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Mint vs Vanguard

Mint logo

Mint

Software

All your money in one app

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Vanguard logo

Vanguard

Software

Investing for your future

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Mint has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Mint service transitioned to Credit Karma platform; standalone Mint features migrated elsewhere; Vanguard a 25 USD annual account service fee applies unless the account uses e-delivery, is a Cash Plus Account, is enrolled in an advisory service, or holds 1 million USD or more in qualifying assets
  • They diverge on capability: Mint covers Expense tracking, Vanguard covers Low-cost index funds.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mint and Vanguard actually diverge.

Attributes where Mint and Vanguard differ
AttributeMintVanguard
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreetransaction
Free tierYesNo
Founded20061975

Identical on both: platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Mint

  • Expense tracking
  • Budgets
  • Bill tracking
  • Credit score monitoring
  • Financial insights
  • Bank connections
  • Bank-level encryption
  • Verisign secured

Only in Vanguard

  • Low-cost index funds
  • Commission-free trading
  • Retirement accounts
  • Financial advisors
  • Bank accounts
  • Investment accounts
  • IOS support

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Mint

  • Legacy free budget tracking for users with supported bank connectionsnot Vanguard
  • Users transitioning to Credit Karma for continued money management featuresnot Vanguard

Vanguard

  • Holding low cost index mutual funds and ETFs for long term investingnot Mint
  • Running IRAs and taxable brokerage accountsnot Mint
  • Employer retirement plan participationnot Mint

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Mint

  • Service transitioned to Credit Karma platform; standalone Mint features migrated elsewhere
  • Bank connections supported for only 17,000 financial institutions; many regional or international banks not supported

Vanguard

  • A 25 USD annual account service fee applies unless the account uses e-delivery, is a Cash Plus Account, is enrolled in an advisory service, or holds 1 million USD or more in qualifying assets
  • Broker assisted trades cost 25 USD each, waived only at 1 million USD in qualifying assets or with an advisory service
  • Options trades carry a 1 USD per contract fee on top of zero commission
  • Transaction fee mutual funds cost 20 USD per online trade below 1 million USD in qualifying assets, falling to 8 USD only at higher tiers
  • Outgoing wire transfers cost 10 USD unless the account is a retirement account or holds 1 million USD or more
  • Commission levels are tied to a Qualifying Assets balance, so the cheapest rates require 1 million USD or more

Pricing, plan by plan

Mint

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Mint review.

Vanguard

On request
  • Self-Directed Investor$undefined/month
    • Low-cost index funds
    • Commission-free trading
  • Advisory Services$undefined/month
    • All Self-Directed features
    • Financial advisors

Which should you pick?

Choose Mint if

  • You need expense tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want budgets.
Mint review

Choose Vanguard if

  • You need low-cost index funds.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want commission-free trading.
Vanguard review

Questions people ask

Is Mint or Vanguard better?
Neither clearly leads. Mint starts at Free and Vanguard at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mint or Vanguard?
Mint has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Mint and On request for Vanguard.
Does Mint or Vanguard run on more platforms?
Mint runs on Web, iOS, Android. Vanguard runs on Web, IOS, Android.
Can I use Mint for free?
Yes. Mint has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Vanguard starts at On request.
What is Mint best used for?
Mint is most often used for legacy free budget tracking for users with supported bank connections, users transitioning to credit karma for continued money management features. Of those, legacy free budget tracking for users with supported bank connections and users transitioning to credit karma for continued money management features are not what Vanguard is typically brought in for.
What can Mint do that Vanguard cannot?
Mint covers Expense tracking, Budgets, Bill tracking, Credit score monitoring. Vanguard covers Low-cost index funds, Commission-free trading, Retirement accounts, Financial advisors. Both handle Web support, Android support.
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