Both use AI. The depth is very different.
Cleo pioneered chatty AI finance. Don is built for real answers from real data.
Cleo was one of the first apps to make finance feel like a conversation. That's genuinely great. But Cleo's AI is more about vibe than depth. Don is built on a different premise: give the AI full access to all your financial data and let you ask real questions about it.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Don | Cleo |
|---|---|---|
| AI conversation | ✓ 46 financial tools, full account context | △ Chat-based, limited data depth |
| Bank connections | ✓ 11,000+ (Plaid) | △ Fewer US institutions |
| Auto-categorization | ✓ AI-powered | ✓ |
| Smart merchant tagging | ✓ Fix once, forever | ✗ |
| Gamified goals | ✓ XP, streaks, difficulty tiers | ✓ Basic gamification |
| Net worth tracking | ✓ | ✗ |
| Subscription tracker | ✓ | △ Basic |
| Receipt scanning | ✓ | ✗ |
| Cash advances | ✗ | ✓ Cleo Plus |
| Primary market | 🇺🇸 US | 🇬🇧 UK (US available) |
Where Don Wins
1. Real financial data, real AI answers.
Ask Cleo "How much did I spend on dining vs groceries over the last 3 months?" and you'll hit its limits fast. Don's AI has 46 tools connected to your full account history — it can actually answer complex questions about your real money.
2. Depth of financial picture.
Don tracks net worth, investment portfolios, cash flow year-over-year, subscription costs, and more. Cleo focuses on spending and budgets. If you want a complete picture, Don goes deeper.
3. Built for the US.
Cleo started in the UK. Don is US-first — built around US banking infrastructure, Plaid's 11,000+ institution coverage, and US personal finance patterns.
Where Cleo Might Suit You Better
You want cash advances. Cleo Plus offers cash advances up to $250 with no interest. Don doesn't have lending features. If you sometimes need a small cushion between paychecks, Cleo has that.
You want personality over depth. Cleo leans into a snarky, funny persona — it'll roast your spending if you ask. Don is warm and direct but not comedic. If the entertainment factor matters, Cleo wins on vibes.
Pricing
| Don | Cleo | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly | $6.99 | Free + $5.99/mo Cleo Plus |
| Annual | $59.99/yr ($5.00/mo) | N/A |
| Free trial | 1 month | Free tier available |
Bottom Line
Cleo is a fun introduction to AI finance — light, chatty, and easy to get into. Don is what you graduate to when you want the AI to actually know your finances and give you real answers.
Try Don free for a month.
Cancel anytime.
Download on the App Store