Need recommendations for a simple budgeting app

General
1

I’m trying to get control of my monthly spending and savings, but the built-in tools from my bank feel too limited and confusing. I’d really appreciate suggestions for a reliable, user-friendly budgeting app that helps track expenses, set goals, and stick to a budget without being overwhelming. What apps have actually worked for you and why?

2

I’ve bounced between a bunch of budgeting apps. Here is what worked and what sucked for me.

  1. You Need A Budget (YNAB)
  • Best if you want tight control of every dollar.
  • You give every dollar a “job” before you spend it.
  • Strong for savings goals and irregular bills.
  • Great reports so you see where your money goes each month.
  • Syncs with most banks, though sometimes you need to fix duplicates.
  • Steep learning curve. First week feels confusing, then it clicks.
  • Paid only, but they give a long trial.
  • Works best if you open it often, not once a month.
  1. Monarch Money
  • Clean interface, less nerdy than YNAB.
  • Good for tracking net worth, investments, and bills in one place.
  • Strong automatic imports from banks and credit cards.
  • Lets you set custom categories and goals for savings.
  • More “set it and review” than “touch every transaction”.
  • Paid too, but solid if you like dashboards and charts.
  1. EveryDollar
  • Simple zero based budget.
  • Free version needs manual entry. Paid adds bank sync.
  • Good if you want something very basic with envelopes style.
  • Fewer graphs, but fast to set up your monthly plan.
  1. Simplifi by Quicken
  • Focuses on day to day spending.
  • Shows you “spendable” money after bills and goals.
  • Good for people who want a quick number they can look at and not overthink.
  • Bank sync is solid, though some users report random hiccups.
  1. Free and dead simple option
  • Google Sheets plus Tiller (paid) or manual entry.
  • Good if you like full control and no app lock-in.
  • You can copy public templates like “Monthly Budget” and tweak categories.
  • No paywall for basic sheets, only your time and patience.

What I would do in your shoes:

  • Pick one app and commit for 60 days.
  • Start with 3 buckets only. Needs, Wants, Savings. Do not create 40 categories.
  • Set a simple rule. Check the app every day for 2 minutes.
  • Turn on alerts for when you hit 80 percent of a category.

If you want most automation and a clear picture, try Monarch.
If you want to change habits and micromanage spending, try YNAB.
If you want simple and cheap, try EveryDollar free or a spreadsheet.

Biggest tip from my own screwups. Do not chase the perfect app. The habit of checking and adjusting each week matters more than which tool you pick.

3

I mostly agree with @reveurdenuit’s breakdown, but I think they’re still leaning a bit “power user.” If you’re feeling overwhelmed already, I’d aim even simpler.

A few options that are actually beginner friendly:

  1. Copilot Money
  • iOS/macOS only, so that might be a dealbreaker.
  • Extremely clean interface, way less “budget nerd” than YNAB.
  • Great at auto‑categorizing so you don’t have to babysit every transaction.
  • You can set a monthly spending target and it’ll show how fast you’re burning through it.
  • Weak point: it’s more “spending tracker” than hardcore envelope budgeting.
  1. PocketGuard
  • Very focused on “what’s safe to spend today.”
  • Connects to your bank, subtracts bills and savings, and gives you a single number.
  • Nice if you don’t want to think about 20 categories, just “am I okay to buy this or not.”
  • Downside: categories and goals are more basic, so not great if you want detailed control later.
  1. Spendee
  • More visual and colorful, feels less like accounting software.
  • You can use it totally manual if you’re nervous about bank connections.
  • Has “wallets” that feel like simple envelopes for specific things (groceries, fun, etc.).
  • Not as heavy on reports as YNAB/Monarch, but that might be a plus starting out.
  1. Super simple spreadsheet + daily check
    I know @reveurdenuit mentioned Sheets, but here’s where I disagree: you don’t need templates, Tiller, or any of that. Just 3 lines and 10 minutes a week:
  • Row 1: Income this month
  • Row 2: Planned spending total
  • Row 3: Planned savings
    Then a single list of transactions with “Need / Want / Savings” tagged. That’s it. When that starts feeling too basic, then move to something like YNAB or Monarch.

If you want the least mental load right now:

  • Try PocketGuard or Copilot for 1 month.
  • Ignore fancy features. Set:
    • one general spending limit
    • one simple savings goal (like “$X per month to emergency fund”)
  • Check the app when you’re about to buy something, not after.

The trap I see a lot: people try to pick the “perfect” app, set 30 categories, then burn out in 2 weeks. A boring app you actually open is better than a powerful one you abandon.

4

I’d actually zoom out a bit from the “which app” debate and look at how you want to interact with your money, then match an app to that.

@viaggiatoresolare leaned heavier into power tools like YNAB / Monarch.
@reveurdenuit went even simpler with Copilot, PocketGuard, Spendee. All solid suggestions, but they’re mostly framed as “pick an app, then adapt yourself to it.”

I’d flip that.

1. Decide your “money personality” first

Pick the one that sounds most like you:

  1. “I want to feel in control but hate data entry.”
    • You want strong automation, light structure.
  2. “I actually like numbers and categories, but my brain fries if things are messy.”
    • You want rule based structure and clean reports.
  3. “I just want to know if I can afford takeout tonight.”
    • You want a single ‘safe to spend’ number, not a full budget lab.

Keep that in mind while reading the app ideas below.

2. Apps that match those personalities

A. Automation first: you hate babysitting

If you’re closer to (1), I’d look at:

Copilot Money (as mentioned already, but from a different angle):

  • Why it fits: Best if you want your phone to quietly categorize and just show trends.
  • Good for: “I spent 27% more on food this month” kind of awareness.
  • Where I disagree with others: It is not great if your goal is to enforce a strict monthly spending cap. It shows how you are doing, not “do not cross this line” walls.

Monarch Money (from @viaggiatoresolare’s list):

  • Treat this almost like a money dashboard. Income, spending, net worth, goals.
  • Great if you want to see “X per month toward vacation, Y to investments” without envelope micromanagement.

If you go this route, the trick is to set one or two rules only, like:

  • “Total eating out under $200/month.”
  • “$300 automatically to savings the day after payday.”
    Let the app handle the rest.

B. Structure and behavior change: you want rules

If you’re more like (2), this is where I actually think some of the other replies underplay how transformative a strict method can be.

YNAB

  • Treat it less like an “app” and more like a training program for your brain.
  • Every dollar gets a job, categories are intentional, timing matters.
  • You will feel confused for a week or two. If you push through that, you get a crystal clear picture of “what this money is for.”

Where I slightly disagree with both earlier replies:

  • You do not need to open YNAB every day forever. After a couple months, twice a week is plenty if your accounts are stable.
  • You also do not need a million categories. 8 to 12 is plenty, especially starting out.

If you like the structure but want something softer, EveryDollar is the more minimal cousin. It is zero based without YNAB’s quirks.

C. “Can I buy this?” mode

If you are (3), I would absolutely not start with YNAB or a spreadsheet. That just leads to guilt when you stop updating it.

Here, I’d pick:

PocketGuard

  • It basically answers one question: “How much is safe to spend?”
  • Good if you’re tired or stressed and want a single number each day.
  • Downsides: You will not get deep insight into categories or long term behavior. It is more of a daily traffic light than a full map.

I slightly disagree with calling this purely a beginner tool. Some higher income folks who hate details do great with this long term.

3. A note on the “spreadsheet solution”

Both previous posts mentioned Sheets. I’d add one caution:

If you are already feeling overwhelmed, starting in a spreadsheet can be a trap.

  • Pro: Total control, zero subscription, unlimited customization.
  • Con: You must be both the app designer and the user. When you get tired, the whole system dies.

Spreadsheets are excellent later when you know exactly what you want to track and why.

4. About the unnamed “simple budgeting app”

If you are reading around for things like a “simple budgeting app I’m trying to get control of my monthly spending and savings” and you bump into a product literally called something like that, here is how to judge it quickly:

Pros

  • If it is truly focused on monthly spending and savings, it usually has:
    • A clean monthly overview.
    • Very few, clear categories.
    • Straightforward savings goal setup.
  • Often lighter and less overwhelming than YNAB or Monarch.
  • Can be great for building the basic habit before you graduate to heavier tools.

Cons

  • May lack advanced features you eventually want, like detailed reports, net worth tracking, or complex recurring bills.
  • Bank sync can be hit or miss in simpler apps.
  • You might outgrow it in a year once your habits improve.

Use the same filters as above:

  • Does it show a clear monthly plan?
  • Can you check it in under 2 minutes?
  • Does it answer the main question you care about: “Am I on track this month?”

If yes, then that “simple budgeting app I’m trying to get control of my monthly spending and savings” type of tool might actually be what you need right now.

5. How I’d narrow it down for you specifically

Given that the bank’s tools already feel confusing, I’d avoid anything that looks like accounting software or that makes you design from scratch.

Try this decision tree:

  • Want strict habit change and are okay with a learning curve → YNAB
  • Want a clear overview with automation and light planning → Monarch or Copilot
  • Want one number to glance at before you tap your card → PocketGuard
  • Want bare minimum friction and willpower is your main tool → a super simple budgeting app that only tracks monthly income, total planned spending, and total planned savings

Then commit to one of those for 60 days like @viaggiatoresolare suggested, but with one tweak:

  • Instead of daily checks, tie it to events: open the app before grocery runs and big online orders. That way the budget actually influences decisions, not just reports on them afterward.