Replace Monarch Money?
KINDA · weekend projectA manual finance dashboard is buildable, but high-quality bank aggregation, transaction cleaning, investment data, household collaboration, and mobile sync make it real work.
Build me a CSV-first personal finance dashboard to replace Monarch Money. Requirements: - Node + Express + better-sqlite3 on localhost:4910, server-rendered pages with Chart.js for the graphs. - Import bank and card CSV exports: per-bank column mapping saved after the first import, dedupe on a date+amount+description hash so re-imports are always safe. - Rule-based categorization: substring or regex on description sets the category, rules run on import, and a fast keyboard-driven screen clears the leftovers. - Monthly budget targets per category with actual-vs-budget bars and overspend flags, plus a cash-flow view by month. - An accounts table including manual balances for things without CSVs (pension, property); a net-worth chart built from balance snapshots I enter monthly. - A recurring-charge detector: same merchant, similar amount, monthly cadence, listed with annualized cost. That is the subscription-audit view. - Everything local in one SQLite file, no bank credentials anywhere, no accounts, no telemetry. Nightly DB copy to backups/, keep 30. - Out of scope: automatic bank sync via Plaid, household multi-user, and mobile apps. The monthly CSV ritual is the price of keeping credentials out of this. - README: import walkthrough for two example bank CSV formats, backup location.
$ open in your agent (prompt prefilled, you press enter) or copy it raw · this prompt is generated from the build plan · improve it via PR
They pay because personal finance apps are only valuable when data arrives automatically and safely.
xbank/investment sync
xtransaction categorization
xhousehold collaboration
xmobile apps
xsupport
xdata security posture
What does the Monarch Money verdict mean?
The core job looks buildable, with meaningful gaps: bank/investment sync, transaction categorization. Read the full tradeoff list before committing. This research record is not a hosted IVCIFY tool.
What price does this directory record show for Monarch Money?
The directory records $14.99/month for Core, checked 2026-07-30. Verify the source before making a purchase decision. This reference stays outside retail Stack Math unless current matched evidence supports the comparison.
What do I lose by replacing Monarch Money?
Honestly: bank/investment sync; transaction categorization; household collaboration; mobile apps; support; data security posture. If any of those are load-bearing for you, keep paying.
Is there an open-source alternative to Monarch Money?
The listed prior art includes Firefly III (Open-source personal finance manager for budgets, transactions, and reports.). Inspect those projects before starting from a blank prompt.