Top 5 Budgeting Tools to Help you save money

With so many different budgeting tools out there, how do you know if one is the right fit for you? 

I tried out some of the top budgeting tools for 30 days so you don’t have to. Below is a summary and comparison of the top-rated tools to help you choose the right fit for your lifestyle.

YNAB vs. Empower?

Which budgeting apps are good for couples?

We will answer those questions and more. In no particular order, let’s get started!

1. You Need a Budget (YNAB)

You Need A Budget is a budgeting software designed to help users give every dollar a job and proactively manage their finances. YNAB encourages users to live within their means and break the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle.

Ease of use: Difficult

YNAB was the most cumbersome and time consuming of the tools I tried for 30 days. There is a learning curve for beginners not only understanding how to use the interface, but also the methodology is more complex than other softwares. I watched multiple YouTube videos to understand how to set myself up for success.

Accountability:  High

Because every dollar has a job, it offers a high level of accountability to your spending habits.

Price: $8.25 monthly ($99 annually paid at once) OR $14.99 monthly, Free 34 day trial

Top Features: 

• Real time secure sync with accounts (bank, credit cards, etc.)
• Goal Tracking
• Zero-Based Budgeting: Every dollar gets a job ensuring that income minus expenses is zero
• Shared budgeting allows couples and families to manage their finances together

Who is YNAB made for?

• Disciplined individuals committed to breaking bad spending habits and increasing their financial well-being
• All ranges of income, but especially beneficial for those living paycheck to paycheck
• Detail oriented people who want in depth insights and reports into their spending habits and behaviors

YNAB is most effective for individuals willing to engage actively with their budget, prioritize financial wellness, and take a hands-on approach to manage their money.

2. Copilot.money

Copilot is a budgeting app boasting a user friendly interface which uses machine learning to categorize your expenses and learn from history. It also has smart monitoring to prevent overdraft fees, help you build credit, identify fraud, and more.

Ease of use: Easy

Copilot’s tool automatically categorizes your expenses. It doesn’t get all of them correct, but you can easily modify the budget categories and it will learn from your past transactions in the future. It has a very simple user interface as well.

Accountability: Medium

Copilot allows you to set notifications regarding financial issues you care about the most (e.g. nearing overdraft, how to build credit, identity potential fraud, and more). However, it is not as process-oriented as YNAB and still requires the user to decide how to tailor usage to their needs.

Price: $7.92/mo ($95 billed yearly); Free 30 day trial

Top features:

• Machine learning will ensure your transactions are categorized properly, giving you accurate insight into your spending habits
• Custom categorization
• Real-time secure sync with accounts (bank, credit cards, etc.)
• Pulls in Zillow data for home value estimates to better estimate net worth

Who is Copilot made for?

• Users with Mac or iOS (not available for other operating systems at this time)
• Individuals who want a simple user interface
• Those who want more control about how they manage their money, what areas to focus on vs. YNAB

Copilot will be best for those who want a friendly user interface but aren’t ready to commit to the more complex methodology of YNAB.

3. Empower (Formerly Personal Capital)

Empower offers a suite of features to help users gain better control over their finances. It typically aggregates various financial accounts in one place, giving users a comprehensive view of their financial status. The app often uses artificial intelligence to analyze spending patterns, make recommendations for savings, and provide financial insights that are personalized to the user’s behavior and goals.

Ease of Use: Medium; Empower has easy-to-read visuals, though figuring out how to interact with the features and customization can be a bit confusing. 

Accountability: Medium; While Empower does allow you to set financial goals, it is limited in its methodology to keep the user on track. It is up to the user to utilize the tool effectively.

Price: Free, though they advertise wealth management and other services throughout the process

Top Features:

• Real-time secure sync with accounts (bank, credit cards, etc.)
• Subscription monitoring
• Tailored insights and recommendations on areas to save

Who is Empower made for?

• Individuals who want historical insights into their spending history and areas of potential savings
• Those who do not want to financially commit to a specific app
• Those who want more control about how they manage their money, what areas to focus on

Empower is best for those who want a historical view of their expenses, and don’t want to commit a monthly or yearly subscription cost to manage their money.

4 & 5. Homemade Spreadsheet (Google Sheets or Excel)

Because Google Sheets and Excel are so similar, I decided to combine their overview, but will highlight the nuance between the two.

Google Sheets is a 100% cloud-based spreadsheet application offering basic to complex functions. It is the perfect tool to build and develop your own customizable budget spreadsheet and reporting system. If offers real-time collaboration, meaning multiple people can update the file at one time. Another benefit is that it can be accessed from any device with a simple sign-in.

Microsoft Excel is also a spreadsheet application used for data storage, analysis, and visualization. It comes in both desktop applications as well as offering a cloud based, web version of the tool. 

Ease of Use: Variable

It all depends on how simple or complex your tool is. There are many free budgeting templates for both Google Sheets and Excel with step-by-step instructions. If you want it to be completely customized, setting up what you want will likely take much longer than the other tools mentioned.

Accountability: Low

Building your budget, how you interact with the tool, and ongoing maintenance is completely up to the user to design. Each individual needs to hold themselves accountable to the goals they put forth.

Price:

• Google Sheets – Free to use with internet access, and also can be downloaded to use on a desktop application.
• Excel – requires Microsoft office suite and/or subscription to Microsoft 365; ranges from $5/month or one time up front fee of $70+ depending on features

Top Features:

• Completely customizable to personal needs including formulas, charts, and graphs
• Multiple interface options: Google Sheets and Excel both come with pre-built budget templates and there are many more available across the internet for free
• Google sheets can be accessed from any device with an internet connection
• Both contain functions to pull in real-time stock and other asset prices; best for those who have vested / unvested Restricted Stock Units and/or Crypto in their portfolio

Who is Google Sheets and Excel made for:

• Individuals who are comfortable using spreadsheet applications
• Those who want to design their own budget layout and visualizations
• People who like the added task of digging into their financials to truly understand all income and expenses

Conclusion:

The best budget tool for you is the one that you will stick with maintaining. Many of the above tools have free trial periods – I’d highly recommend trying one out for 30 days to see which one works best for you and your family. Once your budget is established, it will give you clear insights into your spending habits, allowing you to identify attainable goals.

Next: Check out how to set financial goals