Personal budgeting should be easy. You figure out how much money you make on a weekly or monthly basis. You determine how much you spend over the same period.
The difference is either your extra income or your extra expenditures, and then you act accordingly. And accordingly there arises a need for apps that helps you manage money.
But in reality, it is not that simple.
A budget is more than just a spreadsheet of income and expenditures. It is a designed personal roadmap to achieve your financial dreams and requires consideration of dozens of options.
Creating a proper budget is much easier today than it was at the turn of the century.
There are many apps that help you manage money effectively, ensuring you stay on top of your finances.
If you’re looking for solutions to budget better, consider using apps that help you manage money. These top-rated apps to help manage money can transform your financial habits.
Best Apps That Help You Manage Money
| App | Key Feature | Free Version | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
YNAB | Zero-Based Budgeting Method | 34-day free trial | $109/year or $14.99/month |
Cleo | AI-Powered Budgeting and Alerts | Yes | $7.99/month or $34.99/year |
GoodBudget | Envelope Budgeting Method | Yes | $0 (Free) or $10/month / $80/year (Premium) |
Quicken Simplifi | Savings Goals and Real-Time Alerts | 30-day free trial | $2.99/month or $3.99/month (25% off) |
EveryDollar | Simple Zero-Based Budgeting | Yes | $0 (Free) or $129.99/year (Premium) |
PocketGuard | Simplified Expense Tracking | Yes | $7.99/month or $34.99/year |
Monarch Money | Collaborative Financial Planning | No | $9.99/month or $99.99/year |
Credit Karma | Free Credit Monitoring and Budgeting | Yes | Free |
Fudget | Simple Budgeting Interface | Yes | $3.99 (Paid) |
Current | Integrated Banking and Budgeting | Yes | Free |
Plum | Automated Savings and Investment | Yes | $4.99/month or $49.99/year (Premium) |
EveryDollar
Key Feature: Zero-Based Budgeting Simplified
With the rise of technology, apps that help you manage money have become increasingly sophisticated but not with EveryDollar.
EveryDollar makes budgeting straightforward with its zero-based budgeting method, designed for easy tracking and financial management. Key details include:
– Free Plan: Basic budgeting features available at no cost.
– Paid Plan: $12.99/month or $129.99/year for advanced features and bank integration.
– Features:
- Zero-Based Budgeting: Assign every dollar a job to manage your money effectively.
- Customizable Categories: Create unlimited budget categories to fit your unique needs.
- Transaction Syncing: Stream transactions from your bank to keep track of spending effortlessly.
- All Accounts in One Place: View and manage all your financial accounts in a single app.
- Expense Tracking: Easily monitor and plan for upcoming expenses.
– User Ratings: 59,000, 5 start ratings.
GoodBudget
Key Feature: Envelope Budgeting System
In response to user demand, apps that help you manage money are offering more advanced tools. One such brand is GoodBudget.
GoodBudget uses the traditional envelope budgeting method, adapted for the digital age, to help you manage your finances effectively. Key details include:
– Free Plan: Includes 10 regular envelopes, 10 additional envelopes, 1 account, 2 devices, and 1 year of history.
– Premium Plan: $10/month or $80/year, offering unlimited envelopes, unlimited accounts, 5 devices, 7 years of history, and automatic bank sync (US banks only).
– Features:
- Envelope Budgeting: Allocate funds into digital envelopes for various spending categories.
- Sync & Share: Share budgets and track spending across multiple devices.
- Big Expenses: Plan and save for large expenses in advance.
- Debt Tracking: Monitor and track your debt payoff progress.
– User Ratings: 4.6/5 based on over 12,900 ratings.
CLEO
Key Feature: AI-Powered Financial Assistance
In an effort to enhance user experience, apps that help you manage money are integrating more advanced features.
And that’s where CLEO comes in.
CLEO enhances budgeting with its AI-driven features, providing personalized financial management and support. Key details include:
– Free Version: Basic features at no cost.
– Pricing: Premium version available for additional features (pricing varies).
– Features:
- AI Budget Planner: Personalized budget plans and account overview.
- Bill Tracker: Reminders for monthly bills and payments.
- Spending Tracker: Categorize and analyze expenses.
- AI Chat: Financial insights and support via chat.
- Overdraft Alerts: Notifications for low account balances.
- Roast and Hype Mode: Motivational and humorous features.
– User Ratings: 4.7/5 based on over 130,000 ratings.
Credit Karma
Key Feature: Free Credit Monitoring
Credit Karma – The best apps for managing money make financial planning and tracking expenses a breeze.
Credit Karma offers free credit monitoring along with budgeting tools and financial advice. Key details include:
– Free Plan: All features are available at no cost.
– Features:
- Credit Scores & Reports: Access your credit scores and reports for free.
- Financial Insights: Personalized tips and recommendations based on your credit profile.
- Budgeting Tools: Basic budgeting features and expense tracking.
- Credit Monitoring: Alerts for significant changes in your credit report.
– Reviews: Rated 4.4 stars from 10,000+ reviews, well-regarded for its free credit monitoring and useful financial insights.
PocketGuard
Key Feature: Simplified Expense Tracking
PocketGuard helps you understand how much disposable income you have after accounting for bills, goals, and necessities. Key details include:
– Free Plan: Basic features available at no cost.
– Paid Plan: $7.99/month or $34.99/year for advanced features.
– Features:
- In My Pocket: Displays your available funds after expenses and savings goals.
- Expense Tracking: Automatically tracks and categorizes spending.
- Bill Reminders: Alerts for upcoming bills and due dates.
- Savings Goals: Set and monitor savings targets.
Financial experts recommend using apps that help you manage money to keep your spending in check.
Quicken Simplifi
Key Feature: Real-Time Alerts and Savings Goals
Looking for apps to help manage money? Start with this user-friendly option- Quicken Simplifi.
Quicken Simplifi offers a streamlined approach to financial management with real-time alerts and integrated savings goals. Key details include:
– Free Trial: 30-day money-back guarantee.
– Pricing: Starting at $2.99/month (billed annually), with a 25% discount available.
– Features:
- Savings Goals: Set and track goals for retirement, big purchases, or emergencies.
- Real-Time Alerts: Stay updated with notifications on your spending and account status.
- Insights & Reports: Access helpful reports and visualizations for better financial decisions.
- Customizable Transactions: Tailor transaction categories and spending plans to fit your needs.
User Ratings: 4.2 • 3.8K Ratings.
YNAB (You Need A Budget)
Key Feature: Zero-Based Budgeting Method
YNAB simplifies budgeting with its zero-based method, ensuring every dollar is assigned a job. Key details include:
– Free Trial: 34 days with no credit card required.
– Pricing: $109 annually ($9.08/month) or $14.99/month.
– Features: Real-time sync, goal setting, and educational resources.
– Reviews: Rated 4.7 stars from 1,770 reviews, noted for effective money management.
Get started with YNAB to take control of your finances and reduce stress.
Monarch Money
Key Feature: Collaborative Financial Planning
Monarch Money offers a collaborative approach to budgeting, making it easy to manage finances as a team or family. Key details include:
– Free Plan: No free tier; paid plans start at $9.99/month or $99.99/year.
– Features:
- Collaborative Budgeting: Share and manage finances with family or partners.
- Financial Goals: Track and set financial objectives.
- Real-Time Sync: Sync accounts and transactions in real-time.
- Customizable Categories: Tailor categories to fit your budgeting needs.
Fudget
Key Feature: Simple Budgeting Interface
Fudget provides a straightforward budgeting tool without complex features or interfaces. Key details include:
– Free Plan: Basic version available for free.
– Paid Plan: $3.99 for additional features.
– Features:
- Easy Budgeting: Simple interface for creating and tracking budgets.
- Expense Tracking: Manually enter and categorize expenses.
- Multiple Budgets: Manage various budgets separately.
Reviews: Rated 4.2 stars from 1,000 reviews, favored for its simplicity and ease of use.
Current
Key Feature: Integrated Banking and Budgeting
Current combines banking features with budgeting tools to streamline your financial management. Key details include:
– Free Plan: Basic features are available with a free account.
– Paid Plan: Premium accounts start at $4.99/month for additional benefits.
– Features:
- Cashback Rewards: Earn rewards on purchases with the Current debit card.
- Budgeting Tools: Track spending and set budget limits.
- Savings Goals: Automate savings with round-ups and goal-setting features.
- Real-Time Transactions: Instant notifications and transaction tracking.
Reviews: Rated 4.5 stars from 3,000 reviews, praised for its integration of banking and budgeting features.
Plum
Key Feature: Automated Savings and Investment
Plum automates savings and investment based on your spending habits. Key details include:
– Free Plan: Basic features available at no cost.
– Paid Plan: Premium plan at $4.99/month with additional investment options.
– Features:
- Automated Savings: Automatically save small amounts based on your spending.
- Investment Options: Access to investment portfolios and financial advice (Premium).
- Budgeting Tools: Track spending and set savings goals.
- Financial Insights: Personalized insights based on your financial behavior.
Reviews: Rated 4.3 stars from 2,000 reviews, well-regarded for its automated savings and investment features.
These are the best money management apps to help you save more and spend wisely.
Make informed financial decisions with the help of the best money management apps available.
How To Choose A Budgeting App?
Selecting the right budgeting app involves several key factors:-
- Features: Make sure the program tracks expenses, creates budgets, reminds you of bills, sets financial goals, and generates thorough reports.
- Ease of Use: Select an app available on both mobile and online platforms with a simple interface.
- Integration: Check the app’s integration with credit cards, bank accounts, and other financial instruments.
- Security: Search for explicit privacy policies, two-factor authentication, and strong data encryption.
- Cost: Review subscription choices, compare free and paid versions to make sure they fit your budget.
- Customer Support: Look for responsive support using several channels and useful tools such user guides and FAQs.
- Additional Consideration: Before committing, read customer reviews, check ratings, and try the app for free .
Stay on top of your finances with the best apps for managing money available today.
Are Budgeting Apps Worth It?
If you’re looking to simplify your financial life and stay on top of your money, budgeting apps are definitely worth it—just remember to use them regularly!
- Simple Tracking: Say goodbye to manual entry! With the best apps for managing money, you can monitor your spending and save smarter.
- Simple Budgeting: Just a few taps will create and oversee budgets. Set limitations for several spending categories and monitor your progress easily.
- Goal-oriented: Want to pay off debt or save for a fantasy trip? These tools help you keep motivated and on target by let you create and monitor financial objectives.
- Improved Financial Well Being: Investing in apps that help you manage money can enhance your financial literacy and overall money management skills.
- Instant Insight: Get real-time information and alerts about your spending and upcoming invoices with Instant Insight. Keep educated and make quick changes to keep your money under control.
- Time-saving: No more hand calculations! Sync your credit cards and bank accounts to automatically update your financial data, therefore saving you time and lowering mistakes.
Alternatives To Budgeting Apps
Here are some alternatives to budgeting apps:-
- Excel or Google Sheets – Make your own template for a budget or use a pre-made one. It allows you to customize income tracking as well as expense tracking.
- Cash Envelope – Create envelopes for each of the several spending categories from cash. You cannot spend more in that category till the following period once the envelope is empty.
- Zero-Based Budgeting – Give every dollar a use such that your income less your expenses comes out as zero. This can be done with pen and paper or using a simple ledger.
- Bank or Credit Union Tools – Some banks and credit unions offer budgeting tools and insights directly through their online platforms or apps.
- Financial Planners – See a financial planner to create a budget and financial plan catered to your need.
- Pen and Paper – Manually track your spending and savings in a specialized budget diary.
Conclusion
Every budgeting app is a bit different, and it is up to you to decide what you need a budget app to do. Find the best apps for managing money that suit your financial habits and lifestyle.
Then, you can have the fun of investigating all of your choices and find the one that best suits your needs. We hope that all these benefit you in wise money management!
FAQs
Apps like YNAB, and PocketGuard are great for managing your money. YNAB focuses on proactive budgeting, and PocketGuard helps you see your disposable income after covering essentials.
For keeping your money secure and easily managed, Chime offers no monthly fees and automatic savings, Acorns helps you invest spare change while saving, and Revolut provides global financial services with budgeting features.
Beginners can benefit from EveryDollar for its simple zero-based budgeting approach, and GoodBudget for an easy-to-use digital envelope budgeting system.
