

There's a reason for this: Mint does just about anything you could possibly want. Mint remains one of the most popular budgeting apps available. A good budgeting app will let you print out reports that can help you better analyze your spending and saving patterns. Maybe you want to compare how much you’re spending on utilities during the winter months versus the hottest days of the summer. You might want to compare this year's dining out dollars to last year's. You want an app that allows you to create a variety of spending and savings reports. Tracking and reporting: A budgeting app is only as good as its reporting features.

That will help keep your personal finance information safe from prying eyes. Make sure your budgeting app encrypts data. That's why it's so important to only work with personal finance apps that come with strong online security. Security: Budgeting apps often sync with your online bank accounts or credit card accounts. This will make budgeting for these variable costs an easier task. Work with a budgeting app that will create a 12-month average of these variable expenses that you can then plug into your expense numbers. This can complicate the job of creating an accurate budget. Expenses such as utilities, groceries, travel expenses and car maintenance fluctuate from month to month. Look for apps that provide the most flexibility.ġ2-month averages matter: Not all of your household expenses remain constant throughout the year. That's why it's important to work with a budgeting app that allows you to customize your income and expense categories.

This makes it easier for you to understand where you’re spending the most money each month.Ĭan you create your own income and expense categories? Every household's budget is different. Is there a visual component? The best apps allow you to turn your budget's raw numbers into graphs, charts and visuals. Here are some of the features you should look for when choosing the budgeting and money management app that's best for you: And not every app is a perfect fit for every person. Not all budgeting apps are created equal.
