Managing money as a couple can be more complicated than handling your personal finances on your own. But there are many benefits to budgeting as a couple. You can proactively plan your joint spending, better track your expenses, set shared financial goals, and improve financial communication. By working as a team, it’s easier to make informed decisions, reduce financial stress, and enjoy a sense of achievement as you hit your milestones. Whether you fully combine your finances or take a “mine, yours, ours” approach, using a budget app for couples can make the process of joint money management easier.
If you’re looking for the best budget app for couples, you’ll find several options in this guide. These apps are designed to help you track your spending, set savings goals, and stay on top of your finances together. Each of these apps offers unique budgeting features that cater to different needs, so you can find one that’s the right fit for you and your partner.
In this article, we’ll cover:
Honeydue
Best for: Couples who want a free budgeting app
Honeydue is a free budget app for couples, and it’s designed to let you share as much or as little of your finances as you want. The app supports over 20,000 financial institutions, allowing you and your partner to link your accounts, track your spending, chat about transactions, and manage all of your finances in one place. With features like bill pay reminders and custom budget categories, Honeydue ensures both partners are on the same page financially.
Cost: Free (with in-app ads)
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Completely free | Limited investment tracking |
| Easy to set up and use | Some users report occasional syncing issues |
| Customizable expense categories | Basic reporting features |
Zeta
Best for: Couples budgeting with other family members
The Zeta app is focused on managing family finances. You can have up to four users, so it may be a useful option for couples who share finances with other family members, like their parents or older kids. The free version of the app allows you to sync up to three accounts, create budgets, and keep track of shared expenses. You can also upgrade to the paid version to add an additional user and automation features.
Cost: Free version available; $6.99 per month for premium features
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Allows up to four users | No bill pay feature |
| Free for up to three users | Limited advanced features |
| Joint account feature available | No investment tracking features |
Goodbudget
Best for: Couples who prefer envelope budgeting
Goodbudget uses the envelope budgeting system to help couples manage their finances. It allows you to create virtual envelopes for different spending categories, making it easy to track your expenses and stick to your budget without toting around physical envelopes of cash. Each month you and your partner can deposit your paychecks, set aside what you need in each category, and then decide how to spend (or save) the rest based on what’s most important to you. While the premium version accommodates unlimited envelopes and unlimited accounts, the free version allows for only twenty envelopes and one account.
Cost: Free version available; $10 per month or $80 per year for premium features
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Simple and easy to use | No automatic account syncing |
| Envelope system helps control spending | Can be time-consuming to manually enter transactions |
| Free version available | Limited envelopes in the free version |
Wally
Best for: Couples who want detailed expense tracking
Wally is designed for couples who want to track their expenses in detail. This GPT AI-powered app allows you to link your accounts, track income, categorize your spending, manage pending bills, and set financial goals. Wally also offers advanced features like receipt scanning, foreign currency support, and the ability to calculate your net worth in any covered currency. However, note that some of the advanced features are only available as in-app purchases.
Cost: Free with in-app purchases
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Detailed expense tracking | Occasional syncing issues |
| Supports multiple currencies | User interface can be confusing |
| Supports investment account tracking | Some features require in-app purchases |
YNAB (You Need a Budget)
Best for: Couples serious about financial planning
YNAB is a powerful budgeting app that helps couples (or up to six people on one subscription) take control of their finances. The app is built around four financial rules designed to change the way you think about money: give every dollar a job, embrace your true expenses, roll with the punches, and age your money to find more breathing room in your financial plan. With features like goal setting, detailed reports, and educational resources, YNAB is geared for couples looking to get serious and specific about long-term financial planning.
Cost: $11.99 per month or $84 per year
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Large range of budgeting tools | No free version |
| Extensive educational resources | Steeper learning curve |
| Detailed financial reports | Requires manual entry of transactions |
Monarch Money
Best for: Couples focused on long-term financial planning
Monarch Money is a cohesive financial management app that helps couples plan for their future with clarity and control. With features like centralized investment tracking, goal setting, detailed reports, and monthly emails, Monarch Money can be ideal for couples who are focused on a long-term financial plan. The addition of extensive portfolio analysis tools may make Monarch Money a one-stop-shop for your long-term financial planning needs.
Cost: $9.99 per month or $89.99 per year
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Investment tracking | No free version |
| Long-term financial planning tools | Limited connections to financial institutions |
| Detailed financial reports | More advanced features may be overwhelming for some users |
PocketGuard
Best for: Couples who want to track their spending effortlessly
PocketGuard is designed to help couples easily track where their money’s going. It promises to make budgeting a breeze with features like automatic expense categorization, bill tracking, and debt payoff plans. Using a SMART goal strategy, PocketGuard helps you create a realistic budget based on your current financial situation, analyze your spending habits, and track all of your small wins to keep you motivated.
Cost: Free version available; $12.99 per month or $74.99 per year for premium features
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Pros | Cons |
| Easy to use | Basic reporting features |
| Automatic expense categorization | Couples must share one login |
| Bill tracking feature | Limited features in the free version |
EveryDollar
Best for: Couples who follow the Dave Ramsey method
EveryDollar is a budgeting app based on the principles of Dave Ramsey’s financial plan. It’s suited to couples who want to follow a zero-based budgeting approach and track their spending closely. The app allows you to create a financial roadmap to pay off debt and track your savings goals. It also provides unlimited budget categories, bill pay reminders, and insights on your spending trends. If you’re already using Ramsey+, EveryDollar promises to integrate seamlessly.
Cost: Free version available; $17.99 per month or $79.99 per year for premium features
| Pros | Cons |
| Simple and easy to use | Limited features in the free version |
| Integrates with Ramsey+ for additional tools | No bank account linking in the free version |
| Zero-based budgeting approach | No investment tracking |
Features to look for in a budget app for couples
Joint accounts and syncing
The best budgeting apps for couples enable control and visibility for both parties. Having joint accounts and the ability to sync between partners makes it easier for two people to stay on the same page. This feature ensures that both partners can access and update financial information in real time, keeping everyone on the same page. Apps without the ability to sync usually require you to enter all of your transactions manually, and that can eat up valuable time.best budget app for couples
Expense tracking
Comprehensive expense tracking helps you monitor spending, identify patterns, and earmark areas for savings. Expense tracking features can also help you maintain healthy spending habits or identify areas of unchecked spending so you and your partner can make more informed financial decisions together. Having a clear sense of where your money is going each month can help you prioritize the things that matter most.
Customizable categories
Because every couple is a little bit different, customizable budget categories can help tailor your budget to your specific needs. This flexibility accommodates different spending and saving goals, supports varied lifestyles, and ensures that the budget works for both partners. If you’re trying to work with an app that doesn’t allow you to customize your experience, you may find yourself constrained by the app’s pre-set categorizations.
Goal setting
Setting and tracking financial goals together helps couples envision the future and work toward their priorities as a team. With goal-setting features in a budget app for couples, you can see your progress and stay motivated to achieve your financial objectives. Whether you’re saving up to buy a house, build an emergency fund, or plan for retirement, goal setting features support long-term financial planning for couples looking to the future.
Bill management
Efficient bill management features help couples manage and split bills more easily while ensuring that everything gets paid on time. In addition to helping you avoid late fees, bill management features may reduce miscommunications about who’s responsible for paying bills and free up time to focus on other financial planning priorities.
Reporting and analytics
Analytics might be an important feature of the best budget app for couples who want a deep understanding of their financial habits. Detailed financial data can provide insights into spending patterns with real-time information, allowing you to make adjustments on the fly. Useful reports, like monthly summaries and trend analyses, help couples understand their finances and make efficient, accurate, data-driven decisions.
User-friendly interface
A user-friendly design makes budgeting less stressful and encourages couples to engage with their finances consistently. If your budgeting app feels confusing, cumbersome, or frustrating, you’re unlikely to stick with it. When you’re budgeting as a couple, look for an app that feels intuitive and inspires confidence for both people using it.
Security features
Robust security features are critical to protecting your financial data. Look for features like encryption, two-factor authentication, and secure cloud storage to ensure that your financial information remains safe and secure. You may also consider an app that undergoes regular software updates to keep up with rapidly changing technology and new security threats.
Find the best budget app for your needs as a couple
When you share finances with another person, choosing the best budget app for a couple calls for collaboration and mutual agreement. Each app offers unique features, benefits, and drawbacks, so consider your specific needs and preferences when selecting the ideal one for you. Reviewing options and choosing an app together can be an enjoyable and productive way to start collaborating on your shared money management.
By prioritizing the features that reflect your specific needs, you and your partner can make effective financial management feel easier and more efficient. Whichever app you choose, you can look forward to improving your financial communication, setting and achieving shared goals, and building a stronger financial future together. Download a budget app for couples and start setting up your joint budget today.
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Budget apps for couples: FAQs
Which budgeting app can link with your spouse?
Honeydue and Zeta both offer features that allow you to link accounts with your partner for seamless financial management.
Is EveryDollar good for couples?
EveryDollar can be good for couples budgeting together, especially those who follow the Dave Ramsey financial plan and prefer a zero-based budgeting approach.
What is the best app for couples splitting bills?
Honeydue and Zeta are both designed for couples looking to manage and split bills efficiently.
What is the money tracking app for couples?
Honeydue and Zeta are popular money-tracking apps specifically designed for couples, offering a range of features to help manage shared finances.
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