A Simpler, Cheaper Copilot Money Alternative

If you like the idea of Copilot Money but not the ~$95-a-year price or handing an app your bank login, SimplifyPocket is a simpler, private, far cheaper alternative. Copilot is genuinely one of the best-designed budgeting apps on iPhone — so this is an honest look at where each one wins, not a takedown.

What Copilot Money does well

Credit where it's due. Copilot is widely considered the best-designed budgeting app on iOS, and its strengths are real:

• AI auto-categorization that learns your transactions.
• Investment tracking alongside your spending.
• A polished, native Apple experience across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

If you want a slick, automatic, all-in-one money app and the price is worth it to you, Copilot is a great choice — no need to switch.

Where people look for an alternative

The things that make Copilot powerful are also why some people want something else:

• Price. As of 2026, Copilot runs about $13/month or $95/year — one of the pricier budgeting apps out there. (Check Copilot for current pricing.)
• It connects to your bank. The automation depends on linking your accounts, which means a third party holds access. Not everyone wants that.
• It's a lot of app. AI, investments, cash-flow forecasts — great if you'll use them, overkill if you just want to know what you spent.

How SimplifyPocket compares

SimplifyPocket takes the opposite, deliberately simple path:

• About a fifth of the price — $3.99/month or $19.99/year.
• No bank linking. You enter transactions yourself by voice or a tap, so your bank login is never shared.
• Just budgeting. No AI to second-guess, no investment dashboard — set category budgets, log spending, see what's left.

Which is right for you

Choose Copilot if you want automatic bank sync, AI categorization, investment tracking, and best-in-class design — and $95/year is worth it. Choose SimplifyPocket if you want the simplest, most private way to budget on your iPhone, without linking your bank, for a fraction of the cost.

Comparing a few apps? See our YNAB alternative, Monarch Money alternative, or the full roundup of budgeting apps that don't link to your bank.

Try it free

SimplifyPocket is on iPhone and Android — private by design, no bank connections. Try it free for 3 days, no credit card required, then $3.99/month or $19.99/year. See the features or pricing.

Pricing and features for other services are described as of 2026 and may have changed — verify current details with each provider.