Keeping an eye on one’s bank balance has long been a challenge for some. And with the proliferation of different ways to spend (online, cash and even checks) it’s getting harder and harder to keep track and make sure not too into overdraft.
Luckily there are a variety of apps to help you mind your money and keep your finances on track. Here are the best, and you can forget the rest.
Mint (iOS & Android; free)
Mint is, well, the gold standard of budgeting apps. Brought to you by TurboTax software giant Intuit, Mint allows users to sync all their accounts and monitor them in one place. That includes not only checking, savings, and credit cards, but also investment accounts and assets, such as a home or car value.
Mint automatically categorizes expenses and allows the user to set up goals for each category. Mint then provides the user visual meter which shows close the user may be to exceeding their budget in any of category.
You Need a Budget (iOS and Android; $6.99/month after trial period)
Not comprehensive like Mint, You Need a Budget is dedicated to budgeting, period. Users give every dollar a purpose, or job, such as to pay for gas. This limits overspending imagined leisure dollars and encouraging saving for emergencies. This is one of the few apps on our list which isn’t free, notable for a budging app.
Wally (iOS & Android, free)
When you use Wally, every time you spend money, you input the expense. Scanning receipts or adding notes helps keep track of spending and expenses. And Wally helps categorize those same expenses. The app then tracks everything, daily, to better assist the user in setting reasonable spending targets. It’s a simple app, but budgeting is hard enough without having to navigate an overly complicated app.
Simple (iOS & Android; free)
Speaking of simple, Simple has one thing other apps don’t have. Because it isn’t just a budgeting app, it’s a bank too! Open a bank account with Simple, then use the app to budget that money. This way, Simple can make better sense of how you spend.
PocketGuard (Android, iOS: Free)
PocketGuard is another all-in-one tracking and budget management app. It shows the user clearly how much they’ve got in their accounts, and how much the user can afford to spend for the day. Like a lot of the apps on this list, PocketGuard connects to the user’s bank and card accounts via an encrypted, read-only connection. This allows the user to quickly view the status of accounts and transactions while remaining completely secure. The app can automatically sort purchases, subscriptions, and bill payments. PocketGuard also factors in previous spending factors to estimate how much the user can safely spend without going into overdraft.
Home Budget with Sync (Android, iOS: $4.99)
This solid budgeting and expense management app has a cool Family Sharing feature which lets you set a budget, then sync expenses and income between multiple devices. Home Budget lets you create a budget and manage income amounts, also, to easily logging and categorizing expenses over time. You can easily track purchases and learn about your spending habits using infographics, charts, or itemized lists. Family Sharing syncs budget and purchases, so you can easily coordinate bills and expenses with friends or family members.
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