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Ask Crystal: Which budgeting app is best?

Ask Crystal: Which budgeting app is best?

Every Thursday in 2025, I’ll be answering a question on money and/or budgeting. If you have a question you’d love for me to answer in an upcoming post, please submit it here.

We’re considering using a budgeting app to help us stay on track. I’ve heard really great things about Every Dollar, YNAB, and Rocket Money. Would you able to do a post comparing the features of each? We’re a little overwhelmed. -Julie

Great question, Julie! I know so many people wonder if it’s worth it to use a budgeting app and, if so, which one is the best one to use.

EveryDollar, YNAB (You Need A Budget), and Rocket Money are three popular options, but they each have unique features depending on how hands-on you want to be with your budget and how much support you’re looking for.

Let’s break them down (in no particular order) to help you make the best decision for your family:

1. EveryDollar

EveryDollar is a simple and clean budgeting app developed by Dave Ramsey’s team, and it’s based on the concept of zero-based budgeting where you give every dollar a job before the month begins. The app is perfect for beginners who want something straightforward without a steep learning curve.

The free version lets you manually enter all your income and expenses, while the paid version connects to your bank accounts and automatically tracks transactions.

If you’re already familiar with the envelope method or like the idea of planning your spending before the month starts, you’ll probably love how organized EveryDollar makes you feel. However, to unlock helpful features like bank syncing and custom budget reports, you’ll need to upgrade to the paid version. Still, it’s a great entry point for anyone just getting started.

Pros:

Simple, clean interface that’s great for beginners
Based on zero-based budgeting (assign every dollar a job)
Manual version is free
Syncs with your bank account with the paid version

Cons:

Limited features in the free version
Automated transaction importing only available with paid plan

Cost:

Free (manual entry)
$79.99/year for the premium version with bank sync and additional features

Want to try zero-based budgeting without an app first? Grab my free budgeting worksheets here!

2. YNAB (You Need A Budget)

YNAB is a favorite among budgeting who really want to take a hands-on approach to managing their finances and for good reason. It’s incredibly intentional.

This app doesn’t just help you track spending; it helps you build new financial habits. YNAB operates on four key rules that encourage you to give every dollar a job, embrace your true expenses, roll with the punches, and age your money. In other words, this app teaches you how to stop living paycheck to paycheck.

YNAB is ideal if you’re looking for more than just an app and want a complete budgeting system. But you must be willing to spend a little time upfront learning how it works.

The interface syncs with your bank accounts in real time, and the support community and tutorials are top-notch. If you’re someone who loves spreadsheets or tracking things down to the penny, YNAB might be your new best friend.

That said, it does come at a higher price point and has a bit of a learning curve, so it may not be the best option if you’re looking for something super simple right away.

Pros:

Excellent educational tools and tutorials
Encourages long-term mindset shifts about money
Real-time sync with bank accounts

Cons:

Pricier than other options
Learning curve can feel steep at first

If you need help budgeting when you have a fluctuating income, this post is a great place to start.

Cost:

$14.99/month or $99/year
34-day free trial
Free for college students for one year

3. Rocket Money (formerly Truebill)

If you want a more passive approach to managing your money, Rocket Money could be a great fit. This app is designed to do a lot of the heavy lifting for you by tracking your spending, flagging subscriptions you might want to cancel, negotiating bills on your behalf, and even helping you set up automated savings. It’s especially helpful if your biggest budgeting struggle is not knowing where your money is going each month.

Rocket Money shines when it comes to identifying hidden expenses, especially monthly subscriptions that tend to sneak by unnoticed. The app even offers premium services that include budgeting insights and credit monitoring.

However, Rocket Money is less about hands-on planning and more about organizing what’s already happening with your money. If you want to be more intentional with your spending from the start of the month, a tool like EveryDollar or YNAB might be a better match. Still, for busy families who just want to keep tabs on their finances with minimal effort, Rocket Money has a lot to offer.

Pros:

Automatically finds subscriptions and bills you may want to cancel
Tracks spending and helps you negotiate bills
Offers credit score tracking
Set savings goals directly in the app

Cons:

Less emphasis on detailed budgeting and planning
Some features are locked behind paid plans
Negotiation services take a portion of the savings

Cost:

Free version available
Premium: Pay what you want, $3–$12/month

I hope this helps give you some additional insight as to which budgeting app and budgeting method may be the best fit for your needs and goals. Remember, there’s no perfect app or system. It all comes down to what works best for you at the stage of life you’re in.

The good news is that many budgeting apps have a free trial so you can test out the features to see if it’s a good fit. And if you’re not ready to commit to an app yet or prefer to budget paper to pen, don’t forget you can start with my free printable budgeting worksheets to get into the habit of planning your money intentionally on paper first!