10 Best Free Budget Tracking Apps in 2025

Budgeting apps have evolved from simple expense trackers to sophisticated financial management platforms that can transform your relationship with money. With dozens of options available, choosing the right free app can mean the difference between successfully managing your finances and abandoning your budget after a few weeks.

After testing 25+ budgeting apps and analyzing user reviews from thousands of people, here are the 10 best free budget tracking apps that actually help you stick to your financial goals in 2025.

How We Ranked These Apps

Before diving into our rankings, here’s what we evaluated:

Ease of use: Can beginners navigate without frustration?
Feature completeness: Does the free version provide real value?
Bank connectivity: How well does it sync with financial accounts?
Goal tracking: Can you set and monitor savings goals?
Bill reminders: Does it help prevent late fees?
Debt tracking: Can you monitor debt payoff progress?
Reports and insights: Does it provide actionable information?
Security: How well is your financial data protected?

“If you’re new to budgeting, start with our foundational guide on The 50/30/20 Rule Explained.”

1. Mint (Best Overall Free App)

Rating: 4.8/5

Mint remains the gold standard for free budgeting apps, offering comprehensive features without any cost.

What Makes Mint Special:

Complete account integration: Links to banks, credit cards, loans, and investments
Automatic categorization: Uses AI to categorize transactions with 90%+ accuracy
Bill tracking: Reminds you of upcoming bills and tracks payment history
Credit score monitoring: Free FICO score updates
Goal setting: Create savings goals with progress tracking
Investment tracking: Monitor all investment accounts in one place

Pros:

Completely free with no premium upsells
Excellent customer support
Comprehensive financial overview
Strong security (read-only bank connections)
Works with 17,000+ financial institutions

Cons:

Owned by Intuit (may push TurboTax/QuickBooks)
Limited customization for categories
Occasional syncing delays with some banks

Best For:

People who want a complete financial overview without paying anything and don’t mind some promotional content.

Download: Available on iOS, Android, and web

2. YNAB Free Trial (Best for Hands-On Budgeters)

Rating: 4.7/5

While YNAB costs $14.99/month after the trial, the 34-day free trial gives you enough time to evaluate if zero-based budgeting works for you.

What Makes YNAB Special:

Zero-based budgeting: Every dollar gets assigned a specific purpose
Real-time sync: Changes appear instantly across all devices
Debt payoff planning: Built-in tools for eliminating debt systematically
Age of money: Unique metric showing how long money sits in your account
Extensive education: Free workshops and guides for budgeting success

Pros:

Forces intentional spending decisions
Excellent educational resources
Strong community support
Proven methodology for debt elimination

Cons:

Steep learning curve for beginners
Requires active participation to be effective
Becomes expensive after free trial

Best For:

People who want to take complete control of their finances and are willing to actively manage their budget.

Download: 34-day free trial available on all platforms

3. PocketGuard (Best for Preventing Overspending)

Rating: 4.6/5

PocketGuard excels at one simple question: “How much can I safely spend right now?”

What Makes PocketGuard Special:

Spending limits: Shows exactly how much you have available after bills and goals
Subscription tracking: Identifies and helps cancel unwanted subscriptions
Bill negotiation: Partners with services to lower your bills automatically
Savings goals: Set targets and track progress automatically
Debt payoff calculator: Creates payoff schedules for all debts

Pros:

Simple interface perfect for beginners
Prevents overspending effectively
Good subscription management features
Automatic categorization works well

Cons:

Limited customization options
Fewer reporting features than competitors
Some advanced features require premium ($12.99/month)

Best For:

People who struggle with overspending and want simple, clear spending guidance.

Download: Free version available on iOS, Android, and web

4. Goodbudget (Best for Envelope Budgeting)

Rating: 4.5/5

Goodbudget brings the classic envelope budgeting method into the digital age.

What Makes Goodbudget Special:

Envelope system: Allocate money to specific spending categories
No bank connections required: Manual entry gives you complete control
Expense sharing: Perfect for couples managing shared finances
Debt tracking: Monitor multiple debts and payoff progress
Detailed reports: Understand spending patterns over time

Free Version Includes:

20 envelope categories
Account tracking for checking, savings, and credit cards
Access on 2 devices
Basic debt and savings tracking

Pros:

Excellent for learning budgeting fundamentals
No bank connection means maximum security
Great educational resources
Works well for couples

Cons:

Manual entry requires more time commitment
Limited free envelope categories
No automatic transaction categorization

Best For:

People who want hands-on budget control and prefer not to link bank accounts.

Download: Free on iOS, Android, and web

5. Personal Capital (Best for Investment Tracking)

Rating: 4.4/5

Now owned by Empower, this app excels at wealth tracking and investment management.

What Makes Personal Capital Special:

Net worth tracking: Complete view of assets and liabilities
Investment analysis: Fee analyzer and portfolio performance tracking
Retirement planning: Tools to plan for long-term financial goals
Cash flow analysis: Understand income vs. spending patterns
Financial dashboard: Beautiful overview of your entire financial picture

Pros:

Excellent investment tracking capabilities
Beautiful, intuitive interface
Strong retirement planning tools
No cost for basic features

Cons:

Less focused on day-to-day budgeting
May push wealth management services
Limited bill tracking features

Best For:

People focused on wealth building and investment tracking rather than daily expense management.

Download: Free on all platforms

6. Spendee (Best Visual Design)

Rating: 4.3/5

Spendee combines powerful budgeting features with gorgeous visual design.

What Makes Spendee Special:

Beautiful interface: Most visually appealing budget app available
Shared wallets: Perfect for couples, families, or roommates
Multiple currencies: Great for international users
Custom categories: Unlimited customization options
Spending insights: AI-powered spending analysis

Free Version Includes:

5 wallets (accounts)
Basic budgeting and tracking
Expense categorization
Simple reports

Pros:

Stunning visual design encourages regular use
Excellent for shared expenses
Works well internationally
Good category customization

Cons:

Limited free features
Premium required for advanced reporting ($2.99/month)
Fewer integrations than competitors

Best For:

People who want beautiful design and plan to share budgets with partners or family.

Download: Free on iOS and Android

7. Monefy (Best for Simple Expense Tracking)

Rating: 4.2/5

Monefy focuses on quick, simple expense entry without overwhelming features.

What Makes Monefy Special:

Quick entry: Add expenses in seconds with large, colorful buttons
Visual spending: Pie charts show spending patterns at a glance
Multiple accounts: Track cash, bank accounts, and credit cards separately
Backup options: Sync data across devices
Currency support: Works with 30+ currencies

Pros:

Extremely simple to use
Fast expense entry
Works well for cash tracking
No account linking required

Cons:

Very basic features
No bill reminders or goal setting
Premium required for multiple accounts ($59.99/year)
Limited reporting capabilities

Best For:

People who want simple expense tracking without complex features.

Download: Free basic version on iOS and Android

8. Wally (Best for International Users)

Rating: 4.1/5

Wally offers solid budgeting features with strong international support.

What Makes Wally Special:

Global currency support: Works with currencies worldwide
Photo receipts: Snap pictures of receipts for easy tracking
Spending insights: Understand your spending patterns
Budget goals: Set and track monthly spending limits
Family sharing: Share expenses with family members

Pros:

Excellent for travelers and international users
Good receipt photo feature
Clean, modern interface
Free core features

Cons:

Limited bank integrations
Fewer features than top competitors
Some features require manual entry

Best For:

International users and people who travel frequently.

Download: Free on iOS and Android

9. Honeydue (Best for Couples)

Rating: 4.0/5

Honeydue is specifically designed for couples managing finances together.

What Makes Honeydue Special:

Couple-focused design: Built for two-person budgeting
Account sharing: Both partners see all linked accounts
Spending notifications: Get alerts when your partner spends money
Bill reminders: Never miss payments with couple-coordinated alerts
Category tracking: Monitor spending in shared categories

Pros:

Excellent for couples’ financial transparency
Good communication features
Free core functionality
Helps prevent financial arguments

Cons:

Limited usefulness for single users
Fewer features than general budget apps
Some privacy concerns for individual spending

Best For:

Couples who want complete financial transparency and shared budgeting.

Download: Free on iOS and Android

10. EveryDollar (Best for Dave Ramsey Fans)

Rating: 3.9/5

Created by Dave Ramsey’s team, EveryDollar focuses on zero-based budgeting principles.

What Makes EveryDollar Special:

Zero-based budgeting: Income minus expenses equals zero
Dave Ramsey methodology: Follows proven debt elimination principles
Simple interface: Easy-to-use budget creation
Debt payoff tools: Track progress on debt elimination
Educational content: Tips based on Dave Ramsey’s teachings

Free Version Includes:

Manual budget creation and tracking
Expense categorization
Basic debt tracking
Access to Dave Ramsey content

Pros:

Solid budgeting methodology
Good for debt elimination
Simple, clean interface
Free basic features

Cons:

Bank connectivity requires premium ($17.99/month)
Limited features in free version
Manual entry required for free users

Best For:

Fans of Dave Ramsey’s financial philosophy and people focused on debt elimination.

Download: Free basic version on iOS, Android, and web

Choosing the Right App for Your Situation

For Complete Beginners:

Mint or PocketGuard offer the easiest entry points with automatic account linking and simple interfaces.

For Serious Budgeters:

YNAB (during free trial) or Goodbudget provide the tools needed for detailed financial control.

For Couples:

Honeydue or Goodbudget offer the best features for shared financial management.

For Investors:

Personal Capital excels at tracking investments and building wealth.

For International Users:

Spendee or Wally provide the best multi-currency support.

Common Features to Expect in Free Versions

What Most Free Apps Include:

Basic expense tracking and categorization
Simple budget creation tools
Account balance monitoring
Basic reporting and charts
Bill reminders

What Usually Requires Premium:

Bank account synchronization (in some apps)
Advanced reporting and analytics
Goal tracking and progress monitoring
Multiple device access
Priority customer support

Security Considerations

All recommended apps use bank-level security including:

256-bit SSL encryption
Read-only access to accounts (can’t move money)
Two-factor authentication options
Regular security audits

Never use budgeting apps that:

Ask for your banking passwords
Request write access to accounts
Lack proper encryption
Have poor security reviews

Getting Started: Your First Week

Day 1: Choose and Download

Pick one app based on your primary needs and download it.

Day 2-3: Set Up Accounts

Link bank accounts or set up manual tracking, depending on your chosen app.

Day 4-5: Categorize Past Expenses

Review and properly categorize the last month of transactions.

Day 6-7: Create Your First Budget

Set spending limits for each category based on your historical data.

Making the Most of Free Features

Maximize Your Free App by:

Using all available category customizations
Setting up automatic categorization rules
Taking advantage of educational resources
Participating in app communities for tips
Regularly reviewing reports and insights

Before Upgrading to Premium:

Use the free version for at least 3 months
Identify which specific premium features you need
Calculate if the premium cost fits your budget
Consider if multiple free apps could meet your needs

The Bottom Line

The best budget app is the one you’ll actually use consistently. Start with a highly-rated free option like Mint or PocketGuard, use it for at least 30 days, and then evaluate if you need more advanced features.

Remember: the app doesn’t manage your money—you do. These tools simply make it easier to track, understand, and control your spending patterns.

Most successful budgeters find that any of these top-rated apps provide enough functionality to dramatically improve their financial management without spending a penny.

Your next step: Download one app from this list today and spend 10 minutes setting it up. Your future financial self will thank you.

Which budgeting app sounds most appealing for your situation? Have you tried any of these apps before? Share your experience in the comments below.