Key takeaways
- AI savings apps use machine learning to analyze your spending patterns and offer personalized strategies.
- These apps can automatically cancel unwanted subscriptions, find better deals and optimize your budget based on your behavior.
-
Popular AI-powered tools like Cleo, Rocket Money and Hopper can save users an average of $80 to $500 annually.
- Most AI finance apps are free or low-cost, making them an accessible alternative to expensive financial advisors.
Saving money shouldn’t feel impossible, yet most Americans struggle with it. According to Bankrate’s emergency fund report, the majority of consumers feel uncomfortable with their current level of emergency savings.
AI-powered finance apps are changing that reality. These digital tools work like having a financial advisor in your pocket — one that learns your spending habits, identifies money-wasting patterns and then automatically implements a savings strategy that’s tailored to your lifestyle.
Best AI-powered apps to save you money
Cleo: Best AI chatbot for personalized savings
Cleo combines automated savings features with an interactive AI chatbot that can answer your financial questions based on your actual spending data.
Cleo’s strength lies in making savings feel conversational rather than punitive. The AI chatbot can answer questions like “How much should I save for vacation?” based on your actual income and spending patterns. The app’s autosave feature analyzes your cash flow and automatically sets aside amounts you won’t miss. You can also build credit with the Cleo Card (check out our review here).
Key features:
- Automatic savings through roundups and smart weekly transfers
- AI chatbot provides real-time budgeting advice and spending insights
- Customizable savings “fines” for spending on designated categories
App store rating: Apple App Store: 4.6, Google Play Store: 4.0
How it helps you save: Cleo’s AI provides real-time feedback on spending decisions and implements automated savings strategies that adapt to your financial situation.
Cost: Free basic plan; premium plans $2.99 to $14.99 monthly
Rocket Money: Best for managing recurring payments
Rocket Money uses AI to identify and cancel unwanted recurring payments while offering you an automated, customized savings strategy.
The app’s AI analyzes your spending to identify subscriptions you’ve forgotten about or no longer use. Rocket Money can cancel these subscriptions on your behalf, often saving users $50 to $100 monthly. The Smart Savings feature predicts how much you can save every few days without affecting your cash flow.
Key features:
App ratings: Apple App Store 4.5, Google Play Store 4.7
How it helps you save: By eliminating forgotten subscriptions and automating savings based on spending patterns, Rocket Money helps users save money without lifestyle changes.
Cost: Free version available; Premium $6 to $12 monthly after seven-day trial
GridRewards: Best for reducing energy bills
While not directly banking-related, energy savings can free up money for your savings goals. GridRewards uses AI to predict peak energy usage times, rewarding users for reducing consumption.
This unique app uses AI to predict when your local power grid faces highest demand, then pays you to reduce energy usage during those times. Users in New York City averaged $80 in cash payments. Top participants earned up to $500 annually.
Key features:
- Cash rewards for reducing energy use during peak demand periods
- Real-time energy usage tracking and optimization suggestions
- Integration with local utility companies for direct payments
- Sustainable action recommendations for year-round savings
App ratings: Apple App Store 4.6, Google Play Store 4.6
How it helps you save: Direct cash payments for energy reduction plus lower utility bills.
Cost: Free (available in select areas of New York, California and Texas)
Origin: Best all-in-one financial planning app
Origin combines AI-powered budgeting with access to human financial advisors for more holistic money management.
Origin’s AI assistant, Sidekick, reviews your complete financial picture to deliver personalized recommendations for budgeting, saving and investing. The app bridges the gap between automated tools and human expertise by offering optional sessions with financial professionals.
Key features:
- AI-driven spending analysis and personalized budget recommendations
- Goal-based financial planning with progress tracking
- Access to Certified Financial Planners for expert guidance
- High-yield cash account and automated investing options
App ratings: Apple App Store 4.6, Google Play Store 4.2
How it helps you save: The app’s comprehensive analysis identifies spending optimization opportunities alongside professional human advice for long-term financial planning.
Cost: $12.99 monthly or $99 annually after a seven-day free trial
Copilot: Premium budgeting for iOS users
Designed specifically for Apple users, Copilot uses advanced AI to learn your spending patterns and automatically improve your budget accuracy over time.
Copilot’s AI engine learns how you spend money and refines its categorization system accordingly, creating increasingly personalized insights. The app offers advanced budgeting tools, including rollover balances and smart rebalancing that adapt to your financial behavior.
Key features:
- AI-powered transaction categorization that improves with use
- Dynamic budget adjustments based on spending changes
- Investment tracking including stocks, crypto and real estate
App ratings: Apple App Store 4.6 (iOS only)
How it helps you save: Automated spending insights and budget optimization help users identify overspending patterns and build toward financial goals more effectively.
Cost: $13 monthly or $95 annually with 30-day free trial
QuickBooks: Best for business owners
For entrepreneurs and small business owners, QuickBooks integrates AI to automate accounting tasks and identify cost-saving opportunities.
QuickBooks’ Intuit Assist uses AI to streamline business financial management, from automated invoicing to cash flow predictions. The upcoming AI agents will handle routine bookkeeping tasks, reducing the need for manual data entry and professional accounting services.
Key features:
- Automated expense categorization and invoice creation
- AI-powered financial forecasting and cash flow analysis
- Intuit Assist provides personalized business insights
- Automated bookkeeping and payment processing
App ratings: Apple App Store 4.7, Google Play Store 3.7
How it helps you save: Accurate financial records maximize tax deductions and identify business inefficiencies, while automation reduces the need for expensive accounting services.
Cost: $0 to $235 monthly depending on features needed
Learn more: Best business banking accounts for entrepreneurs.
Magnifi: Best for investing
Magnifi’s AI assistant can answer your complex investment questions and provide personalized portfolio recommendations based on your risk tolerance and goals. The platform helps users research investments and optimize their portfolios.
Key features:
- Leverages AI for investment research and recommendations
- Portfolio analysis for improved diversification and risk management
- Goal tracking for long-term financial planning
App ratings: Apple App Store 3.9, Google Play Store 3.9
How it helps you save: AI-driven investment optimization can improve returns and help users avoid costly investment mistakes through better diversification and timing.
Cost: $14 monthly or $132 annually after seven-day free trial
PortfolioPilot: Best for advanced portfolio optimization
PortfolioPilot delivers AI-powered investment analysis typically available only to institutional investors. The platform’s algorithms analyze investment holdings to identify inefficiencies, suggest rebalancing strategies and uncover tax optimization opportunities that can significantly impact long-term returns.
Key features:
- Personalized recommendations based on portfolio analysis and risk profile
- Asset allocation optimization and rebalancing suggestions
- Tax optimization strategies and scenario modeling
- Goal tracking and progress monitoring
Platform: Web-based, mobile-optimized (no native app)
How it helps you save: Advanced portfolio analysis can reduce hidden fees, minimize tax burden and optimize investment strategies for better long-term growth.
Cost: Free basic version; Premium plans $29 to $99 monthly or $240 to $828 annually after 14-day trial
Related reading: Best online brokers for beginner investors.
Honey: Best for savings on everyday shopping
Honey uses AI to automatically find and apply the best coupon codes during online checkout, maximizing your savings on everyday purchases. Honey’s AI continuously scours the internet for discount codes and automatically tests them during checkout to ensure you get the best available price. The average user saves $126 annually through automatic discounts and price tracking features.
Key features:
- Automatic coupon code application at 30,000+ online retailers
- Price tracking and drop notifications for wish-listed items
- Honey Gold rewards program for additional cash back
- Browser extension integration for seamless shopping
App ratings: Apple App Store 3.6, Google Play Store 2.6
How it helps you save: Effortless coupon application and price monitoring ensure you never pay full price for online purchases.
Cost: Free
Hopper: Best for savings on travel
Hopper uses machine learning to predict optimal booking times for flights and hotels, helping users save significantly on travel expenses. Hopper’s algorithms analyze billions of data points to predict price movements with remarkable accuracy. The app shows historical pricing trends and recommends the best time to book, often saving users hundreds on travel expenses.
Key features:
- Flight and hotel price predictions with 95 percent accuracy
- Optimal booking time recommendations based on historical data
- Price freeze options and flexible booking features
- Exclusive travel deals and package offers
App ratings: Apple App Store 4.8, Google Play Store 4.6
How it helps you save: Accurate price predictions and optimal timing recommendations can reduce travel costs by 20-40 percent compared to random booking times.
Cost: Free
Waze: Best for saving on gas
While primarily a navigation app, Waze uses AI to optimize routes for fuel efficiency, helping reduce transportation costs. Waze combines AI-powered traffic analysis with user-generated data to find the most efficient routes. By minimizing time spent in traffic and identifying the cheapest nearby gas stations, users can reduce their transportation costs significantly.
Key features:
- Real-time traffic analysis for fuel-efficient routing
- Community-sourced hazard and accident alerts
- Nearby gas station price comparisons
- Route optimization that minimizes idle time
App ratings: Apple App Store 4.8, Google Play Store 4.2
How it helps you save: Optimized routing reduces fuel consumption and helps find the cheapest gas prices along your route.
How AI integration can improve your money decisions
AI-powered finance apps excel at processing vast amounts of data to identify patterns and opportunities that humans typically miss.
These systems use machine learning algorithms to analyze spending behavior, predict future cash flow needs and recommend personalized financial strategies.
The continuous learning capability sets AI finance apps apart from traditional budgeting tools. As you use these apps, they gather more data about your financial habits and refine their recommendations. This creates increasingly personalized strategies over time.
Forecasting is one of AI’s most valuable applications when it comes to personal finance. These systems can predict monthly expenses, identify potential cash flow issues before they occur and suggest optimal timing for major purchases or financial decisions.
Choosing the right AI finance app for you
Consider your primary financial goals and current pain points. Apps like Cleo and Rocket Money excel at basic savings and subscription management, while Origin and PortfolioPilot offer more comprehensive financial planning options.
-
For basic savings and budgeting: Start with free or low-cost apps like Cleo, Rocket Money, or Honey that address common money drains like forgotten subscriptions and missed discounts.
-
For comprehensive financial planning: Consider apps like Origin or Copilot that provide broader financial management tools and professional guidance options.
-
For investors: Magnifi and PortfolioPilot offer portfolio analysis and investment features typically available only to high-net-worth individuals.
-
For business owners: QuickBooks provides specialized AI features for business financial management and tax optimization.
Bottom line
AI-driven personal finance tools are transforming the way we manage our finances and influencing our overall financial well-being. These apps can serve as digital financial coaches, offering specialized support to guide users toward smarter spending and better saving habits.
Once you’ve optimized your spending with AI tools, focus on growing your savings through high-yield accounts. Compare Bankrate’s best high-yield savings accounts to earn more on your automated savings.
For longer-term goals, explore today’s best CD rates to lock in guaranteed returns on money you won’t need immediately.
Why we ask for feedback
Your feedback helps us improve our content and services. It takes less than a minute to
complete.
Your responses are anonymous and will only be used for improving our website.
Help us improve our content
Read the full article here