EmailBest Reviewed
Personal Finance Sites
- Best online finance website Mint *Est. $0
- Ad-free financial management site Quicken Online *Est. $0
- Free online budget software Buxfer *Est. $0
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- Create sophisticated budgets
- Tracks more types of accounts than most
- Automatically aggregates and updates account data
- Offers online bill paying
- Connects to over 14,000 financial institutions
- User must provide login information for all accounts
- Expensive
- Users report trouble canceling subscription/trial
Mvelopes uses an envelope-based budgeting tool that allows the user to allocate income to expenses and savings using virtual envelopes, and users can check the balances in pre-specified envelopes from any web-enabled mobile phone. However, though users really like the Mvelopes budgeting features, it costs $130 per year to use the service -- the main complaint in reviews. If you only need to create simple budgets, the free Buxfer might be a better bet. Mvelopes was formerly known as Finicity.
We found a credible recent review of Mvelopes on the website of Forbes columnist Sramana Mitra, at SramanaMitra.com. PC World also reviews and rates Mvelopes. A discussion thread on Epinions.com has scores of user comments about this software, and an article in The Wall Street Journal mentions it. About.com has a single-product review of the original version of the software.
Our Sources
Guest reviewers Charles Bush and Kathy Hwang critique the design of the Finicity (now called Mvelopes) user interface; according to them, "it's complicated to use and needs a serious redesign." On the other hand, they note that Finicity forces users to be aware of every cent they spend, which creates accountability. They also feel that the new social networking component has great potential.
Review: Redesign That: Online Personal Finance, Part Three, Charles W. Bush and Kathy Hwang, Feb. 14, 2009
This useful review analyzes and compares Mint, Quicken Online and Mvelopes Personal, which won a World Class Award from PC World in 2006. Based on her evaluation of each, Arar gives Mint a score of 87 out of 100, Quicken Online an 85 and Mvelopes an 84 -- all in the "Very Good" category. She notes that Mvelopes is the only one of the three that offers online bill pay.
Review: Online Finance Services Show Where Your Money Goes, Yardena Arar, Jan. 28, 2008
3. Epinions.com
Users posting to Epinions.com both attack and defend Mvelopes. Most complain about the company's billing and refund policies; a few defend it. Some say the automatic bill-pay feature malfunctions occasionally and others say that customer service is not always responsive.
Review: Discussion Thread: Mvelopes Poor Customer Service, Contributors to Epinions.com, As of April 2009
This is not so much a review as a discussion of personal finance websites, with brief mentions of a few and an overview of what they have to offer. According to Amy Hoak, Mvelopes may appeal to those who want to use software "that has stood the test of time."
Review: Websites to Keep You on Budget, Amy Hoak, Jan. 13, 2008
5. About.com
About.com's guide to financial software Shelley Elmblad reviewed Mvelopes before the new Finicity Money Manager was launched. She describes its features, noting that its strength is its budgeting system and that it calculates the user's ongoing net worth. In the end, she gives it only three-and-a-half out of five stars because she has concerns about its billing and refund policies. However, she notes that PC World gave Mvelopes an excellent review. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two do not share an editorial affiliation.)
Review: Mvelopes Personal Finance Software for Budgeting Online, Shelley Elmblad
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3 picks including: About.com, The Wall Street Journal…
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