Tiller Money Review 2023: Is this the best personal finance app?

Full Tiller Money Review

Tiller Money feeds offer an easy way to aggregate your financial information all in one place. spreadsheet templates are available, so you don’t need to know how to use Excel or Google Sheets to take advantage of it.

Tiller Money’s best for:

• Diligent budgeters
• Those who prefer spreadsheets to budgeting apps
• Those who like to have all their financial info in one place

Are you a spreadsheet nerd or just looking for an easy way to manage your finances? Tiller keeps track of your spending and provides real-time daily and monthly budget reports on your financial transactions.

Read more of our Tiller Money review to find out more about how it works.

External Tiller Money Review & Ratings

What is Tiller Money?

Peter Polson founded Tiller in 2014 in Seattle, Washington. It has recently expanded from just Google Sheets to include Microsoft Excel.

The simplest way to use Tiller Money is to utilize the Tiller Money Foundation Template. Financial data is automatically pulled into the spreadsheet. You can track your transactions, current balances, spending behavior, and set monthly/annual spending budgets. You can fully customize your spreadsheet options to suit your needs.

It takes only a few minutes to connect all your accounts (bank accounts, savings accounts, and other financial accounts) and Tiller will handle the rest.

Our review on Tiller Money shows that the features offered are an excellent option for the average person to track their finances and get into budgeting. Although it lacks advanced features, such as bill paying and investment tracking, the majority of people will benefit from using Tiller to manage their financial life.

Automatic Data Population

Once you connect your accounts to Tiller, the rest of the process happens automatically. Check back every so often for the latest data and budgeting reports. Tiller can link to more than 10,000 different financial institutions including Bank of America and Capital One.

By connecting your accounts, you don’t give Tiller access to your financial accounts, so security isn’t an issue. Two-factor authentication via Google Sheets adds an additional layer of data security, however.

Create a Budget Sheet

If you’re struggling to make a budget, Tiller provides a fully customizable budget spreadsheet. You can customize different income and expense categories, as well as manage multiple time frames, such as monthly and quarterly.

Categories can be hidden from your budget. There are no formulas required to get it up and running.

Daily Email Summaries

You don’t need to revisit Tiller to find out about your finances. Users can set up a daily email summary, which details the latest actual account balances and any transactions you’ve made. This prevents you from receiving any unpleasant surprises when you check your finances.

How Does Tiller Money Work?

Tiller Money is designed to provide a complete personal finance service that integrates seamlessly with your spreadsheets. The primary goal is to simplify your financial tracking by aggregating all your financial data in one place, giving you greater control over your money​​. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how Tiller Money works:

1. Connect Your Accounts

Start by securely authenticating your accounts in Tiller’s Console. Importantly, Tiller never sees or stores your bank login details. You can then link your financial accounts to both Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel simultaneously. The result is an automatic import of all your spending, income, and transfers into a unified transactions sheet​​.

2. Customize Your Spreadsheets

Tiller Money allows you to review your balances in a unified balances sheet, where you can track your debts and net worth over time. Moreover, you have complete control over your transaction categories and auto-categorization rules. Tiller offers the Foundation Template for beginners, but you also have the option to use new sheets from the Tiller Community​.

3. Utilize Tiller Features

Tiller offers several unique features to help manage your finances more effectively. The Tiller Money Feeds feature connects over 21,000 banks to your spreadsheets, importing your daily spending, income, and balances with a single click. You also get access to automatic transaction categorization through the AutoCat feature, which gives you complete control over your categorization rules​​.

4. Get Daily Updates

Tiller provides a daily email summary that includes your latest transactions and balances, helping you to keep track of your financial activities without needing to open your spreadsheets every day​​.

Tiller Money Pricing

Most reviews on Tiller Money praise it for its approach to pricing. There’s only one membership plan with Tiller, and it gives you access to all the features listed above, as well as:

Weekly webinars

Budgeting templates

Bank-grade 256-bit encryption

There are no hidden fees, so once you pay you have full access for your entire subscription period.

There’s also a 30-day free trial available for people who want to try Tiller Money for free before committing to the $79/year subscription.

Can Tiller Money Help Me Pay Off Debt?

Paying off debt can be a daunting task, but the right tool can make the process much easier. While Tiller Money doesn’t offer specific debt payoff tools like debt snowball or avalanche calculators, it can still be a valuable tool in your debt repayment journey.

Here’s how Tiller Money can assist in your debt repayment:

• Creating a Budget: The first step to paying off debt is understanding where your money is going. Tiller Money’s customizable spreadsheets allow you to categorize your expenses, identify unnecessary spending, and create a budget that allocates more money towards debt repayment.
• Tracking Your Debt: Tiller Money can automatically import and update your loan balances. This allows you to see your total debt in one place and track your progress as you pay it down.
• Setting Financial Goals: You can set monthly or annual spending goals in Tiller Money, which could include a target amount for debt repayment. This feature can help you stay focused and motivated as you work towards becoming debt-free.
• Understanding Your Spending Habits: Tiller Money’s daily transaction summaries can help you understand your spending habits. If you’re overspending in certain areas, this could be diverting money that could be used to pay off debt. Identifying and rectifying these habits can accelerate your debt payoff.

While Tiller Money doesn’t have specific debt payoff tools, its budgeting and tracking features can provide the insights and structure you need to create an effective debt repayment plan.

By facilitating a comprehensive view of your financial life and allowing you to customize your budgeting approach, Tiller Money empowers you to take control of your finances and make progress towards your goal of debt freedom.

Tiller Money and Data Privacy

In the digital age, data privacy is a major concern for many individuals, particularly when dealing with sensitive information such as personal finance. Tiller Money addresses this issue with several measures designed to protect user data.

Data Encryption

Tiller Money uses bank-grade 256-bit encryption to secure your data. This is the same level of encryption used by many financial institutions, meaning your data is protected to a high standard.

Two-Factor Authentication

Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a security measure that requires two different methods of identity confirmation. It’s like a second lock for your data. Tiller Money supports 2FA via Google Sheets, adding an additional layer of data security.

Limited Access

When you connect your financial accounts to Tiller Money, the tool does not have access to your login credentials. It only has ‘read-only’ access, meaning it can view and aggregate your financial information, but it can’t move money around or make changes to your accounts. This significantly limits the potential damage if your Tiller Money account were ever compromised.

Data Policy

Tiller Money has a strict data policy. They do not sell or share your personal data with third parties. This commitment to privacy helps to ensure that your financial information stays private.

User Reviews and Ratings

Tiller Money has been endorsed by a multitude of users and recognized by top money experts and media outlets such as Wirecutter, Inc.com, Business Insider, Fortune, Harvard Business Review, and CNBC​​.

Here is a collection of user testimonials that highlight the strengths of Tiller Money:

The testimonials continue with praises about Tiller’s flexibility, ease of use, customization, and its superiority over other financial management tools. Users appreciate the freedom and control Tiller allows, and its integration with Google Sheets and Excel for custom analysis.

Notably, the customer service of Tiller is frequently commended for being responsive and helpful​.

Why Is Tiller Money Worth it?

Tiller Money is worth it for several reasons, particularly for individuals who value customization, control, and efficiency in their financial management:

• Customization: Tiller Money allows users to fully customize their budgeting spreadsheets. This means you can tailor your budget to fit your unique financial situation and goals. Not many budgeting tools offer this level of customization.
• Automation: The platform automatically pulls in financial data from your connected accounts, saving you from manually entering transactions. This helps you maintain an accurate and up-to-date overview of your financial situation with less effort.
• Consolidation: With Tiller Money, you can see all your financial information in one place. It supports connectivity with more than 10,000 financial institutions, making it easy to consolidate your financial data, whether it’s from checking accounts, credit cards, or loans.
• Daily Email Summaries: Tiller Money sends daily email summaries detailing the latest account balances and transactions. This feature keeps you informed of your financial status without needing to constantly check the app.
• Data Security: As mentioned earlier, Tiller Money takes your data security seriously. With bank-grade encryption and a strict data privacy policy, it ensures that your financial information is safe and secure.
• Learning Curve: If you are already familiar with spreadsheets (Google Sheets or Excel), then there is virtually no learning curve involved with Tiller Money. It leverages a tool that many people already use and understand, making it easy to get started.
• Affordability: At $79 per year with a 30-day free trial, Tiller Money is relatively affordable compared to many other budgeting tools on the market.

How User-Friendly is Tiller Money for Someone Not Familiar with Spreadsheets?

For individuals who aren’t familiar with spreadsheets, there might be a slight learning curve when first using Tiller Money. However, Tiller Money does a great job of making the process as intuitive and straightforward as possible.

When you first sign up for Tiller Money, you’ll be guided to connect your financial accounts and then select a template, such as the Foundation Template, which comes pre-configured with categories for common expenses and income sources. This template gives you a ready-to-use budgeting and finance tracking tool that requires no previous spreadsheet experience.

The cells that you need to interact with are often color-coded to indicate where to input or modify data. Additionally, Tiller Money’s automatic data population feature removes the need for manual data entry, one of the more complex aspects of spreadsheet usage.

Tiller Money also provides a wealth of online resources to help you understand and navigate the platform. This includes how-to guides, FAQs, webinars, and a dedicated Tiller Money Community, where users can share advice and tips. These resources can be incredibly helpful in learning how to use the tool, even if you have no prior experience with spreadsheets.

Moreover, Tiller Money’s customer service, including the Tiller Helper Bot and email support, are there to assist you with any queries or issues.

What Makes Tiller Money Unique Compared to Other Budgeting Tools?

Tiller Money stands out from other budgeting tools for several reasons.

Firstly, Tiller Money leverages the flexibility and versatility of spreadsheets. While other tools provide pre-made categories and rigid structures, Tiller Money allows you to customize your budget according to your specific needs. Whether you’re budgeting for a large family, a small business, or saving for a big trip, you can mold Tiller Money to reflect your unique financial situation.

Secondly, Tiller Money automatically updates your chosen spreadsheet with your daily transactions and balances from various financial institutions. This saves you the time and effort typically associated with manual data entry, a feature not commonly found in other spreadsheet-based budgeting tools.

Another unique feature is Tiller Money’s “Envelope” budgeting method, also known as the zero-based budgeting system. This method, although offered by some other budgeting tools, is seamlessly integrated into Tiller Money’s spreadsheet environment, offering an excellent way to plan your spending and save money.

Tiller Money also stands out with its focus on privacy. Unlike many other budgeting apps, Tiller Money uses bank-grade security to ensure your data is protected, and the company itself does not sell user data to third parties.

Lastly, Tiller Money’s extensive template library sets it apart. These ready-to-use templates address a variety of financial situations, from debt tracking to net worth tracking, making the tool adaptable to diverse user needs.

Personal Finance Education and Community Support

A significant but often under-mentioned aspect of Tiller Money is its commitment to personal finance education and fostering a supportive community. This additional feature makes it more than just a budgeting tool, providing users with resources to expand their financial knowledge and engage with a community of like-minded individuals.

Financial Education Resources

Tiller Money is passionate about personal finance education. Their website hosts a wealth of articles, guides, webinars, and FAQs, covering a range of topics from budgeting basics to advanced spreadsheet management. For instance, their ’30 Days of Financial Wins’ program offers a free, month-long course that guides users through budgeting, goal setting, tracking expenses, and more.

Moreover, Tiller Money hosts weekly webinars that delve into various features and capabilities of the tool. This direct, interactive approach ensures that users can fully leverage Tiller Money’s potential while also expanding their understanding of personal finance management.

Tiller Money Community

Tiller Money has cultivated an active, supportive community that further adds value to its service. The Tiller Money Community is a forum where users can ask questions, share their experiences, exchange spreadsheet templates, and contribute advice on a wide range of financial topics.

For users who are new to budgeting with spreadsheets or facing unique financial situations, the Tiller Money Community can be a valuable resource for getting customized help and advice. The discussions in the community are also a great way to get ideas for customizing your own Tiller Money experience.

Final Thoughts – Is Tiller Money Worth it?

Tiller Money offers a unique approach to personal finance management that many will find appealing, especially those who like to have a hands-on approach to their financial situation. By seamlessly integrating with Google Sheets and Excel, it leverages familiar tools to help you manage your finances better.

Its strength lies in its simplicity, flexibility, and automation. With automatic daily updates, customizable categories, and the ability to see all of your financial information in one place, Tiller provides a comprehensive and streamlined system for managing your personal finances.

For budgeters who love spreadsheets, Tiller is an excellent tool that combines the best aspects of manual and automated budgeting. It allows you to maintain the control and customization of a spreadsheet while eliminating the time-consuming task of manual data entry.

While it might not be the best choice for individuals looking for advanced features like investment tracking or specific debt payoff tools, Tiller still provides value by offering a clear view of your financial picture and the tools necessary to manage your money effectively.

Its affordable price point of $79 per year, coupled with a 30-day free trial, makes Tiller Money accessible and worth trying for individuals who want to have more control over their finances without the hassle of manually updating their spreadsheets.

Overall, we highly recommend Tiller Money for budgeting and managing your finances.

Check out Tiller Money and take advantage of their 30-day free trial now.