Net worth is the single most honest metric in personal finance. Not your salary, not your investment returns — what you own minus what you owe. Tracking it regularly gives you a feedback loop that makes every financial decision feel concrete. The problem is that most people either never track it or track it once and forget. The right tool makes it automatic. Here is what works best in 2026.
What changed in 2026
- Empower (formerly Personal Capital) remains the free benchmark — its dashboard is the most complete free option, though its advisory push continues.
- Open banking APIs expanded. More accounts connect cleanly, including more credit unions and smaller banks.
- Privacy-first tools gained ground. Apps like Copilot and Tiller gained users specifically because they don't sell financial product leads.
- Spreadsheet templates matured. Community-maintained Google Sheets and Notion templates now rival simple apps for anyone comfortable with manual entry.
What to track
Before picking a tool, know what belongs in your net worth calculation:
| Category |
Examples |
| Liquid assets |
Checking, savings, money market accounts |
| Invested assets |
Brokerage, 401(k), IRA, Roth IRA |
| Property |
Home equity (current value minus mortgage balance) |
| Other assets |
Car value, business equity, HSA |
| Liabilities |
Mortgage, student loans, auto loans, credit card balances |
Real estate is the trickiest — use a conservative estimate (Zillow Zestimate as a floor, not ceiling) and update it quarterly, not monthly.
The best tools in 2026
Empower Personal Dashboard (free)
The most powerful free option. Connects bank accounts, investment accounts, loans, and credit cards in one view. Shows net worth over time, investment allocation, and cash flow. The trade-off: Empower's revenue model is selling advisory services, so expect periodic advisor outreach.
Best for: people with multiple accounts who want a full picture without paying.
Tiller Money (~$80–$100/year)
Pulls all your accounts into a Google Sheets or Excel template automatically each day. You own the spreadsheet — there is no vendor lock-in, no app to check, and no product recommendations. The data lives in your Drive.
Best for: spreadsheet-comfortable people who want full control and maximum customization.
Copilot (iOS, ~$100/year)
A polished iOS-only app with strong budgeting and net worth tracking. Does not sell financial products. Clean transaction categorization with AI-assisted rules.
Best for: iPhone users who want a clean, product-free experience.
Monarch Money (~$100/year)
Strong net worth and budget tracking combined. Good multi-user support (useful for couples). More customizable than Empower for category rules.
Best for: couples and households that want shared visibility.
Manual Google Sheets (free)
A well-built template (r/personalfinance and Bogleheads communities maintain excellent ones) plus monthly manual entry. Slower, but zero privacy risk and fully customizable.
Best for: privacy-conscious users or those with simple finances.
Comparison table
| Tool |
Cost |
Auto-sync |
Privacy |
Best for |
| Empower |
Free |
Yes |
Moderate (sells leads) |
Most users, free tier |
| Tiller |
~$80–100/yr |
Yes |
High (your spreadsheet) |
Spreadsheet users |
| Copilot |
~$100/yr |
Yes |
High |
iPhone, clean UI |
| Monarch Money |
~$100/yr |
Yes |
High |
Couples |
| Manual Sheets |
Free |
No |
Highest |
Privacy, simple finances |
How to start
- List every account you have — checking, savings, retirement, brokerage, loans, credit cards.
- Pick one tool and connect everything in one session. Partial setups give incomplete numbers.
- Set a calendar reminder to review net worth on the first of every month — not daily.
- Don't obsess over daily moves in investment accounts. Track the trend over 12 months, not week to week.
- Update real estate and car values quarterly rather than pulling live estimates every month.
Common mistakes
Tracking assets but not all liabilities. Forgetting a student loan or car loan inflates the number and defeats the purpose.
Using the wrong home value estimate. Zillow's Zestimate can swing 5–15% — use it as a rough anchor and note it's an estimate.
Switching tools constantly. Historical trend data is the most valuable output of net worth tracking. Switching apps every year breaks the trend line.
Checking daily during market downturns. Net worth tracks long-term progress. Daily checks during a down market produce anxiety with no actionable signal.
What to skip
- Tools that default to investment product recommendations as the primary CTA — Empower is borderline here; mute the advisor pop-ups.
- Apps that require you to re-authenticate every month — broken connections kill the habit.
- Complex multi-tab spreadsheets you didn't build yourself — they break and you won't maintain them.
FAQ
How often should I check my net worth?
Monthly is ideal. Quarterly is fine for low-complexity finances. Daily causes anxiety without adding value.
Should I include my car in net worth?
Yes, at a conservative depreciated value. Use Kelley Blue Book private party value as a reasonable estimate.
Is it safe to connect my bank accounts to a tracking app?
Reputable apps use read-only connections via established aggregators (Plaid, MX). They can see balances and transactions, not move money. Still: use a strong unique password and two-factor authentication.
My net worth is negative. Should I still track it?
Absolutely. Tracking a negative number going toward zero is motivating. Knowing your starting point is how you measure progress.
Where to go next
For more money-management tools, see Best budgeting apps for students in 2026, Best retirement calculators in 2026, and Best financial podcasts in 2026.