Best Budgeting Apps to Help You Track, Save & Plan

We researched popular budgeting apps to find ones that offer the best combination of features and cost. We’ve assigned each one a ‘best for’ designation so you can see who each one is right for, at a glance.

Best for zero-based budgeting: YNAB

Cost: Free for 34-day trial period; then $14.99/month or $109/year¹

YNAB uses the zero-based budgeting method to help you stay on top of your money. With this budget system, every dollar of income you have is assigned a job, whether it’s paying a bill, buying groceries, growing your emergency fund, or paying off debt.

Key features:

• Import transactions from connected bank accounts
• Sync your YNAB budget across multiple devices
• Prioritize spending and monitor automatic savings deposits
• Calculate your debt payoff with the YNAB loan planner tool
• Analyze individual spending categories to see where your money goes most/least often
• View your net worth²

You can share a YNAB subscription with up to six people at no added cost. That’s a plus if you split expenses with roommates, family members, a partner, or a spouse.²

Who it’s for: YNAB is suited for individuals and families who want to track every dollar and close spending gaps. It’s also one of the best budgeting apps for people with irregular income from side hustles, freelancing, or gig work since you can allocate money to your budget categories as it comes in.

Best for smarter spending: PocketGuard

Cost: Free 7-day trial; then $12.99/month or $74.99/year³

PocketGuard helps you avoid going over budget by showing you exactly how much money you have to spend after bills are paid. You can also dig into the details of your spending to make adjustments to your budget and be more strategic about where your money goes.

Key features: 

• Always know how much you have to spend or save from your paychecks with the Leftover feature
• Create customizable budgets (monthly and annual)
• Get a comprehensive overview of transactions from all your financial accounts
• Generate custom reports, complete with pie charts
• Add notes and hashtags for detailed monitoring of your spending activity

PocketGuard can also help with tracking debt repayment if you have credit cards or student loans to tackle.

Who it’s for: PocketGuard could be a good budget tracking app for people learning how to make a budget for the first time, or who struggle to stick to their monthly spending plan.

Best for envelope budgeting: Goodbudget

Cost: Free for 10 envelopes per month; $10/month or $80/year for unlimited envelopes⁵

The envelope budgeting method uses cash to manage your spending in different categories. Goodbudget does the same thing but virtually, automatically importing your transactions from connected financial accounts so you can easily categorize them.

Key features:

• Create digital envelopes for all your budgeting categories, from rent and utilities to groceries to nights out with friends
• See how much money you have left in each envelope as you spend throughout the month
• Sync and share your budget with members of your household so everyone is aware of what each envelope holds
• Create envelopes for long-term savings goals or sinking funds for recurring expenses
• Track your debt payoff progress to see when you’ll be debt-free⁶

Goodbudget doesn’t have as many extra bells and whistles as other top budget apps, but that might appeal to you if you prefer simplicity or use the 50/30/20 budget method. The 50/30/20 budget allocates 50% of your net pay to needs, 30% to wants, and 20% to savings/debt repayment.

Who it’s for: Goodbudget can provide a smooth transition to digital budgeting for people who have previously relied on the envelope method or budget spreadsheets.

Best for building wealth: Empower personal dashboard

Cost: Free⁷

Empower is a budgeting app that’s all about your financial goals and where you want to go. It’s also one of the best free budgeting apps thanks to its comprehensive range of built-in tools.

Key features:

• Securely connect all of your financial accounts to track monthly expenses, debt, and investments
• Get financial advice to help you navigate different life stages, whether you’re a young professional who’s just starting out or you’re already counting down to retirement
• Analyze your portfolio to see how your investments perform and understand your risk level
• Track your daily spending and monitor cash flow
• Monitor your debt payoff and savings progress
• Easily calculate your net worth⁷

Empower is almost like having a personal financial advisor in your mobile device or laptop. The more accounts you connect, the easier it becomes for Empower to offer you personalized budgeting advice.

Who it’s for: Empower is designed for people who want to build long-term wealth. There’s no minimum amount of assets you need to have to use the app.

Best family budget app: EveryDollar

Cost: $0 for the free version; $17.99/month or $79.99/year after a free 14-day trial⁸

The EveryDollar app, created by financial expert Dave Ramsey, is another user-friendly zero-based budgeting app that helps you manage your finances while developing better budgeting habits.

Key features:

• Bank connect adds new transactions into your budget as they happen, so you always know where your money goes
• Use paycheck planning to see what you have to spend to stay on budget
• Your financial roadmap shows you your path to freedom as you save and pay down debt
• Split transactions with ease and set due date reminders for upcoming bills so you never pay late
• Get access to one-on-one budgeting advice from an EveryDollar coach
• Speak with a live support team member when you have questions or need help⁹

EveryDollar allows you to set up unlimited budget categories, which may be perfect for families who spend on things like child care, extracurriculars, vacations, and hobbies.

Who it’s for: The EveryDollar budgeting tool could appeal to people who follow the Dave Ramsey baby steps method or who want advice from financial experts when making a budget.

Best budget app for couples: HoneyDue

Cost: Free, though tipping is optional¹⁰

Honeydue is designed with joint budgeting in mind for couples looking to manage their finances together. It helps partners track shared expenses while respecting individual spending habits.

Key features: 

• Track all of your accounts, including joint and individual accounts, through a shared dashboard
• Decide how much information you’re comfortable sharing for each account
• Set up bill payment reminders for yourself or your partner/spouse so you’re never late
• Choose your budget categories and set spending limits for each one
• Split transactions for dinner out, groceries, or household expenses
• Chat about everyday spending, upcoming bills, how much to save for the month, and securely manage debt through the HoneyDue mobile app¹⁰

Unlike some of the other budgeting apps reviewed here, HoneyDue doesn’t have a desktop platform. You’ll need to download the app to your Android or Apple device.

Who it’s for: Couples who value financial transparency and want to share in budgeting tasks, while keeping the lines of communication open.

Best for setting financial goals: Monarch Money

Cost: Free 7-day trial, then $14.99/month or $99.99/yearly¹¹

Monarch Money is a budgeting app for people who want help staying on track as they work toward their short- and mid-term financial goals. Whether you want to save for a vacation or a down payment on a home, Monarch Money can help you budget your way to success.

Key features:

• Monarch money sorts transactions into spending categories for you when you connect your bank accounts
• Scan everyday spending and mark transactions as reviewed so you can easily keep track of what you’ve checked
• Set clear financial goals and use the app to monitor your progress
• Check for recurring subscriptions that may be costing you money unnecessarily
• Visualize where your money goes with customizable charts¹²

Monarch Money’s focus is more on setting goals you can achieve in a few months to a few years, rather than longer-term goals like retirement. You can, however, track your net worth to see how your wealth is increasing.

Who it’s for: Monarch Money uses an intuitive approach to goal-setting, which could make it a good choice for people who have specific financial targets they want to hit. You can make your budget shareable if you’re goal-planning with a spouse or partner.

Even the best budgeting apps may have some downsides. For some people, it makes sense to use a spreadsheet to make a budget. Here’s a look at the pros and cons of budgeting apps, side by side.

Are budgeting apps safe?

Cybersecurity is always a legitimate concern. In general, a budget app is safe to use since the best budgeting apps apply multiple security measures to protect account information. PocketGuard, for example, uses 256-bit SSL encryption and allows you to erase your information remotely if necessary.¹³

If you’re concerned about safety, you can take extra steps to secure your account. Those steps include:

• Choosing a unique password
• Updating your password regularly
• Enabling multi-factor authentication if you have the option to do so
• Locking your phone with a password or biometric security

You can also enroll in account alerts so you’re notified of new transactions or account changes. If you suspect fraud is taking place in one of your accounts, contact your bank or credit card company right away and consider locking or freezing your debit and credit cards temporarily.

We’ve shared our picks for the best budgeting apps, but there may be a different one that checks off all your boxes. Experimenting with different budget tools can help you find your perfect match.

Ready to take the next step in mastering your finances? Learn how to create a paycheck budget routine that works for your lifestyle. Whether you use an app or go old-school with pen and paper, the key is to find a system that keeps you consistent and accountable.