By Naomi Atwater
Do you cringe when you hear the word “budget” because you think of a tedious Saturday afternoon chore of tracking receipts, ensuring expenses add up how you intended, and keeping records of all your accounts and subscriptions?
Maybe you have started lots of different systems that have felt frustrated with how difficult it was to keep up with, and you have given up. Maybe you know there have got to be options that exist out there to help, but it feels a little endless, and you are not sure where to begin.
It is true that 2023 gives us many ways to keep track of our finances. Budgeting has become faster, easier, and even more fun than ever for many people. Here are the top three apps this year you can download today to make managing your finances as simple and habitual as brushing your teeth.
App Store Rating: 4.8/5
Google Play Rating: 4.3/5
Top Review: “I have been using this app for budgeting and keeping track of my credit score for a couple of years now… My score has grown by over 50 points… My favorite point to mention is the flexibility of this app.”
The Mint app by Intuit is free to start using, user-friendly, and helps you keep track of your subscriptions and monitor the prices of things you purchase. You can set goals, get advice on more savings, and even use an add-on called BillShark to help negotiate some of your payments.
One of the most helpful features of this app is the ability to file and track your IRS tax refunds when you file with TurboTax. It will also help you keep track of every one of your accounts, from bank accounts to credit cards and retirement accounts, all in one place and get a quick snapshot anytime.
Overall, the Mint app has the most features and flexibility and is relatively easy to start using.
App Store Rating: 4.5/5
Google Play Rating: 3.5/5
Top Review: “…SO valuable for my wife and I to start managing our spending and budget… By doing it this way, we are able to track spending over years as well as make sure we are getting paid back on returns, cancellations, refunds, IOUs, etc. We love Honeydue for that!”
This completely free app is the best if you and your partner are budgeting together and need to be on the same page. The goal of this app is collaboration. You can set plans and goals together, see each other’s transactions, make notes, and send chats. The app has the flexibility to follow a template or set up your own categories. You will be able to set spending limits and get notifications about the amounts left. You can also have the option for your individual finances on this app to be separate if you do not want everything to be shared. Finally, you can also track your investments together.
Download Honeydue if you are budgeting with someone else. You never have to wonder what bills have been paid, what money is available, or where it is going, and it’s all in the app!
App Store Rating: 4.7/5
Google Play Store: 4.3/5
Top Review: “I’ve been using this app for five months now, and this is the best app for a digital version of the old cash envelope system, a la Dave Ramsey… As long as you and your spouse enter EVERY transaction, it’s a dream to use.”
If you have never made a budget before or are used to traditional budgeting on paper or with envelopes, this app is for you. It is easy to pick up, and you will be able to understand the basics almost instantly. Goodbudget makes it easy and fun to be conscientious of your spending, blending a modern digital system with the old-fashioned envelope system.
You do not have to create a new budget every month because the app rolls over from month to month unless you customize it. Like Honeydue and Mint, you can set savings and debt payment goals and monitor your progress every day.
Download Goodbudget if you need somewhere simple to start.
