But as long as income minus expenses equals zero, it’s all good. This is important because, let’s be honest, life happens. If you overspend in one category, you can quickly borrow from another to cover the imbalance. The beauty of YNAB is how easy is it to balance your budget. As the transactions roll in, you’ll see how your spending aligns with your plan for each category. You can connect your bank and credit accounts so your purchases sync to the app, or you can enter them manually. When it comes to logging transactions, you have two choices. YNAB calls that “giving every dollar a job.” This approach is the foundation of zero-based budgeting, because when you give every dollar a job, income minus expenses equals zero. You’ll define your expense categories (including savings goals) and make a plan for how you’ll allocate every dollar of your income for the upcoming month. In about 20 minutes, you can build a customized zero-based budget from scratch. It only has one trick, but it rocks that trick. Unlike some of the money management apps on this list, YNAB (short for You Need a Budget) doesn’t track investments, lower your bills, or offer a checking account.
And of course, advanced options are available for the more technically-minded. Complete spreadsheet newbies will face a learning curve, but those with elementary knowledge can rock the Foundation Template, no problem. It’s super powerful while managing to stay accessible, which is no small feat. The Bottom Line: Tiller Money is the best budgeting app available for spreadsheet lovers.
Pricing: After a free 30-day trial, Tiller Money costs $79 per year. Hands-on types can even build their own spreadsheets! Specialized options are available, including one for the zero-sum budgets. People who crave customization can choose from a slew of options available through Tiller Money Labs. Customize your spending categories and budget and instantly see where you stand with easy-to-read bar graphs. Quickly keep tabs on your transactions, balances, and net worth. It’s a set of prebuilt, user-friendly spreadsheets that cover all your financial bases. Using the Foundation Template is the easiest way to get started. Powered by Google Sheets (or Excel), Tiller Money automatically imports transactions from your bank and credit accounts to populate the financial spreadsheets of your choice. If you’re looking for a great Quicken alternative, Tiller Money fits the bill. Plus, it’s free…so why not right? Best for Spreadsheet Budgeting – Tiller Money Where it really shines is its ability to track investments and net worth, retirement calculator, and investment fee analyzer. The Bottom Line: Personal Capital’s budgeting tool isn’t as powerful as some, but it helps you make a plan for your money and track your spending. You can use them indefinitely with no obligation to buy additional services. Pricing: Although Personal Capital’s wealth management services carry a low fee, the financial tools, including budgets, are always 100% free.
Check out our full Personal Capital review to learn more, or follow the link below to get started. In our opinion, Personal Capital is one of the best money-management apps on the market - certainly the best free one. It’s called Personal Capital Cash, and it also has no fees.
Recently, they even debuted an FDIC-insured bank account through a partnership with UMB Bank. We also love that the dashboard includes all the key financial insights you need, including how your net worth is trending over time. We’ve been using Personal Capital for years, and our two favorite tools are the free investment fee analyzer and the retirement calculator. Just connect your accounts, jump to the Personal Capital dashboard, and see your entire financial picture in one place. Even better, you can track your investments, cash flow, and net worth. With Personal Capital, you can build a budget and track your spending. It’s a suite of financial tools and wealth management services. Personal Capital is more than just a budgeting app.
Best for Dave Ramsey Fans – EveryDollarĭo you wonder where your money goes each month? Have you ever wondered if you’re on track to meet your savings and retirement goals? Ever wonder whether you’re paying too much in fees for your investments? Personal Capital has the answers.Best for Envelope Budgeting – Goodbudget.Best for Automating Savings Goals – Empower.Best for Financial Forecasting – Pocketsmith.Best for Tracking Spending – MoneyPatrol.Best for Spreadsheet Budgeting – Tiller Money.