Best budgeting apps 2019: 5 apps to take control of your finances

Keeping track of finances can be a tricky thing to do, especially if you have more than one account or any kind of credit or store card. Money comes in, money goes out and there is the classic saying, the more you earn the more you spend.

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It doesn't matter if you are always in the red, or if you are someone who doesn't even know what being in the red is, it is always good to know exactly what you're spending. These apps make it easy to do that.

Mint

Mint is available to download for Android and iOS

Mint comes from Intuit and it allows you to pull all your accounts and cards into one place by linking everything to the app. You'll be able to track your spending, create a budget, setup bill reminders and get tips for reducing fees and saving yourself a few pounds.

The app will automatically categorise banking and credit card transactions and there is a Trends feature that allows you to track credit cards, cash, spending, income and net worth over time, along with the ability to setup financial goals.

PocketGuard

PocketGuard is available to download for iOS

PocketGuard allows you to sync all your personal finance accounts in one place, from your bank accounts and credit cards to your loans, savings and investments. It will build your budget automatically based on your spending and earning patterns and it tracks your income, bills and recurring subscriptions.

The PocketGuard app will create spending limits for you, give you insights into what you spend by offering transactions categorised into "pockets" and there is even a "Lower your Bills" feature that is designed to give you an overview of the bills you could be paying less for without you leaving the app.

YNAB

YNAB is available to download for Android and iOS

YNAB, or You Need A Budget, is designed to help you get out of debt and "break the pay check to pay check cycle". You can connect all your accounts in one place and you get realtime access so you can share your finances with your partner.

There is a goal tracking feature on board, as well as a Debt Paydown feature that is said to offer the tools and teaching to help you get out of debt for good. YNAB also offers detailed reports to help you measure your progress and improve.

Goodbudget

Goodbudget is available to download for Android and iOS

Goodbudget was formally called the Easy Envelope Budget Aid and it is based on the envelope budgeting method, just with virtual envelopes as opposed to physical. You can check your envelope balances as well as your bank balances and there is also expense tracking available. 

Everything can be synced across multiple devices including iPhones, other smartphones and the web and you can also share a budget with a spouse, family member or friend. On the web, you'll also be able to download transactions to Excel, while the app delivers reports to help you modify your budget and see your income versus your spending.

Mvelopes

Mvelopes is available to download for Android and iOS

Like Goodbudget, Mvelopes is also based on the envelope budgeting method as you may have gathered from its name. It automatically downloads transactions from accounts you have linked to it and it will categorise your spending, along with plan a budget and track how much money you have remaining for the month.

There is easy access to your budget on the go, as well as the ability to adjust it and this app will capture receipts from your phone and attach them to transactions, as well as offer real time budget updates when you make a purchase. Mvelopes also assigns transactions to expense envelopes and splits transactions into different categories.