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Personal Finance · head to head

Monarch Money vs Personal Capital

Monarch Money logo

Monarch Money

Personal Finance

All-in-one wealth management platform

From
$99/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Personal Capital logo

Personal Capital

Personal Finance

Invest wisely, retire confidently

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Personal Capital has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Monarch Money the free trial is one week, after which a paid subscription is required to keep using the app; Personal Capital wealth management requires a 100,000 USD minimum for Investment Services, 250,000 USD for Wealth Management and 1,000,000 USD for Private Client
  • They diverge on capability: Monarch Money covers Budget management, Personal Capital covers Retirement calculator.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Monarch Money and Personal Capital actually diverge.

Attributes where Monarch Money and Personal Capital differ
AttributeMonarch MoneyPersonal Capital
Starting price$99/yearFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
Founded20222010

Identical on both: platforms (Web, IOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Personal Finance).

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 Monarch Money

  • Budget management
  • Tax planning
  • Financial insights
  • Cryptocurrency

Only in Personal Capital

  • Retirement calculator
  • Fee analyzer
  • Net worth tracking
  • Real estate

Both cover

  • Investment tracking
  • Bank accounts
  • Investment accounts
  • Web support
  • IOS support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Monarch Money

  • Tracking household budgets and spending across linked bank accountsnot Personal Capital
  • Shared budgeting between partners in one accountnot Personal Capital
  • Monitoring net worth and investment balances alongside cash accountsnot Personal Capital

Personal Capital

  • Tracking net worth and investment accounts in one dashboardnot Monarch Money
  • Managed portfolio construction with tax loss harvesting for high balance investorsnot Monarch Money
  • Retirement planning projections across linked accountsnot Monarch Money

Where each one falls short

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

Monarch Money

  • The free trial is one week, after which a paid subscription is required to keep using the app
  • The advertised 30 percent discount with code WELCOME applies to the first year only and is restricted to new users
  • There is no free tier, and a Plus tier gates features above the base subscription

Personal Capital

  • Wealth management requires a 100,000 USD minimum for Investment Services, 250,000 USD for Wealth Management and 1,000,000 USD for Private Client
  • The annual advisory fee is charged as a percentage of assets under management on a tiered structure rather than a flat subscription
  • Assets are custodied at Pershing Advisor Solutions rather than by the provider itself

Pricing, plan by plan

Monarch Money

$99/year
  • Core Plan$99/year
    • 7-day free trial
  • Plus$null/year
    • Premium features

Personal Capital

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Account tracking
    • Net worth monitoring
    • Investment analysis
  • Premium$undefined/month
    • Financial advisor access
    • Personalized advice

Which should you pick?

Choose Monarch Money if

  • You need budget management.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want tax planning.
Monarch Money review

Choose Personal Capital if

  • You need retirement calculator.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want fee analyzer.
Personal Capital review

Questions people ask

Is Monarch Money or Personal Capital better?
Neither clearly leads. Monarch Money starts at $99/year and Personal Capital at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Monarch Money or Personal Capital?
Personal Capital has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $99/year for Monarch Money and Free for Personal Capital.
Does Monarch Money or Personal Capital run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, IOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Personal Capital for free?
Yes. Personal Capital has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Monarch Money starts at $99/year.
What is Monarch Money best used for?
Monarch Money is most often used for tracking household budgets and spending across linked bank accounts, shared budgeting between partners in one account, monitoring net worth and investment balances alongside cash accounts. Of those, tracking household budgets and spending across linked bank accounts and shared budgeting between partners in one account are not what Personal Capital is typically brought in for.
What can Monarch Money do that Personal Capital cannot?
Monarch Money covers Budget management, Tax planning, Financial insights, Cryptocurrency. Personal Capital covers Retirement calculator, Fee analyzer, Net worth tracking, Real estate. Both handle Investment tracking, Bank accounts, Investment accounts, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Monarch Money: How much does Monarch Money cost?

Monarch Money Core plan costs 99 USD/year, referenced in customer testimonials and promo code terms. Additional Plus tier exists but specific pricing is not disclosed on the main page.

Source
Personal Capital: How are advisory fees calculated at Personal Capital?

Advisory fees are calculated based on the amount of assets under management (AUM). Specific percentage rates are available in their Form ADV filing but not detailed on the homepage.

Source
Monarch Money: Is there a free trial?

Yes, Monarch Money offers a 7-day free trial for new users with no credit card required.

Source
Personal Capital: Does Personal Capital charge account fees for its high-yield cash account?

The high-yield cash account has no account fees and no minimum balance requirement.

Source
Monarch Money: Are there discounts available?

Monarch Money offers 30% off the first year with promo code WELCOME for new members on annual Core plan subscriptions. Cannot be combined with other offers.

Source
Personal Capital: What is the difference between Personal Strategy and Private Client tiers?

Personal Strategy ($100k minimum) includes 1:1 advisor support and personalized planning. Private Client ($1M minimum) offers premium planning with access to private equity, tax optimization, and legacy planning services.

Source
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