As we enter into the New Year, you may be considering creating a budget for your personal finances or searching for a new tool to assist in managing your startup or small business budget. Perhaps you’re looking to upgrade from your current budgeting app, or maybe you’ve always relied on spreadsheets. While spreadsheets can be an efficient way of budgeting, exploring budgeting apps may save you time and effort. We’ve compiled two comprehensive lists of apps that we believe are excellent budgeting resources for both individuals and startups.
Best Apps for Individuals
Goodbudget
“Goodbudget is a good app if you’re a beginner just starting to delve into budgeting. It uses the envelope system, one of the original methods of managing money.”
Goodbudget assists in preventing unexpected bills or expenses from catching you off guard. You set aside funds for necessary expenses like groceries and gas, and then use the remainder based on your priorities.
The app also allows for shared household budgets, making it ideal for couples. While a free version is available, the paid version includes additional features such as email support, unlimited envelopes, and the ability to use the app on up to five devices. The only downside is that transactions must be entered manually as the app does not connect to your bank account.
PocketGuard
“PocketGuard is a great option for those looking to track their spending. The app displays how much spendable money you have left after setting aside funds for bills, goals, and essentials.”
PocketGuard provides a visual representation of your expenses with a pie chart. You can also set spending limits to ensure you do not exceed your means. The app aggregates your bank accounts, credit cards, loans, and investments for easy tracking. A limited free version is available, with the paid version providing additional features such as custom spending categories, debt payoff plans, and receipt attachments, for a monthly fee of $8.
Honeydue
“Honeydue is an excellent budgeting app for couples looking to plan and manage their finances together. The app syncs to both partners’ bank accounts and offers a joint bank account option.”
Honeydue allows for easy communication about bill sharing and provides a chat feature for convenience. Best of all, it is free to use, making it a great option for couples not wanting to pay a monthly subscription fee. The only downside is that there is no desktop version available, so it may not be suitable for those who prefer managing their finances on a larger screen.
Empower
“Empower is an ideal app for those looking to budget and invest. It allows for easy tracking of all accounts, including bank and credit card balances, IRAs, 401(k)s, mortgages, and loans.”
The app also offers a dashboard to monitor expenses by category. While free to use, Empower may not be the best option for those solely focused on budgeting, as its capabilities are not as advanced compared to others on this list.
Best Apps for Startups and Small Businesses
FreshBooks
“FreshBooks is a simple yet effective tool for creating and following a budget for startups and small businesses. It also provides invoicing, time tracking, bookkeeping, and payment capabilities.”
FreshBooks can link to your bank account or credit card to easily monitor expenses and offers plans for freelancers to fully staffed businesses. Collaborative features allow for easy file and update sharing among team members, clients, and contractors. Integration with over 100 other apps is also available, with pricing starting at $30 per month.
QuickBooks
“QuickBooks is a straightforward service that gives a comprehensive view of your business’s financial health. It tracks expenses, income, profitability, taxes, and more.”
The service also assists with accounting tasks, making it a valuable tool for startups and small businesses. Its user-friendly dashboard provides an easy-to-understand overview, and additional features such as tax preparation and consultations with experts are available. Pricing starts at $30 per month.
Toshl
“Toshl is a reasonably priced, simple, yet effective budgeting tool. While marketed as a personal app, it can also be beneficial for new startups looking to gain control over their finances at a lower cost.”
Toshl offers a user-friendly interface to create and track a budget, with the ability to set limits based on specific categories, tags, or accounts. The service is available in free and paid versions for $4.99 per month.
Xero
“Xero is an excellent budgeting and financial tool for small businesses and startups in the growth stage. It features a Budget Manager worksheet for managing expenditures, as well as short-term cash flow and business snapshot tools.”
In addition to standard financial features, Xero also offers inventory and project management capabilities. With three paid tiers starting at $15 per month, Xero is designed to aid in decision-making through trend analysis and reports.
