Editor's Note: Status Money was acquired by Quicken Simplifi in 2023. All Status accounts will be transitioning to Quicken Simplifi. Learn more about Quicken Simplifi in our review here.
Would knowing that you have more debt than your peers motivate you to pay off the debt faster? Would seeing your income as a top 10% income motivate you to save more or to work even harder to reach the top 5%?
That’s the premise behind Status. It’s an app that tracks your income, spending, net worth and debt, and the app shows you how you compare to the national average (and your peer group).
Will knowing how you compare to other people help you improve? For a limited number of people, I think it might work.
Here’s what you need to know about Status before you download it.
Quick Summary
- Free Personal Finance App
- See How You Compare To Your Peer Group Financially
- Spending Trackers And Personalized Offers
Status Features
Status is a financial app that really aims to give you a snapshot of your entire financial life in one app. It’s got features like spending trackers (which automatically categorize your transactions), interest rate analyzers that show you whether you’ve got competitive interest rates on your debts, checking and savings accounts. The app helps you track your net worth, and it even has a predictive component that tells you when you’re likely to overspend.
Of course, with each feature, you’ll actually get information on how you compare to the national average and to your peer group. As shallow as it sounds, Status gives you a fair idea of what your financial status is compared to your peer group.
How Do You React To New Information?
As far as I know, Status is the only app that allows you to compare your personal financial status with the statuses of others (while maintaining anonymity).
At first, I thought this was pretty cool to see how I ranked, but in time I got really annoyed. For example, the debt section showed that 100% of my debt is credit card debt, compared to a lower percentage of my peers. It also claimed that I had an uncompetitive interest rate. Thankfully, I’m fine with both of those, because I pay my credit cards in full each month. I focus on using a rewards credit card for everything to maximize points!
The spending tracker, which at first seemed interesting and even motivating, started to annoy me when I saw spending categories where I “overspent” my peers.
The more time I spent with the app, the more I realized that I’m initially fairly defensive when it comes to new information. Knowing where I stand relative to my peers is unlikely to motivate me in a positive way.
However, not everyone needs to react to Status the same way I did. I could certainly see someone using the information to get motivated to pay off debt, to cut restaurant spending, or to increase their income.
At the end of the day, I think Status will be helpful for some people, but it will put others in a bad headspace. It’s all about how you personally react to information that compares you to other people.
Status Rewards
You are automatically enrolled in their rewards program when you create your account.
You will earn rewards for joining, setting up your account, and engaging with opportunities throughout the app. To find new ways to earn, look for the golden reward badges. Tapping these badges shows you what you need to do to earn the reward.
You can redeem your rewards when your rewards balance reaches or exceeds $10. Once eligible, the redemption option will appear on your Rewards page. Redemptions occur via a free ACH transfer to a bank account of your choosing.
How Does Status Make Money?
Since Status is a free app to download, it’s important to understand how the company makes money. You can download the Status Money iOS App from the App Store or the Status Money Android App from the Play Store. You can also access the Status website from your mobile phone's web browser.
As with many personal finance apps, Status serves up personalized ads from their partners. For example, if you’ve got a weak interest rate at a bank account, you’ll probably get an offer for an online savings account. If you have a high interest rate on your credit card, count on a 0% APR credit card.
In a lot of cases, these ads will have ideal products for your situation, but be sure to think before applying. I like to read reviews before I open up a new financial product, and I recommend that you do the same.
Also, you may find better deals on financial products by using financial comparison engines like LendingTree (for most debt products), Credible (for student loans) or CardRatings for credit card comparisons.
Bottom Line
Status is a cool app. It’s fun to see how your finances compare to the finances of others. I don’t think the app is particularly actionable (although it does let you set a budget), but it could be motivating for the right person.
Since Status is free, I recommend giving it a download if you’re curious about other people’s money. If you hate it, delete it. If you love it, use it for your own good.
Status Money Review
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Features And Tools
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Summary
Status Money is a new personal finance app that allows you to compare your finances and make smarter decisions with your money.
Robert Farrington is America’s Millennial Money Expert® and America’s Student Loan Debt Expert™, and the founder of The College Investor, a personal finance site dedicated to helping millennials escape student loan debt to start investing and building wealth for the future. You can learn more about him on the About Page or on his personal site RobertFarrington.com.
He regularly writes about investing, student loan debt, and general personal finance topics geared toward anyone wanting to earn more, get out of debt, and start building wealth for the future.
He has been quoted in major publications, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, ABC, NBC, Today, and more. He is also a regular contributor to Forbes.
Editor: Clint Proctor Reviewed by: Chris Muller