Personal budgeting can be tricky. That’s where a finance app can be a great assistant and motivator, with budgeting apps being one of the most sought-after types of financial products.
At their core, budgeting apps are pretty straightforward. You configure spending categories and then set up spending limits. Doing this allows you to track your expenses and keep on top of where you’re money is going.
Most apps will also allow you to set savings goals to avoid overspending and save money. There are many different budgeting app providers, which makes choosing one a bit tricky.
In the article, you’ll find information on pricing, features, and device compatibility to help you make the right decision and start saving money straight away. Let’s get to it!
11 Best Budgeting Apps of December 2023
Here are the best budgeting apps use you can start using today:
- YNAB
- Personal Capital
- Albert
- PocketGuard
- GoodBudget
- Mint
- Rocket Money
- Stash
- EveryDollar
- Honeydue
- Digit
1. YNAB (You Need A Budget)
- Free version: 34-day trial only
- Premium version: $14.99 monthly or $99 yearly
- Top features: Free workshops focus on the long-term, shared budgets
YNAB, short for You Need A Budget, is a budgeting app that aims to change how you see budgeting. It focuses on the long-term rather than the short-term, helping you be proactive with your money.
The app uses four rules to help you get and stay ahead of your expenses.
You can link your bank accounts and even budget with someone you’re sharing expenses with (like your partner or housemate).
YNAB’s website also features many workshops and video courses to help you get the most out of the app and your money.
Although there is no free version, YNAB comes with a free 34-day trial giving you enough time to test drive the app to see if it’s the right fit for you.
2. Empower (formerly Personal Capital)
- Free version: Yes
- Premium version: annual fee of 0.89% of your investment assets under $1 million
- Top features: free personalized plan by a professional advisor, investment options, retirement planner
Empower, formerly Personal Capital, is a budgeting and planning app that includes investing options. You start by opening a free account and linking all of your bank accounts and investments. That allows you to see your net worth, through which subsequent planning is based.
Once you’ve done this, you can get a free consultation with an advisor who’ll help you build a personalized plan that’s free of charge.
If you like the plan, you can invest directly through Empower – a fiduciary that’s legally bound to put your interests first.
The app also includes a retirement planner and a fee analyzer, among other things – helping you stay on top of your finances while planning for long-term financial goals.
3. Albert
- Free version: Yes
- Premium version: Pay what’s fair
- Top features: cashback (genius subscribers), cash advance, predictive budgeting
Albert is an online banking account and budgeting app aimed at those looking to invest and grow their money. Albert itself is not a bank, but it does work with an FDIC bank – Sutton Bank.
There are no hidden fees and no minimum balance, and if you choose to trade using Albert, you won’t have to pay any commissions. You may also qualify for cashback and cash advances, which come with no interest and no credit check.
When it comes to budgeting, the app automates most of the process, even predicting income and expenses to give you a heads-up for the month well in advance. Expenses are tracked and categorized to help you avoid overspending.
Other features include bill negotiation, subscription monitoring, and fee finding.
4. PocketGuard
- Free version: Yes
- Premium version: PocketGuard Plus – $7.99 monthly, $34.99 yearly, or $79.99 lifetime
- Top features: Negotiate better rates, debt payment strategies, net worth tracking
PocketGuard is a budgeting app with more than a few features in its pocket. You can link different bank accounts, including loans and investments, to track your net worth.
You can also set money aside for bills to see how much money you can spend without missing any payments.
Speaking of bills, PocketGuard can also help you negotiate better rates, bringing your expenses down. You can also use the app to set up a strategy for paying off your debts with an easy-to-follow schedule.
Data is encrypted using 256-bit SSL encryption, and you can also set a pin and biometric security such as fingerprint access to keep your data safe.
5. GoodBudget
- Free version: Yes
- Premium version: GoodBudget Plus – $8 monthly or $70 yearly
- Top features: Envelope budgeting system, share and synchronize budgets, debt payoff tracking
GoodBudget uses the envelopes approach to budgeting, where income is put into different envelopes for different expenses.
When spending money, whether it’s bills, groceries, or anything in between, everything has to come out from the right envelope, helping you balance things out before it’s late.
You can share and synchronize budgets, a helpful feature if you are sharing expenses with someone else.
Other GoodBudget features include the ability to pay for significant expenses and debt accounts to help you pay off debt faster.
On GoodBudget’s website, you will also find several financial education resources, including courses, podcasts, and articles on different financial topics.
6. Mint
- Free version: Yes
- Premium version: No
- Top features: credit monitoring, overdraft protection alerts, subscription monitoring
Mint is a free budgeting app by Intuit – a company well-known for its portfolio of financial apps. You can easily link your bank accounts to Mint, helping you keep track of where your money is going.
The app includes Mintsights, which automatically finds any potential savings that you might have missed. You can also set up custom goals to save for different things and receive overdraft protection alerts.
The app can also track your bills to make sure you do not miss any payments.
Another helpful feature of this app is credit monitoring, which gives you free 24/7 access to your credit score. From a security perspective, Mint also includes 256-bit encryptions and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA).
7. Rocket Money (formerly Truebill)
- Free version: Yes
- Premium version: $3 – $12 monthly
- Top features: Credit Score tracking, saving on bills, a pay advance
Rocket Money, formerly Truebill, is a budgeting app with a few extra nifty features to help you save money and stay within budget.
You can set up a budget that works for you, then use the accompanying tools to help you stay within budget and save money.
The app brings together all of your subscriptions, and you can ask the app concierge to cancel any unwanted subscriptions or try to negotiate a better price.
If you’re short on cash, you can borrow up to $100 to cover bills until your next paycheck. There is no credit check required, and you receive the money in seconds.
If you’re finding it hard to save money, the savings autopilot feature could help. The app analyzes your spending habits to customize how much money it saves for you. Money is stashed away into your very own FDIC-insured savings account held at a partner bank.
8. Stash
- Free version: No
- Premium version: Stash Growth $3 monthly or Stash+ $9 monthly
- Top Features: Spaces to organize and track money, advice and educational material included, investment options
Stash is an investment app that includes features for budgeting and banking. Stash is for those looking to invest their money, with many features centered around building wealth.
Even so, the app includes automatic budgeting and savings tools and advice, and educational material that can help you manage your money and build wealth.
The app uses a system that’s closely related to the envelopes system that many budgeting apps use.
However, instead of sorting money into envelopes, it gets sorted into spaces where you can add goals1 and keep tabs on your spending.
There are two plan tiers to choose from, ranging from $3 per month to $9 per month. Regardless of which plan you choose, you get financial counseling services, which can help you improve your money management skills.
Paid non-client endorsement. See Apple App Store and Google Play reviews. View important disclosures. Investment advisory services offered by Stash Investments LLC, an SEC registered investment adviser. Investing involves risk and investments may lose value. 1 Money moved into a Goal must be moved back to the bank account available balance to be used and does not earn interest.
9. EveryDollar
- Free version: Yes
- Premium version: $12.99 a month or $79.99 yearly
- Top features: free version available, personalization options, debt tracking
EveryDollar is a budgeting app available in two flavors – vanilla (free), and Ramsey+ which follow a subscription model and includes a free 14-day trial. The free version is quite limited, while the paid version includes more features.
The app uses a system of categories and line items to plan and account for every dollar that comes in or goes out. You can also create funds for large ticket items and track recurring payments with ease.
On top of that, you can track debt, including payments and interest, to help you make sure you maintain an accurate picture.
Setup is easy, and the app promises you you can get done in under 10 minutes. There are many personalization options, helping you make sure you can create a budget that works for you.
10. Honeydue
- Free version: Yes
- Premium version: No
- Top features: bill reminders, spending limits, compatibility with over 20,000 financial institutions, joint bank accounts available
Honeydue is a budgeting app targeted toward couples who share aspects of their finances. You can track different accounts, including loans and investments.
The app supports over 20,000 financial institutions across five countries.
You can choose what you share and do not share, helping you keep your finances private. The app’s features include bill reminders, budgets with spending limits, and multi-currency support.
The app features a clean and fresh interface that’s easy to use and follow. Apps are available for both iOS and Android devices. However, there is no web version of the app.
11. Digit
- Free version: 6 month free trial
- Premium version: $5 monthly
- Top features: Overdraft prevention, investment options, automatic savings
Digit is primarily a savings and investment app with some budgeting features that help you save money. You can tell the app how much money you need and by when, and it will automatically save money for you.
You can also use the app to take care of credit card debt and student loans.
When investing, you can’t pick individual stocks – you pick a risk level, and the app will automatically pair you with an ETF (Exchange Traded Funds) portfolio. You can also save money for retirement through an IRA (Individual Retirement Account) or long-term goals.
How to Choose the Best Budgeting App
When it comes to finding the best budgeting app for you, there’s no one answer. We all have different goals – and it’s important to find an app that helps you meet them. Here are the things to keep in mind in your search for the right app for you.
1. Goals
Think about your savings goals and what you hope to achieve with the app.
Some apps come with a bank account, others to help you build wealth, while others are there simply to help you manage your finances.
Think about what’s important to you and what you’re looking for when it comes to your financial well-being. And don’t settle for anything less.
2. Features
With no two apps the same, it’s worth considering which features are essential to you to help you narrow the list of contenders down.
Do you prefer automation, or are you worried about privacy? Are you OK with the app connecting to your checking account and other accounts, or would you prefer to enter each receipt manually?
Consider the app’s functionality, as this can make budgeting a breeze (or a nightmare).
3. Access
How you access the app also varies from one app to another.
Most come with a mobile app that you can download from the App Store if you have an Apple device – or Google Play if you have an Android device. Some apps offer different features on different platforms, while some offer no apps at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the top 3 apps for budgeting?
YNAB, Personal Capital, and Mint, and three of the most popular budgeting apps – but many other options could be a better fit for you. Nominating one app as the best free budgeting app for managing personal finance is tricky. With everybody having different needs and requirements, no single app is a good fit for everyone.
What are the most popular money-budgeting apps?
Mint, YNAB, and Personal Capital are some of the most popular money-budgeting apps. Other contenders such as PocketGuard also enjoy a respectable following – each of which offers a different set of features and perks that ultimately help you achieve the same goals – better financial management.
Are budgeting apps helpful?
Budgeting apps can be beneficial when it comes to proper financial planning. You can prepare a monthly budget, set goals, track spending, and view upcoming bills, among other things.
Is it safe to use Mint?
Mint is a budgeting app by Intuit – a company with an excellent reputation in the finance apps space. The Mint app offers some budgeting tools and allows you to track different financial accounts, so you don’t miss anything. The app uses multi-factor authentication and is scanned for security with Verisign.
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