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- A good budgeting app can help you track your budget, monitor expenses, track your spending habits, and hit your savings goals.
- Countless budgeting apps are available in the UK, but some are fraudulent, and others sell user data to malicious third parties.
- To avoid the consequences of issues like data theft, you must use one of the best budgeting apps UK.
- We’ve outlined and reviewed the best UK budgeting apps below. Our experts have tackled this crucial task after vetting and testing countless service providers.
- When choosing the best budgeting apps, we considered several factors, including security, pricing, and online reputation.
- Commit to one of the budgeting apps recommended in our expert guide to avoid issues associated with low-quality, scammy, and unsafe products.
Many Britons don’t budget appropriately. Consequently, they face numerous significant issues, including accumulated debt, insufficient savings, and increased financial stress. Avoid these and many other challenges by planning and managing your finances with one of the best UK budgeting apps.
By the best budgeting apps, we refer to highly regulated, reputable, and trustworthy solutions like the ones reviewed in this guide. After spending many days evaluating and testing countless service providers, we picked these products from thousands of options. Use one of our recommended apps to manage your finances, budget efficiently, and reach your financial goals quickly.
List of the Best Budgeting Apps
- Revolut – Best UK Budgeting App for All-in-One Financial Management
- Snoop Finance – Best UK Budgeting App for Personalized Savings Insights
- Moneyhub – Best UK Budgeting App for Serious Financial Planners
- Plum – Best UK Budgeting App for Building Significant Savings from Small Amounts
- Emma – Best Budgeting App UK for Monitoring Spending Habits
In This Guide
Budgeting Tools: Comparison Table
You should factor in several aspects when choosing the best budgeting tools UK. First, consider platform compatibility. To enjoy a seamless, headache-free experience, you need an app guaranteed to work smoothly on your device. Also, check every app’s features and their alignment with your financial goals and preferences. Don’t forget about customer support. The last factor is crucial since, at some point, you will likely encounter an issue that will demand quick resolution.
Our experts have compared the best budgeting apps UK based on the aforementioned aspects in the table below. Go through it carefully. Pit up each element against your expectations and preferences. That will help you get a rough idea of what to expect from each service provider.
| Best Budgeting App UK | Platform Compatibility | Key Features | Customer Support Channels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revolut | IOS, Android, Desktop | In-app budgeting, expense tracking, wealth management, income sorter, savings vault | Chat, email, phone |
| Snoop Finance | IOS, Android, Web | Budgeting, spending tracking, bill alerts, subscription tracking, personalized savings tips | |
| Moneyhub | IOS, Android, Desktop | Budgeting insights, spending analysis, insurance policy comparison, management of multiple accounts | In-app messaging, email |
| Plum | IOS, Android | Budgeting, spending tracking and analysis, upcoming bills alerts, automated saving, linking bank accounts, investing | Email, chat, online contact form |
| Emma | IOS, Android | Budgeting, subscription tracking, bank fees tracking, payday countdown, account balance tracking | Email, live chat |
Apps Short Overview
During our exploration and evaluations, we discovered that each of the best budgeting apps UK supports specific assets. For instance, Revolut allows its users to track and manage cash, crypto, stocks, etc. Additionally, although many outstanding brands offer free budgeting apps UK, they also require users to pay certain fees to access specific features and functionalities. Check the tables below for an overview of these crucial aspects.
Fees
| Best UK Budgeting App | Fees |
|---|---|
| Revolut | From £0 per month |
| Snoop Finance | From £0 per month |
| Moneyhub | From £1.49 per month |
| Plum | From 0.62% annual fee |
| Emma | From £0 per month |
Assets
| Best UK Budgeting App | Assets Tracked/Managed | Investment Options |
|---|---|---|
| Revolut | Cash, crypto, stocks, ETFs, commodities | Stocks, crypto, commodities |
| Snoop Finance | Cash, bank accounts, recurring payments | None |
| Moneyhub | Cash, crypto, loans, investment products, credit cards, bank accounts | None |
| Plum | Cash, recurring payments, bank accounts | Stocks, ETFs, funds |
| Emma | Cash, pensions, bank accounts, loans, credit cards, investment products | None |
Our Expert’s Opinion about the Best Budget Apps
Innumerable budget apps are available in the UK, and we’ve either evaluated or used most of them. Our take is not all of the available products are ideal. A good number of budgeting tools UK providers will likely not be a good fit for your financial situation. Remember that each app has unique functions and offerings.
Most importantly, we strongly insist you dedicate considerable time to finding the best UK budgeting app because some service providers don’t prioritize your privacy. They sell your data to the highest bidders, which can expose you to cybercrime and other issues.
Luckily, we’ve recommended safe, reputable, and highly regulated budgeting apps below. Let’s dive in.
1. Revolut – Best UK Budgeting App for All-in-One Financial Management
Revolut is more than your average budgeting app; it’s a financial management powerhouse. But let’s kick off with its budgeting feature, which allows the app’s users to organize their salary automatically, monitor expenses, and hit critical financial goals. With this app, all you have to do is specify where funds should be allocated; the app will use your specifications to sort out your salary on your behalf.
This app’s users can also hold and exchange a wide range of currencies, from GBP and EUR to AED, USD, CAD, AUD, and more. The best part is that, with money in your Revolut account, you can purchase goods and services from tens of thousands of global merchants. Using this app to make payments enables you to earn RevPoints, which you can use to buy items, cover travel costs, etc.
Revolut also allows you to save and grow your hard-earned money in a safe space. Furthermore, with the app, you can invest in stocks and start trading with small amounts starting from $1. This service provider offers over 2,000 company stocks and other investment products, from cryptocurrencies to commodities and ETFs.
Not to forget, Revolut offers diverse insurance policies. You can get a travel insurance policy that will help you cover everything from medical emergencies to urgent transportation and dental treatment.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- The standard plan is free
- Exciting budgeting features, including spending tracking and salary management
- Users can invest in stocks, crypto, ETFs, and commodities
- Supported by tens of thousands of merchants
- Offers travel insurance
- Has dedicated mobile, desktop, and web apps
Cons
- The free plan has minimal features
- Higher fees for users with high transaction volumes
2. Snoop Finance – Best UK Budgeting App for Personalized Saving Insights
Snoop Finance’s budgeting functionality is here to help you cut the cost of living. With it, you can create tailored budgets in two simple taps. The budgets you create with Snoop Finance enable you to direct your spending accordingly. The best part is that if your budgeting skills are lacking, this service provider can help you build optimized budgets.
When it comes to savings, Snoop Finance is a goldmine. This app is designed to isolate “Snoops,” clever insights and hacks that enable you to save money in places where you are already spending your money. For instance, Snoop Finance’s systems can identify a streaming service you rarely use and recommend lowering your subscription to a lower tier or canceling the whole thing, which will save you money.
The best part is that Snoop Finance doesn’t offer generic insights. On the contrary, the app uses AI and other next-level technologies to ensure users get hyper-personalized savings insights and recommendations. The insights are based on factors like financial behavior and real-time customer data.
What’s more, with Snoop Finance, you can monitor your credit cards and bank accounts from one place. The app is compatible with most financial institutions and service providers in the UK, from Barclays to Revolut.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- A free version is available
- Generates hyper-personalized savings insights
- Users can connect and view multiple bank accounts and credit cards
- Allows users to cut bills associated with car insurance, broadband, mortgages, etc.
- Premium users can track their wealth, refunds, spending, etc.
Cons
- The free version has limited features
- Only offers email support
3. Moneyhub – Best UK Budgeting App for Serious Financial Planners
Are you a serious planner dedicated to achieving multiple long-term financial goals? Using Moneyhub should be on your to-do list. This app goes above and beyond offering basic budgeting functionalities. For starters, it offers a highly regulated Open Data Platform that allows savvy individuals to initiate payments and convert data into personalized experiences.
With Moneyhub, you will no longer be in the dark when it comes to financial status. This tool gives you ample opportunity to monitor your funds from one place and achieve your long-term financial goals with intelligent features and functionalities. With a Moneyhub account, you can seamlessly connect and monitor all your credit cards, bank accounts, investments, and more without breaking a sweat.
Moneyhub also allows its users to keep up with their spending. Join this service provider today and get the chance to create personalized spending goals, monitor your expenses, and free up much-needed cash when necessary. You will also receive timely, relevant tips that will help you cut spending and increase savings.
Finally, Moneyhub is designed to track refunds and alert you when you get or fail to get a specific refund. That is incredibly helpful in an era where many merchants offer flexible refund policies.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- New users can try the app cost-free for up to 6 months
- Offers crucial money-saving insights
- Allows users to connect and monitor multiple accounts, credit cards, etc.
- Users can create and track personalized savings goals
- Issues payment and refund notifications and reminders
- Supports A2A payments
Cons
- No phone support for emergencies
- No fixed free plan
4. Plum – Best UK Budgeting App for Building Significant Savings from Small Amounts
Plum helps its users to build sizable savings from smaller, unnoticeable amounts. This AI-powered app gives you the opportunity to develop splendid financial habits and create a cozy nest egg with automated savings featuring affordable amounts. The feature that makes this possible is known as Auto Savers.
Auto Savers come with multiple exciting specs. One of them is the 1p Challenge, a savings program that encourages you to save an additional penny every day for a year. The other one that we consider noteworthy is the Naughty Rule. The feature forces you to set aside some money each time you buy goods and services from retailers that are a guilty pleasure to you.
Plum also has a unique Splitter feature that allows users to seamlessly split money for savings and investments. Moreover, since the service provider knows some days can be better, it offers a special functionality called Moods. It allows you to choose your confidence levels, and your savings levels will change automatically.
If you are an investor, Plum should be the ideal budgeting tool. With it, you can grow your portfolio with over 3,000 stocks and funds. With this incredible solution, you can start your journey to hitting your investment goals in a few taps.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- The basic plan is free
- Exceptional automated savings features
- Supports micro-savings from spare change
- Users can invest in stocks and funds
- >Simple, intuitive interface
Cons
- No phone support
- The best features are exclusively for paying users
5. Emma – Best Budgeting App UK for Monitoring Spending Habits
Keeping an eye on spending habits is the key to optimizing budgeting, cutting back on unnecessary expenses, and reducing debt exposure. Emma is here to help you track your spending apps and reap all associated perks.
The Emma budgeting app lets you connect to over 30 UK banks and track where your money goes. This allows you to stay on top of your expenses and avoid splurging on unnecessary items and services. Additionally, this incredible tool is equipped with features that allow you to monitor recurring payments and cancel wasteful subscriptions before they undermine your financial status quo.
You can create unlimited budgets with Emma today. Moreover, the app allows you to budget based on merchants or other categories. For instance, you can set up budgets related to your Amazon subscriptions or groceries expenses. Most importantly, this service provider lets you sync your budgets to payday.
Not to forget, with Emma, you can monitor the performance of your budgets and make tweaks whenever necessary. That way, you get ample opportunity to exercise greater control over your finances and increase future savings.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- A cost-free plan is available
- Users can invest in commission-free company shares
- The minimum investment amount is a mere $1
- Excellent budgeting features
- Connects people to 60+ lenders
Cons
- The juiciest deals are limited to paid plans
- No phone support
Budgeting Apps in the UK
The popularity of budgeting apps has increased significantly in the UK in recent years. By 2019, over 14% of Britons were using these solutions every day. Several factors have contributed to increased interest in mobile apps, including rising cost of living and enhanced financial awareness.
The FCA regulates budgeting apps in the UK. This regulator ensures that service providers obey the highest consumer protection standards and operate fairly and transparently.
What is a Budgeting App?
A budgeting app helps you monitor your income, spending, savings, net worth, and more. With a good budgeting app, you can stay on top of your finances and make better decisions from a single platform.
What Features Do Budgeting Apps Have?
The core features and functionalities that the best UK budgeting apps have include:
- Expense tracking: The best budgeting apps allow users to monitor their spending patterns and habits over time.
- Budget creation: Budgeting app users can set spending limits for different categories, like groceries, rent, and leisure.
- Goal setting: With the best budget app UK, you can set specific financial goals and see them through, paying off debt, setting up an emergency fund, saving for a vacation, etc.
- Savings management: Some of the best budgeting apps offer unique savings tools and features like automated savings transfers.
- Reporting and analytics: Excellent budgeting apps allow users to analyze and improve their financial habits with charts, graphs, and other visual representations.
How to Choose the Best Budget App UK
Choosing the best budget app FOR YOU is crucial for a number of reasons. First, different tools have different features and functionalities. For optimum outcomes, you have to sift through multiple service providers and identify one that offers what your financial goals demand. Moreover, since some tools are unsafe, you must do all you can to avoid them.
Use these factors to find the best budgeting app UK and avoid unsafe tools that might compromise your data and finances:
Security
Core Features
Pricing and Costs
Ease of Use
Customer Support
Online Reputation
Look for a highly regulated budgeting app that optimizes user security and privacy with solutions like secure 2FA login and advanced data encryption. Also, examine every service provider’s privacy policy and avoid companies that sell customer data to third parties.
Choose a budgeting app with core features that match your goals and expectations. For instance, if you are focused on optimizing budgeting, the ideal solution should have features like tracking and expense tracking.
Some budgeting tools have free versions, and others don’t. Moreover, in most cases, budgeting apps offer premium features and functionalities to paid users. While choosing the best solution, vet available plans, features, and pricing.
If you are a budgeting novice, finding an app with an intuitive, easy-to-use interface should always be an essential factor. Don’t complicate your life by committing to an overwhelming app when you have yet to master the fundamentals of effective budgeting.
A reliable budgeting app should allow users to seek professional support via one of the most popular channels, like email, call, and chat. It should also have active and knowledgeable agents ready to offer assistance whenever necessary.
Online reviews will help you gauge a budgeting app’s reputation. You can ascertain a service provider’s trustworthiness, reliability, and user satisfaction by gauging reputation.
How to Sign up for an Account with a Budget App
After choosing the best budgeting app UK, the only thing left is signing up. Thankfully, this process is as uncomplicated as it can get. Here are the simplified steps:
Step 1: Download your chosen app
Step 2: Open your account
Step 3: Complete verification
Step 4: Start using the app
Download your preferred budgeting app from the provider’s official site, Google Play, or the App Store. Don’t download tools from unofficial sites to avoid the repercussions of using malicious apps.
Install and open the budgeting app. Register a new account with the required information, such as your name, email address, and phone number. Furthermore, set a strong password to protect your data and sensitive information.
Verify your contact information, be it your mobile number or email address. If you don’t get the SMS code or verification email, check if you submitted valid details. Don’t forget to read and agree to the Ts and Cs.
After completing verification, you can start using your budgeting app. Depending on what the app supports and what you prefer, you may need to take all required actions. These may include linking multiple bank accounts, creating budgets, and setting up automatic deposits to savings accounts.
Conclusion
UK budgeting apps can kickstart your journey to financial freedom through reduced expenses and increased savings. That said, using these apps exposes you to multiple noteworthy risks. For instance, sensitive information like your banking details can get into the wrong hands while using a budgeting app, causing issues like hefty monetary losses and identity theft.
But that should not stop you from using budgeting apps. By signing up with reliable apps like the ones we’ve recommended, you can easily avoid issues associated with lousy or unsafe service products.
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