Best budget apps

How you think about money will determine the best budgeting app for your life, explains an ASU finance expert.

In this article published Oct. 19, 2026, on WalletHub:

If you like to give every dollar a job before the month begins, look for an app built around zero-based budgeting. That's a method where "zero" dollars are unassigned — every dollar has a job. If you'd rather spend freely and check in once a week to make sure nothing is off track, a tracking-focused app with good automatic categorization will suit you better. If you share finances with a partner, make sure both of you can log in and see the same accounts without passing one password back and forth.

Use the free trial before you pay. Connect your real accounts, use the app for two or three weeks, and pay attention to whether you open it without having to make yourself. Also look closely at the cost. Paying $100 a year for an app is a bargain if it helps you redirect $200 a month. It's a waste if the app sits unopened on your phone.

— Patrick Payne, clinical associate professor of finance