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|Managing Editor — Banking and InvestingUpdated: Oct 21, 2024, 11:01am
The best budget tool for you is the one you’ll actually use, whether that’s a full-featured app, a tricked-out spreadsheet or more manual means. To help in your search for the right budgeting app, we’ve ranked ten of the best budgeting apps available.
Mint, previously one of the leading free budgeting apps, is no longer available to download, so it does not appear on this list.
Why you can trust Forbes Advisor
Our editors are committed to bringing you unbiased ratings and information. Our editorial content is not influenced by advertisers. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and companies, so all are measured equally. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and the banking methodology for the ratings below.
$3.59 per month
40% off discount included
Beginning investors with modest portfolios
We’ve compared 15 budgeting apps to find some of the best mobile apps available for managing budgets, savings and expenses. For this review, Forbes Advisor focused on apps available to U.S. consumers. The top 10 apps offer a variety of useful features and tools that can meet varied personal finance and money management needs.
App details are accurate as of October 21, 2024.
Cost
$43.08/year
40% off discount included
Android Rating
4.5/5
based on 1.98K+ reviews
iOS Rating
4.2/5
based on 3K+ reviews
$43.08/year
40% off discount included
4.5/5
based on 1.98K+ reviews
4.2/5
based on 3K+ reviews
We chose Quicken Simplifi as the best app for managing household finances because it makes tracking bills, savings goals and cash flow easy. Plus, you can add multiple people to your budget, including your partner or financial planner.
Why We Like It
Simplifi has all the budgeting features you need to manage your finances in one place. You can import transactions automatically, tag and flag transactions, get real-time alerts for unusual expenses or upcoming bills, set savings goals and run various reports.
What We Don’t Like
Simplifi does not offer a free trial, and we don’t like that you may be quoted different prices if you pay for your subscription through Google Play or the App Store instead of the website.
Who It’s Best For
Quicken Simplifi is best for families who want an all-in-one solution for managing household finances.
Quicken Simplifi costs $43.08 per year (40% off included) with a 30-day money-back guarantee. The app connects your bank accounts, credit cards and loans so you can track your total cash flow and net worth. You can also create custom spending categories, set savings goals and receive personalized insights. The Simplifi app is available for both iOS (4.2 stars) and Android (4.5 stars).
Cost
$14.99/month or $109/year
after 34-day trial
Android Rating
4.7/5
based on 18K+ reviews
iOS Rating
4.8/5
based on 50K+ reviews
$14.99/month or $109/year
after 34-day trial
4.7/5
based on 18K+ reviews
4.8/5
based on 50K+ reviews
We picked YNAB because it helps users figure out and focus on their financial priorities by giving each dollar a job. Within the app, there are several features to support setting goals and budgeting efficiently.
Why We Like It
We like that YNAB offers adjustable goal tracking so you can customize your budget as your needs change and reports to help you better understand your financial habits. YNAB also has a knowledgeable support team, guides to common questions and free online workshops.
What We Don’t Like
We don’t like that you can only use money already in your linked bank account to allocate funds to your budget with YNAB. You can’t plan ahead for your next paycheck, for example.
Who It’s Best For
YNAB is best for people who want to proactively manage their finances and budget every paycheck. This app isn’t optimized for passive budgeting or irregular use.
YNAB, short for You Need A Budget, is an award-winning budgeting program that specializes in helping consumers save money and get out of debt. It is accessible from desktop and mobile platforms and voice-activated devices. There is no upfront commitment with YNAB, and you can try it risk-free for the first 34 days.
YNAB prides itself on focusing on your present situation and future possibilities rather than looking into past financial insights. The YNAB app is available for both iOS (4.8 stars) and Android (4.7 stars).
Cost
Standard is $9.99/year and Premium is $39.99 per year
after 45-day trial
Android Rating
4.5/5
based on 160+ reviews
iOS Rating
4.2/5
based on 80+ reviews
Standard is $9.99/year and Premium is $39.99 per year
after 45-day trial
4.5/5
based on 160+ reviews
4.2/5
based on 80+ reviews
CountAbout is our top pick for sole proprietors because it has bookkeeping, accounting and budgeting features to help you manage your personal and business finances in one place.
Why We Like It
CountAbout is the only budgeting app on our list with built-in invoicing and receipt-capturing features. Plus, you can create customizable budgets and reports for accounting purposes.
All plans come with a 45-day free trial—one of the longest trial periods on our list.
What We Don’t Like
There is no free version of CountAbout. This is unfortunate, considering the Standard plan still requires you to import transactions manually. Some users also report finding the app tricky to navigate at first.
Who It’s Best For
CountAbout is best for sole proprietors and freelancers who want a single platform to manage and monitor their personal and business finances.
CountAbout has two plans: Standard ($9.99 per year) and Premium ($39.99 per year). Both plans offer a 45-day free trial, so you can try them out before committing.
The Standard plan lets you enter transactions manually, import Quicken interchange format (QIF) files and see your savings projections. The Premium plan takes it up a notch by automatically connecting to your bank accounts and credit cards, so you don’t have to import your spending manually.
You can also add receipt image uploading ($10 per year) and small-business invoicing ($60 per year). The CountAbout app is available on both iOS (4.2 stars) and Android (4.5 stars).
Free
4.1/5
based on 18K+ reviews
4.7/5
based on 42K+ reviews
We picked Empower Personal Dashboard™ (formerly Personal Capital) as the best budgeting app for tracking net worth because of its outstanding reporting, investment management and spend-tracking features.
Why We Like It
We like Empower because it provides customers with a holistic view of their financial picture, from day-to-day spending to portfolio performance. It also offers desktop capabilities for those who prefer budgeting on a computer.
What We Don’t Like
We don’t like that you must have at least $100,000 in investment savings to use this platform’s robo-advisory services.
Who It’s Best For
Empower Personal Dashboard is best for those who want a free app to show them their overall finances and help them understand their net worth.
Empower Personal Dashboard™ has several savings tools designed to help build retirement savings and emergency funds and pay down debt. It also has excellent advisory tools, including an investment checkup, investment fee analyzer, financial planning, cash flow tracking, education cost planning and real-time net worth tracking. All of these tools give detailed insights into your current financial picture while helping you plan for the future.
Getting started with the app is simple—all users need to do is link bank accounts, credit cards, student loans, mortgages and other line items from their budget. From there, the app will gather information to produce a full financial picture. The Empower app is available for both iOS (4.7 stars) and Android (4.1 stars).
Cost
$14.99/month or $99.99/year
after 7-day trial
Android Rating
4.8/5
based on 3K+ reviews
iOS Rating
4.9/5
based on 16K+ reviews
$14.99/month or $99.99/year
after 7-day trial
4.8/5
based on 3K+ reviews
4.9/5
based on 16K+ reviews
We picked Monarch Money because it provides an overview of your finances, allowing you to see all your accounts in one place. It’s one of the best replacements for Mint because, while similar to Mint, it offers additional features. Monarch allows you to collaborate with your partner or a financial advisor on your budget and offers more options when creating savings goals.
Why We Like It
We like Monarch because you can customize your dashboard, choosing what you want to see and what you don’t. Monarch categorizes your transactions for you and you can access and filter them all in one place. Monarch is available on both desktop and mobile, unlike many other popular budgeting tools.
What We Don’t Like
We don’t like that Monarch isn’t free, as Mint was. You’ll pay either $14.99 or $8.33 a month for this app, but you will have an ad-free budgeting experience.
Who It’s Best For
Monarch is best for those who want to link multiple financial accounts and make custom budgeting and savings goals. The app provides a comprehensive personal finance platform, and you can budget on your own or with a partner.
Monarch listens to its users and changes things accordingly. According to its website, new features are released monthly based on user feedback. Some other enticing features of Monarch include tracking net worth, investments, bills and subscriptions, budgeting rollovers and customizable spending reports. Monarch is available on both iOS (4.9 stars) and Android (4.8 stars). Former Mint users may qualify for an introductory price discount.
Cost
Free version; Plus is $10/month or $80/year
Android Rating
4.1/5
based on 19K+ reviews
iOS Rating
4.6/5
based on 12K+ reviews
Free version; Plus is $10/month or $80/year
4.1/5
based on 19K+ reviews
4.6/5
based on 12K+ reviews
We chose the Goodbudget app because it offers an easy, digital version of the time-tested envelope method. By dividing your funds into envelopes labeled by category, such as rent and groceries, Goodbudget helps you plan your spending by giving every dollar a purpose.
Why We Like It
We like the Goodbudget app because it’s optimized for envelope budgeting as a couple or family. You can sync a shared household budget with more than one person, and the free version offers plenty of functionality.
What We Don’t Like
We don’t like that Goodbudget doesn’t let you link your bank accounts, meaning you have to track everything manually. You also can’t see all of your finances in one place.
Who It’s Best For
Goodbudget is best for you if you like the idea of using the envelope system to budget and want to create and maintain a strict spending plan.
The free version of Goodbudget is similar to the paid version, Goodbudget Plus. The Plus version contains all of the same features with extended capabilities. For example, the free version gives each account 20 envelopes for organizing your finances, while the paid version gives you unlimited envelopes.
The platform is accessible from a mobile device, tablet or desktop. The Goodbudget app is available for both iOS (4.6 stars) and Android (4.1 stars).
Goodbudget also offers Budget Bootcamp courses to teach users how and why to create a budget that works for them how to stop living paycheck to paycheck, how to get rid of debt and a crash course to help tackle financial emergencies.
Cost
Free version; Premium is $17.99/month or $79.99/year
after 14-day trial
Android Rating
3.5/5
based on 11K+ reviews
iOS Rating
4.7/5
based on 62K+ reviews
Free version; Premium is $17.99/month or $79.99/year
after 14-day trial
3.5/5
based on 11K+ reviews
4.7/5
based on 62K+ reviews
We think EveryDollar is the best app for getting out of debt, thanks to its zero-based budgeting approach. This approach encourages you to purposefully allocate every dollar of income to avoid overspending and work toward becoming debt-free.
Why We Like It
We like EveryDollar’s user-friendly interface and the ability to customize budget categories to fit your needs. The app has a free version as well as a 14-day free trial if you want to try Premium.
What We Don’t Like
You won’t be able to import transactions automatically with this app unless you pay for a Premium subscription. Free plans are stuck with manual imports.
Who It’s Best For
EveryDollar is best for those committed to paying off debt who feel comfortable using the zero-based budgeting method to do so.
EveryDollar’s free plan has basic budgeting features, such as creating custom categories, manually inputting transactions and setting due dates for bills. You can access your budgets on multiple devices and share household budgets with others.
The EveryDollar Plus subscription is $17.99 per month or $79.99 per year. It unlocks additional features like automatic transactions, bank account syncing and personalized recommendations for expense tracking. Plus users also gain access to group financial coaching calls. The EveryDollar app is available on both Android (3.5 stars) and iOS (4.7 stars).
Cost
Free
Android Rating
4.7/5
based on 2.84M+ reviews
iOS Rating
4.8/5
based on 6.8M+ reviews
Free
4.7/5
based on 2.84M+ reviews
4.8/5
based on 6.8M+ reviews
We picked Credit Karma as the best app for tracking your credit because it helps you stay on top of changes to your score and financial health. It isn’t a true replacement for an everyday budgeting app, but its expense tracking and net worth monitoring tools make it useful for managing money.
Why We Like It
We like that Credit Karma gives you a big-picture view of your financial health. You can categorize expenses, track spending by month and monitor your net worth across various accounts. You also have access to several credit monitoring tools that alert you when your score changes and provide personalized tips for boosting your score.
What We Don’t Like
We don’t like that Credit Karma doesn’t provide common budgeting features found with other apps, like the ability to create custom budgets or set financial goals.
Who It’s Best For
Credit Karma is best for anyone who wants to monitor their credit and gain insights into their overall financial strengths and weaknesses.
Credit Karma is a free app that gives you access to your TransUnion and Equifax credit reports. It also offers money management tools to track your spending and monitor your net worth.
When Mint shut down in 2024, parts of it were absorbed by Intuit Credit Karma. You can link accounts from thousands of U.S. financial institutions to track your net worth. However, not all features and insights previously supported on Mint are available on Credit Karma. The Credit Karma app is available for both iOS (4.8 stars) and Android (4.7 stars).
Cost
Free version; Plus is $12.99/month or $74.99/year
Android Rating
3.6/5
based on 2K+ reviews
iOS Rating
4.6/5
based on 7K+ reviews
Free version; Plus is $12.99/month or $74.99/year
3.6/5
based on 2K+ reviews
4.6/5
based on 7K+ reviews
We picked PocketGuard as the best app for tracking spending thanks to its simple interface. It shows how much money you have, how much you put toward bills and how much is left over. The app also shows you a personalized pie chart of your expenses. To prevent overspending, you can set spending limits directly in the app.
Why We Like It
We like PocketGuard because it lets you choose between envelope, 50/30/20 and zero-based budgeting. You aren’t stuck with a budgeting strategy you don’t like and can fully customize your spending plan to meet your needs.
What We Don’t Like
We don’t like the limitations of this app’s free version. If you want to access all the features, such as the ability to customize your spending categories and manually input information, you must pay for the Plus version.
Who It’s Best For
PocketGuard is best for you if you want to keep track of how much money you have left to spend after paying your bills and other expenses. The app can even notify you when you’re close to exceeding a spending limit you’ve set or using up your budget.
The In My Pocket feature helps you manage cash flow by showing how much money you have to save or spend after you cover your bills, budgets and goals. Linking your bank accounts and credit accounts is required for In My Pocket. Pocketguard identifies your recurring income, expenses and savings goals and calculates your monthly cash flow.
Keep in mind that the app limits some features in the free version, such as tracking your cash flow and the ability to create your own spending categories. The PocketGuard app is available for both iOS (4.6 stars) and Android (3.7 stars).
Cost
Free version; Plus is $19.99/year or $14.99/six months
after 7-day trial
Android Rating
4.6/5
based on 790+ reviews
iOS Rating
4.7/5
based on 440+ reviews
Free version; Plus is $19.99/year or $14.99/six months
after 7-day trial
4.6/5
based on 790+ reviews
4.7/5
based on 440+ reviews
We found Fudget to be the best choice for those who crave simplicity in a budgeting app. It lacks many features found in competitor apps, but its barebones approach may appeal to users who find other tools too complex or cluttered.
Why We Like It
Fudget removes all the bells and whistles that can make other budgeting apps difficult to use. You simply input your income, add your expenses and mark charges as paid or unpaid (almost like a checkbook ledger). Fudget also allows you to change currency symbols and languages.
What We Don’t Like
Fudget’s simplicity is both its greatest strength and its biggest weakness. You can’t sync accounts, automate expense tracking or track your net worth. Also, many of the app’s features are only available in the paid version.
Who It’s Best For
Fudget may appeal to high school or college students who want to learn how to budget without being overwhelmed by complex features. It’s also good for those with simple financial situations or who are tracking expenses for a specific goal or spending category, like house renovations.
Fudget’s free plan comes with up to five budgets and 250 entries on one device. The Fudget Plus subscription costs $19.99 per year or $14.99 every six months. It unlocks unlimited budgets and entries, multi-device syncing and additional features like folders, reminders and a calculator. The Fudget app is available for both iOS (4.7 stars) and Android (4.6 stars).
COMPANY | FORBES ADVISOR RATING | BEST FOR | COST | TIME PERIOD FOR FREE VERSION | NUMBER OF RATINGS | LEARN MORE |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4.8 | Managing Household Finances | $43.08/year (40% off discount included) | N/A | 5,000+ | On Quicken’s Website | |
4.7 | Setting Goals | After free trial, $14.99/month or $99/year | 34 days | 67,000+ | On YNAB’s Website | |
4.6 | Sole Proprietors and Freelancers | Standard is $9.99/year and Premium is $39.99/year | 45 days | 240+ | Read Our Full Review | |
4.5 | Tracking Net Worth | Free | Unlimited | 60,000+ | On Empower’s Website | |
4.5 | Replacing Mint | $14.99/month or $8.33/month or $99.99 yearly | 7 days | 17,600+ | On Monarch’s Website | |
4.5 | Envelope Budgeting | Free version; Plus is $10/month or $80/year | Unlimited | 32,000+ | Read Our Full Review | |
4.4 | Paying off Debt | Free version; Premium is $17.99/month or $79.99/year | 14 days | 73,000+ | ||
4.4 | Credit Tracking | Free | Unlimited | 964,000+ | ||
4.2 | Tracking Spending | Free version; Plus is $12.99/month or $74.99/year | Unlimited | 9,000+ | Read Our Full Review | |
4.1 | Simple Finances | Free version; Plus is $19.99/year or $14.99/six months | 7 days | 1,230+ |
To create this list, Forbes Advisor analyzed 15 budgeting apps. We ranked each budgeting app on 18 data points within the categories of consumer ratings, costs associated with the app, security and encryption of consumers’ data, desktop availability and the ability to share the app with someone else.
The following is the weighting assigned to each category:
Budgeting apps with a higher overall rating relative to their number of reviews ranked higher on our list, as did those that are completely free. We also prioritized mobile apps with advanced security features, like biometric authentication, multifactor authentication and encryption. Apps that allow the ability to connect an unlimited number of accounts moved toward the top of our list, as did apps that also have a website version and allow for sharing with family or friends.
With more than half of Americans living paycheck to paycheck, according to multiple surveys, budgeting is critical to helping people break free from financial struggle and create financial stability. The U.S. has seen a rapid escalation in housing and healthcare costs over the last 30 years, leaving less money to put toward savings and retirement.
Having no financial plan or budget in place can cause stress and overwhelm you, leading to increased spending, living beyond one’s means and perpetuating destructive cycles. But having a solid budget in place as part of your overall money mindfulness can make a huge difference—not only by helping you achieve your financial goals but also by reducing stress and anxiety and improving your overall quality of life.
$3.59 per month
40% off discount included
Beginning investors with modest portfolios
Creating and managing a successful monthly budget is all about knowing how much money you bring in and how you actually spend it. Your income should be greater than your expenses, and you should have enough wiggle room to set money aside each month for savings and retirement. If your balance isn’t where you want it to be, it’s time to create a budget plan.
To get started on a budget plan, list your income and expenses. Connecting your bank accounts to your favorite budgeting app is the easiest way to do this, but you can also do it manually with a pen and paper or spreadsheet program.
Next, separate your fixed expenses from your variable expenses. Fixed expenses are those that don’t change from month to month, such as housing, utilities, insurance, child care and loan payments, including automobiles, student loans or credit card payments. Variable expenses include groceries, entertainment, dining out, vacations and streaming services. Finally, consider factoring in monthly contributions to savings goals like retirement or an emergency fund.
If your expenses exceed your income, look at your variable expenses first to see where you might trim the budget. After that, you can consider ways to cut back on fixed expenses, such as moving to a neighborhood with lower rent or refinancing your debt.
Budgeting for groceries can be tricky—everyone needs to eat. If you’re unsure how much to budget for groceries, compare your spending to the USDA’s food plan. Keep in mind that special dietary restrictions may push your grocery bill higher.
If you want to cut back on your grocery bill, meal planning can help. Create a weekly plan to make recipes that share ingredients or use pantry staples. Meat is a significant expense, so adopting a meatless Monday meal can also help lower grocery costs. Buying in bulk rather than single-use packaging can also save you some cash.
A vacation can be an exciting savings goal if you have some breathing room in your budget. The first step to budgeting for a vacation is to decide how much you want to spend and when you want to go. If you’re eyeing a $5,000 beach vacation one year from now, you can break that up into a monthly savings goal of around $420.
Not sure you want to commit to an expensive trip? Consider lower-cost options like a road trip, or keep your eyes peeled for a good deal. Budgeting for a vacation means you’ll have the funds ready when airfares drop or that aspirational ski lodge becomes available for booking.
To determine how much you should spend on rent, use the 28/36 rule. This budgeting principle says that you should spend no more than 28% of your total pre-tax income on housing or 36% of your total income on debt in general—which can include housing and a car payment or student loans. Using this rule, if you make $3,400 per month, you can afford up to $952 in rent and $1,224 in total monthly debt payments.
Sharing an apartment or house can help reduce your housing budget, as can moving to a cheaper area. If finding more affordable accommodations isn’t an option, you might have to look to other areas of your budget to cut costs.
Aside from buying a house or car, a wedding is one of the largest expenses most people will pay for in their lives, often costing tens of thousands of dollars.
If you’re saving for a wedding, first determine who might be willing to contribute. Family members may offer to pay for one aspect of a wedding or contribute a set amount of money to use for whatever you and your future spouse see fit. Then, determine how much you and your partner can contribute.
Once you have a baseline budget, decide how you’ll allocate your funds. List typical wedding expenses and determine what’s most important to you. Some essential line items include:
• Venue—both for the ceremony and the reception
• Flowers and decor
• Wedding attire
• Photography
• Catering and rentals
• Favors and gifts
• Invitations
• Music
• Rings
• Officiant
Focus your spending on the elements you cherish most. If you need help breaking down costs, check out apps focused on wedding planning.
Budgeting is a process that begins with identifying your financial goals, along with observing your spending and savings habits. When you truly understand how much money is going out and coming in, you’re better prepared to handle both the expected and unexpected financial challenges life brings.
The mindset you bring to managing your money is important. Establishing a budget is a critical first step to gaining control over your finances. If you’ve never worked with a personal budget, it may take a few cycles for your habits to catch up. And, if you have money habits you need to improve, the right app can help.
A budgeting app is an app designed to help you optimize the spending and savings choices you make each month. By putting all your financial commitments and goals in one place, a budgeting app can give you better visibility into your financial choices and habits.
Similar to the apps you may use from your bank or credit union, a budgeting app may provide additional functionality such as financial goal setting and cash flow tracking across multiple financial accounts. Budgeting apps can sync with your bank and credit card accounts to provide a holistic view of your finances.
Some budgeting apps will use a specific budgeting approach—like envelope budgeting or zero-based budgeting—while others will address budgeting more generally, allowing for customization based on your needs. A fully featured budgeting app can help you track spending, manage recurring bill payments, set savings goals and manage monthly cash flow.
Picking a budgeting app can seem like a small decision when compared to other personal finance choices. But the right budgeting app can make a big difference in your personal financial life.
When selecting a budgeting app, be sure to consider what your needs and goals are first. The right budgeting app can provide you with helpful insights and data into your expenses and savings. But before that happens, identifying your financial goals can help you refine your search for the right budgeting app for you.
Outside of your goals, here are a few features to consider before you commit to a budgeting app:
Budgeting apps aren’t the only way to manage your money and track your spending. Here are some alternatives to budgeting apps to consider.
While mobile apps are convenient for day-to-day budgeting, you might prefer software for a more robust money management experience. Software programs like QuickBooks or Quicken offer expanded capabilities beyond budgeting, like tax software integration and payment management. However, these added features often come at a higher price tag than mobile apps, so consider what you can afford to spend.
Spreadsheet budgets are highly customizable, making this method ideal for anyone who needs something more hands-on than budgeting apps. With a spreadsheet, you can record your income, keep track of your expenses and see where your money goes each week or month. Excel and Google Sheets are popular choices.
The 50/30/20 budgeting method lends itself well to budgeting with a spreadsheet because you can divide expenses, discretionary spending and savings into categories within the sheet and allocate individual expenditures to each category. To get started, use our 50/30/20 budget calculator.
For some, building a detailed budget might not be necessary or might feel too advanced. When this is true, just tracking your spending could be a good place to start. You can do this by looking through your bank or credit card statements periodically or using an app. Expense tracking apps like Mint give you a snapshot of your spending by category. While you can use Mint to budget, you can also just use it to sync your different bank accounts and see your activity more clearly.
If a mobile app isn’t your style, you might prefer manual budgeting. Budgeting without the help of technology is a good way to hold yourself accountable for your spending. Envelope budgeting or cash stuffing is a tried-and-true system for visualizing your budget that can be done manually.
When you get paid, you’ll distribute portions of your paycheck into envelopes. Each envelope will be designated for a specific category, such as rent, food or gas. With this system, you give every penny of your paycheck a purpose and cannot spend beyond what’s in your envelopes.
Yes, budgeting apps are worth it, especially when you understand what your financial goals are and use the right app to reach them. According to anecdotal reports, some budgeting apps have helped users save thousands of dollars in the first year alone. They can also help consumers make more mindful purchases by tracking their spending and cash flow.
Budgeting apps are a great tool to help ensure you’re living your budget, not just planning one. They can provide insights into your spending habits, identifying where your money goes and where you can make improvements.
As with any app, whether or not it’s “worth it” depends largely on how you use it. A challenge with budgeting generally—whether managed with an app, a spreadsheet, or more manual means—is committing not only to having a budget but to making your financial decisions in line with it. Many people find that the interactivity and automation provided by a budgeting app help keep them motivated to stay on top of their personal finances.
Forbes Advisor Banking Writer Rachel Murphy and Personal Finance Reviewer and Writer Cassidy Horton contributed to this article.
There are several excellent free budgeting apps to choose from here that may meet your needs. However, the best free budgeting app for you is the one that will best serve your personal financial goals. To find the right app for you, don’t hesitate to download a few and test them out for yourself.
While many budgeting apps claim to have user-friendly interfaces, each person has different likes and preferences. It is difficult to say which budgeting app is easiest to use, but all seven of these highly ranked budgeting apps are designed to provide a positive user experience.
The overall best budgeting app for couples is Honeydue, a free app that promotes transparency and collaboration between any two people who manage money together. Other budget apps for couples to consider include Goodbudget and YNAB.
If you don’t want to give your bank account information to a budgeting app, YNAB allows for file-based import of transactions as well as manual and automatic tracking. Goodbudget doesn’t connect to your bank account either—instead, it requires you to record each transaction manually.
Rachel Murphy is a freelance writer passionate about helping people make their money work harder. She has more than 15 years of writing and editing experience, focused on small businesses, banking, investing, and healthcare. She has worked with several outlets, including Investopedia, Verywell Health, Money, and IN Kansas City Magazine.