Editor’s Note: Overdraft Apps provides detailed product reviews and recommendations based upon extensive research and our own hands-on testing. We may earn a referral fee when you sign up for or purchase products mentioned in this article.
Looking for a budgeting app that you might actually stick with for more than a week? Cleo’s ‘Roast Mode’ uses a wise-ass chatbot (and plenty of GIFs and harsh burns) to show you how much you’ve spent and how little you’ve saved. This unique tool diverges from traditional financial advice by offering personalized, light-hearted critiques of your spending habits to foster a more mindful approach to personal finance.
Meet the Smart and Sassy Cleo Budgeting App
Cleo describes itself as a “Money App that doesn’t suck.”
As an AI-driven app, Cleo has helped millions of Americans improve their budgets, boost their credit scores, and avoid overdraft fees with cash advances up to $250.
With no interest, no mandatory tips, and no credit check, Cleo’s cash advance can help bridge the gap between paychecks.
While Cleo is best known as a cash advance app, it also has some killer features to help you better manage your money. Cleo is so fricking hilarious, you might actually enjoy tracking your spending and earnings for a change.
Powered by artificial intelligence (AI), Cleo flips between two modes:
- Toast Me (When you need a pick me up)
- Roast Me (When you want to be ripped to shreds)
With ‘Roast Me’, Cleo will give jaw-dropping insights on how much you’re spending and where you’re spending money most often. Postmates, DoorDash and Uber addicts be prepared to get a good talking to!
Oh, and by the way, while you do need to subscribe to use Cleo’s cash advance and credit building features, you can get full access to her money management tools absolutely free!
What is ‘Roast Me’?
Cleo’s brand voice is the most unique selling point the app has.
In a market growing increasingly crowded with fintech apps offering cash advances and budgeting tools, it’s Cleo’s authentic voice that helps it stand out. And this voice can be equal parts hilarious, wise-ass and rude.
(Be warned: She’s got quite the potty mouth, too!)
Cleo’s ‘Roast Me’ mode helps you manage your money by analyzing your account and spotting your bad spending or saving habits. Powered by generative AI, Cleo roasts the sh*t out of you (with love) to help you understand your spending habits and make better decisions.
Instead of pushing users away, Cleo’s ‘Roast Me’ mode has helped its subscriber base double year-on-year. Cleo also grew its revenue by +2x year-on-year and has surpassed $60 million in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR).
With Cleo “roasting” users nearly 300k times last year, it’s fair to say the app is popular with Millennials and Gen Z!
Why is Cleo’s ‘Roast Mode’ feature so popular?
Most people have no clue how much they’re spending which makes it hard to budget and save.
Seeing where your money is going can be a tough pill to swallow but also a chance to change your spending habits. Apps like Cleo soften the blow with memes, GIFs and burns that add humor to a serious situation.
Instead of sleep-walking through life with no idea where your money is going, Cleo Roast Mode helps keep you on track and stay serious about your money, without taking yourself too seriously.
This approach has been a huge hit with 4 million Gen Z and Millennial users who appreciate the bold, irreverent and purposeful feedback Cloe provides.
Cleo’s ‘Roast Mode’ can be brutal (and seriously funny) but works because the app genuinely wants to help you make better financial decisions.
Funniest Cleo Roast Mode examples
Watch: Our Cleo Budgeting App Review
WAIT! Why borrow quick cash when you can earn it?!
Cash advance apps can be a great tool for getting a little extra cash when you need it, but you’ll need to repay it – plus fees – wihtin a week or two. Did you know there’s an easy way to earn extra cash that’s yours to keep?
KashKick is a wildly popular service that lets you earn money for playing games, completing surveys, signing up for trial offers and more. (You’ll even earn cash for just completing your profile!) You can earn cash today and withdraw your earnings through PayPal once you’ve reached $10. You can earn over $100/month with KashKick – and you don’t need to spend a dime or take out your credit card to do it.
There are dozens of high-paying offers available on KashKick, and if you’re into playing new games on your phone, you can earn some serious cash for doing what you love. Though offers change regularly, there are currently1 more than three dozen offers available where you can earn cash – sometimes over $100 – just by downloading and playing popular games like Coin Master, Monoply Go, Bingo Blitz, and more. These games are all free to download, and no in-app purchases are required to earn with KashKick.
Get paid to play on your phone >>> Check out KashKick
- As of February 13, 2024. Offers may change and may not be available to all users. Eligibity requirements apply. See KashKick's Terms of Service for full details.
