Let’s be honest—keeping track of where your money goes isn’t always easy. One minute your paycheck hits your account, and the next, you’re wondering how a couple of takeouts, a streaming service or two, and that “emergency” online shopping spree emptied your balance.
In 2025, we’ve got no excuses. There are so many great apps out there designed to help us stay on top of our spending, save more without thinking too hard, and finally start taking control of our finances. The real challenge? Picking the right one.
I’ve tested and researched a bunch of apps, and below are the ones that really stand out. Whether you're budgeting solo, managing household finances with a partner, or just trying to understand where all your cash disappears each month, there’s something in here for you.
1. YNAB (You Need A Budget)
Best for: People who want full control of their money
YNAB isn’t for the faint-hearted—but if you’re serious about budgeting, this is the heavyweight champ. It follows a “give every dollar a job” rule, which basically means you're planning ahead with your money instead of just reacting to your bank balance.
It does take a little time to learn, especially if you’re new to budgeting. But once you get into the rhythm, it’s incredibly satisfying. You can plan for irregular bills, track every dollar, and make smarter decisions. Plus, their support team and resources are excellent.
Downside: It’s not free. But most users say they save more than the cost of the app within a few weeks of using it.
2. Simplifi by Quicken
Best for: People who don’t want to overthink budgeting
If you’ve ever downloaded a budgeting app and gave up within ten minutes, give Simplifi a shot. It’s clean, easy to use, and does a lot of the heavy lifting for you. Link your accounts, and it starts building a picture of your finances automatically.
You can set goals (like saving for a trip or paying off your credit card), track bills, and see your upcoming cash flow at a glance. It’s not loaded with features, but that’s kind of the point—it keeps things simple.
3. Monarch
Best for: Couples or families managing money together
Monarch has a beautiful interface and is made for people who share finances—or want to. You can both log in, set financial goals, track net worth, and create budgets together without awkward Excel sheets or confusing email threads.
You can also invite your financial advisor or accountant, if you work with one, and keep everything in one place. It feels like a grown-up money management app, especially if you’re building a life with someone else.
4. PocketGuard
Best for: Quick-glance money checks
If you often find yourself thinking, “Can I afford this right now?”—PocketGuard has your back. It calculates how much money you have “in your pocket” after accounting for bills, savings goals, and essentials. It’s not going to overwhelm you with graphs or complicated terms, and that’s its charm.
The premium version gives you access to more features, like custom categories and goal planning, but the free version is perfectly usable on its own.
5. Honeydue
Best for: Couples keeping some finances separate
Not every couple wants to fully merge their finances, and that’s totally fair. Honeydue is perfect if you want to track shared expenses—like rent, groceries, or Netflix—but still keep your personal spending private.
You can chat inside the app (yes, like texting), send reminders, and get notifications when a bill is coming up. It keeps communication open and makes splitting bills a lot less awkward.
6. Empower (formerly Personal Capital)
Best for: People managing both spending and investments
Empower is more than a budgeting tool—it gives you the full picture. It connects with your checking accounts, credit cards, investment accounts, loans, and more. You can see your net worth in real time, track your retirement plan, and even get help from a financial advisor if you want.
If you’re just looking for a simple expense tracker, this might feel like overkill. But if you’re planning long-term, Empower makes a lot of sense.
7. Rocket Money (formerly Truebill)
Best for: Canceling subscriptions you forgot about
We’ve all been there. You sign up for a free trial, swear you’ll cancel it… and then six months go by and you’ve donated $60 to a service you never use. Rocket Money catches those sneaky recurring charges and helps you cancel them.
It also offers bill negotiation, credit score tracking, and even lets you set up automatic savings. If your finances feel out of control and you’re not sure where to start, this is a solid first step.
8. Spendee
Best for: People who like visual data
Some people do better with numbers. Others need color-coded charts and graphs. Spendee leans into the latter. It gives you a visual breakdown of your spending, supports multiple currencies, and is great for both individual and shared wallets (think roommates, trips, or family budgets).
The interface is colorful but not overwhelming, and it’s fun to use—which, believe it or not, makes a big difference when building good financial habits.
9. Goodbudget
Best for: Fans of the envelope method
If you’ve ever used the envelope system (where you separate cash into envelopes for different categories), Goodbudget is your digital version of that. You manually enter your income and assign amounts to different categories. When the envelope’s empty, that’s it for the month.
It doesn’t link to your bank, which might sound like a downside, but it forces you to stay engaged. And honestly, that’s where the real budgeting magic happens.
10. Wallet by BudgetBakers
Best for: Long-term tracking and goal setting
Wallet gives you a detailed look at your finances and is especially useful if you’re planning big-picture goals—like saving for a house or paying off long-term debt. You can sync bank accounts, track spending habits, and even scan receipts.
It might take a little more time to set up than some of the more plug-and-play apps, but the payoff is worth it if you’re in it for the long haul.
11. Rewiser
Best for: People who like to customize their tools
Rewiser is a newer name but shows a lot of promise. It’s more flexible than most apps—you can build your own setup with different modules depending on your needs. Whether that’s multi-currency tracking, savings goals, or crypto—Rewiser has you covered.
It's ideal for people who want to get into the details and don’t mind spending a bit of time tweaking the interface.
12. For the Travelers: TravelSpend, Tricount & More
If you’re planning a trip (solo or with a group), there are a few standout apps worth mentioning:
TravelSpend: Great for tracking trip expenses by category and currency.
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Tricount: Perfect for splitting expenses with friends or travel companions.
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Trabee Pocket: Simple, focused, and doesn’t need internet access to work.
These apps aren’t about hardcore budgeting—they’re about keeping vacations stress-free and preventing post-trip bill confusion.
Final Thoughts
There’s no perfect budgeting app. The best one is the one you’ll actually use.
If you’re a planner, go with YNAB.
If you want to cancel some subscriptions and start fresh, try Rocket Money.
If you’re managing shared finances, Monarch or Honeydue are great.
If you’re just starting out and don’t want to be overwhelmed, Simplifi or PocketGuard are solid choices.
Whatever you pick, remember: apps are just tools. Real change comes from being consistent and honest with yourself about your money. The good news? These apps make that easier than ever.
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