Mint app reviews

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ClarkeK

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Anyone have any issues with using the Mint app? I'm thinking about creating an account but sometimes worry about having all of my info in one location. Too many company hacks over the past few years. Anyone care to share a review?
 
I had issues with its accuracy. Used it for several years, then discovered that swaths of my checking account transactions were not getting downloaded, throwing my budgets out of whack.
 
RichardW said:
Anyone have any issues with using the Mint app? I'm thinking about creating an account but sometimes worry about having all of my info in one location. Too many company hacks over the past few years. Anyone care to share a review?
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No review, but I will say that I share your concerns about security and refuse to use it no matter who reassures me. This is from someone who has spent 20 years doing software development.
 
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I use it all the time to track monthly/yearly spending trends, net worth, etc. I believe they use some kind of read-only token. It's not like I've seen it first hand, but I'm not worried. Maybe I should be, dunno.
 
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I used it for years. I had problems with Vanguard and other accounts due to MFA (multi-factor authentication). I had times when I had multiples of accounts being imported, and I'd have to hide a portion of these, but it wasn't always easy to figure out which ones to hide.

Mint only gets read-only access, but they do have (and store) your passwords and usernames. As I got closer to FI/ER, I decided the risk of leaving them with access, however small, wasn't worth it, as once I FIREd, I never planned to go back to work.

I'd recommend it to younger folks with fewer assets. It's great for setting up goals, and tracking progress. I never did use it to track individual transactions.
 
I have used them to keep track of all of my brokerage, bank and credit card accounts since 2009. It is one of the best and most frequently used apps for me. Features I particularly value are monitoring transactions in real time, and the ability to search for transactions by category, amount, date or vendor. In just a few moments I can export any particular set of transactions, for example phone bills, cable bills, gasoline, restaurants over any period of time. Credit cards, bank accounts have come come and gone but the data remains there in Mint.

I marvel that it is free, because I would gladly pay money for it.

I have never worried about abuse of my data or passwords by them. The safety it provides by allowing me to closely monitor my accounts far outweighs any risks, in my opinion.
 
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Like Scratchy, I too can attest to Mint and its security. I have everything in Mint including all brokerage, 401(k) and IRA accounts. I have over 13,000 credit card/checking account transactions and 5,000 investment transactions recorded in Mint going back to 2007. I even include my house (valued by Zillow) and cars (valued by KBB). Every expense I've had is bucketed and accounted for, helping me build a very accurate retirement budget. I can download all 18,000-plus transactions into a .CSV file in a matter of seconds, and can manipulate and study that data in Excel. It's a wonderful tool and I've never had any issues with security, and have never even heard/read of any issues from anyone. Mint is now owned by Intuit, which is a trusted, reliable company. 5-Stars for this app!
 
I have used it for many years to track spending and spending trends. I link my checking and credit card accounts. I do not link my investment accounts. I have a monthly spreadsheet to track those balances. I do this to limit exposure.
 
YakGrl said:
I have used it for many years to track spending and spending trends. I link my checking and credit card accounts. I do not link my investment accounts. I have a monthly spreadsheet to track those balances. I do this to limit exposure.
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I would use Mint if I could do this, but my "checking account" is a fidelity brokerage account. I wonder if there is someway to have a separate login for just 1 fidelity account (it doesn't hold any investments, it's just for bill pay, but it is the same login as all my investment accounts)
 
qwerty3656 said:
I would use Mint if I could do this, but my "checking account" is a fidelity brokerage account. I wonder if there is someway to have a separate login for just 1 fidelity account (it doesn't hold any investments, it's just for bill pay, but it is the same login as all my investment accounts)
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Well, whether you link the one account or all of them to Mint, I think the security concern is Mint having the Fidelity username/password information. So, if this information was obtained, the hacker would have access to all the accounts that are available with that login information.

So, you have to either trust Mint's security measures or not.
 
To use this product you take all the usernames and passwords, to all your financial accounts, every dime you own, and give all of that login info to one single source. The risks presented by this are far too great IMO to justify the convenience that you can pretty much get already from separate sources plus a spreadsheet. I'm sure Solarwinds assured their customers they were secure as well, until they weren't. I'd review Mint's guarantees and agreements. If they agree they will reimburse you for any and all money taken from your accounts in the event of their systems being compromised then maybe consider it. If they aren't willing to make that statement then they don't think they are secure enough to risk it, should you?
 
I have a friend who does not do online banking. I don't think she even has accounts on any websites except for Amazon that she joined last year due to the pandemic. I guess everyone's tolerance level is different.
 
tmm99 said:
I have a friend who does not do online banking. I don't think she even has accounts on any websites except for Amazon that she joined last year due to the pandemic. I guess everyone's tolerance level is different.
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I am amused by people who think their account is safer if "they" don't create an online account. Your bank is online (and your account), even if you are not. Create an account with a strong password to monitor it for suspicious activity.
 
mrWinter said:
To use this product you take all the usernames and passwords, to all your financial accounts, every dime you own, and give all of that login info to one single source. The risks presented by this are far too great IMO to justify the convenience that you can pretty much get already from separate sources plus a spreadsheet. I'm sure Solarwinds assured their customers they were secure as well, until they weren't. I'd review Mint's guarantees and agreements. If they agree they will reimburse you for any and all money taken from your accounts in the event of their systems being compromised then maybe consider it. If they aren't willing to make that statement then they don't think they are secure enough to risk it, should you?
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I have not the slightest concern my funds will be stolen due to my using Mint. The answer for me is a resounding YES.
 
foxcreek9 said:
I am amused by people who think their account is safer if "they" don't create an online account. Your bank is online (and your account), even if you are not. Create an account with a strong password to monitor it for suspicious activity.
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I am amused by people who speak so authoritatively on complex subjects such as computer security while actually unknowingly displaying a complete ignorance on the subject.
 
Scratchy said:
I marvel that it is free, because I would gladly pay money for it.

I have never worried about abuse of my data or passwords by them. The safety it provides by allowing me to closely monitor my accounts far outweighs any risks, in my opinion.
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So what’s their business model? Advertising, selling your personal info or both?

When the product or service is free then YOU are the product.
 
Works for me!

I love Mint. It has really helped me get a clear view of how much I am spending and on what. Has made it possible for me to enter retirement confident about how much I need and am likely to spend going forward.
 
Iggysmom said:
I love Mint. It has really helped me get a clear view of how much I am spending and on what. Has made it possible for me to enter retirement confident about how much I need and am likely to spend going forward.
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I did the same with nothing but a simple spreadsheet…kids today.:D
 
Yipper said:
When the product or service is free then YOU are the product.
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It's notable that realization doesn't stop you from participating in this forum, or using likely other free apps, google, and most of the internet. Obviously there is a tradeoff in these activities. In the case of Mint, I judge it a plus for me.

I am certainly no expert in this. But I have read opinions from more verifiable experts saying the risks in using aggregators are very small. I am very comfortable going with them over those who proclaim themselves experts here.

Everyone assesses and makes judgments about risk differently as is so apparent in the divergence of opinions and behavior regarding risks related to the pandemic, personal finance, medical care and countless other arenas. I've learned that worrying about other people's choices, or spending a lot of time persuading them they are wrong or foolish in making them, is generally unproductive.
 
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