If you want to find out what’s happening in the world, your friend’s lives or their birthdays, you go on Facebook. If you want to see the latest trends in fashion, inspirational posts or celebrity updates, you head to Instagram. For real-time news, sans algorithm, you go on Twitter.
What apps do you use when it comes to your finances?
Managing your checking account, saving up for vacation, paying your bills on time and making sure your credit score is on point can be stressful. As for choosing the best financial app that works for you, you want to make sure that it’s not only aesthetically pleasing and provides content to help you grow your financial literacy, but most importantly that it assists you in setting and achieving those financial goals of yours.
Here, we’ve not only rounded up the best of the best financial apps that the tech world has to offer, but also saved you the hassle of breaking down their app costs and their best feature.
Mint
Powered by Intuit Inc., the company that provides business and financial services for small businesses, freelancers and accounting professionals, this critically acclaimed financial planning app is an all in one. Featuring the basic financial necessities like tracking your spending, creating practical monthly budgets and checking your budgets from previous months, you can check your spending habits as well under the ‘trends’ section. They also provide a desktop feature, so you can manage your account on your computer.
Best Feature: Users can pay their bills using the app, check their credit scores (thanks to its parent company, Intuit, Inc.) and also invest in stock and funds.
Cost: Free
Prosper Daily
Formally known as Billguard, this financial planning app not only helps you create a budget, but they have a swipe-left, swipe-right feature where users can verify which of their expenses are theirs and which aren’t. Their specialty? Protecting their users from identity theft (more on this later). Features also includes helping users track their credit score. They also have Credit Card Optimizer feature, where users can track all of their credit card info, and helps users make better financial decisions with their credit cards. They also have a blog to keep you informed on all Prosper Daily’s updates along with useful financial tips.
Best Feature: With their $1 million identity theft insurance, they will reimburse users’ unauthorized transactions. Prosper Daily also send users notifications if someone is attempting to open an account in their name.
Cost: Prosper Daily’s basic version is free. Prosper Daily ID Protect is $9.99 per month, which includes the $1 million identity theft insurance.
Wally
If you’re the big spender type, the Wally app is just for you. This app not only helps you plan, manage and categorize your finances, it also gives you insight into your spending and saving habits and how you can improve to achieve your financial goals through its algorithm. The downside? The app doesn’t have a desktop money management feature or a blog section to keep you intrigued about money.
Best Feature: Users can say ‘so long’ to excel spreadsheets. Wally has a scanning feature where users can take pictures of their receipts.
Cost: Free, but they also have certain features that are available for their premium version. Rates range from $0.49 to $4.99
LearnVest
Everyone’s relationship with money varies, but LearnVest is here to make sure it’s a good and healthy one. Their sole mission? To help you feel amazing about money. All users have access to a free and personalized money center, where they can create and prioritize their financial goals, link their accounts and also determine their net worth. They also have a must reads tab where users can get more content on all things finance, career and lifestyle.
Best Feature: They provide Certified Financial Planners (CFP) to all of their premium users which give users customized financial plans, as well as discussing their behavioral and spending habits and financial goals.
Cost: The app is free. The customized financial plans they provide start at $20 per month (including a $299 one-time setup fee).
You Need a Budget
Let’s be honest, we all need a budget — a good one at that. But for You Need A Budget (YNAB), they not only show you how to create one, but they also walk you through the financial (and, emotional!) method of doing so. Step one: Give every dollar a job. They recognize the stress and confusion that comes with personal finance. In doing so, they have a YouTube channel, where they answer all of your money questions.
Best Feature: This app won’t leave you hanging when it comes to taking your personal finance game to the next level. From reaching your saving goals to breaking that paycheck to paycheck lifestyle, they provide free live and interactive webinars for everyone.
Cost: Free for 34 days and then it’s $50 a year.
Every Dollar
Founded by America’s trust financial advisor Dave Ramsey’s company, Ramsey’s Solutions, this app is here to help you track every dollar. If you’re a newbie to the personal finance game, Every Dollar has a baby step feature (there’s seven baby steps) where it walks you through the process of managing your money, from saving for an emergency fund to paying off your house. It’s also accompanied by their blog section which has content that ranges from 15 ways to save money to how to budget with irregular income. They’re also giving budget makeovers on their YouTube channel. Need help with your taxes for 2018? Every Dollar connects you to local tax representatives in your area.
Best Feature: They provide premium users call-back support and coaching calls.
Cost: Free. Premium version costs $8.25 per month, billed yearly for $99.
Mvelopes
Mvelopes isn’t just about helping users get their debts to zero, but also providing a financial plan to help you every step of the way. From donations/tithings to transportation, Mvelopes categorizes your every dollar. Their Mvelopes Premier features includes live chat support and training videos.
Best Feature: This app gives you the 411 on where you spend your dollar.
Cost: Free. Mvelopes Premier, which includes video content and live support chat costs $95 per year.
Know of a dope personal finance app that isn't mentioned above? Let us know in the comments below.
This post is brought to you in collaboration with Wells Fargo.
