Every Thursday in 2025, I answer questions about money and budgeting. If you have any questions you like to answer in future posts, please send them here.
I’m considering using the budgeting app to go well. I’ve heard really great things about all dollars, inabs, rocket money. Can I post comparing each feature? We are a little overwhelmed. – Julie
Great question, Julie! Many people know so many people whether it’s worth using a budgeting app, and if so, which one is the best to use.
EveryDollarYNAB (Budget required), and Rocket Money are three popular options, but each has unique features depending on how much you want to practice on your budget and the amount of support you are looking for.
Let’s break them down (in no particular order) to help you make the best decisions for your family:
1. EveryDollar
EveryDollar It is a simple and clean budgeting app developed by the team at Dave Ramsey, and is based on the concept of zero-based budgeting that gives all your dollars work before the month begins. This app is perfect for beginners who want something easy without a sudden learning curve.
The free version allows you to manually enter all your income and expenses, while the paid version allows you to connect to your bank account and automatically track transactions.
If you’re already familiar with envelope methods, or if you like the idea of planning your spending before the month begins, you’ll probably love how all organizations make you feel. However, you will need to upgrade to the paid version to unlock useful features such as bank syncing and custom budget reports. Still, it’s a great entry point for those just starting out.
Strong Points:
- A simple and clean interface perfect for beginners
- Based on zero-based budgeting (allocate all dollars)
- The manual version is free
- Sync with paid version and bank account
Cons:
- Limited features in the free version
- Automated transaction imports are available only on paid plans
Fee:
- Free (Manual input)
- A premium version with bank sync and additional features $79.99 per year
Why not try zero-based budgeting without an app first? Get a free budgeting worksheet here!
2. ynab (budget required)
YNab is a favorite among budgeting that really wants a practical approach to managing their finances. It’s incredibly intentional.
This app doesn’t just track your spending. It will help you develop new financial habits. YNAB operates four key rules that encourage every dollar to give work, accept real costs, roll with punches, and age money. In other words, this app teaches you how to stop a live paycheck to pay your salary.
YNAB is ideal if you’re looking for more than just an app and are looking for a complete budgeting system. But you need to be willing to spend a little time on advance payments to learn how it works.
The interface syncs with your bank account in real time, and the support community and tutorials are top notch. If you’re someone who loves spreadsheets or tracks things up to pennies, Ynab might be your new best friend.
That said, it’s a higher price and has a bit of a learning curve, so if you’re looking for something simple right away, it might not be the best option.
Strong Points:
- Great educational tools and tutorials
- Encourages a change in the long term way of thinking about money
- Real-time synchronization with your bank account
Cons:
- More expensive than other options
- The learning curve can be abrupt at first
If you need to help budgeting when you have fluctuating income, This post is a great place to start.
Fee:
- $14.99 a month or $99 a year
- 34-day free trial
- Free for university students for 1 year
3. Rocket Money (formerly TrueBill)
If you want a more passive approach to managing your money, Rocket Money It might be perfect. The app is designed to do a lot of heavy lifting by tracking your spending, flagging subscriptions you want to cancel, negotiating your bills on your behalf, and helping you set up your automated savings. It’s especially useful if your biggest budgeting struggle isn’t sure where your money goes every month.
Rockets shines when it comes to identifying hidden costs, particularly monthly subscriptions that tend to creep in without being noticed. The app offers premium services such as budgeting insights and credit monitoring.
However, rocket money isn’t about practical planning, it’s about sorting out what’s already happening with your money. If you want to spend more intentionally from the beginning of the month, tools like EveryDollar or YNAB might be a better match. Still, for busy families who just want to monitor their finances with minimal effort, Rocket Money needs plenty of provision.
Strong Points:
- Automatically find the subscription or invoice you want to cancel
- Track your spending and help you negotiate your bills
- Provides credit score tracking
- Set your saving goals directly in the app
Cons:
- No emphasis is placed on detailed budgeting and planning
- Some features are locked behind paid plans
- Negotiation services take part of their savings
Fee:
- Free version available
- Premium: Pay what you need, $3-12 per month
We hope this gives you additional insight into which budget apps and how to budget are best for your needs and goals. Remember, remember perfection App or system. It all comes down to what’s best for you at the stage of your life.
The good news is that many budgeting apps have free trials so you can test the feature and see if it’s right. Also, if you are not ready to commit to the app yet or prefer to budget for the pen, don’t forget that you can start with me Free Printable Budget Worksheets To get into the habit of planning money intentionally on paper first!
Have you used the budgeting app before? If so, would you recommend which one you used?
Do you want to make this in the year when you finally stick to your budget? !
Tracking your budget doesn’t have to be overwhelming or complicated! Please use these Free budget spreadsheet To easily plan and track your spending every month!
Source: Money Saving Mom® – moneysavingmom.com
