When we talk about personal budgeting, what we’re really talking about is a tool to help you hold yourself accountable. Personal budgeting apps are becoming more and more popular, thanks in large part to the “no money talks” culture millennials have cultivated over the last decade or so. No longer do we have to feel like failures if we can’t seem to save enough to buy a house or pay off our student loans: instead, we can say that we tried and came up short, then try again next month.
And here’s the thing: there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to personal budgeting. Apps like Mint and You Need A Budget (YNAB) are great for people who are just getting started with budgeting, but they’re not as helpful for those who want advanced features like shared budgets or automatic saving. We’ve curated a list of five apps that will help you get started on your journey towards financial freedom
Table of Contents
Best Apps For Personal Budgeting
The best budgeting apps help you understand your income and spending, so you have maximum control over your money. Budgeting apps may connect to your bank account and credit cards to automatically download transactions and categorize your spending to match the budget you choose.
The best budgeting apps come at an affordable price point, are easy to use and integrate with your accounts, and have features that match your budgeting style.
The 6 Best Budgeting Apps of 2022
Best Overall: You Need a Budget (YNAB)
Best Free Budgeting App: Mint
Best for Cash Flow: Simplifi by Quicken
Best for Overspenders: PocketGuard
Best for Building Wealth: Personal Capital
Best for Couples: Zeta
Best Budgeting Apps
You Need A Budget (YNAB)
Mint
Simplifi By Quicken
PocketGuard
Personal Capital
Zeta
Final Verdict
Compare Providers
What Are Budgeting Apps?
Should I Pay For An App Or Use A Free One?
What Features Should I Look For?
Methodology
BEST OVERALL
You Need a Budget (YNAB)
You Need a Budget (YNAB)
Price: $98.99 per year
Bank Sync: Yes
Free Trial: 34 days
SIGN UP NOW
Why We Chose It
You Need a Budget (YNAB) earns the top spot because of the company’s renowned budgeting philosophy and reputation. YNAB says new budgeters typically save $600 in their first two months and more than $6,000 in their first year. Although YNAB is the most costly option on our list, the company offers a 34-day free trial.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Complete budget makeover
Free 34-day trial
Strong customer service and comprehensive education
Cons
$98.99 per year
More time-intensive to learn
Recent sync issues
Overview
YNAB rises to the top of our list because of its budgeting philosophy. The company offers a free trial for 34 days (no credit card required), and after that, the cost is $98.99 per year. If you prefer to pay less upfront, the cost is $14.99 per month.
YNAB offers the ability to sync your bank accounts, import your data from a file, or manually enter each transaction. To begin, the company suggests learning the basics about the app through video courses, a live workshop, or reading a guide. YNAB offers a proactive budgeting approach, rather than tracking what you have already spent, like some competitors.
After signing up, you create your first budget and assign every dollar a purpose, like your rent or car payment, for example. The goal is to eventually get at least one month ahead, so you’re spending money you earned from 30 days ago. The company offers extensive educational resources and customer support to keep you on track.
YNAB says privacy and security are its top priority. The company protects your information by using bank-level encryption for all data, best practices for password security, third-party audits, and more.
BEST FREE BUDGETING APP
Mint
Mint
Price: Free
Bank Sync: Yes
Free Trial: N/A
SIGN UP NOW
Why We Chose It
Mint stands out for a few reasons. It’s one of the most popular budgeting apps available, with 25 million users. The app is free and easy to use for budgeters of all levels. You can also set up bill payment reminders, track investments, and access your TransUnion credit score—all of which makes Mint our choice for the best free budgeting app.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Free budgeting app
Free TransUnion credit scores
Investment tracking
Cons
In-app product advertisements
Some complaints about technical issues
Spending categorization could be better
Overview
Mint offers the best-known free budgeting app on the market. It’s a great option for anyone looking to improve their spending habits. The app is free, but you may see targeted financial product advertisements.
You may sync your financial accounts within the app or manually add transactions. Mint allows you to see all your accounts in one place and keep track of your spending daily. The app automatically organizes your spending so that you can see totals by category at a glance. Mint also offers monthly bill tracking, including payment reminders to avoid late fees. The app also offers the ability to keep track of your investments and check portfolio fees. Mint offers a few education resources like a home affordability calculator, loan repayment calculator, and blog with various personal finance topics.
Mint protects your data through features like security scanning with Verisign, multi-factor authentication, and touch ID mobile access. The company stores your login information in a separate database with multiple layers of hardware and software encryption.
BEST FOR CASH FLOW
Simplifi by Quicken
Simplifi by Quicken
Price: $47.99 per year
Bank Sync: Yes
Free Trial: 30 day
SIGN UP NOW
Why We Chose It
Simplifi by Quicken earns high marks because it offers a personalized spending plan with real-time updates of how much you have left to spend throughout the month. The app syncs your bank accounts to show you where you stand and your progress on financial goals. Simplifi by Quicken also tracks your monthly bills and subscriptions, including those you don’t use.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Strong cash flow tools
Watch lists for mindful spending
Free 30-day trial
Cons
$47.99 per year
Some complaints about technical issues
Overview
Simplifi by Quicken ranks best for cash flow because of the app’s effective tracking capabilities. It’s the best option for staying on top of how much you can spend between your paychecks. The app offers a free 30-day trial, and then you will pay $3.99 per month (billed annually at $47.99) or $5.99 per month if you choose not to pay upfront.
To get started, you have to sync bank accounts, and then you will have a complete snapshot of your finances. The app automatically categorizes your spending, tracks recurring bills and subscriptions, and stays on top of upcoming expenses.
One standout feature is the app’s custom watchlists, which allow you to limit spending by category or payee. Also, the custom spending plan monitors cash flow to make sure you never spend more than you make. Simplifi by Quicken offers tips while you’re using the app, but there’s also a blog full of educational content at your fingertips.
Security and privacy are top priorities for Quicken, the app’s parent company. Quicken has been trusted with sensitive financial data for decades (since 1984) and continues to work on new security measures. The app uses 256-bit encryption to transmit banking data and keeps the information confidential.
BEST FOR OVERSPENDERS
PocketGuard
PocketGuard
Price: Free/$7.99 per month, $34.99 annually, or $79.99 one-time fee, lifetime subscription
Bank Sync: Yes
Free Trial: Free version available
SIGN UP NOW
Why We Chose It
PocketGuard made the cut because the app helps curb overspending. The company uses an algorithm to track your income, expenses, and savings goals to tell you how much you can spend every day. These spending limits make it easier to quit overspending and take control of your financial goals.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Free basic budgeting app
Cash flow at a glance
Easy to use
Cons
PocketGuard Plus has a cost
No phone support
Some complaints about technical issues
Overview
PocketGuard earned the top spot as best for overspenders because its features focus on helping users control overspending. The app offers a free and a paid, premium version, PocketGuard Plus.
To get started, you need to connect your checking, savings, and credit card accounts. The app can see what you are spending, where to save, and reminds you when credit card bills are due. PocketGuard’s “In My Pocket” feature uses an algorithm to identify how much money you can spend based on your income, upcoming bills, goals, recent spending, and budgets.
The app offers a smart bill reminder to keep track of due dates and shows where you may be able to negotiate for lower bills. There’s also an automated savings feature, which allows you to set a goal and save for it. PocketGuard automatically moves the money to a bank account on your behalf.
PocketGuard Plus offers additional features like creating your categories, changing transaction dates, the ability to export data, tracking cash, managing ATM deposits and withdrawals, and splitting up transactions. The company also publishes an educational blog for additional opportunities to learn.
PocketGuard prioritizes security with 256-bit encryption, a four-digit PIN, and biometrics like Touch ID and Face ID as another layer of protection.
BEST FOR BUILDING WEALTH
Personal Capital
Personal Capital
Price: Free, Paid Investment Service Available
Bank Sync: Yes
Free Trial: N/A
SIGN UP NOW
Why We Chose It
Personal Capital scores high because the company offers the best free tools for wealth building. You can sync your financial accounts in one place to track your net worth, plan for the future with the Retirement Planner, and use the Fee Analyzer to check portfolio fees.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Free wealth management app
Retirement Planner tool
Education Planner tool
Net worth tracking
Fee Analyzer tool for your portfolio
Cons
Less focused on budgeting
No option to manually add transactions for budgeting
Sales calls for wealth management services
Overview
Personal Capital lands at the top of our list with the best app for building wealth. You can use the product’s dashboards to sync accounts for a complete picture of your finances. The company’s primary app is free, with the option to add investment management services for 0.89% of your money for accounts under $1 million.
Unfortunately, Personal Capital doesn’t allow you to add budgeting transactions manually, but you can manually add investments without syncing those accounts. You can use Personal Capital’s budgeting tools to see your total income and expenses every month. While you can’t create specific goals, you can add a budget, compare to previous months, and see your spending by categories.
Although the company’s budgeting features aren’t as comprehensive as others, Personal Capital does offer better investing tools. You can use the dashboard to see changes to your net worth over time, and Personal Capital’s Fee Analyzer gives you a closer look into your portfolio fees. You may also prepare for the future with the company’s Retirement Planner tool or save for college with the Education Planner tool. Personal Capital’s blog, Daily Capital, covers a range of financial planning topics for beginners to more experienced users alike.
Personal Capital protects your data with encryption, fraud protection, and robust authentication. No one has access to your individual login credentials, and the company’s partnership with Yodlee, a veteran financial technology company, offers another layer of security.
Read the full Personal Capital review.
BEST FOR COUPLES
Zeta
Zeta
Price: Free
Bank Sync: Yes
Free Trial: N/A
SIGN UP NOW
Why We Chose It
Zeta is one of the few free budgeting apps designed specifically for couples, joint finances or not. The app caters to all types of couples, including those who are living together, engaged, married, or new parents. You can sync various accounts to track spending, see your net worth, and manage bills together.
You can also sign up for a joint no-fee banking account and cards with features like no account fees, digital checks, access to the Allpoint ATM network, contactless payments, and bill pay. All of these enhanced features make Zeta our choice as best for couples.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Free budgeting app and no-fee joint bank account
Designed for all types of couples
Features like no account fees, contactless payments, and bill pay
Cons
Low APY for joint account
Overview
Zeta earns a spot on our list because the free budgeting app caters to all types of couples. The product also offers a free joint bank account to manage spending and paying bills together. Zeta’s Money Manager app and Joint Cards are free.
The Zeta Money Manager app allows you to sync accounts or manually add data for a shared view of your finances. The app can create budgets, track spending, set up joint goals, and manage bills. A few standout features include sharing controls, shared and personal budgets, bill reminders, and more. Zeta helps you stay focused on your goals and connect your financial actions to reaching them. Zeta’s Money Date Mag, an online publication covering love and money in the modern age, includes articles to boost your financial knowledge.
The Zeta Joint Cards offer bank account access with FDIC insurance through LendingClub Bank, no monthly fees or minimums, and 0.10% APY.1 The account provides special features like unlimited transfers, contactless payments, and bill pay. The company uses state-of-the-art bank-level security to keep your data safe. They don’t store your financial logins, and the company uses two-factor authentication and data encrypted databases.
Final Verdict
If you’re serious about budgeting apps, YNAB is a top choice thanks to its detailed budgeting strategy, excellent support, and helpful features. However, if you’re looking for a free option, competitor Mint is a solid alternative. Here’s a review of the most important features of the best budgeting apps.
best budget app for couples
ut then you discover your significant other doesn’t prioritize saving as much as you do. Your partner, on the other hand, can’t fathom why you consider a new outfit to be “a need” when you have a closet full of clothes.
Before the tense money discussions become full-on arguments, you and your partner need to get on the same page about your shared finances… or better yet, the same app.
10 Best Budgeting Apps for Couples
Budgeting App Price
EveryDollar Free or $130/yr for Plus SEE DETAILS
Goodbudget Free or $70/yr premium SEE DETAILS
Honeydue Free SEE DETAILS
Firstly Free SEE DETAILS
Mint Free SEE DETAILS
Mvelopes $6, $10 or $20/mo SEE DETAILS
Personal Capital Free SEE DETAILS
PocketGuard Free or $8/mo SEE DETAILS
You Need a Budget $14.99/mo SEE DETAILS
Zeta Free SEE DETAILS
Breaking Down the Best Budgeting Apps for Couples
These budgeting apps will help couples tackle shared expenses, achieve joint money goals and build a strong financial future together.
EveryDollar
starstarstarstarhalf star
4.5 out of 5 Overall
Key Features
Good for zero-based budgeters
Can customize your budget categories
Tracks your savings progress
GET THE APP
EveryDollar is a budgeting app created by personal finance guru Dave Ramsey. It helps users organize their finances by making a plan for how they’ll spend every dollar they earn. While there is a free version of EveryDollar, couples serious about budgeting together may choose to upgrade to Ramsey+.
EveryDollar
EveryDollar Logo
Price
Free or $129.99 a year for Ramsey+
Syncs with bank
Yes, with Ramsey+
If you and your partner are fans of Dave Ramsey’s favorite money management method, the zero-based budget, this app will be right up your alley.
But that doesn’t mean you’d have to abandon your 50/30/20 budget if that’s what you prefer. You can customize the budget template to fit what works for you.
This budgeting app is known for providing great user experience without a bunch of distracting ads. If you opt into the premium version Ramsey Plus, you get automatic syncing to your bank account — which the free version does not provide — and access to Ramsey’s Financial Peace University.
Learn more from our EveryDollar review.
Goodbudget
starstarstarstarhalf star
4.5 out of 5 Overall
Key Features
Good for cash envelope budgeters
Tracks your debt payoff progress
GET THE APP
Goodbudget is modeled off of the cash envelope system — except you don’t have to carry around physical cash. Instead, you use virtual envelopes for all of your various spending categories. This app also includes a debt-tracking feature so you and your other half can see your collective progress on paying off credit cards and student loans.
Goodbudget
image_0
Price
Free, or premium version for $70 annually or $8 monthly
Syncs with bank
No
Goodbudget is for couples who like the cash envelope system but are ready to stop carrying cash everywhere.
This app uses virtual envelopes for your various spending categories. If you’re using the free version, you get a total of 20 envelopes. The paid version allows you unlimited envelopes.
Another difference between the two versions: You can only use the app on two devices with the free version; whereas with the paid version, you can use up to five devices.
With Goodbudget, you’ll need to be comfortable manually updating your envelopes when you make purchases or uploading your transaction history from your bank. The app does not sync to bank accounts to track spending in real time.
Honeydue
starstarstarstarempty star
4 out of 5 Overall
Key Features
Tracks spending, debt and investments
Choose what to share with your partner
Merge money with joint banking
GET THE APP
Honeydue syncs to bank, credit and investment accounts to give couples a holistic picture of their shared finances. Choose full financial transparency or limit what your partner can see — so that gifts still remain a surprise. Honeydue also offers a joint bank account through Sutton Bank. You can use the Honeydue Visa card surcharge-free at over 55,000 ATMs nationwide.
Honeydue
image_1
Price
Free
Syncs with bank
Yes
Honeydue helps you and your partner stay on the same page by letting you track spending and saving together, collectively manage debt and save for the future.
Like its name implies, Honeydue has a feature that reminds you and your honey when bills are due. You can also chat with your partner directly in the app about all things financial.
Firstly
starstarstarstarhalf star
4.5 out of 5 Overall
Key Features
Track spending, debt and investments
Set family savings goals
Set reminders about upcoming bills
GET THE APP
Previously known as Honeyfi, Firstly is a budgeting app that’s specifically targeted to families in the “sandwich generation” — couples carrying the responsibilities of supporting their children and their aging parents. You can use the app to manage your household’s expenses, while teaching your teens about saving and monitoring your parents’ monthly bills.
Firstly
Firstly Logo
Price
Free
Syncs with bank
Yes
Firstly is a budgeting app that’s ideal for couples who are carrying the financial responsibilities of raising children plus assisting their aging parents. The app is created as a one-stop shop for managing family finances.
In addition to tracking spending and wealth building, Firstly helps to encourage money convos by letting users send in-app communication to their partner or another family member. You can also set family savings goals, like putting aside money for a big vacation or to purchase a larger house. You set your savings rules and authorize Firstly to pull a certain percentage or a set amount from your checking accounts each month.
Firstly was previously known as Honeyfi until Strategic Financial Solutions acquired the app in March 2021 and rebranded it.
Mint
starstarstarstarhalf star
4.5 out of 5 Overall
Key Features
Track spending with your partner
Set alerts about upcoming bills
Create unlimited spending categories
GET THE APP
Mint is a popular budgeting app from Intuit, the makers of QuickBooks and TurboTax. Use this app to customize your budget, stay on top of upcoming expenses and discover where you’re overspending.
Mint
Intuit Mint Logo
Price
Free
Syncs with bank
Yes
Mint has been around for over a decade and is known as a tried-and-true money management system. You and your other half can get on budget together by syncing your bank accounts and creating as many spending categories as you’d like.
Mint sends you reminders about upcoming bills so you and your partner stay on top of paying everything on time. It’ll also alert you when you’re low on funds. You can use Mint to meet savings goals and for insight on where you’re overspending.
One downside of this app, however, is that it can feel a bit cluttered with ads and offers — a common criticism of free apps.
Learn more from our Mint review.
Mvelopes
starstarstarstarempty star
4 out of 5 Overall
Key Features
Good for cash envelope budgeters
Unlimited virtual envelopes
Access to money coach with premium plan
GET THE APP
Mvelopes brings the cash envelope system to the digital world. Curb overspending by creating virtual cash envelopes for each of your budgeting categories. You’ll know at a glance how much money is available to spend in a category before you swipe your debit card.
Mvelopes
image_2
Price
Tiered plans priced at $5.97 a month, $9.97 a month and $19.97 a month
Syncs with bank
Yes
If you and your significant other are fans of the cash envelope budget, Mvelopes will help you stick to that system — but without needing to carry around wads of cash.You link your bank account and create virtual envelopes based on how much you want to spend in different categories.
If you and your partner need to stick to a strict grocery budget or curb what you spend on entertainment, you can easily tell how much you have left to spend for the month in each budget category.
With the Mvelopes app, there are three different plans you can sign up for. The cheapest, Mvelopes Basic, allows you to set up your envelope budget, monitor account balances, get interactive reports and access live chat support.
Mvelopes Premier adds perks like debt reduction tools and access to the Mvelopes Learning Center. The premium Mvelopes Plus includes a personalized financial plan and quarterly sessions with a money coach.
Learn more from our Mvelopes review.
Personal Capital
starstarstarstarhalf star
4.5 out of 5 Overall
Key Features
Links to all your financial accounts
Calculates your net worth
Offers a retirement planning tool
GET THE APP
Personal Capital is an app that gives couples a holistic view of their financial situation. Not only will it help you stay on top of everyday spending, but it’ll help you chart your way toward big goals like home ownership or retirement. While this app is free, it also offers wealth management services for a fee.
Personal Capital
image_3
Price
Free
Syncs with bank
Yes
Personal Capital is for the couple that’s serious about their future together — particularly their financial future.
In addition to keeping tabs on your day-to-day spending, the app links to your 401(k)s and IRAs so you can see how you’re tracking toward retirement. It even offers a free retirement planner tool.
Personal Capital also factors in financial information like your mortgage and other loans to give you a complete picture of your net worth.
Learn more from our Personal Capital review.
PocketGuard
starstarstarstarempty star
4 out of 5 Overall
Key Features
Tells you how much money you can spend
Creates custom reports on your spending
Helps you pay off debt
GET THE APP
PocketGuard helps couples account for all their spending. The app has an “in my pocket” feature, which lets you know how much you can spend on date night after covering household bills and other obligations. PocketGuard also digs through your expenses to identify savings and ways to improve your finances.
PocketGuard
Pocketguard Logo
Price
Free, or premium version for $7.99 a month or $79.99 a year
Syncs with bank
Yes
PocketGuard syncs your bank accounts, credit cards, loans and investments so you and your partner get an overall view of your shared finances. It automatically builds your budget based on your income, recurring bills and financial goals you’ve set.
The premium version — PocketGuard Plus — includes additional features like customized spending categories and ways to track cash purchases.
You Need a Budget
starstarstarstarempty star
4 out of 5 Overall
Key Features
Good for zero-based budgeters
Creates reports to assess your spending
Can use on almost any device
GET THE APP
You Need a Budget — or YNAB — is a useful app for couples who want to align their spending with their financial goals. It helps you account for every dollar you earn, stay ahead of bills and save for big expenses over time. YNAB also offers online workshops and video courses to improve your financial literacy.
You Need a Budget
You Need A Budget Logo
Price
$14.99 a month or $98.99 a year
Syncs with bank
Yes
You Need a Budget, or YNAB, is for couples who want to stay on top of every dollar they make and make sure that money is going to good use.
This app is set up around the zero-based budgeting method and is designed to help you and your significant other save money and get out of debt. YNAB identifies areas of overspending and gives you suggestions on how to adjust. It also makes recommendations for your budget based on your goals.
You can access this budgeting tool from almost any device — including your Apple watch or Amazon Echo. With YNAB, you’ll never have an excuse not to pull up your budget.
Learn more from our YNAB review.
Zeta
starstarstarhalf starempty star
3.5 out of 5 Overall
Key Features
Tracks personal and shared spending
Control what info your partner can see
Offers a joint account
GET THE APP
Zeta is a budgeting app for couples that allows you to manage shared and individual spending and money goals. The app allows you to split expenses and send messages to each other about transactions. Zeta also offers a joint account if you’re ready to completely merge money with your significant other.
Zeta
Zeta Logo
Price
Free
Syncs with bank
Yes
Zeta is a budgeting app designed specifically for couples. It’s set up so you can manage shared and individual accounts together, but you’re in control of what information you want your partner to see.
You can sync your bank accounts or choose to manually update your budget. If you want to leave a note for your significant other about a questionable transaction, you can do that within the app. Zeta also has a split transactions feature so you can get your other half to pay you back for household bills.
When it comes to planning a vacation or saving for a house, Zeta has a section for money goals so you can stay on track.
What to Consider When Selecting a Couples’ Budgeting App
We’ve given you a bunch of options to choose from. Now it’s time to nail down what will work best for you and your significant other.
Think about how you’ll be using your budgeting app. Do you want something that syncs to your bank account to capture spending in real time? Or do you and your partner have a regular household budget meeting where you’ll manually record transactions in the app over a couple drinks?
Are you OK with ads or do you prefer a platform that limits those distractions?
Cost is another factor. Free is a great price, but some people feel more motivated to actually use what they’ve downloaded when they’re forking over money for it.
If you do go with a budgeting app that charges a monthly fee, test it out with a free trial first. If it isn’t something you’d give a 5-star rating, cancel the trial and try something else.
And if you’re Team Apple and your honey is Team Android, don’t sweat. All the options above are compatible with both operating systems.
Nicole Dow is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder. Additional reporting from former staff writer Jen Smith was included in this article.
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