The Best Budgeting Apps Ranked From Worst to Best
If you're not saving $500 to $1,000 a month, chances are you have a budgeting problem. And in this article, I'm going to help fix that. I personally went on a mission to test the nine best budgeting apps. Some were shockingly bad, but others helped save thousands. So, here we're going to rank all of them from worst to best. Here's how the ranking is going to work. S tier is going to be the top-of-the-line, most exceptional value in the best budgeting app we could find.
A tier is going to be highly recommended with tons of powerful features.
B tier is a solid choice, and it gets the job done.
Ctier is below average and has significant drawbacks.
and D tier I'm not even going to waste your time with those.
And we're going to go in reverse order, starting with C tier and working our way up to the top app that we personally use every single day.
9- Good Budgets:
a digital version of the envelope budgeting system.
So, what makes it different ,This is one of the only apps that truly replicates the old school cash envelope system digitally. You can also choose your own budget time frame, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, which most apps don't let you do. So, let's go over some of the pros. This is good for people who love the envelope budgeting method. You can customize your budget time frame weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. There's a free version available. You can sync it with your partner and it forces you to be very intentional with your spending.
The Cons:
The free version is extremely limited with only 10 envelopes, one account, and zero bank linking. Even the paid version at $80 a year doesn't auto import transactions, so everything is manually done.
it's got a data interface feels like it's from 2010.
There's no automations whatsoever, and it's time consuming to maintain.
Here's my take, If you're a diehard envelope budgeting fan, this app digitizes that experience. But here's the problem. We don't have time for manual data entry.
The free version is also so limited it's barely usable. And the paid version, like I said, costs $80 a year and still makes you manually enter everything.
For busy families trying to build wealth, manual systems are a time tax that you can't afford.
So, who's this best for? Anyone that loves the envelope budgeting system, doesn't mind to do data entry, and has plenty of time in their hands.
8 -Simplify:
Also a C tier.
And what makes it different? Simplify has a unique watch list feature where you can track specific categories on stores that you tend to overspend at.
If you have a target problem, you can put it on your watch list and it'll be front and center for you.
The Pros:
It's super affordable at $3.99 a month or $34 a year. It's the cheapest option on this list.
It does autoimport transactions and categories.
The watch list feature is great for anyone that has a problem spending in certain areas.
It's got a clean interface, It's not too cluttered.
It's got a web and mobile version available, and it also has savings goals with automatic allocation.
The Cons:
Some of the things I don't like about it is the spending plan approach is confusing and not really intuitive.
It's got limited customizations compared to other apps. Some users report bank connectivity issues, which is a big problem. It doesn't really excel at anything.
It's just an okay app.
It's definitely not great for couples because the sharing features are weak and any of the automations are not as smart as the competitors.
Here's my take, Simplify is the definition of meh. It gets the job done if you want basic automations and don't want to spend too much money.
But here's the thing. When it comes to managing your family finances, meh shouldn't be good enough. For just a few more dollars per month, you can get significantly better features and better automations and better insights.
The watch list feature is cool, but that's not enough to carry the entire app.
So, who's this best for?
This is best for people that are on an extremely tight budget who want the absolute cheapest automation option and don't need anything fancy.
7- Every Dollar Dave Ramsey's budgeting app
Definetly on the B tier list
So, what makes this one different?
This is the only app that fully integrates with Dave Ramsey's baby step program.
So, if you're following his debt payoff plan, this tracks your progress through each step and keeps you motivated with his framework.
The Pros:
it's clean, it's got a simple interface, and it's very easy to understand.
This is great for beginners that need structure and handholding.
Again, it integrates directly with Dave Ramsey Baby Steps.
It's a zerobased budgeting which forces you to be very intentional with your money.
Group coaching is included in the premium version and obviously there's a strong community around Dave Ramsey.
The Cons:
the free version is basically useless and you have to manually import everything., that's a dealbreaker for me.
To get your banks to link up and get some automations, you need to have the premium version.
The premium version costs $79 per year or $17.99 per month, which is expensive for what you're getting. It's not great if you use credit cards. This is obviously against what Dave Ramsey's all about.
It's got limited features compared to other apps at this price point. feels like you're paying the Ramsay tax for his brand name.
Here's my final take,
The zerobased budgeting concept is fantastic. Giving every dollar a job is super powerful, and if you're deep into the Ramsey ecosystem, the Baby Step integration is super valuable.
But, you're also paying $80 a year for features that other apps have for less or even free.
The automation isn't as robust, and the free version forces manual entry, which kills any chance of automation.
If you're a diehard Dave Ramsey fan and his philosophy resonates with you, Every Dollar can definitely work. But from a pure value standpoint, you're overpaying for the brand.
This app is going to be best for Dave Ramsey followers who want every dollar assigned to a job, are following the baby steps, and don't mind paying a premium for the brand.
6-Empower:
This one is on the B tier list, and we've been using this one for over a decade.
So, what makes Empower different?
Empower is the only free budgeting app that combines budgeting with serious investing and net worth tracking and analysis. The retirement fee analyzer alone can save you tens of thousands of dollars over your lifetime by showing you how much your investment fees are costing you over time.
The Pros:
It's 100% free with no premium version needed to get the budgeting features.
It's incredible at net worth tracking and that's my favorite part of it and that's where it really thrives.
The investment analyzer tools are great.
The retirement planner shows if you're on track to retire and shows you the probability of if you're going to run out of money or not.
It has monthly cash flow tracking.
It's beautiful clean interface that was just updated.
You can link all of your accounts, your checking, your savings, your credit cards, your investing, your loans all in one place to see all of your financial health. And you can track multiple properties and vehicles.
The Cons:
The budgeting feature is pretty basic and it's more of a tracking than a proactive budgeting.
You can't really set detailed categories in the budget like other apps can.
It's definitely more of a hands-off approach. Not ideal if you want to really get hands-on with your budgeting.
Some bank connections can get glitchy.
It's not designed for day-to-day budgeting. It's more of like a big picture financial wellness app.
They do offer wealth management services, but obviously that's an upsell.
Here's my final take. Here's why Empower's on the B list. Even though we use it every single month and love it.
It's phenomenal for tracking your overall financial health, but it's a little bit too laid-back for all of their budgeting features.
If you want to see your net worth grow over time, analyze your investments, your fees, plan for retirement, get a monthly snapshot of your cash flow, Empower is unbeatable and it's free.
But if you need help sticking to your grocery budget and tracking your daily spending, you're definitely going to want something that's a little bit more robust.
We use Empower alongside our primary budgeting app because the net worth tracking and the investment analysis are just way too good to pass up.
Again, the price is free, and this is definitely going to be best for people who want a free net worth tracking, investment analysis, and a big picture view of their finances, but they don't want the details of day-to-day budgeting.
5- Copilot:
a B tier app, a hidden gem for Apple users.
So what makes it different?
Copilot is the only app that connects both Apple Card and Amazon automatically to categorize all of those transactions.
It also has the fastest bank syncing that I've ever seen. I've tested it by transferring money and watching it update in real time.
The Pros:
It has an absolutely gorgeous interface.
It's lightning fast with syncing bank accounts.
It learns from your spending patterns and anticipates reoccurring expenses.
It customizes categories with emojis and other colors, so it's visual. This is great for couples and it's easy to share.
Connects with Apple and Amazon, which is again rare feature. It works seamlessly across your iPhone, your iPad, your iMac, your MacBook.
It's clean, intuitive to navigate and there's no clutter.
The Cons:
it's only available on Apple devices.
There's no Android or web version.
It costs $12.99 per month or $95 a year, so it's definitely not cheap.
Some users do report connectivity issues.
It's got a small user base, which means there's less community support.
The investment tracking is definitely basic compared to Empower and obviously excludes half the population by only being an Apple version.
So, here's my final take. If you're in the Apple ecosystem and want a beautiful automated budgeting experience, Copilot is absolutely fantastic.
When I transferred money between accounts, Copilot updated it before I even closed the banking app.
The AI learning is impressive, too. After a few weeks, it started to anticipate the reoccurring expenses that we had and automatically categorize the transactions with scary accuracy. This saves you a ton of time versus manual categorization.
The reason it's on a B tier is pretty simple. It's Apple only. That immediately excludes half the population.
And while it's great at budgeting, it doesn't have the money-saving features like subscription tracking or bill negotiation that make higher tier apps so valuable.
The price again is $12.99 per month or $95 a year. And again, this is best for Apple users who want a beautiful design, fast automations, smart AI to handle their budgeting with minimal effort.
4- Wab:
It is the first one on our A tier ,and wab stands for: we need a budget.
What makes WAB different is it's the only app that teaches you how to budget your money that you already have, not the money that you expect to earn.
This is a mindset shift called aging your money. It breaks the paycheck to paycheck cycle. Plus, you can share your subscription with five other people, which no other app offers.
The Pros:
It's incredibly detailed and customizable. This is the Excel person's dream.
It autoimports categories and transactions from bank accounts.
It teaches you to budget your money that you already have, not just your projected income. This is great for irregular expenses to help you save monthly on your annual bills.
You can share your subscription with other people.
There's tons of free education and resources, workshops, tutorials, and community support.
WAB, you can look at your historical spending and trends.
It handles credit cards and debit cards extremely well.
The four rule philosophy changes how you think about money.
The Cons:
this definitely has a steep learning curve.
It's not intuitive at first. It's extremely hands-on, so you have to actively manage your budget on a regular basis.
It costs $14.99 a month or $109 a year. This is definitely not a set it and forget it app.
It requires constant maintenance, and time is money.
The philosophy takes time to learn and understand and implement.
At first, it can definitely feel overwhelming if you just want something simple.
So, my final take, WAB is perfect for people who are serious about budgeting and willing to put in the time and effort to learn.
And here's the thing, it works. The average WAB user saves about $600 in their first couple of months. That's real money. If you love spreadsheets, want total control of every single dollar that you earn, and you're committed to being hands-on with your budget, WAB is absolutely phenomenal.
The automation is there with bank syncing and transaction imports, but you're still actively involved in all of your allocation process.
The education resources alone are worth the price. They have a free workshop on everything from budgeting basics to handing irregular income to paying off debt.
The community is incredible and super supportive.
It's not for everyone. If you want something that's set it up once and mostly forget about it, this isn't it.
But if you want to master your money and you're willing to invest the time and effort, WAB is worth every penny.
Again, this is going to be best for detail oriented people who want complete control, love data, and they're willing to do a hands-on with their budgeting. It's also great for families who want to share one subscription.
All right, staying in the A tier
3 Wallet Hub:
All right, staying in the A tier , and this one might surprise you.
Wallet Hub is the only app on this list that gives you full credit monitoring, credit score tracking, and personalized recommendations to improve your credit and comprehensive budgeting tools all in one place.
While other budgeting apps make you choose between budgeting and credit monitoring, Wallet Hub does both seamlessly.
The Pros:
It's got full credit score monitoring with daily updates.
It has personalized recommendations so you can improve your score.
It shows you which credit cards or loans you'll likely get approved for.
It automatically imports and categorized transactions.
It has comprehensive spending insights and budget tracking.
It has net worth tracking across all accounts.
It has bill reminders so you never miss a payment.
It has a clean and intuitive interface.
It's great for building or rebuilding your credit while budgeting.
It's got savings goals and financial planning tools and also investment tracking.
So, it's got a ton of awesome features.
The Cons:
The pricing isn't transparent up front.You need to sign up to see the cost.
The budgeting features, while they're pretty solid, they aren't as deep as dedicated apps like WAB. Wallet Hub actually makes money by recommending financial products to you
It's definitely not as robust for couples.
Some customizations are limited compared to other budgeting apps.
The credit score focus might be overkill if you just want pure budgeting.
So, here's my take.
Here's why Wallet Hub earns an A tier.
It's a perfect combo for people who want to budget and improve their credit score all at the same time. If you're working on building your credit, paying off debt, or just want to monitor your credit health while tracking your spending, Wallet Hub does both with one seamless experience.
The credit monitoring alone would cost you between $10 to $20 per month in other services.
The personalized credit recommendations are actually super useful. It'll tell you things like, "Pay down this credit card by $500 and your score will likely increase by 15 points." Or, "You're using 45% of your available credit. Try getting that under 30." That kind of actionable advice helps you make smarter financial decisions.
The automation is solid.
It imports transactions, categorizes them accurately, and gives you real-time insights without requiring constant manual input.
The reason it's not in the S tier is that it doesn't actively find wasted money. It won't hunt down forgotten subscriptions, or negotiate bills for you. It's more about tracking and improving than finding and saving.
This app is going to be best for people that want to track their spending and improve their credit scores at the same time in one comprehensive app.
Perfect for anyone that's building or rebuilding their credit while getting their budget under control.
All right, staying in the A tier and number two on our list is going to be
2- Monarch Money:
an A tier list app
What makes Monarch Money different?
Monarch is specifically designed for couples that want to budget together.Each person gets their own login. You can see shared expenses and individual spending, and you can even leave notes on transaction for your partners.
This is by far the most couple friendly app on the list.
The Pros:
It has a stunning interface. It's seriously a joy to use.
It automatically imports and categorizes transactions with smart AI.
You get real-time updates.
It's perfect for couples. Easy to share budgets. Each person gets their own login.
You can customize your budget with rollover options.
It has investment tracking and net worth monitoring.
It has goal setting and visual progress tracking.
It works seamlessly on the web or the app. Great customer service.
And you can compare your spending from the current month to your previous month side by side.
The Cons:
It's $14.99 per month and $99 a year. So, it's definitely not cheap. There's no free version, but there is a 7-day trial and sometimes it's a 30-day trial.
Some users report occasional bank connectivity issues.
If you're a solo budgeter and don't have a spouse or partner, this is probably overkill.
It doesn't find wasted money or negotiate bills, and there's no subscription tracking feature.
So, here's my take. Monarch is what I call the Goldilock app. It's not too simple. It's not too complex. It's just right. If you're a couple trying to budget together, this is hands down one of the best options. You both get your own login. You can see shared expenses, individual spending, and the interface makes it actually enjoyable to check your budget.
The automation is excellent. It learns your spending patterns, categorizes your transactions accurately, and gives you real-time insight without requiring constant manual input.
The rollover feature is absolute clutch, too. If you're spending $600 on groceries, but only spent $550, that extra $50 rolls into the next month. Most apps don't do this, and this makes budgeting way more flexible and realistic. For busy families that want powerful features without steep learning curve, Monarch delivers.
It's beautiful, it's smart, and it makes budgeting feel less like a chore.
The reason it's not number one on our A tier list is that it doesn't actively help you save money.
It tracks your spending beautifully, but it won't find forgotten subscriptions to negotiate your bills to lower them.
Again, best for couples that want to automate their budgeting together and see a beautiful, complete financial picture all in one easy to use interface.
1- Rocket Money:
The S tier best budgeting app that we could find.
So, what makes Rocket Money different? Rocket Money is the only app that actively finds money that you're wasting and helps you get it back. While other apps just track your spending, Rocket Money hunts down forgotten subscriptions, negotiates your bills, and shows you exactly where your money is disappearing.
It's not just a budgeting app, it's a money-saving machine.
The Pros:
It finds subscriptions that you forgot about automatically.
It shows you all reoccurring expenses on a calendar so you know when your money goes out.
It has a bill negotiation service. They'll actually negotiate your cable, your internet, and your phone bills. We've used this many times. It automatically categorizes your transactions and shows spending trends.
It does have a free version available, but it is limited.
The premium version lets you set up a custom budget and get detailed insights.
It cancels subscriptions for you right in the app. No calling, no customer service.
It shows you your net worth, tracks your investment, and gives you an entire overall financial picture.
It works on both desktop, mobile, Android, or iPhone.
You actually get to choose how much you want to pay for premium. You can pay between $6 to $12 per month.
The Cons:
The premium version does cost money between $6 to $12 per month.
The free version is pretty limited, so you'll definitely want to upgrade to the premium for all the features.
Some people mentioned finding the interface a bit cluttered.
The bill negotiation is a great feature, but it's definitely not guaranteed that's going to work.
So, here's why Rocket Money is the best budgeting app for us and ranked number one on our list.
It aligns perfectly with our philosophy of automating and maximizing the gap between the income that you earn and the expenses that go out.
Think about it. Most people are bleeding money with subscriptions that they don't use. There's bills that they're overpaying for, and they have spending that they're not even aware of.
Rocket Money automatically finds wasted money and helps you eliminate it.
When we first connected our accounts, I found three subscriptions that we completely forgot about. Yeah, not very savvy. $47 a month just disappearing. That's $564 a year that we got back instantly.
The bill negotiation feature also saved us $35 a month on our internet bill. That was another $420 a year. So, within the first month of using Rocket Money, it not only paid for itself, but saved us 10x what we were paying for it.
We're not spending hours tracking down subscriptions or calling companies to negotiate with.
The app does all the heavy lifting for us. And time is your most important asset in life. And Rocket Money not only helps you save money, but also helps you save time.
The calendar view is absolute clutch. You can see exactly when each reoccurring bill is going to hit your account, so there's never any surprises.
You know when Netflix is coming out, when your car insurance is due, and when that annual subscription you totally forgot about is about to renew.
For busy families trying to build wealth and freedom. Every dollar you save is a dollar that you can invest. Rocket Money helps you find those dollars without adding any more work to your plate.
Is it perfect?
No. The interface can feel a bit busy with all the features and the bill negotiation doesn't always work, but the value it provides, especially for the price, is absolutely unmatched.
And here's the bottom line. While other apps help you track where your money went, Rocket Money helps you keep more of it. And that's the difference, and that's why it's number one.
Again, this is going to be best for families that want to automatically find and eliminate money waste, track subscriptions, negotiate bills, and maximize savings with minimal effort.
This is why Rocket Money is our number one recommendation and best budgeting app that we use every single day.
And here's the complete list:
Number one, S tier, Rocket Money. We use it every single day.
In the A tier was Monarch Money, Wallet Hub, and WAB.
And in the B tier, we have Copilot. We have Empower, and we have Every Dollar.
The C tier, we had Simplify and Good Budget.
Conclusion:
So, which one is right for you?
If you want to automatically find waste and money and maximize your savings, pick Rocket Money.
If you want to budget together with your spouse or your partner, Monarch Money.
If you want a budgeting and credit monitoring app, Wallet Hub.
If you want complete control and love numbers and data, Wab
If you're an Apple user wanting beautiful, fast automation, Copilot.
If you want the best option and a big picture on your finances, the Empower app.
I think everyone should use empower to track their net worth regardless. If you're a Dave Ramsey follower, every dollar. Andnif you're extremely tight budget, simplify.
