Money & Insurance · Topic page
Best Budgeting Apps
Every company here was researched from its own pricing pages and terms. No paid rankings.
We check it out so you don’t have to.
How we researched this page: we read each company’s own pricing pages and terms, independent tests, and customer reviews. We did not use these products ourselves. Prices change often, so each one shows the date we checked it.
The short version
If you want a modern app that couples and families can share, Monarch. If you want a strict every-dollar-has-a-job method, YNAB. For long-range cash-flow forecasts, PocketSmith. For spreadsheet lovers, Tiller. For multi-currency and a fair flat price, Lunch Money. For a low-cost, simple app, Quicken Simplifi.
Quick comparison
| Company | Best for | Starting price | Trial / refund |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monarch | Couples, all-round money view | $99.99/yr (Core), checked October 25, 2026 | 7-day trial |
| PocketSmith | Cash-flow forecasting | Free; $9.99/mo yearly or $14.95 monthly, checked October 25, 2026 | Free plan |
| Lunch Money | Multi-currency, flat pricing | $10/mo or about $100/yr, checked October 25, 2026 | 30-day trial |
| Tiller | Google Sheets and Excel users | $99/yr, checked October 25, 2026 | 30-day trial plus 30-day refund |
| Quicken Simplifi | Low-cost simple tracking | $6.99/mo billed yearly (intro shown as $3), checked October 25, 2026 | See the official site |
| YNAB | Strict zero-based budgeting | $109/yr or $14.99/mo, checked October 25, 2026 | 34-day trial |
Monarch
Who it fits: Couples and families who want one shared view of accounts, budgets, investments and goals.
What it costs (checked October 25, 2026): Core $99.99/yr ($8.33/mo). A higher tier is $199.99/yr. 7-day free trial.
Honest downsides: No free plan. Bank connections can break at times, as with every app here.
Compare: Read our full Monarch review · PocketSmith vs Monarch
PocketSmith
Who it fits: Planners who want to see their balance projected months or years ahead.
What it costs (checked October 25, 2026): free plan (limited). Paid plans $9.99, $16.66 and $26.66 a month billed yearly ($14.95, $24.95, $39.95 monthly), with 10, 30 or 60 years of projection.
Honest downsides: More complex than most apps here. Bank feeds on the cheapest plan are limited to one country (October 23, 2026).
Visit PocketSmith’s official site
Compare: PocketSmith vs Monarch
Lunch Money
Who it fits: People with money in more than one currency, and anyone who likes a clean web app at a flat price.
What it costs (checked October 25, 2026): $10/mo, or a yearly plan where you pick your price (the page suggests $100). Every feature on every plan. 30-day trial.
Honest downsides: A small company. Its mobile app is lighter than the web app.
Visit Lunch Money’s official site
Tiller
Who it fits: People who want their bank transactions flowing into their own Google Sheets or Excel.
What it costs (checked October 25, 2026): $99/yr after a 30-day free trial, plus another 30 days backed by a full refund.
Honest downsides: You need to be comfortable with spreadsheets. No standalone mobile app.
Quicken Simplifi
Who it fits: People who want a simple, low-cost app for spending and planning.
What it costs (checked October 25, 2026): $6.99/mo billed yearly, with a $3/mo intro price shown.
Honest downsides: Fewer investment and forecasting tools than Monarch or PocketSmith.
Visit Quicken Simplifi’s official site
Also worth knowing
- YNAB (official site) is very popular for strict zero-based budgeting and is often compared with Monarch ($109/yr or $14.99/mo, 34-day trial, checked October 25, 2026).
- Copilot Money (iPhone and Mac) and EveryDollar are popular too.
Side-by-side pages
The match-ups people search for most in this topic:
Sources
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