Every January, people download a budgeting app and quit by February. Often it’s not their fault. The app said “free,” then locked the useful part behind a subscription. So let’s do the math. Here are the best free budgeting apps for 2027, what you really get for $0, and what each one charges for the rest. My short answer: Goodbudget is the best truly free choice if you don’t mind typing in your spending, and EveryDollar is the best if you want a simple monthly plan.
Read the fine print on every app below. Prices and features change often, and the numbers here are from the App Store listings as of October 2026.
Best free budgeting apps at a glance
| App | What’s free | What costs extra | Rating | Bank link on free plan? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goodbudget | 10 regular and 10 annual envelopes, no ads | Plus plan from $5.99/month or $49.99 a year | 4.6 (13K ratings) | No, you enter spending by hand |
| EveryDollar | Monthly budget planning | Premium: $17.99/month or $79.99 a year (bank connection) | 4.7 (84K ratings) | No, you enter spending by hand |
| PocketGuard | Basic budgeting; 7-day trial of the paid plan | PocketGuard Plus: $12.99/month or $74.99 a year | 4.6 (7.7K ratings) | Check the listing; plans change |
| Rocket Money | Budgeting and expense tracking to start | Premium plans, listed from $2.99 to $11.99 | 4.5 (398K ratings) | Yes, to start |
The catch with “free” budgeting apps
When Mint shut down in 2024, a lot of people went looking for a free replacement. Here’s the truth: automatic bank syncing costs the app money, so it’s usually the first thing that moves behind a paywall. You have two choices:
- Type in your spending by hand. It takes a few minutes a week, and the app stays free. You also don’t have to share your bank login.
- Link your bank account. It saves time, but you may pay, and you’re sharing financial data with another company.
Neither is wrong. Pick the one you’ll actually keep doing.
Goodbudget: best truly free app (no bank link)
Goodbudget uses the envelope method. You split your money into “envelopes” like groceries, gas, and rent, and you spend only what’s in each one. The free version is ad-free.
- How it works: You fill each envelope at the start of the month, then log each purchase as you spend.
- What you get free: 10 regular envelopes and 10 annual envelopes.
- The catch: Automatic bank sync, unlimited envelopes, and sharing across five devices are paid. The App Store lists plans from $5.99/month, up to $79.99 a year for Premium.
- Rating: 4.6 stars (13K ratings on the App Store), as of October 2026.
- Privacy: The App Store label lists financial info, contact info, and location, linked to you.
Download Goodbudget from the App Store or Google Play.
EveryDollar: best for a simple monthly plan
EveryDollar is made by Ramsey Solutions. It uses a zero-based budget: you give every dollar of your paycheck a job before the month starts, so income minus spending equals zero.
- How it works: You list your income and your expenses, then track what you spend against each line.
- What you get free: The base budgeting app.
- The catch: Linking your accounts so your purchases show up automatically is a paid feature. Ramsey’s help center says the mobile app is only available in the United States, and Premium offers a 14-day free trial for new users. The App Store lists Premium at $17.99/month or $79.99 a year. That’s a lot if all you wanted was a free budget.
- Rating: 4.7 stars (84K ratings on the App Store), as of October 2026.
- Privacy: The App Store label says contact info, identifiers, and usage data may be used to track you across other companies’ apps and websites.
Download EveryDollar from the App Store, or search for it on Google Play. Ramsey’s page on the EveryDollar mobile app explains the details.
PocketGuard: best for seeing what’s left to spend
PocketGuard focuses on one question: how much money is safe to spend right now, after bills and savings goals? It can sync with your accounts to figure that out.
- What you get: Bank syncing, budgeting tools, bill tracking, and debt payoff planning are listed features.
- The catch: The App Store doesn’t say which features are free and which aren’t. It lists PocketGuard Plus at $12.99/month or $74.99 a year, with a 7-day free trial. Don’t confuse a trial with a free plan. If you don’t cancel before the trial ends, you’ll be charged.
- Rating: 4.6 stars (7.7K ratings on the App Store), as of October 2026.
- Privacy: The App Store label says financial info, contact info, and more may be used to track you.
Download PocketGuard from the App Store, or search for it on Google Play.
Rocket Money: best for catching subscriptions you forgot
Rocket Money (formerly Truebill) starts with budgeting and spending tracking for free, and it links to your bank. It’s also built to find recurring charges you may have forgotten.
- What you get free: According to the App Store, budgeting is free to start, including tracking your expenses and a view of your overall finances.
- The catch: It’s built to sell you Premium. The App Store lists ten different Premium prices, from $2.99 to $11.99, and a reviewer on the page mentions a fee for bill negotiation. Read the price before you tap Subscribe.
- Rating: 4.5 stars (398K ratings on the App Store), as of October 2026.
- Privacy: The App Store label lists purchases, financial info, and contact info, linked to you.
Download Rocket Money from the App Store, or search for it on Google Play.
How to start a budget in 15 minutes
- Write down your take-home pay. That’s what hits your bank account, not your gross pay.
- List your fixed bills: rent, phone, insurance, loan payments.
- List your flexible spending: groceries, gas, eating out, fun.
- Subtract. If you’re spending more than you earn, cut from the flexible list first.
- Log your spending for two weeks. Use an app or a notebook. Then adjust.
Want to boost the money side? Our guide to money apps and our saving money tips can help. You’ll also find more ideas in our New Year’s resolutions collection.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the best free budgeting app?
If you’re okay with typing in your spending, Goodbudget’s free version is the closest to truly free. If you want your bank to sync, expect to pay or to test a free trial.
Is it safe to link my bank account to a budgeting app?
It can be, if the app is from a company you can check and you read its privacy label first. If you’d rather not, choose an app where you enter spending by hand.
What replaced Mint?
Nothing is exactly the same. Each app here covers part of it. Goodbudget and EveryDollar are better for planning, and Rocket Money is better for tracking recurring charges.
Do I need an app to budget?
No. A notebook or a free spreadsheet works. An app just makes it easier to keep going.
My take
- If you want free and don’t mind typing: Goodbudget.
- If you want a simple monthly plan: EveryDollar’s free version.
- If you want to catch forgotten subscriptions: Rocket Money, but watch the Premium upsell.
Pick one app, use it for 30 days, and cancel any trial you don’t need. A budget only works if you stick with it, and nothing here is a guarantee that you’ll save a set amount.
