Top Budgeting Apps for Smarter Money Management in 2025

Simplify money management with the best budgeting apps for 2025. Track spending, set savings goals, and take control of your finances with ease.

A budget is a simple plan for managing money. It helps people to track their income and expenses to stay in control of their finances. With a budget, you can plan how much to spend, save, or set aside for future goals. It also shows if you’re spending more than you earn, so you can make adjustments.

Creating a budget doesn’t have to be complicated. Some people jot it down on paper, while others use apps or spreadsheets. The method you choose depends on what is best for you. What matters most is having a plan to keep your finances organized.

What are Budgeting Apps?

Budgeting apps are tools that help you manage money with ease. It tracks your income, expenses, and savings goals by giving you a clear picture of your finances. Most budgeting apps organize spending into categories, show charts or graphs, and send reminders for bills or overspending. 

The goal is to simplify money management, encourage better habits, and help you reach financial milestones faster.

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What to Look for in Budgeting Apps

1. Bank Connection

Make sure the app connects with your bank and other accounts. An app that doesn’t sync with your finances might not be worth using.

2. Goal Tracking

Look for tools that let you set savings goals and track progress easily. It should make goal-setting simple and fun.

3. Spending Categories

An app that automatically sorts your spending saves time. It should also let you create custom categories that match your needs.

4. Security Features

Protecting your data is a must. Choose apps with strong encryption and security tools to keep your information safe.

10 Best Budgeting Apps

You Need a Budget (YNAB)

YNAB is a top pick for those serious about budgeting. It costs $84 per year but offers a 34-day free trial. Many users stick with it because it teaches smart money habits and helps grow savings. If you’re not satisfied with their service, you can cancel anytime and get a refund.

Goodbudget

Goodbudget modernizes the old envelope system. It divides your money into virtual envelopes for different spending categories, showing exactly what’s left in each one. It’s great for couples and families since budgets sync across devices.

You can also track debt payments and plan for big purchases without neglecting savings goals. The free version has limits, only one account, 20 envelopes, and two devices. It doesn’t support investments, but it’s still useful for simple budgeting.

PocketGuard

PocketGuard links to your accounts to track spending, bills, and savings in one place. It shows how much money you have available after bills and budgeted expenses.

It also offers spending reports, debt repayment plans, and custom categories. Features like savings goals and transaction notes make it more flexible. While it used to have a free version, it now offers only a 7-day trial before requiring a subscription.

EveryDollar

EveryDollar helps users find extra cash and trim expenses. It claims most people save up to $400 in their first month and cut costs by nearly 10%.

You can create unlimited spending categories and plan expenses based on your pay schedule. The premium version connects to your bank for automatic updates, tracks net worth, and offers live support. However, it lacks tools for bill negotiation and subscription tracking.

Empower Personal Wealth

Empower, previously called Personal Capital, focuses more on investments but includes budgeting tools. It tracks net worth, builds retirement plans, and analyzes investments.

The app also creates spending snapshots with customizable categories. It’s ideal for wealth management, but full access requires at least $100,000 in investments.

Mint

Mint is a free and widely used app for personal finance. It automatically syncs with your accounts, keeps data updated, and offers a detailed dashboard.

You can track net worth, credit card debt, cash flow, and investments in one place. It also connects you with experts for financial advice. With millions of downloads, Mint is a go-to option for budget tracking without extra costs.

Simplifi

Simplifi is backed by over 40 years of experience. It provides a flexible way to manage savings goals and expenses without opening new accounts.

It offers spending plans, real-time alerts, and detailed reports. Spending is categorized automatically, and you can create custom categories. While Simplifi doesn’t have a free version, its plans start at $2.99 per month. Premium options with added tools cost $3.99 per month.

HoneyDue

HoneyDue is designed for couples managing money together. It lets partners link accounts, share selected details, and keep some information private.

You can set bill reminders and leave comments on transactions within the app. While it’s great for joint budgeting, it doesn’t support savings goals. Transfers to savings accounts are recorded as expenses, which may not suit users focused on growing savings.

Rocket Money

Rocket Money helps save money by finding and canceling unwanted subscriptions. It also negotiates bills to lower costs but charges a percentage of savings for successful negotiations.

It tracks spending, savings goals, and credit scores. The app offers alerts for unusual charges or low balances. While the free version has basic features, premium plans with advanced tools cost between $6–$12 per month.

Money Manager Expense & Budget

Money Manager focuses on visual budgeting, showing charts and stats to make spending clearer. It includes asset tracking, password protection, and real-time bookkeeping.

You can back up and restore data or export reports to Excel. Its sleek design makes it user-friendly. The pro version costs $3.99, but you can also access it for free with a Google Play Pass subscription.

Best Free Budgeting Apps

Zeta

Zeta is built for couples who want to manage their money together. It tracks shared expenses, bills, and savings goals, making teamwork on finances simple. Whether you combine all finances or keep some separate, Zeta keeps both options organized.

Top Features

• Tracks joint and personal expenses.
• Sets savings goals for shared plans.
• Sends bill reminders to avoid missed payments.
• Updates transactions in real time.

Pros

• Perfect for couples managing shared expenses.
• Completely free to use.

Cons

• Limited reporting tools.
• Not ideal for single users.

Honeydue

Honeydue helps couples organize their finances with tools for tracking bills, spending, and savings. It also lets users set reminders and sync accounts, keeping both partners in the loop.

Top Features

• Tracks joint and personal accounts.
• Sends reminders for bills and payments.
• Organizes spending into categories.
• Connects to multiple banks and credit cards.

Pros

• Great for managing shared finances.
• No cost to use.

Cons

• Fewer features than paid apps.
• Limited support options.

Spendee

Spendee offers a colorful design and useful tools for budgeting. It works well for individuals and groups who need to track spending and set financial goals.

Top Features

• Shared wallets for group expenses.
• Customizable budgets for tracking spending.
• Visual charts to monitor finances.
• Goal-setting features for savings.

Pros

• Easy-to-use design.
• Good for group or family budgets.

Cons

• Premium features require payment.
• Free version has fewer tools.

Empower Personal Dashboard

Empower, previously called Personal Capital, focuses on investments but also includes budgeting features. It connects to bank accounts, loans, and credit cards, offering a snapshot of your finances.

Top Features

• Tracks income, spending, and investments.
• Monitors net worth and retirement savings.
• Organizes spending by categories.
• Accessible on phones, tablets, and desktops.

Pros

• Useful for tracking both budgets and investments.
• Includes net worth tracking for long-term planning.

Cons

• Budgeting tools are basic compared to others.
• Focuses more on investments than day-to-day spending.

Wally

Wally is a simple app for tracking personal expenses. It’s great for users who want to avoid linking their bank accounts and prefer manual tracking.

Top Features

• Allows photo uploads of receipts.
• Tracks spending by location.
• Easy-to-use interface focused on expenses.

Pros

• Highly private, no bank linking required.
• Simple and quick to set up.

Cons

• Lacks features like savings goals and bill tracking.
• No investment or advanced budgeting tools.

Conclusion

Budgeting apps make managing money easier by helping users track expenses, plan savings, and stay on top of bills. These tools offer flexible options for every need. Whatever purpose you may have, be it detailed reports, visual graphs, or simple tracking, there’s an app to match your style. Staying organized with these apps can lead to smarter spending, better savings, and stronger financial habits.