The other stuff that the author talks about are simple website changes that the Mint team could make if he just send them suggestions and ideas for improvement. I don't think they're anything serious that would warrant the claim that Mint 'sucks'.
I can say the same for YNAB, which I've bought and since stopped using. I simply don't need it, but it's nice to know that I have it if I ever do. I actually think YNAB's model where you don't get to automatically sync your accounts works better at its goal. These days I have an excellent mental model of my finances at any given time. Eliminating debt plays a huge part in that.
Mint got me to think about my cashflow in a way that motivated me to eliminate the burden of debt from my life. YNAB got me to think about my cashflow in a way that motivated me to control unnecessary spending and use short-term debt where appropriate. It probably could have done what Mint did too, but I was already at that point when I started using it.
I have a hobby project (http://www.spendlight.com/) that's growing out of my own household's efforts to get on the same page with our mental model of our finances. The charts in Mint or the wall of numbers coming out of a typical bank statement wasn't directly helpful for my wife and I to truly coordinate our spending and reach a consensus on what expenses were good vs bad. The more we've focused on our decisions rather than the mere dollars and sense, the more progress we've made in becoming responsible spenders.
Anyhow, I'd love to get more insights from folks such as yourself who were able to get their finances under control. I think a tool that accounts the behavioral realities of our spending habits would have substantial value for at least a handful of folks. Agree? Disagree?
I think a tool to show behavior patterns in spending would be immensely helpful. I typically spent very differently when money was tight vs when my credit balances were at $0. It took me a few cycles before realizing that as soon as I had a couple grand in my pocket I'd make some big ticket purchase that wasn't always necessary. In fact, I'm fighting off the urge to buy a new rMBP right now! hah.
I think what you're talking about is a problem that nobody has even attempted to solve yet. I normally spend about $75 /yr on "financial tools" (usually credit reports, fico scores, etc), so yes, I would be willing to spend money on something like that if it were good and could learn & show my patterns over time.
Heck, if it sat watching my browser history and would ask me if I really wanted to buy X when I'm spending too much time looking at it on Amazon, that'd be killer! lol