by Kaz Weida, Michael Archambault, Nicole Dow

Updated July 18, 2023

If you and your partner need to get in sync with your finances, consider a budgeting app.

Budgeting can feel like enough of a challenge on its own. Using a budgeting app to help track multiple income sources and spending can provide some relief. Not only can you track your finances, but you can work together toward a unified budget.

The Benefits of Budgeting Apps for Couples

While not everyone shares bank accounts, all couples can benefit from learning to manage money together. A 2022 Cornell study concluded that couples who pooled their finances into joint accounts report experiencing longer, happier and more stable relationships.

These relationship benefits correlated closely with communicating clearly about the big financial picture and coordinating shared savings goals. Fortunately, whether you and your partner share the same account or maintain individual accounts, budget apps can provide the same benefits.

We’ve researched, downloaded and tested the top budgeting apps available for Apple and Android devices to help couples manage combined finances. Situations vary, so we’ve provided multiple options, allowing you to pick the app that best fits your financial needs.

Breaking Down the Best Budgeting Apps for Couples

These budgeting apps will help couples tackle shared expenses, achieve joint money goals and build a strong financial future together.

1. Trim: Best for Cutting Expenses

Trim has a few tricks up its sleeves for couples who want help saving for the future and managing their current expenses. The app connects to your bank to make budgeting easier, automatically importing transactions to analyze spending patterns and make smart recommendations.

Trim can also find and help cancel any unwanted subscriptions that you may have forgotten. For services that you wish to keep — such as your cable, internet and phone — Trim can attempt to negotiate lower pricing deals. Trim will even go as far as attempting to negotiate down your medical bills if desired.

The majority of Trim’s offerings, such as transaction monitoring and subscription cancellation, are free, but you’ll pay up to 15% of your annual savings if you opt for bill negotiation. If you want an AI-powered budgeting tool, Trim is a solid option for couples.

2. Goodbudget: Best Envelope Budgeting System

Goodbudget is for couples who like the cash envelope system but are ready to stop carrying cash everywhere.

This app uses virtual envelopes for your various spending categories. If you’re using the free version, you get 20 envelopes. The paid version allows you unlimited envelopes.

Another difference between the two versions: You can use the app on only two devices with the free version; whereas with the paid version, you can use up to five devices.

With Goodbudget, you’ll need to be comfortable manually updating your envelopes when you make purchases or uploading your transaction history from your bank. The app does not sync to bank accounts to track spending in real time.