15 Best iPhone Apps for Budgeting and Saving Money

The average American household has more than $8,000 in credit card debt. With costs rising, it’s vital to manage money well. Thankfully, many budgeting apps for iPhone users can help control finances and save for the future.

This article lists the top 15 iPhone apps for budgeting and saving. These apps help you monitor spending, organize expenses, and make smart choices. Whether you’re starting or already good at budgeting, you’ll find an app here for you.

best-iphone-apps-for-budgeting-and-saving-money

Key Takeaways:

  • It’s important to manage finances today, especially with the average American household’s credit card debt over $8,000.
  • Many iPhone apps are available to help you budget and save money efficiently.
  • These apps have various features like expense tracking, budget sorting, and tailored financial advice.
  • Finding the right app depends on your budgeting method and what you prefer, whether it’s detailed budgeting, simple overviews, or shared accounts.
  • Using one of these top apps can help take charge of your finances and reach your financial goals.

YNAB, for hands-on zero-based budgeting

When you think of hands-on zero-based budgeting, YNAB (You Need a Budget) shines. It uses a plan where every dollar gets a role. So, you track spending, savings, and paying off debts wisely. This method guides you to use every dollar with purpose and manage money better.

YNAB lets you craft a detailed financial plan easily. You can connect your bank accounts to monitor transactions and balances without hassle. It works on many devices so you can check your budget anywhere.

YNAB requires a monthly or annual fee, but many find it a smart choice. It scores high on the Apple Store and Google Play. Users praise its help in mastering their financial life.

“YNAB changed my approach to money management. Giving every dollar a task and seeing where my money goes was revealing. For anyone serious about budgeting, I highly recommend YNAB.” – Rachel S.

If you’re eager to manage your money with zero-based budgeting, try YNAB. It gives the guidance and tools needed for smart financial choices and reaching your goals.

Pros Cons
1. Supports hands-on zero-based budgeting 1. Paid app with subscription
2. Allows linking of financial accounts 2. Moderate learning curve
3. Synchronizes across multiple devices 3. No free version

Overall, YNAB is a top pick for anyone wanting to budget better and see where their money goes.

Goodbudget, for hands-on envelope budgeting

If you like to manage your money closely, Goodbudget is ideal. It’s a top-recommended app that uses the envelope budgeting method. This method lets you divide your money into categories for different spending needs.

Goodbudget puts you in charge of your finances. You manually add money to each category. You also track your spending to manage your budget better. This method makes you think more about where your money goes.

The app has a free version, so you can start at no cost. To get more features, like syncing across devices, you can choose the paid version.

Users on both the Apple Store and Google Play have given Goodbudget high marks. They confirm its usefulness in managing money with envelope budgeting.

envelope budgeting

Using Goodbudget is simple, helping you keep your budget in order. It lets you see your spending by category, set goals for saving, and check your progress. Its ease and efficiency are why many choose it.

Key Features of Goodbudget:

  • Envelope budgeting system
  • Manual balance tracking
  • Transaction recording
  • Free version available
  • Paid version with additional benefits

Start with Goodbudget to take charge of your finances today. It’s a strong tool for envelope budgeting that can improve your financial health.

EveryDollar, for simple zero-based budgeting

EveryDollar is a great choice for iPhone users who want to use zero-based budgeting. It’s easy to use for tracking your money. You can plan every dollar you earn and spend with this app.

To start, just add your income and expenses into EveryDollar. Then, organize them in ways that fit your budgeting goals. The app lets you customize categories to match your financial needs.

EveryDollar reminds you when bills are due, so you never fall behind. If you choose the premium version, you can link your bank account. This makes it simple to monitor your transactions and keep your budget up to date.

Users love EveryDollar for its simple design and helpful features. It gets great reviews on the Apple Store and Google Play. EveryDollar helps you control your finances and make smart money choices with its zero-based budgeting approach.

EveryDollar Zero-Based Budgeting App

Key Features of EveryDollar:

  • Simple zero-based budgeting framework
  • Manual entry of income and expenses
  • Customizable budget categories
  • Reminders for bill payments
  • Option to connect bank account (premium version)

“With EveryDollar, I finally feel in control of my budget. It’s so easy to use and helps me stay on top of my spending.” – Sarah, EveryDollar user

Empower Personal Dashboard, for tracking wealth and spending

The Empower Personal Dashboard is a key tool for managing your money. It goes beyond just budgeting to offer a full view of your wealth. It was once called Personal Capital. It’s great for investments but also helps with budgeting and tracking how much you spend.

This app lets you watch all your financial accounts from one spot. You can link your checking, savings, credit cards, and investments. This gives you a full picture of your money, making it simpler to manage.

The app’s spending snapshot is a standout feature. It shows you where your money goes each month. This can help you see where to cut back and save. By knowing your spending habits, you can make smart money choices.

Empower Personal Dashboard lets you customize how you categorize spending. This means you can set it up in a way that works best for you. This customization gives you control over your budget and how you track spending.

The app is free, which makes it great for everyone. Users love its easy-to-use interface and reliable features. It’s well-rated on both the Apple Store and Google Play. Many trust it as a top choice for keeping an eye on their finances.

Empower Personal Dashboard

Key Features of Empower Personal Dashboard:

  • Easily connect and monitor multiple financial accounts
  • Get a clear spending snapshot to understand your expenses
  • Customize categories for personalized budgeting

Empower Personal Dashboard gives you the power to watch over your money carefully. It’s perfect for anyone looking to better understand their finances, from experienced investors to beginners. This app offers key insights and tools to reach your money goals.

PocketGuard, for a simplified budgeting snapshot

If you’re searching for a budgeting app, PocketGuard is great. It allows you to track all your finances in one spot. This includes bank accounts, credit cards, loans, and investments.

PocketGuard makes budgeting simple. It shows what you can spend after covering essentials and saving goals. This way, you can stick to your budget and make smart money choices.

The app gives a detailed view of your net worth too. By linking all financial accounts, your assets and debts are clearly shown. This is super useful for improving financial health.

PocketGuard is free on the Apple Store and Google Play. There’s also a paid version for more budgeting tools and personalized advice.

What People Are Saying about PocketGuard

“PocketGuard has changed how I handle my budget. It’s easy to use and keeps my spending in check.” – Sarah

“I love that PocketGuard tells me my spending limit. It’s like a personal financial guide.” – Mark

Compare PocketGuard with Other Budgeting Apps

App Features Price Rating
PocketGuard Simplified budgeting snapshot, net worth tracking Free, with paid version available 4.5/5
YNAB Hands-on zero-based budgeting Paid subscription 4.8/5
Goodbudget Hands-on envelope budgeting Free, with paid version available 4.2/5

PocketGuard stands out with its easy and clear budgeting method. It offers a simple view of finances and net worth, making it a top pick.

PocketGuard App

Honeydue, for budgeting with a partner

Handling money as a couple can be tough. Different ways of spending and goals need a good plan. Here’s where Honeydue comes in. It’s a budget app made for two.

With Honeydue, partners can link their bank accounts, credit cards, and more for a full view of money matters. You can keep track of everything, from income to expenses, together.

The app sorts out expenses for you, showing where cash goes. You can also set up your categories that fit your spending. This makes your budget feel more personal and suited to you.

Honeydue helps you set spending limits each month. This helps you and your partner spend wisely. Having clear limits helps prevent spending too much.

The app reminds you of bills too. You get notifications for due bills to avoid late fees. This helps save money over time.

There’s a chat feature for better communication. It makes talking about finances and goals easy. Budgeting with your partner becomes simpler with this.

Honeydue is free and has high ratings on the Apple Store and Google Play. Its ease of use and great features make it a favorite for couples managing finances together.

Testimonials

“Using Honeydue has changed how we manage our finances. It lets us see our progress and decide together. I highly recommend it!” – Sarah

“Honeydue makes staying on the same page easy. Its simple, user-friendly design helps us with our budget. It’s a lifesaver!” – Michael

budgeting app for couples

Features Benefits
Synced accounts Get a clear overview of your shared finances
Automatic expense categorization Easily track your spending and identify trends
Custom categories Create a budget that aligns with your financial goals
Monthly spending limits Stay accountable and avoid overspending
Bill reminders Avoid late fees and penalties
Chat feature Communicate and collaborate with your partner

Budgeting Software

Budgeting software adds more tools for managing your money than apps. They are great for those with complex finances. QuickBooks and Quicken are two well-known options.

“Budgeting software gives you advanced tools. This includes tax integration and payment management, helpful for both people and businesses.”

QuickBooks is a full accounting tool that also helps with budgets. You can track what you earn and spend, and create reports. It links with banks and offers invoicing and payroll.

Quicken focuses on personal finance, including budget tracking. It helps you manage spending and watch over your savings. Features include reminders for bills, investment monitoring, and retirement planning.

Budgeting software like QuickBooks and Quicken costs more than apps. But they provide extra tools that could be very useful. They are perfect for folks, families, and businesses that need more from their budgeting tools.

Here’s a quick way to see how QuickBooks and Quicken compare:

Features QuickBooks Quicken
Budgeting
Account Integration
Bill Payment
Invoicing
Payroll
Investment Tracking
Retirement Planning

QuickBooks and Quicken both provide budgeting. Yet, they have different extra features. Think about what you need financially before choosing.

Budgeting Software

Spreadsheet Budgeting

Spreadsheet budgeting lets you tailor your budget to your needs. Excel or Google Sheets help manage your money. You can track how much you spend and understand your financial habits better.

This method lets you design your budget system. It makes it easy to organize your finances based on your life. Track expenses, set saving targets, or see spending trends with a spreadsheet.

Excel or Google Sheets offer total control in budgeting. You decide how your budget looks. You can color-code or use conditional formats, making your budget both pretty and easy to use.

Benefits of Spreadsheet Budgeting

Spreadsheet budgeting has many benefits for managing your money:

  • Flexibility: You can make complex calculations and automate things with customizable formulas.
  • Visualization: Charts and graphs let you quickly see financial patterns, spending issues, and saving chances.
  • Accessibility: Excel and Google Sheets can be used on many devices, so you can work on your budget anywhere.
  • Integration: You can connect spreadsheets to other financial apps for easier data management and syncing.

Spreadsheets let you create a budget system tailored to your financial goals and needs.

Though spreadsheet budgeting requires effort to enter and maintain data, it’s worthwhile. It gives a full view of your money, helping you make smart financial choices.

Example Spreadsheet Budget

Category Budgeted Amount Actual Amount Variance
Housing $1,500 $1,550 + $50
Transportation $300 $280 – $20
Groceries $400 $420 + $20
Entertainment $200 $180 – $20
Savings $500 $550 + $50
Debt Repayment $200 $200 $0

In the example, a spreadsheet budget tracks planned and actual spending and differences. This detail shows where you can cut back or save more.

Spreadsheet budgeting puts you in charge of your money. Using Excel or Google Sheets, you can create a custom budget. This approach helps you reach your financial goals.

Spreadsheet Budgeting

Expense Tracking Apps

Expense Tracking Apps

Expense tracking apps are great for simple budgeting. They let you see where your money goes. Mint is a well-known app that categorizes your expenses for you.

expense tracking apps

With Mint, you can link your bank and credit card accounts. This gives a full view of your finances. It sorts your spending into categories like food, fun, or movies.

“Mint is my go-to app for tracking my expenses. It’s user-friendly and gives me a quick overview of my spending habits. Plus, it’s free!” – Sarah, Mint user

Mint doesn’t just track spending. It also helps you set and meet financial goals. Saving for a trip or paying off debt is easier with Mint.

Benefits of Expense Tracking Apps

  • Visibility: Apps like Mint clearly show where your money goes. This helps you find ways to save.
  • Budgeting Made Easy: These apps are great for making a budget. Mint alerts you if you’re close to or over your budget.
  • Financial Insights: By looking at your spending over time, these apps offer useful tips. They can improve your financial choices and habits.

Comparison of Expense Tracking Apps

App Key Features Cost Availability
Mint Expense tracking, budgeting, goal setting Free iOS, Android
Personal Capital Expense tracking, investment tracking, retirement planning Free iOS, Android
Wally Expense tracking, budgeting, bill reminders Free iOS, Android

While many like Mint, there are other apps that might fit you better. Look around to find one that meets your financial needs.

Cash Envelope Budgeting

Cash envelope budgeting is a hands-on way to manage your money. It helps you keep track of spending without tech. You put set amounts of cash into envelopes for things like food, fun, or travel. Each envelope stands for a part of your budget. This way, you can’t spend more than you have in each envelope.

This system makes you see how much you’re spending. Seeing cash decrease in each envelope makes you think about your choices. It helps you stay aware of your spending and reach your money goals.

Picture this: You’re about to eat out but see only a few dollars left in your envelope. It’s a nudge to eat in more often. Before spending, you check your envelope. This encourages smarter spending choices.

To start with cash envelope budgeting, do these:

  1. Make a list of budget areas that match your goals and life.
  2. Decide how much cash goes into each area based on what you earn and spend.
  3. Mark an envelope for each budget area.
  4. Take out cash and put it into the marked envelopes.
  5. Spend money only from the right envelope for each expense.
  6. Check your envelopes often and tweak your budget as needed.

Learning this method might take some time. You’ll figure out how much money goes where. It’s about finding what works for you.

While useful for many, cash envelope budgeting isn’t for everyone. Think about what fits your life and finances best. Picking the right budget system is key.

cash envelope budgeting

Conclusion

Learning to manage money is key for success. With iPhone apps, it’s simpler and more efficient. There’s an app for everyone’s needs. They help you manage your money, monitor spending, and reach your goals.

Using top iPhone apps for budgeting helps you make wise financial choices. These apps cater to everyone, from newbies to experts. You can find an app that fits your budgeting style perfectly, like zero-based or envelope budgeting.

So, start exploring these leading budgeting apps for iPhone now. They let you track expenses, aim for savings, and manage your money wisely. By using these apps, you’ll build good financial habits and make smarter choices. Take charge of your finances today for a brighter future.

FAQ

What are the best iPhone apps for budgeting and saving money?

Top iPhone apps for budgeting include YNAB and Goodbudget. EveryDollar, Empower Personal Dashboard, PocketGuard, and Honeydue are also great choices.

What is YNAB?

YNAB stands for You Need a Budget. It’s a top pick for zero-based budgeting.

What is Goodbudget?

Goodbudget is a go-to app for envelope budgeting. It’s favored by many users.

What is EveryDollar?

EveryDollar provides a straightforward zero-based budgeting method. It’s simple to use.

What is Empower Personal Dashboard?

The Empower Personal Dashboard, once known as Personal Capital, is mainly for investing. It also offers budgeting and spending tracking.

What is PocketGuard?

PocketGuard is an app that makes budgeting easier with its simple snapshot.

What is Honeydue?

Honeydue is a budgeting tool made for partners. It helps couples manage their finances together.

Are there any budgeting software options available?

Yes, QuickBooks and Quicken offer comprehensive money management solutions.

Can I use spreadsheets for budgeting?

Absolutely, Excel and Google Sheets allow for a custom budgeting experience through spreadsheets.

Are there any apps for tracking expenses?

Indeed, apps like Mint help you track spending by categorizing your expenses.

What is cash envelope budgeting?

Cash envelope budgeting involves dividing your income into envelopes for different spending areas. It’s a hands-on way to manage money.

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