What Mint Had vs What Clarity Has
| Feature | Mint (RIP) | Clarity |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free (ad-supported) | $99/year (no ads) |
| Still Exists | ||
| Transaction Categorization | Automatic | Automatic with AI |
| Recurring Subscription Detection | Manual tagging | Automatic detection |
| Crypto Support | ||
| Bank Connections | 10,000+ via Plaid/Intuit | 10,000+ via Plaid |
| Budgeting | Category budgets | Category budgets with rollover |
| Data Privacy | Sold to Credit Karma (advertisers) | Your data stays yours |
| Credit Score Monitoring | Yes (via Credit Karma upsell) | |
| Merchant Normalization | Basic | Advanced (10,000+ merchants) |
| Cost Basis Tracking (Crypto) | FIFO method included | |
| Net Worth Tracking | Yes | Yes (TradFi + crypto) |
| Goal Tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Upsells | Constant (loans, credit cards, etc.) | None |
Why Mint Was Loved (and Missed)
Mint was the OG free personal finance app. For 15+ years, millions of users relied on it for:
- Automatic Transaction Sync: Bank data updated daily, no manual entry
- Category Budgets: Set spending limits, get alerts when you overspend
- Net Worth Tracking: See all accounts (checking, savings, investments, loans) in one place
- Bill Reminders: Never miss a payment
- Free Price Tag: No subscription cost (though ad-supported)
Then Intuit killed it in March 2024 and pushed everyone to Credit Karma, which is a credit monitoring tool, NOT a budgeting app.
Why Clarity is the Better Replacement
Mint's shutdown left millions of users scrambling. Most alternatives cost $10-15/month or compromise on features. Clarity was built to be what Mint SHOULD have become:
1. No Ads, No Upsells
Mint was "free" but bombarded you with credit card offers, loan refinancing ads, and financial product pitches. Your financial data was the product.
Clarity's approach: You pay $99/year. We don't sell your data. We don't push financial products. Your dashboard is yours, not an advertising platform.
2. Crypto Support (Mint Never Had It)
If you owned Bitcoin, Ethereum, or any crypto, Mint couldn't track it. In 2024, 1 in 5 Americans own crypto. Mint left you with incomplete net worth numbers.
Clarity's approach: Connect exchanges (Coinbase, Kraken, Binance) and blockchain wallets (Ethereum, Bitcoin, Solana). See your full financial picture: TradFi + crypto. FIFO cost basis tracking for tax reporting.
3. Smarter Recurring Detection (Not Manual Tags)
Mint showed subscriptions, but only if you manually tagged them as "recurring." Most people never did, so forgotten subscriptions drained accounts silently.
Clarity's approach: Automatic recurring detection. We analyze frequency, amount consistency, and merchant patterns. You see every subscription, even ones you forgot about.
4. Privacy First
Mint (via Intuit) shared aggregated data with partners. Credit Karma's business model is selling financial products. Your spending data fuels their recommendations.
Clarity's approach: Read-only bank connections (we can't move money). Your data is encrypted. We don't sell it, share it, or use it for ads. You're the customer, not the product.
Is Clarity Right for You?
Choose Clarity if...
- You're looking for a Mint replacement
- You own any crypto (any amount)
- You hate ads and upsells
- You want privacy (no data selling)
- You need automated categorization
- You want TradFi + crypto in one dashboard
Look elsewhere if...
- You need 100% free (no paid option)
- You need credit score monitoring
- You want bill pay (not just tracking)
- You need an Android app
- You need investment advice tools
Migrating from Mint (or Credit Karma)
If you were a Mint user forced to Credit Karma, or you're still looking for a true replacement, switching to Clarity takes 10 minutes:
- Sign up for Clarity's 14-day trial (no credit card required)
- Connect your banks via Plaid (same provider Mint used)
- Add crypto exchanges/wallets (if you have any)
- Set category budgets (Clarity auto-suggests based on your spending)
- Review automatically categorized transactions — Clarity learns your patterns
- Check your net worth (TradFi + crypto combined)
You don't need to export Mint data (it's gone anyway). Clarity pulls 90 days of transaction history from your banks automatically.
Why We're Not Free (And Why That's Good)
Mint was free, but Intuit killed it because it wasn't profitable. Free products get shut down, sold to advertisers, or packed with upsells.
Clarity costs $99/year because:
- We're a sustainable business (not relying on ads or selling your data)
- You get privacy (no upsells, no tracking, no data sales)
- We can invest in features users want (crypto, automation, privacy)
- We won't shut down like Mint did
$99/year is $8.25/month — less than Netflix, Spotify, or any streaming service. And unlike those, Clarity helps you save money.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to Mint?
Intuit shut down Mint in March 2024 and pushed users to Credit Karma. Credit Karma is a credit monitoring tool, not a budgeting app. It doesn't have category budgets, net worth tracking, or the daily finance tracking Mint was known for.
Is Clarity free like Mint was?
No. Clarity costs $99/year ($8.25/month). Mint was free but ad-supported — your financial data fueled credit card and loan offers. Clarity has no ads, no upsells, and doesn't sell your data. The paid model is why we'll still be here next year.
Can I import my Mint data?
Mint's data export was limited and the service is now shut down. Clarity pulls 90 days of transaction history from your banks automatically via Plaid (the same provider Mint used). No manual import needed.
Does Clarity support crypto?
Yes — this is something Mint never offered. Clarity connects to crypto exchanges (Coinbase, Kraken, Binance) and blockchain wallets (Ethereum, Bitcoin, Solana). Real-time prices and FIFO cost basis tracking for taxes.
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