In the quest for financial mastery, we’ve gathered insights from founders and CEOs on the AI tools that can revolutionize your daily money management. From the simplicity of Cleo to the comprehensive approach of QuickBooks, explore the top sixteen AI-driven recommendations to enhance your financial habits.
- Cleo: Your Personal Financial Assistant
- Trim: Automated Financial Management
- PocketGuard: Real-Time Spending Insights
- Goodbudget: Envelope Budgeting Simplified
- Betterment: Customized Investment Portfolios
- Rocket Money: Subscription Management
- Oportun: Automated Savings Transfers
- Taskade: AI Financial Assistance
- YNAB: Zero-Based Budgeting Method
- Albert: Personalized Financial Advisor
- Qapital: Goal-Focused Saving Rules
- Magnifi: AI-Driven Investment Learning
- Emma: Comprehensive Finance Management
- MoodMoney: Emotion-Guided Spending
- Wally: User-Friendly Budgeting App
- QuickBooks: Professional and Personal Finance
Cleo: Your Personal Financial Assistant
I use Cleo as a personal financial assistant. The app combines a chat feature with data analysis to give you a detailed breakdown of your budget, along with helpful tips that make it easy to navigate your finances. Cleo’s main features include budgeting, spending, saving, borrowing, habits, and chatting. It can analyze data trends in your upcoming monthly income, bills, and spending habits and make highly accurate recommendations that make sense of your financial situation. I use Cleo to review my spending habits, which allows me to understand which expenses add value to my life and which ones I need to cut. The insights I gain help me to make more informed choices for the future. For instance, I noticed that whenever I do overspend, it tends to be in one category: eating out. Knowing this helps me be mindful of how many times I eat out per month to avoid the extra costs.
Mitchell Cookson, Co-Founder, AI Tools
Trim: Automated Financial Management
For me, Trim has been a highly effective tool for managing my finances. It automatically reviews my spending, negotiates bills, and cancels unnecessary subscriptions. Since I started using it, I’ve seen noticeable savings with minimal effort.
Trim has simplified maintaining healthy financial habits, allowing me to concentrate on other critical areas of my work.
Marco Genaro Palma, Co-Founder, TechNews180
PocketGuard: Real-Time Spending Insights
PocketGuard is a great tool because it automatically categorizes transactions so you can see where your cash goes in virtually real-time. You don’t need to fill out spreadsheets, and the AI system analyzes spending patterns to give you personalized tips and financial insights. Unlike the issues I had importing data into other apps, I found it easy to connect my bank accounts to PocketGuard.
My favorite part is the “In My Pocket” feature, which shows what I have left over and available to spend after all bills and expenses are budgeted and accounted for. Though the app isn’t free, they offer a lifetime license that’s relatively inexpensive—especially if the app helps you save money.
Holger Sindbaek, Founder & CEO, World of Card Games
Goodbudget: Envelope Budgeting Simplified
I recommend using Goodbudget for improving daily financial habits. As someone deeply involved in business development and strategic market initiatives, I have found Goodbudget to be an excellent tool for personal finance management. It operates on the envelope-budgeting method, which allows you to allocate funds to different categories ahead of time. This helps in controlling overspending and ensuring that money is available for essential expenses. Additionally, it allows synchronization across devices, creating a seamless experience in tracking expenses in real-time. I’ve enjoyed how it fosters a disciplined approach to budgeting, making financial goals more achievable. Through its intuitive interface, Goodbudget simplifies the complexities of managing finances, turning them into daily, manageable tasks.
Ace Zhuo, Business Development Director (Sales and Marketing), Tech & Finance Expert, TradingFXVPS
Betterment: Customized Investment Portfolios
Betterment. Betterment is my favorite robo-advisor when it comes to investment. The app is designed for people who are serious about investing but fear the risks. Its algorithms are optimized to match your risk tolerance and specific investment goals to diversified portfolios of low-cost exchange-traded funds (ETFs). To get started, you provide your basic personal details, including income, age, and Social Security number. Then, you pick at least one financial goal, such as saving for retirement. You can set up a one-time or recurring deposit to fund your account after you link your bank account.
Betterment presents a nice menu of highly customized investment portfolios for each goal. The app offers two service tiers, namely Betterment Basic and Betterment Premium. You must have a balance of more than $100,000 to qualify for the premium option. I’m on the premium plan, where I pay an annual fee of 0.40%. The biggest advantage of being a premium member is that you get access to human financial coaches who can help you optimize your investments at no extra cost. Members on the basic plan pay $299 for a 45-minute coaching session.
Fred Winchar, Founder, Certified HR professional, MaxCash
Rocket Money: Subscription Management
I use Rocket Money to manage my recurring expenses. Through a combination of user data and AI-driven analysis, the app can easily track all of your subscriptions and other recurring expenses in a well-designed subscription control center. From here, you can identify which payments are unnecessary expenses, and the app will automatically cancel them for you.
The other reason I love this app is that it comes with a wide range of auto-save features, such as the Smart Savings feature that predicts how much you can save every few days and transfers the money to your savings account. You can turn on notifications to help you stay on top of your finances. For instance, I have turned on notifications for bill increases and bank fee alerts. The bill negotiation feature is also remarkable because it allows the application to contact service providers on your behalf and negotiate for a lower bill. They did it with my internet provider, and I only paid a $15 service fee, which saved me a lot of time because I hate haggling with customer service reps.
Ravi Parikh, Founder & CEO, RoverPass
Oportun: Automated Savings Transfers
I recommend Oportun, which leverages AI to analyze your spending habits and automatically transfers the optimal amount of money from your checking account to a savings account. This ensures consistent savings without affecting your daily finances. It provides personalized financial guidance based on your individual goals and spending patterns.
The monthly fee is $5 with no waiver option, but it offers a 30-day free trial, and existing personal loan and credit card customers get the first year free. Customer support is available through an online form, email, or texting a bot. Although there are phone numbers for loans, credit cards, and credit accounts on its website, there is no specific number for savings customers.
It has received 4.7 out of 5 stars in the Apple Store and 4.1 out of 5 stars in the Google Play Store. While Oportun is not a bank, your deposits are FDIC-insured up to $250,000 through its partner bank, Pathward, N.A., ensuring your money is safe even if Oportun or Pathward shuts down.
I often recommend Oportun to my clients because it takes the stress out of saving money. You don’t have to constantly worry about managing your finances with AI-powered analysis and automatic transfers. This tool also provides tailored guidance based on your individual goals and spending patterns, such as saving for a down payment on a house or paying off credit card debt.
Michael Benoit, Founder, ContractorBond.org
Taskade: AI Financial Assistance
I’ve been using Taskade for the last six months and am really enjoying the experience. Having AI assistants whose skills you can predefine and set them to work for you simplifies life. I’ve set up a Financial Assistant who advises and motivates me to fine-tune my financial habits. I’ve found it fun, intriguing, and hugely rewarding. Where I’m sure there must be a better solution or tool, I simply ask my AI Financial Assistant what they’d recommend, and I get an easy-to-understand suggestion in seconds.
Ronald Osborne, Founder, Ronald Osborne Business Consultancy and Coaching
YNAB: Zero-Based Budgeting Method
I highly suggest the app YNAB (You Need A Budget) for improving daily financial habits. What makes YNAB stand out to me is its zero-based budgeting method. Basically, you assign every dollar its job as soon as you get paid. This approach really helped me prevent unnecessary spending because it made me feel like I have less money to burn, even though, technically, the funds were there. Before YNAB, I’d often see my extra cash vanish on needless purchases. Now, every dollar has a purpose, which has really improved my financial discipline and savings.
Using YNAB does take a bit of effort, especially at the start. You need to set up a budget you can stick to, log transactions as you spend, and adjust your budget proactively. In the end, it’s all worth the effort, though.
One of YNAB’s great features is how it handles major and unexpected expenses. By setting up sinking funds, you can save small amounts each month for larger, infrequent costs, making them easier to manage. For example, you can save $10 a month for an annual $120 subscription fee or put aside $200 monthly for a future car down payment.
I also want to point out how YNAB provides amazing support through its YouTube channel, which offers helpful videos on how to get started, use various features, and overall tips. Of course, there is no app that can magically make you spend less, but I believe YNAB is one of the best tools for building financial discipline and creating more room to save and invest for the future.
John Kawecki, Marketing Manager, F1 Blast
Albert: Personalized Financial Advisor
For managing daily finances, I recommend Albert as a top AI app.
Albert acts as a financial advisor, offering personalized financial advice and insights based on my income and spending patterns. The app uses AI to analyze my finances and automatically saves small amounts of money for me, ensuring I build up my savings effortlessly.
Albert also provides services like bill negotiation and investment advice, making it a versatile tool for comprehensive financial management. This app has significantly improved my financial health by providing tailored recommendations and simplifying the saving process.
Reyansh Mestry, Head of Marketing, TopSource Worldwide
Qapital: Goal-Focused Saving Rules
For personal finance enthusiasts like myself, Qapital is the AI-powered app that’s transforming financial habits. Its standout “Goals” feature lets you set and automate your savings goals with customizable rules. The app uses AI to analyze your spending and offers practical steps for more effective saving. It links savings to daily activities, such as rounding up change or saving when you achieve fitness goals, making money management exciting. Qapital’s user-friendly interface and innovative features make it a solid choice for improving financial discipline.
Steve Sacona, Legal Writer, Top 10 Lawyers
Magnifi: AI-Driven Investment Learning
I highly recommend Magnifi, which I believe is the best tool for learning about investing, and it costs $11 per month. Investing can seem daunting, but with Magnifi’s AI assistant, I’ve found that all my questions get answered instantly.
Magnifi allows you to explore and research top investments, ask specific market-related questions, or even learn the basics, like understanding the difference between a mutual fund and an ETF. It’s been invaluable in helping me develop an investment strategy that really suits my personality and financial goals.
Additionally, Magnifi offers features like investment comparisons, guided goal planning, and up to a 5% APY on savings. The benefits for me have been significant—easy access to on-demand data in a format that’s simple to understand, personalized investment guidance available 24/7, and it’s a great way to stay informed about new investing trends or strategies.
Erin Hendricks, President and Owner, Sammy’s Milk
Emma: Comprehensive Finance Management
I highly recommend the Emma app if you’re looking to improve your daily financial habits; it’s a game-changer for me. I’ve been using Emma Pro for $9.99 per month, and it’s been a lifesaver for managing my daily money spending and saving.
Before Emma became my right-hand with my finance management, it took me quite a lot of time to keep track of anything. Then Emma came six months ago and brought all my bank accounts into one place. Now, I am able to easily see where my money goes without putting in any additional effort.
What I also like about this app is that it tracks subscriptions and categorizes my spending. I actually found out I was paying for services I didn’t even use anymore, and Emma helped me cancel them. It notifies me whenever I ‘waste’ my money.
The detailed financial insights are one of my favorite features. Emma uses my past spending to help me set realistic budgets and reminds me when bills are due. This has saved me a lot from late fees and has made managing my money much easier.
I believe that even the free version of Emma offers great features that can help you manage your finances better. It’s an amazing tool that made me see a bigger picture of my financial situation and control my daily spending.
So, if you are considering improving your financial habits, just give Emma a try. It changed my relationship with finances, and I have no doubt it will change yours, too.
Susan Andrews, HR Consultant, KIS Finance
MoodMoney: Emotion-Guided Spending
An AI-driven tool I recommend for improving daily financial habits is “MoodMoney,” an app that uses emotion-recognition technology to guide spending decisions. Here’s how it works: MoodMoney utilizes your smartphone’s camera to analyze your facial expressions and emotional state before making purchases. When you’re about to buy something, the app prompts you to take a quick selfie. It then assesses your emotional state and provides tailored financial advice based on your current mood.
For instance, if it detects stress or sadness, it might suggest delaying the purchase to avoid emotional spending. If you’re excited, it could remind you of your savings goals to temper impulsive buys. The app also tracks your spending patterns in relation to your emotions over time, providing insights into your financial behavior.
This approach has been effective because it addresses the often-overlooked emotional aspect of financial decision-making. By making users more aware of the connection between their mood and spending habits, it promotes more mindful and intentional financial choices.
Alex Adekola, CEO, Ready Adjuster
Wally: User-Friendly Budgeting App
My favorite AI-driven app would definitely be Wally. I’ve been using it since COVID-19 in 2020, and since then, it has become my ultimate assistant regarding my budgeting and spending. To be honest, I always struggled with keeping good track of my monthly spending before I came across budgeting apps, especially with how busy I was with my CEO duties at Chilli Fruit.
I follow the Wally free plan, which actually includes all the necessary features I need for budgeting. I can easily keep track of my daily expenses, which provides me with a feeling of control and confidence throughout the day. I also like to regularly set savings goals, which is quite convenient, given that everything regarding my finances is all in one place. And must I say how easy it is to navigate through? It’s very user-friendly, especially for those who try out budgeting apps like this for the first time.
What I’d also like to point out about this app is that, with the predictive analysis done by Wally, I can estimate my expenses and get a personalized savings plan each month. Overall, this is a great ultimate app for anyone who’d like to improve their sense of spending and take control of their finances.
Milosz Krasinski, International SEO Consultant, Owner, Chilli Fruit Web Consulting
QuickBooks: Professional and Personal Finance
As a tech enthusiast, I think everybody has to start somewhere, and as the famous saying goes, running before you are walking can often lead to tripping up. So, when you are looking at your daily financial habits, then you should really consider what it is you need.
If you are looking for simple inspiration on how to improve your financial habits, then simply asking for ideas from an app like Chat GPT can throw out a massive selection of ideas that could be implemented in your life in a simple way that allows you to make a change, but doesn’t rely on you to be checking daily spreadsheets for information.
If it feels like you might need to take the next step, another good way to approach this is to connect with your bank and ask if they have an internal system they are offering that you could learn about, or if they recommend a specific external partner. Remember that banks want to keep you as a consumer, so giving you bad advice in this area is not in their interest.
A specific tool that I have always found beneficial is QuickBooks, and I would recommend it to anybody who is looking to bring together their professional and personal planning under one simple roof. It is genuinely one of the most straightforward designs I have used when it comes to tools in this arena and also makes end-of-year taxes a hell of a lot easier.
I choose QuickBooks because it is good and personal to my situations with a professional angle as well, so I think it is important to remind you to approach this from the angle of what YOU need, and to consider that when making your choice.
Brandon Fowler, Owner, Machinist Guides
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