Making and sticking to a monthly budget is important for financial success. Knowing how much money enters and leaves your home daily is a habit you should acquire, especially if you're just starting.

As with any habit, having the proper support may be beneficial. The most incredible budget tool for you is the one you'll utilize, whether it's full-featured software, a customized spreadsheet, or more manual methods. It should also be reasonably priced, simple to use and interface with your accounts, and offer features that correspond to your budgeting strategy.

This article will introduce you to some of the best budget apps today.

11 Best Budgeting Apps

Personal Capital (free)

Personal Capital is primarily an investing tool. Still, its free app contains tools that might assist budgeters to track their expenditures.

Checking accounts, savings accounts, investment accounts, and credit card accounts, as well as IRAs, 401(k)s, mortgages, and loans, may all be linked and monitored. By presenting recent transactions by category, the app gives a spending snapshot. You may change the types and see what proportion of your overall monthly spending each one represents. Personal Capital also provides a net worth and portfolio tracking tool.

Download here: Android | iOS

PocketGuard (Basic Pocketguard is free; PocketGuard Plus is $7.99/month)

PocketGuard's feature set isn't the most extensive on our list, but that's part of why we enjoy it. The app emphasizes simplicity.

You can track your bills by connecting your bank accounts, credit cards, loans, and investments. With that information, the program calculates how much money you have left to spend after deducting expenses, bills, and objectives.

PocketGuard also records your net worth and allows you to manage your finances manually rather than linking your accounts. PocketGuard Plus, the commercial version, includes a debt repayment plan, the ability to export your transactions, and other features.

Download here: Android | iOS

Simplifi by Quicken (free)

Simplifi by Quicken receives good grades for providing a tailored spending plan with real-time information on how much money you have remaining to spend during the month. The app syncs your bank accounts to show where you stand and how far you've come toward your financial objectives. Simplifi by Quicken also keeps track of your monthly bills and subscriptions, even if you don't utilize them.

Download here: Android | iOS

You Need a Budget ($98.99/yr)

Rather than tracking previous transactions, this software is intended to help users plan for financial decisions. YNAB adheres to the zero-based budgeting method, which requires you to create a plan for every dollar you earn.

You tell YNAB how much of your money should go towards specific categories, such as costs, objectives, and savings, as soon as you are paid. When you are forced to determine what to do with your money actively, you become more intentional with it.

YNAB is about as hands-on as you can go with all of this decision-making. To assist users in climbing the learning curve, YNAB's website provides a wealth of instructional resources outlining how to budget and utilize the program.

Download here: Android | iOS

Mint (free)

In terms of real budgeting, Mint records your spending and categorizes them. These limitless categories can be customized. You establish limitations for these categories, and Mint alerts you when you're getting close to them.

Mint may help customers in money management pay down debt, save more money, and monitor objectives in addition to budgeting functions. The software also displays the user's credit score and net wealth.

Bonus: This app offers extensive app support, including a comprehensive FAQ.

Download here: Android | iOS

Goodbudget (free)

Goodbudget is more concerned with financial planning than with recording prior transactions. This program is based on the envelope budgeting approach, which requires you to allocate a percentage of your monthly income to specified expenditure categories (called envelopes).

Your financial accounts will not be linked by this app. You manually enter account balances (which you may get from your bank's website), cash amounts, debts, and income. The money is then allocated to envelopes.

Goodbudget has a free version that allows for one account, two devices, and a restricted number of envelopes. Goodbudget Plus, the premium version, offers limitless envelopes and accounts, up to five devices, and other benefits.

Download here: Android | iOS

Stash (free)

When you sign up with Stash, you will have access to a variety of budgeting tools, a taxable brokerage account, a debit card that earns you stocks when you use it for spending, and a digital checking account.

Stash has tools that allow you to track expenses and create savings goals within the app's budgeting section. If you wish to automate these goals, methods such as round-ups and automated investment can help you achieve them passively. Along with passive savings, Stash's bank account includes no overdraft fees, no minimum balance, and no hidden costs, and cheques received via direct deposit are sent up to two days early.

When it comes to investing, Stash allows anybody to get started, even if they just have a few dollars, by offering fractional shares, or fractions of a single piece of stock. You may start investing in your favorite company without purchasing a whole share.

Download here: Android | iOS

Honeydue (free)

Honeydue was created so that you and your partner may see both of your financial photos on the same app. You and your partner’s joint bank accounts, credit cards, loans, and investments may all be synced by both couples. (However, you have control over how much you disclose with your significant partner.)

The free budget app categorizes spending automatically, but you may also create your categories. You and your spouse may establish monthly limitations on each category, and Honeydue will notify you when you or your partner approaches them.

Honeydue also sends bill reminders and allows you to communicate and exchange emoticons.

Download here: Android | iOS

Digit (free trial for 6 months; $5/month)

Digit utilizes machine learning to steer you closer and closer to your goals every day. Digit can assist you in reaching your financial goals, whether they be to establish an emergency fund, save for a vacation, save for a down payment on a property, or pay off debt.

The software determines a suitable amount to deposit in either your savings or retirement account each day, relieving you of the burden. All you have to do is tell Digit how much you want to save and when you want to keep it. Within the app, you may set custom objectives for any goal for which you are saving.

Download here: Android | iOS

EveryDollar (free basic version; $12.99 per month)

This program provides a zero-based budgeting paradigm that is less complicated (and maybe easier to handle) than YNAB.

Let's start with the basic free edition of EveryDollar. Instead of syncing accounts, you manually enter incoming and outgoing funds throughout the month. You also classify budget line items and create bill payment reminders.

EveryDollar's premium, paid edition provides those capabilities as well as the ability to link to your bank account. Your transactions are instantly reflected in the app, which also gives personalized statistics and recommendations based on your spending patterns. You may also link your savings and investment accounts together.

Download here: Android | iOS

Fudget

Consider Fudget if you don't want to track your cash loans without using your bank accounts and prefer a simple, calculator-like UI over sophisticated features.

You create lists of arriving and departing money and manage your balances with Fudget's ultra-simple design. There are no budget categories at all. You may also export your budget and other features with the Pro account.

Download here: Android | iOS

How to Choose the Best Budgeting Apps for You

When compared to other personal financial decisions, using budgeting software may appear to be a minor one. However, the correct budgeting tool might make a significant impact on your financial situation.

When choosing a budgeting program, keep your requirements and goals in mind first. The correct budgeting tool may provide you with valuable insights and statistics about your spending and savings. But, before that, determining your financial objectives will help you narrow down your search for the best budgeting software for you.

• Fees. The prices of budgeting applications vary. Many budgeting applications are free or have free versions, while others need a monthly cost. While it may be tempting to select a free app, don't dismiss premium apps. If a budgeting programme can considerably improve your financial picture, the cost may be well worth it.
• Features. Because each app has its own set of features and advantages, it may make sense to try a few different ones to discover which one best suits your needs. If you've used a mobile banking app before, you'll be familiar with the features you'll be looking for. Connecting all of your financial accounts, receiving reminders of incoming bill payments, making a budget, credit score tracking, track your spending, setting up financial objectives, and more are typical features of the best budgeting applications.
• Security. The security of your financial information is critical, especially when it comes to financial data and logins. While most budgeting applications provide some sort of protection, some are more advanced than others. Make careful to investigate each app's level of security encryption. Security measures such as 256-bit encryption and multi-factor authentication may be available on their websites. In addition to adopting a secure Wi-Fi network, measures like these will assist prevent outsiders from accessing your data.
• Customer service. If you have a problem when using budgeting software, having a technical staff to whom you can reach out might be beneficial. Find out what customer assistance alternatives are accessible when choosing a budgeting app. Reading reviews of other people's experiences with the app you're considering may also be beneficial.

The Bottom Line

Many individuals struggle with budgeting, and some people may fall into huge debts if they are not able to budget their money and track their expenses well. While many people wish to cut back on their spending but it’s really hard sometimes. One thing you can do is you can easily take out cash loans without a bank account.  But still, manually tracking costs using a spreadsheet may be time-consuming, making giving up all too easy.