You may be using an unsupported or superseded browser. For the most productive experience imaginable, use the latest edition of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge to view this website.
The most productive budgeting tool for you is the one you actually use, whether it’s a full-fledged app, a simplified spreadsheet, or more manual forms. To help you in your search for the right budgeting app, we’ve ranked ten of the most productive budgeting apps available.
Mint, once one of the leading flexible budgeting apps, is no longer downloadable and doesn’t appear on this list.
Our editors are committed to providing you with unbiased reviews and information. Our editorial content is influenced by advertisers. We use data-driven methodologies to compare monetary products and businesses, so that everyone is measured equally. You can read more about our editorial rules and our banking method for ratings below.
We’ve compared 15 budgeting apps to find some of the most productive mobile apps available for managing budgets, savings, and expenses. For this review, Forbes Advisor focused on the apps available to U. S. consumers. The top 10 apps will offer a variety of useful features and equipment that can meet the needs of cash control and private finance.
The main points of the application are accurate as of May 1, 2024.
We chose YNAB because it helps users perceive and focus on their monetary priorities by assigning a task to every dollar. In the app, there are several features for setting goals and budgeting effectively.
Why We Love It
We like that YNAB provides adjustable goal tracking so you can customize your budget as your wants and reports are updated to help you better understand your financial habits. YNAB also has a team of experts, guides on common questions, and free online workshops.
What We Don’t Like
We don’t like that you can only use the cash that’s already in your connected bank account to allocate the budget to your budget with YNAB. You can’t plan your next salary, for example.
For who ?
YNAB is great for others who need to proactively manage their finances and budget for each paycheck. This app is not optimized for passive budgeting or abnormal usage.
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 can be accessed from mobile and desktop platforms and from voice-activated devices. There is no initial commitment to YNAB and you will be able to check it out risk-free for the first 34 days.
YNAB prides itself on focusing on your current situation and long-term probabilities rather than looking for information beyond money. The YNAB app is available for iOS (4. 8 stars) and Android (4. 7 stars).
We chose Empower Personal Dashboard™ (formerly Personal Capital) as the budgeting app to track net worth because of its outstanding reporting, investment management, and expense tracking features.
Why We Love It
We like Empower because it gives clients a holistic view of their money situation, from day-to-day expenses to portfolio performance. It also provides desktop features for those who prefer to budget on a computer.
What We Don’t Like
We don’t like that you want to have at least $100,000 in investment savings to use this platform’s automated advisory services.
For who ?
Empower Personal Dashboard is ideal for those who need a free app that shows them their overall finances and perceives their net worth.
The Empower Personal Dashboard™ offers several savings teams designed to help you build retirement savings and an emergency budget and pay off your debts. It also has the right advisory team, which adds investment control, investment payout analyzer, money planning, money tracking, education charge planning, and real-time net worth tracking. All of those teams give you a detailed review of your current monetary situation while helping you plan for the future.
Getting started with the app is simple: all users want to do is link bank accounts, credit cards, student loans, mortgages, and other items in their budget. From there, the app will collect data to produce a complete monetary picture. The app is available for iOS (4. 7 stars) and Android (4. 1 stars).
We chose the Goodbudget app because it offers an undeniable virtual edition of the tried-and-true envelope method. By breaking down your budget into envelopes sorted by category, such as rent and groceries, Goodbudget helps you plan your spending by setting a goal for each and every dollar.
Why We Love It
We like the Goodbudget app because it’s optimized for budgeting envelopes as a couple or as a family. You can sync a shared family budget with others, and the free edition offers a lot of features.
What We Don’t Like
We don’t like that Goodbudget doesn’t allow you to link your bank accounts, which means you have to keep track of everything manually. You also can’t see all of your finances in one place.
For who ?
Goodbudget is most productive for you if you like the concept of envelope formula for budgeting and need to create and maintain a strict spending plan.
The Goodbudget Single Edition is similar to the paid edition, Goodbudget Plus. The Plus edition includes the same features with expanded capabilities. For example, the single edition provides you with 20 envelopes to organize your finances, while the paid edition provides you with unlimited envelopes. .
The platform can be accessed from a mobile device, tablet, or desktop computer. The Goodbudget app is available for 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 avoid living paycheck to paycheck, how to get rid of debt, and a crash course in dealing with money emergencies.
We chose Oportun (formerly Digit) because it helps you “set and forget” your savings goals. All you have to do is enter how much you need to save and when you need to reach that goal. Oportun then calculates the deposit amount for you. and schedule normal transfers to savings.
Why We Love It
We love that you can create traditional goals in the Oportun app and get support for more than just savings. If you are interested in investing, Oportun will also help you with an investment fund suitable for your needs.
What We Don’t Like
We don’t like it when Oportun doesn’t notify you when it’s transferring cash to your savings. The app also makes a decision about how much to save, and you can’t replace those amounts or schedule savings transfers yourself.
For who ?
Oportun is great for others who want help saving. The app makes a decision about how much to move and how to move for you, and then automates those deposits.
Oportun offers loans ranging from $300 to $10,000 and an Oportun Visa credit card with lines up to $1,000. Both of these functions can be controlled in the Oportun app.
Oportun is loose for the first 30 days. Once your free trial per year ends, you will pay $5 per month. The Oportun app is available for iOS (4. 7 stars) and Android (4. 1 stars).
We chose PocketGuard as the most productive app for tracking expenses thanks to its undeniable interface. It shows how much cash you have, how much you spend on bills, and how much you have left. The app also shows you a traditional pie chart of your spending. To overspend, you can set spending limits directly in the app.
Why We Love It
We like PocketGuard because it allows you to choose between an envelope, a 50/30/20 budget, and a zero-based budget. You’re not stuck in a budgeting strategy you don’t like, and you can fully customize your spending plan to meet your needs. needs.
What We Don’t Like
We don’t like the limitations of loose editing of this app. If you want all the features, such as the ability to customize your spending categories and enter information manually, you need to pay for the Plus edition.
For who ?
PocketGuard is what you want if you want to keep track of how much you have left to spend after paying your expenses and other expenses. The app can even warn you when you’re about to exceed a set spending limit or run out of money.
The In My Pocket feature helps you manage your coins by showing how many coins you want to save or spend after covering your bills, budgets, and goals. You need to link your bank accounts and credit accounts for In My Pocket. Pocketguard identifies your recurring income, spending, and savings goals and calculates your monthly currencies
Keep in mind that the app limits some features of the free version, such as tracking your money and the ability to create your own spending categories. The PocketGuard app is available for iOS (4. 6 stars) and Android (3. 7 stars).
We chose Stash because it incorporates investing into your budget and helps you invest little by little. You can buy fractional shares to diversify your portfolio with less money and you can decide on your own shares or let Stash decide on your assets. .
Why We Love It
We like that Stash has features to track spending and set savings goals. If you need to automate those goals, you can use teams as summaries to passively achieve them.
What We Don’t Like
We don’t like that Stash doesn’t offer a free version. You’ll pay $3 per month for the Stash Growth plan or $9 per month for Stash, which unlocks more portfolios and investment information.
For who ?
Stash is ideal for those who are new to investing and want to buy stocks while staying within their budget. It’s not ideal for granular budgeting or tracking your spending, and you want a Stash bank account to access all the features.
When you subscribe to Stash, you can access budgeting tools, a taxable brokerage account, a debit card that allows you to earn stock when you use it for expenses, and a virtual checking account.
Stash offers two plans, each of which adds fundamental features like investing, banking, and budgeting tools. Stash Growth, a $3 monthly plan, also provides access to Stash Smart Wallets and IRA retirement accounts. The $9-per-month Stash account includes $10,000 of life insurance coverage, a children’s investment in a custodial account, and premium investment counseling and studies. The Stash app is available for iOS (4. 7 stars) and Android (3. 7 stars).
We chose Honeydue because it best helps couples with their spending and finances. Couples can talk about cash on the app and track their spending together.
Why We Love It
We like Honeydue because it provides automatic bill reminders, making it easy to stay in tune with your spouse about bills. You can also percentage your spending in the app and see how much you spent in combination and separately.
What We Don’t Like
We don’t like that Honeydue doesn’t offer a desktop version; You can only view your account through the app. We also don’t like that it lacks savings features.
For who ?
Honeydue is ideal for couples who need to budget together, split bills, and categorize their transactions. It’s not ideal for keeping track of savings goals, so it’s best for couples who already have a position to do so.
To get started with the app, integrate your bank accounts into the app. The app hosts more than 20,000 other monetary institutions. If you and your spouse wish, you can open a joint bank account at Honeydue, insured through the FDIC through Sutton Bank. The account has no fees or minimums and comes with a free debit card with which you can access over 55,000 ATMs at no extra charge, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. You can also provide instant notifications to your spouse. The Honeydue app is meant to be had for iOS (4. 5 stars) and Android (3. 6 stars).
We chose Monarch because it provides a review of your finances, allowing you to see all of your accounts in one place. This is one of the most productive Mint replacements because, like Mint, it offers additional features. Monarch allows you to work with your spouse or money advisor on your budget and gives you more features when creating savings goals.
Why We Love It
We like Monarch because you can customize your dashboard, opting for what you need to see and what you don’t need to see. Monarch categorizes your transactions for you, and you can access and delete them all in one place. Monarch is had on desktop and mobile, unlike many other popular budgeting tools.
What We Don’t Like
We don’t like that Monarch is rarely very free, like Mint was. You’ll pay $14. 99 or $8. 33 per month for this app, but you’ll get an ad-free budget experience.
For who ?
Monarch is ideal for those who need to link money accounts and set savings goals and non-public budgets. The app provides a comprehensive private financial platform, and you can budget alone or with a partner.
Monarch listens to its users and adjusts things accordingly. According to its website, new features are released every month based on user feedback. Some other wonderful features of Monarch include tracking net worth, investments, expenses and subscriptions, budget renewals, and customizable expense reports. Monarch is available on iOS (4. 9 stars) and Android (4. 8 stars). Former Mint users can get a reduction in the introductory price.
We chose Copilot because it provides users with a complete review of their finances by tracking budgets, savings, income, investments, and net worth. The app is only available for iPhone or Mac users as it is designed for Apple devices.
Why We Love It
We like Copilot because it gives you a review of your finances and categorizes your expenses for you. Its smart features also help you adjust your budget based on your money flow, split, move, or pause recurring expenses, and scan your accounts for suspicions. activity.
What We Don’t Like
We don’t like that this app is rarely available for Android users and doesn’t yet offer savings goals. It’s also not ideal to share with your spouse (see Details).
For who ?
Copilot is a concept for Apple users and those who need to have a concept of their finances that goes beyond budget and expenses. It’s so you can keep track of your savings goals elsewhere.
There are a few hurdles you need to overcome if you want to share your Copilot account with your spouse. You can give your spouse your email address and password, and they will be able to log in to your account. You can enter your private accounts so that you have full access to your entire monetary situation. However, view the same dashboard and percentage of an account instead of having separate logins.
Copilot is only available on iOS, with 13,000 3. 6-star ratings.
We chose Rocket Money because you can save cash by adding subscriptions. Rocket Money shows you all your subscriptions in a single position, and you can cancel the ones you don’t need.
Why We Love It
We love that Rocket Money is affordable. It offers a free edition and a paid premium edition, but the free edition includes all the subscription control features of the app and the pricing of the paid edition is flexible.
What We Don’t Like
We don’t like that Rocket Money keeps 30-60% of the cash you save for the first year if you use the platform’s invoice trading services. However, you can get the percentage.
For who ?
Rocket Money is fantastic for other people who have a lot of subscriptions and expenses to keep track of. This might be right for you if you need to reduce your monthly fees or cancel the ones you don’t use.
After connecting your bank accounts to Rocket Money, it will track your spending behavior and provide you with a breakdown of your most-spent categories. Identify the spaces where you want to adjust your spending and save instead. It also sends you notifications when your balance drops to overdraft fees and upcoming fees.
Rocket Money also offers automated savings, which you can set up by opting in to your purpose and frequency of saving. Your cash will be allocated to an FDIC-insured Rocket Money savings account through a U. S. -based bank. U. S. Funds can be withdrawn from your account at any time. Rocket Money is available on iOS (4. 2 stars) and Android (4. 3 stars).
To create this list, Forbes Advisor analyzed 15 budgeting apps. We categorized budgeting apps into 18 aspects of knowledge in the categories of customer ratings, app-related pricing, customer data security and encryption, desktop availability, and capacity for application percentages. with someone else.
The weighting assigned to the category is as follows:
Budget apps with a higher overall score relative to their review count are at the top of our list, as are those that are absolutely free. We’ve also prioritized mobile apps with complex security features, such as biometric authentication, multi-factor authentication, and encryption. Apps that allow you to connect an unlimited number of accounts have moved to the smarter part of our list, as have apps that also have an online page edit and allow sharing with family or friends.
With more than a portion of Americans living paycheck to paycheck, according to several surveys, budgeting is key to helping others break free from monetary hardship and create monetary stability. The U. S. has noticed an immediate escalation in housing and health care prices over the past 30 years. years, leaving less cash to spend on savings and retirement.
Not having a monetary plan or budget in place can cause tension and overwhelm you, leading to increased expenses, a life beyond your means, and the perpetuation of destructive cycles. But having a budget drawn up as part of your overall cash control can make a huge difference. difference, not only to help you achieve your monetary goals, but also to reduce tension and anxiety and your overall quality of life.
Creating and managing a successful monthly budget is all about knowing how much cash you’re coming in and how you’re spending it. Your source of income deserves to be greater than your expenses, and you deserve to have enough wiggle room to differentiate yourself. cash each month for savings and retirement. If your balance is rarely where you’d like it to be, it’s time to create a budget plan.
To start making a budget plan, make a list of your sources of 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 pen and paper or a spreadsheet.
Then, separate your ongoing expenses from your variable expenses. Fixed expenses are those that don’t get replaced month-to-month, such as housing, utilities, insurance, childcare, and loan payments, adding up cars, student loans, or credit card payments. Variable expenses include groceries, entertainment, dining out, vacations, and streaming services. Finally, consider monthly contributions for savings goals like retirement or an emergency fund.
If your expenses exceed your income, first take a look at your variable expenses to see where you can reduce the budget. After that, you can use tactics to reduce your ongoing expenses, such as moving to a community with lower rents or refinancing your debt.
Budgeting for groceries can be tricky – everyone wants to eat. If you’re not sure how much to budget for groceries, compare your expenses to the USDA’s meal plan. Keep in mind that special nutritional restrictions may increase your grocery bill.
If you need to lower your grocery bill, meal prep plans can help. Create a weekly plan to prepare recipes that share ingredients or use pantry staples. Meat is a significant expense, so adopting a meatless meal on Mondays can also help reduce grocery costs. Bulk than single-use packaging can also save you money.
Vacations can be an attractive savings purpose if you have some wiggle room in your budget. The first step in budgeting for your vacation is determining how much you need to spend and when you should go. If you’re hunting on a $5,000 beach vacation in a year, you can break that down into a monthly savings resolution of around $420.
Not sure if you need to dedicate it to an expensive trip?Consider less expensive features, such as a road trip, or keep an eye out for a bargain. Budgeting for a vacation means having the budget available when airfares drop or the ambitious ski chalet becomes available. reservations are required.
To calculate how much you’re worth spending on rent, use the 28/36 rule. This budget precept states that you don’t deserve to spend more than 28% of your total pre-tax source of income on housing or 36% of your total source of income. Source of income on debt in general, which can come from housing and a car payment or student loans. With this rule, if you earn $3,400 per month, you can get up to $952 in rent and $1,224 total per month for debt repayment. .
Sharing an apartment or space can help reduce your housing budget, as can moving to a less expensive area. If finding more affordable housing is an option, you may want to look into other areas of your budget to keep prices down.
Aside from buying a space or a car, a wedding is one of the biggest expenses other people will pay in their lifetime and costs tens of thousands of dollars.
If you’re saving for a wedding, first find out who might be willing to make a contribution. Family members can offer to pay for some aspect of the wedding or donate a consistent amount to use on whatever you and your partner want. Execute wife as you see fit. Next, find out how much you and your wife can contribute.
Once you have a basic budget, how you’ll allocate your funds. List the typical expenses of a wedding and determine which one is most important to you. Some must-have pieces include:
Focus your spending on the things you value most. If you want to cut costs, check out wedding planning oriented apps.
Budgeting is a process that starts with identifying your financial goals, as well as tracking your spending and saving habits. When you really see how much money is coming in and going out, you’ll be better prepared to deal with the expected and unexpected. demanding monetary situations that life throws at you.
The mindset you adopt when managing your money matters. Budgeting is an essential first step in managing your finances. If you’ve never worked with a private budget, it may take a few cycles to improve your behavior. catch up. And if you have a monetary behavior that you want to improve, the right app can help.
A budgeting app is an app designed to help you optimize your spending and save on the potential choices you make each month. By bringing all of your money commitments and goals together in one place, a budgeting app can give you greater visibility into your potential money choices and habits.
Similar to apps you can use with your bank or credit union, a budgeting app can offer additional features, such as setting money goals and keeping track of money across multiple money 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 quick budgeting technique, such as envelope budgeting or zero-based budgeting, while others will use the budgeting technique more broadly, allowing for customization to your needs. A comprehensive budgeting app can track your spending and manage recurring bill payments. , set savings goals, and manage monthly cash flow.
Choosing a budgeting app may seem like a small solution compared to other private finance options, but the right budgeting app can make a big difference in your private financial life.
When deciding on a budgeting app, be sure to think about your desires and goals first. The right budgeting app can give you useful information and insights about your spending and saving. But before that happens, identifying your monetary goals will allow you to narrow down your chances. Find the budgeting app that’s right for you.
Aside from your goals, here are some features to consider before committing to a budgeting app:
Budgeting apps are the only way to manage your cash and keep track of your spending. Here are some opportunities to consider for budgeting apps.
While mobile apps are convenient for daily budgeting, you may prefer software for a more physically powerful money control experience. Software such as QuickBooks or Quicken offer extensive capabilities beyond budgeting, such as the integration of tax and payment control software. However, those additional apps sometimes charge more than mobile apps, so think about what you can spend.
Spreadsheet budgets are highly customizable, making this approach ideal for anyone who wants something more convenient than budgeting apps. With a spreadsheet, you can record your income, track your spending, and see where your cash is going weekly or monthly. Excel and Google sheets are popular choices.
The 50/30/20 budgeting approach lends itself well to budgeting with a spreadsheet because you can divide expenses, discretionary spending, and savings into categories within the sheet and assign individual expenses to categories. To get started, use our 50/30/20. 20 budget calculator approach.
For some, creating a detailed budget may not be mandatory or may seem too complex. When this is true, simply keeping track of your spending can also be a good way to start. You can do this by regularly checking your bank or credits. card statements or through an app. Expense tracking apps like Mint give you a review of your expenses by category. While you can use Mint to set a budget, you can also use it to sync your other bank accounts and see your activity more clearly. .
If you like a mobile app, you probably prefer manual budgeting. Budgeting without the help of generation is a smart way to take responsibility for your expenses. Envelope Quoting or Money Fill is a displayed formula to visualize your budget that can be done manually. .
When you get paid, distribute a portion of your salary in envelopes. Each envelope will be designated for an express category, such as rent, food, or gas. With this system, you give a goal to every penny of your paycheck and you can’t spend more than what’s in your envelopes.
Yes, budgeting apps are worth it, especially when you understand what your money goals are and use the right app to achieve them. According to anecdotal reports, some budgeting apps save education users thousands of dollars in the first year alone. In addition, consumers make more thoughtful purchases by tracking their spending and cash flow.
Budgeting apps are a wonderful tool for making sure you’re sticking to your budget, not just making plans. They can give you insight into your spending habits, identify where your cash is going, and where you can make improvements.
As with any app, whether or not it’s worth it depends largely on how you use it. One challenge when it comes to budgeting in general, whether it’s controlled with an app, spreadsheet, or more manual means, is committing to not only having a budget, but also making financial decisions accordingly. Many other people find that the interactivity and automation provided through a budgeting app helps them stay motivated and at the top of their personal finances.
Here are several wonderful flexible budgeting apps that can meet your needs. However, the flexible budgeting app for you is the one that will meet your private monetary goals. To find the right app for you, feel free to download a few and check them out for yourself.
While many budgeting apps claim to have user-friendly interfaces, the user has other tastes and preferences. It’s hard to say which budgeting app is the simplest to use, however, those seven highly categorized budgeting apps are designed to provide a positive user experience.
The most productive budgeting app for couples is Honeydue, a free app that promotes transparency and collaboration between two other people managing their money together. Other budget-friendly apps for couples include Goodbudget and YNAB.
If you don’t need percentages of your bank account details with a budgeting app, YNAB allows for file-based transaction import, as well as manual and automatic tracking. Goodbudget also doesn’t link to your bank account, but it does require you to record transactions manually.