Graiden vs Mint: Finding the Right Replacement After Mint's Shutdown
Last updated: 2026-03-07
Mint — once the most popular free budgeting app — was shut down in early 2024 and folded into Credit Karma. If you're a former Mint user looking for a replacement, Graiden offers a fresh approach: instead of connecting your bank accounts, you set up email auto-forwarding once and AI tracks everything automatically from that point on. Here's how the two compare and whether Graiden is the right move for you.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Graiden | Mint (Credit Karma) |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Active, regularly updated | Discontinued (merged into Credit Karma) |
| Core approach | One-time auto-forwarding setup + AI extraction | Bank account syncing |
| Manual entry required | No | No (bank sync handled it) |
| Bank connection | Not required | Required |
| Price | Free tier + paid plans | Free (ad-supported) |
| Ads / upsells | None | Heavy credit card and loan ads |
| AI features | AI categorization, trend analysis, spending insights | Basic auto-categorization |
| Privacy | No bank access, you control what's shared | Full bank account access required |
| Credit monitoring | No | Yes (via Credit Karma) |
What Happened to Mint?
Intuit shut down Mint in early 2024, migrating users to Credit Karma. The transition was rocky — many features were lost, the interface changed completely, and the focus shifted from budgeting to credit monitoring and financial product recommendations. Former Mint users have been looking for replacements ever since, and there's no single app that perfectly replicates everything Mint did. But depending on what you valued most about Mint, there are strong alternatives.
How Graiden Compares to What Mint Offered
If you liked Mint because it automatically tracked your spending without manual entry, Graiden delivers the same benefit through a different mechanism. Instead of syncing with your bank, you set up email auto-forwarding once — a simple rule that sends purchase receipts to Graiden. From that point, the AI extracts amounts, merchants, dates, and categories automatically, just like Mint's bank sync did, but without giving any app access to your bank accounts. Graiden also supports Apple Pay tracking through Apple Shortcuts and manual entry for anything else. What Graiden doesn't replicate: Mint's bill tracking, credit score monitoring, and investment overview. Those features now live in Credit Karma. Graiden is laser-focused on expense tracking and categorization.
The Privacy Advantage
One of the most common complaints about Mint was the amount of financial data it required. You had to connect all your bank accounts, credit cards, and loans. Graiden flips this model — your auto-forwarding rule determines which receipts Graiden sees, and your bank credentials stay entirely private. No third-party aggregator ever touches your banking data. For users who were always uncomfortable with Mint's data access requirements, this is a meaningful upgrade.
Graiden at a Glance
Graiden
Auto expense tracking via email — set up once, track forever
Strengths
- Truly automatic — one-time auto-forwarding setup, then completely hands-free
- Zero manual data entry
- No bank login or credentials needed
- AI-powered automatic categorization
Limitations
- Newer app, still expanding feature set
- Only tracks purchases that generate email receipts
- No bank sync for cash transactions (by design — privacy focused)
Mint (Credit Karma) at a Glance
Mint (Credit Karma)
Free finance tracker, now part of Credit Karma
Strengths
- Completely free to use
- Automatic bank sync
- Credit score monitoring via Credit Karma
- Bill tracking and reminders
Limitations
- Original Mint app was discontinued in 2024
- Feature set reduced after Credit Karma merger
- Heavy advertising and credit card offers
The Verdict
If you miss Mint's automatic expense tracking but don't miss the ads and bank credential sharing, Graiden is worth trying. Set up auto-forwarding once and you get Mint-level automation with better privacy. If you specifically need credit monitoring or bill tracking, keep Credit Karma for those and use Graiden alongside it for expense tracking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Try Graiden — Expense Tracking on Autopilot
Set up auto-forwarding once. AI tracks every receipt automatically. No bank connections, no manual entry, no spreadsheets. Free to start.