Most basic budget apps allow you to keep track of your finances and categorize expenses. But these are only a few features that can be found in more sophisticated apps. We looked closer at the most popular budget tools and found out what they can do for you.
Mint
Mint has a high rating in both the Google Play and App Store. It’s free and syncs various accounts, such as credit cards, checking accounts, and investments. Mint categorizes your expenses into various categories, and it lets you set specific limits on how much you can spend. It also enables you to know if you’re reaching these limits. Aside from budgeting, Mint also provides various other features, such as a credit score and a net worth view.
The app has plenty of support, including a detailed FAQ. Although Mint is an impressive app, there may be better choices if you want to be more hands-on with your finances. Other options may be more suitable if you’re searching for a budget app that lets you plan instead of tracking your expenses after they’ve been incurred.
YNAB
The app is designed to help users plan their financial transactions instead of tracking past ones. YNAB follows a zero-based budgeting method, meaning every dollar earned is managed according to a plan. When you receive a paycheck, YNAB tells you how much should be allocated to various expenses, savings, and goals. The goal of this method is to encourage you to manage your finances actively.
With the app, users can easily make decisions and manage their finances. To help people get started, YNAB has various educational resources to teach them how to use the app.You can also link your various accounts, such as savings and checking, using YNAB. It can be accessed through the Apple Watch, Amazon Echo, and desktop. The app is designed for people who want to get more hands-on with their finances. However, it’s a bit expensive compared to other budget tools.
Goodbudget
The app is recommended for people who want to plan their finances instead of tracking past transactions. Goodbudget is based on an envelope budgeting method, which involves splitting your income into different spending categories. The app doesn’t link your bank accounts. Instead, it allows users to manually add balances, income, debts, and cash amounts. They then assign the money to envelopes.
The app can be accessed through the web and your phone. It has a variety of educational videos and articles that will help you use it. The free version of Goodbudget allows users to have one account and two devices. The paid version, Goodbudget Plus, comes with unlimited accounts and features. Unfortunately, the app doesn’t sync your financial accounts, so you must manually enter every expense.
EveryDollar
We recommend using these apps because they provide a zero-based budgeting method that is easier to manage than YNAB. The free EveryDollar app is simple, as it doesn’t sync accounts. It allows users to enter their outgoing and incoming money manually each month. It also has a variety of line items and bill payment reminders.
The paid version of Everydollar has additional features, such as automatic transactions and reports. It also allows users to link their bank accounts. The free version of the EveryDollar app is basic. Its premium version is expensive and lacks various resources to help users learn how to use it. Recently, it’s rating on Google Play dropped.