5 best budgeting apps to help get your finances in order

January 11, 2022

By Kim Komando

People worldwide have had their finances upended by the stressors the pandemic created. Unemployment, unforeseen medical expenses and a fluctuating economy have made everyone understand the importance of budgeting and personal savings.

Need some extra cash? Tap or click here to learn how to make money selling photos. For those of us without an in-depth financial background, there are several apps out there designed to make budgeting a breeze and turn your finances around with a bit of planning.

If you want to keep your finances from falling apart, choosing the right budgeting app could be just the answer you are looking for. Here are the best budgeting apps available.

What to look for in a budgeting app

Don’t just blindly choose the first app that pops up when you search budgeting apps. There are several factors to consider when selecting the one that fits your needs best.

Security

Most budgeting apps have you connect your credit cards and bank accounts and enter personal information, including your most delicate passwords. That’s a lot of faith given to one app.

With hackers being a constant concern, security should be your number one priority when choosing the right budgeting app. Do they have a history of being hacked? Does the application offer two-factor authentication? Be sure to check the security settings of an app before making a final choice.

Cost

Budgeting apps typically have a free option, but many require upgrading if you want premium options. This doesn’t mean you should avoid the paid apps, but you’ll want to ensure the purchase is worth it for your budgeting needs.

Features

Not every app is created equal. Some will let you track all your financial accounts, and some are more limited. Investigate a few apps before choosing so you can see which features are the most valuable to you and if they are worth paying for. Now onto the apps.

1. EveryDollar

Everyone knows that Dave Ramsey has solid advice about what to do with money, so it comes as no surprise that he has an app to help square your budget away. Key free features include:

• Personalize your budget for even the most inane items.
• Create a custom savings goal.
• Keep track of all your due dates in one place.

Now to connect your accounts and see where your money is going, you’ll have to spring for the premium option. The premium option will give you custom budget insights, an overview of your debt, and even let you print your transaction history directly from the app. Learn more here.

Best For: Those who want a simple budgeting option without connecting all their accounts.

Cost: Free or $59.99 for three months after a 14 day free trial for the premium version.

2. Mint

Mint is likely the most well-known app on the list and comes from Intuit, the makers of popular tax software. It’s got over 25 million users, which shows it’s popular and functional. Best of all, it’s free to use.

Key features include:

• Free credit scores from Transunion.
• Include all your financial accounts in one place with monthly tracking.
• ‘Mintsights’ will show you where your money is going and how to optimize your spending habits.

Mint is one of the best apps out there for features. You can customize budgets, track due dates, and a host of other options you’ll pay for with other apps. Learn more about Mint here.

Best For: Those who don’t want to pay a monthly fee for premium features.

Cost: Free

3. Honeydue

If you do your finances with someone else, like your spouse, Honeydue is likely the perfect app for you. It has a debit card product to make budgeting your cash even simpler. Choose what financial information you want to share and budget together. Key features include:

• Track loans, bank accounts, and information from over 20,000 financial institutions.
• Coordinate bills with your partner.
• Bank together using Honeydues joint account feature.

You don’t have to be married to find Honeydue convenient. Anyone with joint bills, even couples who have just moved in together, can find the features convenient. Worried about a bill being paid? Nudge your partner directly on the app. Learn more about HoneyDue here.

Best for: Couples and those with joint finances.

Cost: Free

4. PocketGuard

What makes PocketGuard stand out is its algorithm that helps you cut unnecessary spending and redirect your cash flow into the right places. It even breaks down how much you can spend daily, making curbing your spending easy as pie.

Key features include:

• Connect your checking, savings, and credit cards directly to the app.
• Smart bill reminder can help you negotiate lower monthly bills.
• Educational opportunities on its website.

If you are looking for many free services, PocketGuard isn’t the right choice as its free version doesn’t quite stand up to other apps like Mint. But its paid version outpaces other apps on the market with premium features.

Best for: Those looking for various features and willing to pay a high subscription fee.

Cost: Limited free version or $7.99 a month for the premium app.

5. Personal Capital

If you’ve moved onto the later years of life and investments and retirement are of a higher priority, Personal Capital offers a great budgeting app for you. The entire app is free, and it offers insights not found in any other app on the list, including:

• An overview of your entire networth.
• The option for paid investment services.
• Retirement planner tool.

If your finances are in check but want to be sure you are investing correctly and planning for the next steps in life, Personal Capital has it all.

Best For: Those planning for retirement.

Cost: Free.

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