Choose from the app stores below.
Select your app store.
A better kind of personal finance blog
Content
When looking for a budgeting app to help you improve how you save and budget, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. With so many options to choose from it can be time consuming to find the app that best fits your needs.
We’ve done the homework for you and created this list of the best budgeting apps for 2021. From apps that simply let you know when your bank account is low, to apps that use the zero-based budgeting method, you’ll find a solution on our list.
anchor
The best³ budgeting apps for 2021
- Best App for Budget Beginners: Porte
- Best App for Achieving Short-Term Financial Goals: Digit
- Best App for Lowering Monthly Bills: TrueBill
- Best App for Zero-based Budgeting: YNAB
anchor
Best App for Budget Beginners: Porte
Cost: Free
Porte is a great place to start if you’re brand new to budgeting. After creating and funding your Porte account², you’ll have access to Porte’s Activity Tracker. You can input your monthly budget, then as you use your Porte account throughout the month you’ll be able to easily track how your spending aligns with your overall budget.
Not sure what your monthly budget is? Read our Beginners Guide to Budgeting Like a Boss to get started.
anchor
Best App for Achieving Short-Term Financial Goals: Digit
Cost: Free trial for 30 days, then $5/month
Digit is an app that aims to make saving money as easy as possible. Through the app, Digit is able to analyze your spending habits to determine how much money you can be saving, then every few days it automatically moves that money into a Digit savings account. Digit is particularly helpful in reaching short term savings goals, like creating a rainy day fund, saving up for that dream vacation, or paying off a credit card.
anchor
Best App for Lowering Monthly Bills: TrueBill
Cost: Free, with optional services for a fee (Premium features cost between $3 and $12/month, or between $36 and $48/year)
Truebill makes it easy to optimize your spending, manage your subscriptions, and see an overall snapshot of your finances within the app. You can link your bank and investment accounts as well as your credit cards. The app feature Truebill is most known for is their recurring expenses tracker. This tracker makes it easy to identify subscriptions and other expenses that you’re no longer using, potentially saving you money.
anchor
Best App for Zero-based Budgeting: YNAB
Cost: Free trial for 34 days, then $11.99/month or $84/year
YNAB (short for You Need A Budget) is a software tool that is based on the zero-based budgeting method. With this method you create a budget for every dollar you earn. While there is a learning curve to this type of budgeting, YNAB’s robust software, user guides, budgeting advice, and free workshops help users quickly understand the ins and outs of this method.
For more budgeting and financial resources, follow Porte on Instagram.
Related Articles
5 min | Budgeting basics
Porte Team Spotlight: Mateeka’s Take on Financial Organization!
5 min | Budgeting basics
Celebrate Valentine’s Day with These Budget-Friendly Activities
5 min | Budgeting basics
Life After Student Loan Forbearance — How to Cope
4 min | Budgeting basics
Can You Open a Bank Account With Bad Credit?
Are you ready to change how you bank?
Apply for an account using the Porte app.1 No credit check required.2
get the appPorte is a mobile finance app, not a bank. Banking services provided by Pathward, National Association, Member FDIC
Standard data rates, fees, and charges may apply. Consent to receive electronic account disclosures required to use the app.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR OPENING A NEW DEPOSIT ACCOUNT: To help the federal government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, the USA PATRIOT Act requires us to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person who opens an Account. WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU: When you open an Account, we will ask for your name, address, date of birth, and your government ID number. We may also ask to see a copy of your driver’s license or other documents at any time. All Accounts are opened subject to our ability to verify your identity by requiring acceptable types of identification. We may validate the information you provide us to ensure we have a reasonable belief of your identity. If we are not able to verify your identity to our satisfaction, we will not open your Account or we may close the Account if it was previously funded. Your Account is subject to fraud prevention restrictions at any time, with or without notice.
The views expressed within the blog are those of Porte and do not necessarily represent or reflect the view of Netspend®, Pathward, N.A., or Association.
Apple® and Apple logo® are trademarks of Apple, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple, Inc.
Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC.
Porte is a mobile finance app, not a bank. Banking services provided by Pathward, National Association, Member FDIC.
PORTE is a deposit account established by Pathward, National Association, Member FDIC, and the PORTE Debit Card is issued by Pathward, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. Certain products and services may be licensed under U.S. Patent Nos. 6,000,608 and 6,189,787. Card can be used everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted.
© 2023 Netspend Corporation. All rights reserved worldwide. Netspend is the federally registered U.S. service mark of Netspend Corporation. All other trademarks and service marks belong to their owners.
Copyright © Populus Financial Group, Inc. 2023. All rights reserved.
