Best Budgeting Apps to Stay on Track (Free + Paid Picks for 2025)
Published by Speed Credit
Table of Contents
- What to Look for in a Budgeting App
- Best Free Budgeting Apps
- Best Paid Budgeting Apps
- Which App Is Best for You?
- Next Up: How to Budget on an Irregular Income
What to Look for in a Budgeting App
The right app depends on your goals, but generally you want:
- Bank sync + auto-tracking to simplify your life
- Custom categories for your real-life expenses
- Spending alerts + insights to keep you accountable
- Zero-based or envelope support if you’re hands-on
- Mobile and desktop access if you want flexibility
Best Free Budgeting Apps
1. Rocket Money (formerly Truebill)
- Tracks subscriptions, negotiates bills
- Great for beginners or those with “leakage” spending
- Free version available (with premium add-ons)
2. Mint (discontinued but being replaced by Intuit Credit Karma Money)
- Free budgeting + credit tracking in one place
- Best for people who want a basic, no-cost overview
- May be best replaced soon—watch for updates
3. Goodbudget
- Digital envelope-style budgeting
- No bank sync—great for manual trackers
- Free basic version, perfect for couples
Best Paid Budgeting Apps
1. You Need a Budget (YNAB)
- Zero-based budgeting perfection
- Goal tracking, age of money, deep reports
- $14.99/month or $99/year (free trial available)
2. EveryDollar (Ramsey Solutions)
- Simple, clean interface
- Great for zero-based or faith-based households
- Free version available; Premium syncs accounts ($79.99/year)
3. Monarch Money
- Built by ex-Mint engineers
- Powerful tracking + investment net worth tools
- Premium feel with goal setting and automation ($14.99/month)
Which App Is Best for You?
| Your Style | Best App |
|---|---|
| Just getting started, want free + easy | Rocket Money or Goodbudget |
| Want hands-on zero-based budgeting | YNAB or EveryDollar |
| Want to track everything including investments | Monarch Money |
| Love paper-and-pen but want digital backup | Goodbudget or EveryDollar (manual options) |
Next Up: How to Budget on an Irregular Income
Freelancer? Side hustler? Commission-based job? Budgeting with inconsistent income can feel impossible—but it’s not. In the next guide, we’ll show you how to stay on track even when your paycheck isn’t predictable in How to Budget on an Irregular Income.
