This new AI tool automates your finances with ease. In this full review, we break down its features, pros, cons, and whether it’s worth using in 2025.
Let us start with a confession.
A few months ago, I was this close to firing my financial advisor. Don’t get me wrong—he was fine. Responsive, polite, all that. But still, every time I wrote the check for his fee, there was this little voice in my head. And eventually, it got louder. It kept whispering: “Couldn’t AI do this… for free?” At first, I brushed it off. After all, money is personal, and I wasn’t sure a machine could really understand that. But the more I thought about it, the more I wondered: What if AI actually could?
And considering all of the buzz surrounding robo-advisors, ChatGPT, and AI-driven money apps, I felt it was pretty good time to find out.
So, like every other curious (and slightly nerdy) adult who has Wi-Fi and too many spreadsheets, I would indulge in seeing if an algorithm could actually manage my income better than a human being.
Strap in for this roller coaster ride.
Phase One: Meet My Real-Life Financial Advisor (Let’s Call Him Mike)
Mike’s been my counselor for approximately three years. He has assisted me in taking excellent investment decisions, putting up retirement accounts, avoiding some nasty tax situations, and not spending on a Tesla from my emergency fund.
He’s good. Human. Thoughtful.
But… he charges 1% on the assets under management. This wouldn’t seem like a lot at the beginning, but as your portfolio grows, turning into real money from that into vacation-in-Bali kind of money.
So, after a bit of back-and-forth in my head, I decided to size up Mike—the human advisor—with some of the rising stars in the AI financial world. I figured, if I was going to question his value, I should at least be fair and put both sides to the test.
Phase Two: Building My AI Team
Here is how I tested AI for financial advice:
1. ChatGPT-4 (Plugins-enabled)
This application was used by me in following general aspects of investment strategies, taxes, budgeting, and even retirement planning. You may call it a generalist on the team.
2. Wealthfront & Betterment (Robo-advisors)
These two were my favorites for automated portfolio management. They buy, sell, allocate, and rebalance your investments based on your selected choice and risk profile.
3. Cleo & YNAB (Budgeting assistants)
For daily coaching and monitoring of expenses, Cleo is for conversation and fun; YNAB (You Need A Budget) is more serious about its concept on zero-based budgeting.
4. AI Tax Tools like April and TurboTax AI
I tossed in some AI-powered tax helpers to see what they can do during filing season.
Phase Three: The Actual Test
For the past three months, I have exposed my entire financial life to Mike and the AI squad. I have fed both with similar inputs, everything from my income to my expenses, goal timeline, risk tolerance, and the little voice in my head that wants to YOLO into crypto.
And the verdict?
Let us get into the details.
📈 Investment Advice: Robo-Advisors vs Mike
All right, this one’s oddly close.
Wealthfront generated a very well-balanced portfolio in just under five minutes. A few ETFs and bonds but a little bit of property. Auto-rebalanced. Tax-loss harvesting? Included. Betterment was similar.
Mike had a slightly more bespoke portfolio. Asked what stocks, based on our rich discussions (and my unhealthy obsession with Tesla). Then he explained his reasons for including it, and even took me through market trends.
Winner: Draw. Robo-advisors scored it on efficiency and fees. Mike won on personalization and hand-holding.
💰 Budgeting: Cleo, YNAB & AI Coaching
Here’s where AI shined.
Cleo is basically the sarcastic money bestie I didn’t know I needed. She roasted me for spending $140 on DoorDash in a week, and I listened.
YNAB was more structured. It forced me to “give every dollar a job,” which, honestly, was more accountability than I’ve ever had.
Mike? He sent me a PDF budget template once. Never followed up.
Winner: AI. No contest.
🧾 Taxes: AI Tools vs Human Guidance
With TurboTax AI, I have maximized my deductions and even found a credit that Mike had not mentioned. April took things further-monthly tips according to my income fluctuations.
Mike helped with tax loss harvesting and left all the work to a CPA.
Winner: AI (with human oversight).
🧠 Emotional Support & Life Planning
Then came Mike’s moment to shine.
Then came a slow month—one of those unexpected dips in income that throws your whole budget into chaos. I was spiraling a bit, not gonna lie. That’s when Mike called me. Not an email. Not a calendar invite. A real call. We walked through the worst-case scenarios together. He reminded me of the plan we’d built, adjusted a few things, and—most importantly—told me it was okay to breathe. That moment stuck with me. It wasn’t just about numbers; it was about feeling seen.
The AI tools? Still not there. ChatGPT put together a list of coping strategies, but it just felt… well, scripted. More like being comforted by one very polite robot.
Winner: Mike. Humans still win at heart-to-heart talks.
🧠 Smarts vs Wisdom
Artificial intelligence has proved to be more than what I could think: extremely intelligent in terms of memory, simulation time, and due date.
But Mike had context. He knows my family. He knows that when the stock market falls, I panic-sell. He also knows I can’t say “no” to anything expensive while on vacation.
That’s wisdom against data.
AI tells you what would be optimal. A good advisor will tell you what it’s right for you.
Let’s Talk Money: Fees & Value
The cost difference is massive.
- Mike charges 1% of assets. For a $200K portfolio, that’s $2,000/year.
- Wealthfront? Around 0.25%. That’s $500.
- ChatGPT? $20/month (plus some plugins).
- Cleo? $5/month.
- YNAB? $14/month.
On paper, AI wins. But value isn’t just about cost. It’s about ROI. For someone new to money, that extra guidance from a human might save way more than it costs.
The Verdict: Can AI Replace Your Financial Advisor?
Short answer? Not yet.
Long answer? It depends.
If you’ve got straightforward finances, decent discipline, and a willingness to learn, AI tools might be all you need. You’ll save a ton, automate the boring stuff, and get solid, data-backed advice.
But if you value emotional intelligence, nuanced guidance, and having someone in your corner during the rollercoaster of life—humans still win. At least for now.
My Personal Take (Because You Asked)
I didn’t fire Mike.
But I did cut back. I let AI handle budgeting, taxes, and routine investing. I lean on Mike for the big stuff—life changes, mindset shifts, and long-term strategy.
And honestly? It’s the best of both worlds.
Final Takeaway: Blend the Best of Both Worlds
The future of financial advice isn’t AI or humans. It’s AI plus humans.
Let the robots crunch the numbers. Let the humans guide your values.
If you’re not using AI tools yet, try one. Start with a budgeting app like Cleo or YNAB. Or run your investments through a robo-advisor for a second opinion.
Because here’s the truth:
Money is emotional. Life is messy. And AI might be smart—but you are wise.
So why not team up?
Use the machine for what it’s good at. Then bring in a human when things get real.
In 2025 and beyond, that might just be the smartest financial strategy of all.