8 Best Budgeting Apps to Download Now: Budgeting can be difficult, especially when the number of available budgeting apps out there is overwhelming, to say the least.
8 Best Budgeting Apps to Download Now
Which app will allow you to control your spending? And which app should you download first? Check out this list of the 10 best budgeting apps to help you figure it all out.
1) Mint
A great all-around budgeting app that can help you get started on your journey. Mint links directly with your bank account and credit cards, making it easy to enter transactions as they come in. This is a free service, but you’ll have limited access until you commit (or upgrade) for $30/year.
For an additional fee of $20/month or $180/year, you can also access Mint’s bill-pay feature and its extra insights section. If you’re just looking for a way to keep track of expenses and balance your checkbook, though, Mint is probably all you need. It’s easy to use and understand, plus it has an impressive 4.3 rating from PCMag users based on over 5k reviews.
It doesn’t hurt that Microsoft bought them out last year, either—you know there’s some serious talent behind their design team! There are plenty of other apps available, too, so be sure to read through our guide before deciding which one works best for you.
2) Personal Capital
One of our top picks for budgeting apps, Personal Capital has an array of helpful features for tracking your spending and saving money. You can also import your transactions from up to 8 different accounts, which is handy if you’re a freelancer or consultant with clients and multiple income streams. Plus, it’s completely free—you only pay if you want advanced budget options like their Planning & Guidance tool.
For $7 per month (minimum), Personal Capital provides recommendations for how much you should be saving each month based on where you are in life and what milestones are ahead of you. They’ll even show them to you in easy-to-read charts! That way, you know exactly how much you need to save every month so that your future self doesn’t have to worry about it.
It will even tell you exactly when you should start investing in order to reach those goals. In addition, they have an app that syncs directly with your bank account so that all of your transaction data is automatically imported into their system as soon as they happen. This makes keeping track of everything easier than ever before!
3) You Need a Budget (YNAB)
If you’re short on cash, it’s probably because you haven’t been budgeting for it. YNAB makes budgeting simple by helping you track every penny you spend. Once you enter your income into YNAB and download transactions from your bank account, YNAB will automatically categorize your transactions. You can also manually add expenses and income to get a more granular look at where your money is going.
Then, when it comes time to make a purchase, let YNAB tell you how much room in your budget there is available before deciding whether or not something can be bought or put off until next month. The app helps you decide if an expense should be saved up for later or if it should be spent now so that you don’t overspend. It even lets you set goals to help keep your finances on track and has tools like envelope budgeting that help you manage any unexpected costs that come up during the year.
YNAB is free to use but requires a $6 monthly subscription after four months of use; however, users who sign up for an annual subscription pay $83 per year instead of $96 per year with monthly billing. In addition, all new users are eligible for a refund of their first month’s payment if they cancel within 30 days of signing up.
4) Expensify
Expensify is probably one of my favorite tools for managing your personal finances. It’s an easy-to-use mobile app that allows you to track spending quickly and easily. It syncs with your bank account, credit cards, and most other financial accounts to aggregate all of your purchases in one place, so you don’t have to enter everything manually.
By default, it even includes transactions that don’t get directly deposited into your bank account (like utility bills). I like being able to see a snapshot of how much I spend on various categories at any given time—and having quick access to total amounts saved makes it easier for me decide how much I can afford in different areas. The app also integrates with several other services, including Amazon and Uber, which are great if you use those frequently.
There are plenty of options out there when it comes to budgeting apps—but Expensify is one of my favorites because it’s so simple and straightforward. All you need to do is link up your accounts and set a few preferences, then let it do its thing. You won’t believe how helpful it is until you try it!
5) EveryDollar
This free app makes it easy to create a budget and stick with it. The EveryDollar budgeting app has been on Lifehacker’s list of best money management tools for years, in part because its interface is so easy to use. It supports multiple accounts and budgets so you can keep track of all your money, not just your spending habits.
If you need help sticking with your budget, EveryDollar gives you access to built-in accountability support (via email) and financial education content via its Learn section. After you download EveryDollar, make sure you read Lifehacker’s guide on how to set up a basic budget. And check out other apps from LearnVest that can make managing your money easier too.
6) Dashlane
Dashlane helps you organize your bills, bank accounts, credit cards, and ids into one place. Using a password manager can help simplify your life because it replaces all of those annoying passwords with unique codes that only you know. This prevents hackers from getting access to your information while also preventing you from forgetting important passwords.
It’s always better when something is easier, right? Dashlane can be used across multiple devices which means that if you get a new phone or update the software on your computer, Dashlane will continue to work. When it comes time for tax season Dashlane makes filing taxes quick and easy by filling out all necessary forms in just minutes!
The ability to have more control over our finances really gives us more control over our lives as well. Having everything organized and easily accessible allows us to spend less time worrying about money and more time enjoying life.
7) Level Money
Level Money is one of those nifty apps that, once you get in the habit of using it, you won’t know how you ever managed without it. Basically, Level tracks your income and spending so that you can keep an eye on how much money you’re bringing in and how much goes out each month. If there are any holes in your budget (and who doesn’t have at least a few?) you can tweak where the money goes and make adjustments as needed.
With Level, getting on track with your finances is easy because everything about your budget – expenses and income – is automatically fed into an algorithm that figures out exactly how much money you should have leftover every month. You can also set goals for yourself, such as saving up for a vacation or paying off debt. The level will send you notifications when you’ve hit certain milestones or need to adjust your budget accordingly.
The app works across platforms, too: You can access it via desktop or mobile device, which makes managing your money even easier. Plus, if you sign up for free with my referral link, I’ll get $5 toward my next coffee!
8) Mvelopes
If you’re looking for a super-basic way to budget, Mvelopes is a good place to start. For example, if you want to save $300 per month for your vacation, you can simply transfer that amount from your checking account into a separate Fun Money account at Mvelopes every month. You’ll be able to track your spending in each category and see how much money you have leftover until your next transfer.
While it’s easy enough for anyone who’s ever transferred money online before, it does lack some advanced features (such as automatic transfers) that other programs offer. Still, its simplicity makes it an attractive option for those just getting started with budgeting.
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Conclusion
The best budgeting apps come in many shapes and sizes. Some have a sharp focus on certain aspects of personal finance, such as tracking income and expenses, while others take a broader view of your financial life. The sheer number of options can be overwhelming.
But it’s clear that if you want or need to keep track of your spending–or if you just want some inspiration–there are tons of great options out there. And remember: no matter what app you choose, stay focused on your financial goals and you’ll soon realize how easy it is to make them happen!
