Best budgeting apps in the US (2026): prices and methods compared
Four budgeting apps compared on what they cost a year, whether there is a free version, and the budgeting method each is built around.
Quick answer
EveryDollar is the only app here with a free version you can keep using, built around zero-based budgeting; its Premium plan with bank connections is $79.99 a year. Among paid-only apps, Monarch costs $99.99 a year and Copilot Money and YNAB $109 each. YNAB offers a 34-day trial. Rocket Money and Goodbudget could not be read.
Key points
- EveryDollar has a free version for as long as you want; Premium is $79.99 a year or $17.99 a month.
- Monarch costs $99.99 a year or $14.99 a month, with the first week free.
- Copilot Money and YNAB each cost $109 a year.
- YNAB's trial is 34 days; EveryDollar's Premium trial is 14 days.
- EveryDollar is built around zero-based budgeting; YNAB around giving every dollar a job.
- Monthly billing costs more over a year than annual billing at every app here.
The list, in order
Order follows the published method on How we rank. Providers cannot pay for a position.
EveryDollar
A zero-based budgeting app with a free version you can use indefinitely, and a Premium plan that connects bank accounts.
Suits: zero-based budgeters who will enter transactions by hand. Watch for: Premium is $79.99 a year or $17.99 a month.
- Free version
- Yes
- Premium
- $79.99/yr or $17.99/mo
- Method
- Zero-based
- Trial
- 14 days
Monarch
A budgeting and net-worth app at $99.99 a year or $14.99 a month, with the first week free.
Suits: couples and households tracking budgets and net worth together. Watch for: no free tier is stated on the pricing page.
- Yearly
- $99.99
- Monthly
- $14.99
- Trial
- First week
Copilot Money
One plan with no tiers or add-ons, at $109 billed yearly, for iPhone, iPad, Mac and the web.
Suits: Apple users who want one simple plan. Watch for: the page shows $9 a month and $109 a year without saying which toggle each belongs to.
- Yearly
- $109
- Devices
- iPhone, iPad, Mac, web
YNAB
A budgeting app built around giving every dollar a job, at $109 a year or $14.99 a month after a 34-day free trial.
Suits: people who want a structured method and plan ahead. Watch for: there is no free tier after the trial.
- Yearly
- $109
- Monthly
- $14.99
- Trial
- 34 days
Figures read from each provider’s own page on 29 October 2026. Prices exclude sales tax. Reference profile: the regular yearly price of the cheapest plan that includes budgeting, with free versions first. Unranked entries publish no price that fits it.
- Rocket Money and Goodbudget — their pricing pages could not be read on 29 Oct 2026. To be confirmed by hand.
50/30/20 budget calculator
- Needs (50%): rent, bills, food, minimum debt payments$2,000.00
- Wants (30%): eating out, subscriptions, travel$1,200.00
- Savings and extra debt payments (20%)$800.00
The 50/30/20 split is a rule of thumb, not a standard. If needs alone take more than half your pay, the useful number is how far over you are.
Budgeting apps differ less in features than in price and in the method they push you toward. This comparison ranks them on yearly price, with free versions first, and names the method each is built around.
How the ranking works
We ranked apps by the regular yearly price of the cheapest plan that includes budgeting, with free versions first, using prices read from each app's own page on 29 October 2026. The calculator above is a 50/30/20 planner, not a price ranking. See how we rank.
| App | Free version | Yearly | Monthly | Trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EveryDollar | Yes | $79.99 (Premium) | $17.99 | 14 days |
| Monarch | Not stated | $99.99 | $14.99 | First week |
| Copilot Money | Not stated | $109 | Not clear on page | Not stated |
| YNAB | No | $109 | $14.99 | 34 days |
The apps
EveryDollar calls itself "the easy-to-use zero-based budgeting app" and has a free version with no time limit. Premium adds bank connections through Mastercard Connect and Plaid.
YNAB costs $109 a year or $14.99 a month after a 34-day free trial, with no free tier. Its method asks you to give every dollar a job.
Monarch costs $99.99 a year or $14.99 a month, with the first week free. Copilot Money has one plan at $109 billed yearly, on iPhone, iPad, Mac and the web.
Monthly vs yearly billing
Monthly billing costs more over a year everywhere. YNAB monthly comes to $179.88 a year against $109 yearly.
Methods
Our guide to budgeting methods compares zero-based, 50/30/20 and envelope budgeting. The 50/30/20 calculator splits your take-home pay.
Not yet included
Rocket Money's premium page and Goodbudget's pricing page could not be read on 29 October 2026. The UK comparison covers apps priced in pounds.
Keep reading
Best budgeting apps in the UK (2026): prices compared
Three budgeting apps compared on price, free plans and how they connect to UK bank accounts through open banking.
Guide · US & UKZero-based, 50/30/20 and envelope budgeting: how they differ
Three common budgeting methods explained with worked examples, including how each copes with irregular freelance income and yearly bills.
Calculator · US edition50/30/20 budget calculator
The same calculator on its own page, in dollars.
Questions
Is there a free budgeting app in the US?
EveryDollar says it has a free version you can use as long as you want, built around zero-based budgeting. The free version does not connect to your bank, so you enter transactions yourself. Its Premium plan, which adds bank connections, costs $79.99 a year or $17.99 a month.
Is YNAB worth $109 a year?
That depends on whether its method suits you, which is why it offers a 34-day free trial with no card required. YNAB costs $109 a year or $14.99 a month. We rank on price and do not judge whether an app is worth it for any reader.
How do budgeting apps connect to my bank?
Through data aggregators. EveryDollar names Mastercard Connect and Plaid, and YNAB names Plaid for its UK and EU connections. Monarch and Copilot do not name a provider on their pricing pages. Read-only connections let the app see transactions without being able to move money.
Is monthly or yearly billing cheaper?
Yearly billing is cheaper at every app here. YNAB costs $14.99 a month, or $179.88 over a year, against $109 billed yearly. Monarch’s $14.99 a month is $179.88 against $99.99 yearly. EveryDollar Premium’s $17.99 a month is $215.88 against $79.99 yearly.
Which budgeting method should I use?
We do not recommend one. Zero-based budgeting assigns every dollar of income a job, the 50/30/20 split divides take-home pay into needs, wants and savings, and envelope budgeting sets spending limits by category. Our guide on budgeting methods explains how each works.