should You Import or Start Fresh?

The best apps for tracking spending depend on whether you want automatic bank feeds, manual control, or the ability to migrate from your current app. YNAB and Monarch Money work best if you trust apps with your banking credentials; Budgetfold, Goodbudget, and spreadsheets suit people who want to see every transaction and keep their bank login private. The real choice comes down to whether you can import your transaction history without losing three years of spending records.

Why the App You Choose Today Matters for Tomorrow

When Mint shut down in March 2024, its users lost direct access to their data. Intuit pointed them to Credit Karma, which doesn't preserve the transaction history the same way. Even apps still running change their pricing, design, or business model without warning—YNAB raised its price from $84 a year in 2020 to $109 by December 2021 and has kept it there. Once your spending history lives in an app, you're betting it will stay stable, stay affordable, and stay accessible on your terms.

The simplest protection is to choose an app that either (a) lets you export your full data anytime, or (b) accepts imports from other apps, so switching doesn't mean losing your past. Most do, but knowing which ones before you start matters.

Apps That Accept Imports From Your Current Budget

If you're already tracking spending somewhere and want to move without starting over, check whether your new app accepts the export format of your old one. Here's what exists today:

• YNAB → Budgetfold: Budgetfold imports both Register.csv (transactions) and Plan.csv (your budget structure and monthly assignments), so your zero-based budget comes over intact.
• Mint → Several apps: Mint shut down with no automatic export. If you saved your transactions.csv before the shutdown, Budgetfold and others accept Mint CSV. If you didn't export in time, that data is gone.
• Monarch Money → Budgetfold: Export from Monarch's settings and import into Budgetfold to keep your transaction history.
• Rocket Money → Budgetfold: Copilot → Budgetfold and EveryDollar → Budgetfold all work via CSV export and import during signup.
• Tiller → Budgetfold: Export your Tiller Transactions sheet as CSV and import it directly.
• Goodbudget → Budgetfold: Budgetfold accepts Goodbudget CSV files so your envelope-based budget can migrate.
• Quicken → Budgetfold: Budgetfold imports Quicken's QIF, OFX, and QFX bank files. Many banks also export OFX and QFX formats, so even old spreadsheet exports can come over if formatted correctly.

The Import Playbook: Moving Without Losing History

1. Export your current app before you cancel. Go to settings, help, or account page and look for "download," "export," or "backup." Most apps provide CSV (spreadsheet format) or a standard bank file format (OFX, QIF, QFX). Do this now, especially if the app has ever shown signs of change or shutdown.
2. Choose an app that imports your format. Check the import guides linked above. Not all apps accept all formats. If your current app isn't listed, ask in their help section or try a generic CSV import (date, amount, description).
3. Import during signup. Most apps let you import on your first login. Budgetfold's free plan accepts imports of transactions, accounts, and tracked subscriptions. If your import exceeds the free plan limits (100 transactions, 2 accounts, 3 subscriptions), you'll get a one-time offer: $10 off the first year of Plus, bringing it to $29 total.
4. Verify your categories and accounts match. Transactions come over accurately, but category names may need adjustment. Spot-check the first month to ensure amounts align. Budget assignments (monthly allocations) only import from YNAB Plan.csv; you'll usually recreate other apps' budgets from scratch in a few minutes.

Spending Trackers That Keep Your Bank Login Private

A growing number of people avoid handing apps their banking credentials entirely. These tools let you track spending with no automatic bank connection:

Manual-entry apps: Goodbudget, YNAB's manual-only mode, and Budgetfold let you type transactions as they happen or import a bank statement monthly. You stay in complete control of what data leaves your computer. Budgetfold by design holds no bank credentials—it imports statements and CSVs but never connects to your accounts.

Spreadsheets: Google Sheets, Excel, or Numbers work well for many budgeters. Budgetfold's free monthly budget template can get you started, or build your own. Spreadsheets give you maximum control and require no login to a third-party app.

Pencil and paper: The original method still works for people who want zero digital footprint or find handwriting their transactions a mindfulness practice. Searching old records takes longer, but portability is complete—no app can shut down and trap your data.

Comparison: What Each App Offers

How to Decide: Four Questions

Can you import your existing data? If you have three years of transactions, check the app's import page before signing up. A five-minute import beats three years of manual data entry. If you're leaving YNAB, Rocket Money, or other apps listed above, an importer exists.

Does the app need your bank login? Apps with automatic bank sync (YNAB, Copilot, Monarch, Rocket Money) require your credentials or a secure connection to your bank. Manual-entry apps (Budgetfold, Goodbudget, spreadsheets) do not. Neither approach is wrong—it depends on whether you prioritize convenience or keeping your login to yourself.

Can you download all your data anytime? Look for an export button in settings. If the company won't let you download your spending history as a CSV or standard file, ask them directly. After Mint's shutdown, many users wished they'd downloaded sooner. A good sign is companies that publish a simple price and let you export whenever you want.

Is the price likely to stay the same? YNAB raised prices from $84/year to $109 and locked in long-term users at the new rate. Subscription prices can change when you renew. Read the terms or email the company and ask whether your current price renews at the same rate. Budgetfold charges $39 a year or $4.99 a month—either way, the price is public and doesn't change between renewals unless you choose a different plan.

FAQ

Can I import transactions from two different apps into one account?

Most apps let you import once during signup. If you need data from App A and App B, you can combine their CSVs into a single file before importing, or import from App A, then manually add App B's transactions. It's tedious but possible. Budgetfold accepts generic bank CSV format, so if you merge two CSVs with matching columns (date, amount, description), it will import both together.

Do budget categories and goals import along with transactions?

Transactions always import. Your budget structure (monthly allocations and category names) sometimes imports—YNAB's Plan.csv brings over your budget and assignments. Goals do not import from any app and usually need to be recreated. This often saves time because you get a chance to simplify your categories and fix structures that weren't working.

How long do I have to export data if an app shuts down?

Mint gave users until March 25, 2024—months of notice. Most apps publish shutdown announcements well in advance. The safest move: export your data every six months as a backup, regardless of whether you plan to switch. A CSV of your spending takes almost no storage space and remains readable forever. Once it's on your computer, no app shutdown can take it.

Is manual entry actually doable for daily spending?

Yes, if you tolerate a few seconds per transaction. Fifteen daily transactions take 5–10 minutes to enter—faster if you batch them at day's end. Some budgeters find this check-in time valuable; others prefer automatic feeds. Our guide on making a budget covers both workflows. Manual entry gives you complete awareness of every dollar; automatic sync saves time but requires trusting the app's connection. Both work—the best choice depends on your priorities.