In today’s busy world, it might be hard to keep track of your money. You can use one of the many budgeting  apps out there to keep track of how much you spend and save. Some of the best budgeting apps are Rocket Money, which lets you negotiate your bills, Simplifi, which has an easy-to-use interface for making budgets, SoFi Relay3, which gives you a full picture of your finances, and more. Each budgeting program has its own benefits and features that can help you reach your money goals.
There are easy apps that can help you keep track of your spending, income, and net worth while you budget. If you pick the right one for your wants, you’ll have a better chance of sticking to your budget.
Rocket Money
Rocket Money takes a simple and intuitive approach to budgeting on mobile. The clean dashboard displays your income sources as “rockets” that fuel your monthly budget “envelopes.” You allocate dollars across categories like housing, food, transportation, and more.
What makes Rocket Money unique is its playful rocketship money transfer animations that make managing your budget feel less tedious. Spending happens visually by “transferring fuel” between rockets and envelopes. The app keeps monthly budgets flexible and encourages mindful spending through game mechanics.
Though lightweight on features, Rocket Money is great for casual budgeters who want an accessible mobile-first experience. The free version meets basic needs while a $5/month subscription unlocks budget goal projections and savings targets. For a budgeting app that feels less like work, Rocket Money is a fun option.
Simplifi
Simplifi takes a similar automated transaction import approach as Mint but focuses solely on budgeting. The app uses AI to auto-categorize thousands of transactions from linked bank and credit accounts for effortless tracking. Color coded categories give a visual snapshot of your spending habits.
Simplifi excels at budget creation with highly customizable categories and sub-accounts if you share expenses like groceries or utilities. It offers both monthly rolling budgets plus 1-time/event budgets. Users praise its reports that break down exactly where money was allocated each month with predictions to stay on track.
The free version provides robust functionality while a $5/month subscription unlocks advanced features like shared budgets, financial planning tools and HD reports. Simplifi delivers an intuitive yet powerful budgeting experience without unnecessary bells and whistles.
SoFi Relay
SoFi Relay is a newer budgeting app focused on helping users achieve their financial goals no matter where they are in life. The core budgeting tools allow for customized categories, monthly estimates, recurring bills and reminders to streamline expenses.
What makes SoFi Relay unique is its complementary set of additional personal finance tools. It provides credit score tracking, loan and debt payoff plans, retirement projections and more to help improve your overall financial wellness beyond just spending analysis.
The app aims to feel less intimidating than others with simplified views for daily budgeting needs. While light on advanced reports, SoFi Relay makes up for it with integrated goal-based tools to help people progress financially in all areas of money management. It’s a well-rounded option for both budgeting and financial planning.
YNAB (You Need a Budget)
YNAB is arguably the granddaddy of envelope budgeting apps beloved by finance gurus for its zero-based methodology that trains users to spend consciously with every dollar planned. A notable paid option at $84 per year, YNAB focuses on budgeting essentials without unnecessary frills.
True to its original desktop software roots, YNAB excels at transparency and control through its task-based interface that guides creating customized categories and allocating funds to each one. Real-time account balances provide accountability while powerful reports show progress over time.
If you want to learn zero-based principles and stick to a budget, YNAB delivers an unrivaled tried-and-true experience via desktop, web or mobile apps. The annual fee may be high but provides ongoing new features and excellent support. Diehard budgeters consider it well worth it.
Wally
Wally takes a similar mobile-forward approach to budgeting as Rocket Money with customizable envelopes for categories like bills, spending money, savings goals and more. Your monthly budget “fuel” gets allocated across envelopes visually.
What’s unique is Wally’s focus on helping budget for irregular variable expenses through “auto-save goals.” For example, you can set an auto goal like $50/month to car maintenance and the app will help allocate appropriate funds into that savings goal over time.
Wally makes budgeting for the unpredictable much more accessible through its smart auto-goals. While light on reports and analytics, it’s ease of use and goal focused functionality make it a great option for casual budgeters on a tight schedule who still want guidance for future expenses.
Goodbudget
Goodbudget takes a fresh twist on envelope budgeting through its web and mobile apps. Rather than predefined categories, you create fully customized “envelopes” like groceries, gifts, utilities, etc and allocate money among them each month.
Spending works intuitively by “moving money” between envelopes and bank accounts like real world cash systems. This envelope system trains users to only spend designated “in envelope” dollars which empowers mindful self control. Goodbudget’s approachability is ideal for beginners or families.
While light on automated tools, Goodbudget excels at simplicity through its customized envelopes on any device free of charge. It empowers conscious spending in an intuitive way without rigid categories which traditional budgeting can sometimes feel like.
Honeydue
Honeydue aims to simplify shared household budgeting and streamline bill management through teamwork. The app allows creating customized budgets or using pre-set monthly expense templates. You can manage finances individually or collaboratively by connecting and sharing with your partner.
Shared checking and credit accounts auto-sync to track household income and expenses accurately. The unique tool is “assignments” to delegate shared bills and tasks to keep you both accountable. Personalized reports also break out individual versus joint spending.
While newer than other options, Honeydue provides a seamless co-living budgeting solution through its collaborative tools and templates. For couples or roommates wanting transparency and teamwork, it delivers an intuitive shared budget management experience.
In Summary
Whether you prefer automated, envelope-style or shared budgeting apps, this review covered a diverse range of excellent options for any financial goal or lifestyle in 2024. Important factors like customization, automation, reports and value were considered.
Taking the time to test drive highly rated free versions is the best way to identify your ideal fit. Options like Mint, YNAB, Wally and Goodbudget are worth exploring depending on your priorities. Overall, budgeting tools continue improving to help more people achieve financial wellness through mindful spending.
