by Kaz Weida, Michael Archambault

Updated July 14, 2023

Unless you’re an accountant, budgeting can be nerve-wracking. Images of spreadsheets, endless numbers and paper receipts likely come to mind. If the prospect of better budgeting has you quaking in your boots, consider selecting a digital budgeting app to make your life easier.

Whether you want a better overview of your income and spending, the ability to trim the fat from your expenses or a strict budget, there are apps out there for your lifestyle. Not all apps cost money; many offer financial tools for free.

We’ve rounded up the best budgeting apps, free and paid, for Android smartphones and iPhones. Some of our highlighted apps even connect to your bank account, so you don’t need to input all your information manually.

What Is the Best Budgeting App for You?

There are several things to consider when you’re looking for a good budgeting app.

• Flexibility: You may want the flexibility to customize your budget based on various factors, such as different types of income (i.e., cash tips, side hustle) and the kind of budget you like to use.
• Account syncing: Budgeting apps can do a little or a lot. You may prefer to track transactions manually. Or maybe you want real-time tracking on transactions for some or all of your accounts.
• User experience: How an app functions can vary. Are you OK with ads? Credit card offers? Categories that can’t be personalized?
• Cost: Some budget apps are free. Some are paid. Some are “freemium” — basic features for free, premium features for a price. Do you want to budget for free? Are you cool with paying for extra features?

We’re recommending a range of budgeting apps that cover all the bases: paid, free, nice-to-have extras, super basic, no syncing, all the syncing (including tracking your net worth), automatically adding transactions, manually logging transactions, just for you or shared with someone else. Whatever your style, there’s a budget app that’s right for you.