In this article, I will discuss the best apps for financial planning. These apps are designed to help individuals manage their finances, track spending, save for the future, and make smarter investment choices.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to optimize your financial strategy, these apps offer valuable tools to guide your financial journey.
Key Points & Best Apps For Financial Planning List
| App Name | Key Points |
|---|---|
| Mint | Budget tracking, expense categorization, bill payment reminders |
| Personal Capital | Investment tracking, retirement planning, net worth calculation |
| PocketGuard | Simple budgeting, subscription tracking, cash flow management |
| GoodBudget | Envelope budgeting system, manual entry, syncing across devices |
| EveryDollar | Zero-based budgeting, expense tracking, easy-to-use interface |
| Wally | Expense tracking, income monitoring, visual budgeting |
| Simple | Automatic savings goals, no-fee checking, expense tracking |
| Tiller Money | Spreadsheet-based financial tracking, automatic data import, budget templates |
| Empower | Retirement planning, investment tracking, expense management |
| Acorns | Micro-investing, automatic round-ups, retirement accounts |
| Robinhood | Commission-free investing, stock and crypto trading, easy-to-use interface |
| SoFi Invest | Commission-free trading, cryptocurrency, automated investing |
| Stash | Investment portfolios, financial education, savings tools |
| Wealthfront | Automated investing, financial planning, retirement accounts |
| Betterment | Robo-advisor, retirement accounts, goal-based investment strategies |
| Charles Schwab | Investment management, retirement accounts, low-cost options |
| Fidelity Investments | Stock trading, retirement planning, investment research |
| M1 Finance | Automated investing, customizable portfolios, no-fee investing |
| E*TRADE | Stock trading, retirement planning, educational resources |
19 Best Apps For Financial Planning
1.Mint
Mint is one of the few apps that can be used for financial management. It offers a vast array of nfeatures such as budgeting, planning as well as expense tracking. The application also allows for automatic transaction categorization, reminder of bills, and assistance in achieving financial objectives.
Aside from assisting its users in budgeting by providing daily spending insights, monitoring credit scores, as well as creating various financial documents, the Mint app also helps them keep track of their drafts. Having said that, Minton is not just a standalone application, it also allows integration with various different bank accounts and credit cards which makes it perfect for budgeting.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Free to use with no hidden fees. | Limited customer support options. |
| Automatically tracks and categorizes all transactions. | Sometimes experiences syncing issues with banks. |
| Offers credit score tracking and insights. | Advertisements for paid services can be intrusive. |
2.Personal Capital
“Personal Capital” is a wonderful app for planning finances. It has tools for budgeting, tracking investments and planning for retirement. It enables users to keep track of their net worth as it aggregates multiple bank accounts, credit cards and investments in a single dashboard.
The app gives an overall view of asset distribution, how various portfolios have performed, along with information about retirement needs at the time of planning. Being able to cash flow and manage expenses makes the app a useful tool for people with long term goals and better financial managements.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Offers detailed insights into investments and assets. | High fees for financial advisory services. |
| Provides retirement planning tools and calculators. | Limited features on the free version. |
| Combines budgeting with investment tracking. | Can be complex for beginners to navigate. |
3.PocketGuard
PocketGuard is a refreshing offering for any financial planning app users. As such, it can automatically track bills, income, and other payments while reminding you of your disposable assets to avoid excess spending. Furthermore, it has the ability to organize expenses by category, as well some other notable
features Desktop Screenshot 4 that are aimed on saving up money in the first place. Often Enough, PocketGuard can be quite simple by providing what is called “In My Pocket” option, where you can only view your finances that are available to spend. Thus, pocket guard would make spending within a budget much easier.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Automatically tracks expenses and categorizes spending. | Limited features in the free version. |
| Offers “In My Pocket” feature to show available funds. | No investment tracking features. |
| Simple and easy-to-use interface. | Cannot link multiple bank accounts in the free plan. |
4.GoodBudget
GoodBudget is an easy app for money management that has an envelope budgeting system. It enables users to create virtual envelopes for various spending types, making sure that expenses are well controlled. It has an option for manually entering transactions as well as syncing with other devices, thereby helping you to remain focused with your budget.
With features like debt management and savings targets, GoodBudget makes it easy to plan for how money is spent and set aside, hence encouraging responsible spending and discipline.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Uses an envelope budgeting system to track expenses. | Lacks automatic syncing with bank accounts. |
| Offers both free and premium versions. | Limited features in the free version. |
| Great for cash-based budgeting and planning. | No investment or retirement account tracking. |
5.EveryDollar
Every Dollar is great budgeting software specifically because of its simplicity in helping users devise a zero-based budget. Thanks to its automatic categorization of transactions, such an app is extremely useful in monitoring expenses, income and even savings goals.
Its streamlined interface makes it easy for a user to keep track of their spending by making every dollar count out of all their gross income. Such an application allows its users to have a more executive budget with a more advanced version of syncing the bank and in depth reports such as syncing bank accounts and reports among other features.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Simple, user-friendly budgeting interface. | Requires a paid subscription for full features. |
| Offers customizable budget categories. | No automatic transaction importing in the free version. |
| Helps create a zero-based budget for better control. | Limited investment or retirement planning tools. |
6.Wally
Wally is an instrumental app for budgeting, as it allows users to monitor their expenses, income, and savings goals. The expenses are effortless to log into, and the app’s analytical features let users visualize their finances easily. Thanks to such features as multicurrency and expense types, Wally users can conveniently oversee their spending behavior.
The app also allows users to create budgets and setfunds to help them manage their expenses better and achieve their financial goals promptly.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Tracks income, expenses, and savings effectively. | Limited features in the free version. |
| Supports multiple currencies for global use. | No automatic bank syncing in the free version. |
| Offers visual reports to track spending trends. | Can be slow with large data entries or updates. |
7.Simple
Simple is a better and more comprehensive app which allows users to combine their banking and budget in one unified account. Its features such as automatic savings goals, easy checking, and expense tracking assist users in handling their finances very easily.
The app provides a useful feature of understanding how much a user can spend, the “Safe-to-Spend” balance. One can always understand how much money is left on the account considering the savings and future expenses. Simple is so intuitive that it allows its users best achieve their financial goals and optimizes their expenditure and savings.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy-to-use mobile interface with no hidden fees. | Limited features compared to traditional banks. |
| Offers goal-based savings accounts. | No physical branches for in-person banking. |
| Provides automatic savings tools and expense tracking. | Limited investment options within the app. |
8.Tiller Money
Tiller Money is a fully-featured financial app that allows users to integrate a spreadsheet approach for budgeting and tracking expenses. It is a budget-planning tool, as it allows users to set and modify their budgets as it fetches data from bank accounts, credit cards and other institutions.
Tiller comes with templates for budgeting and financial planning which helps in understanding spending and establishing goals. Tiller Works great for people who want to manage their finances while having data entry automated for them.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Customizable spreadsheet-based budgeting. | Requires a paid subscription for full access. |
| Automatically imports financial data into Google Sheets or Excel. | Can be complex for beginners who are not familiar with spreadsheets. |
| Great for users who prefer hands-on control of their finances. | No mobile app for on-the-go tracking. |
9.Empower
The important aspect to understand about Empower is that it is a complete finance planner and tracking app that lets its users manage their spending, saving and investments. It automatically sorts out transactions and comes up with reports concerning how cash was used. There is also an investment tracking function where users can see how their investment portfolios are doing and what targets they wish to achieve in retirement funds.
The app also has functionality to track credit score thus allowing a user to have a complete overview of his/her financial status. To this end, it is sufficient to say that Empower is designed and meant to be user friendly and helps the user to always be able to make the right decisions and also keep their goal in terms of finances.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Offers easy-to-understand financial insights and recommendations. | Limited customer support options. |
| Provides automatic budgeting and expense tracking. | Fees apply for certain premium features. |
| Tracks investments and retirement accounts in one place. | Lacks detailed investment analysis tools. |
10.Acorns
If you wish to save up with ease, Acorns is the app for you. The app offers a variety of features designed to help users save without having to think of it. For starters, Acorns allows users to save spare change which is generated by rounding off their daily bills.
There’s also the option of investing which is intended for those who are willing to take a tad bit higher risk. In addition, the app provides users with a retirement account which is tailored based on individual risk tolerance. All in all, for anyone looking for a straightforward way to save up whilst learning about investing, Acorns is a good starting point!
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Automates savings by rounding up purchases to invest. | Monthly fees apply even for smaller account balances. |
| Offers a simple and user-friendly interface. | Limited control over investment choices. |
| Provides access to IRA and retirement accounts. | Fees can be high for lower account balances. |
11.Robinhood
Robinhood is a popular app for financial planning that allows users to invest in stocks, options, and cryptocurrencies with no commission fees. It provides an easy-to-use platform for beginners and experienced investors alike, offering real-time market data and customizable alerts.
Robinhood also offers retirement accounts (IRAs) to help users plan for their future. With its simple interface and low-cost structure, Robinhood is a great choice for those looking to manage investments and build wealth efficiently.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Commission-free trading for stocks, options, and ETFs. | Limited customer support and educational resources. |
| Offers fractional shares for smaller investments. | Lacks advanced research tools compared to other platforms. |
| Easy-to-use mobile app with an intuitive interface. | Not suitable for long-term investors seeking advisory services. |
12.SoFi Invest
SoFi Invest has delegated the investments of its users to the crypto currency market which is presumably one of the weakest financial markets when it comes to the knowledge and experience required to be successful, and when it comes to profitability, it has sky rocketed promising to revolutionize the finance industry altogether.
That has forcibly got SoFi Invest offers commission free investment in all three crypto currencies which are stagnant at this point.
The app has been marketed as financial aids such as SoFi also has an IRA account for their elderly customers. It is worry free because the app is designed to be hands off for casual throwaway investors. On the premise, SoFi Invest seems to be great not only for beginners but also for seasoned investors as well.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| No commission fees for stock and ETF trades. | Limited investment options compared to traditional brokers. |
| Offers automated investing and retirement accounts. | No advanced trading features for experienced investors. |
| User-friendly interface and mobile app. | Limited educational resources for new investors. |
13.Stash
Stash is a simple investing app that helps new investors manage and plan for their finances. Maximum of five dollars would let you buy fractional shares of stocks and ETFs. Stash allocates portfolios based on goals, risk, and time frame.
The app also includes educational materials, tools for automated goals savings, and helps to set up retirement accounts IRAs which make it a good app that anybody can use to start investing and grow wealth over time.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Offers fractional shares, making investing accessible. | Monthly fees for small accounts can be high. |
| Provides personalized investment recommendations. | Limited research tools for advanced investors. |
| Allows setting up automated recurring investments. | No tax-loss harvesting or advanced portfolio features. |
14.Wealthfront
Wealthfront provides the top-notch automated investment management and financial planning assistance. It builds diversified portfolios for you depending on your investment goals as well as risk appetite. For the best returns, it also rebalances these portfolios whenever necessary.
Moreover, Wealthfront includes an investment service that is tax efficient, retirement planning ((IRAs) services), and financial planning tools. The possibility of passive wealth creation and future financial security is optimally designed with its user-friendly interface, reasonable fees, and intelligent investment methods present.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Offers automated portfolio management with low fees. | Limited investment options beyond ETFs and stocks. |
| Provides tax-loss harvesting to optimize returns. | No access to human financial advisors. |
| Offers financial planning tools and goal-setting. | Higher fees for accounts under $5,000. |
15.Betterment
Betterment is a leading financial planning app that offers automated investment management and personalized portfolio strategies. It helps users create diversified portfolios based on their financial goals, risk tolerance, and time horizon. Betterment also provides tax-efficient investing, retirement accounts (IRAs), and financial planning tools.
With its user-friendly interface, low fees, and advanced features like automatic rebalancing, Betterment is ideal for those looking to grow wealth and plan for their future with minimal effort.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Automated portfolio management with personalized goals. | No access to direct individual stock investments. |
| Offers tax-loss harvesting and automatic rebalancing. | Higher fees for accounts with lower balances. |
| Provides access to both human and digital financial advisors. | Limited advanced customization of portfolios. |
16.Charles Schwab
Charles Schwab is a fabulous application for managing investments and planning one’s daily budget or retirement accounts. The application does not charge commission while trading stocks, options, ETFs and gives recommendations on portfolio management.
The application includes remodelling tools such as retirement calculators and tax-loss harvesting which are devised to advance a user’s financial plans. Coupled with a wealth of educational material and cheap investment opportunities, Charles Schwab is perfect for basic and more sophisticated investors who want to invest their money properly and protect it for the long run.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Offers a wide range of investment options, including stocks, bonds, and ETFs. | High fees for some mutual funds and advisory services. |
| Provides excellent customer service and research tools. | Limited automated investment features compared to robo-advisors. |
| No account minimums for many of their investment options. | Fees for certain account types like managed portfolios. |
17.Fidelity Investments
Fidelity Investments make it to the list of the best apps for financial planning for many investors. It is good as a retirement plan administrator and app for personal finance as well. The app enables users to trade in stocks, ETFs and mutual funds without any commission as well as offer customisable strategies to investors.
Fidelity’s functionalities consist of estimators for retirement needs, evaluation of financial objectives and monitoring of factor portfolio construction. Fidelity is nice in terms of comprehensive knowledge available for users and fee structure, which is perfect for investors willing to increase their assets and make long-term plans for finances.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Offers a wide variety of investment options, including mutual funds and ETFs. | Some managed accounts have higher fees. |
| Excellent research tools and educational resources. | High trading fees for certain options trades. |
| No account minimums for most accounts and low fees. | Limited access to international markets. |
18.M1 Finance
M1 Finance is a game-changer in the financial planning world. This is a personal finance management application that integrates robo-investments and investment selections. A user can trade stock or ETF without being charged a commission fee, making them able to build their own portfolios that lie within their financial parameters.
Also, M1 Finance has features such as auto rebalancing, investing with limited taxes, and IRAs. Automatic low-cost investment strategy that allows control of the entire portfolio goes perfectly with M1 finance users interface.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Offers commission-free trading for stocks and ETFs. | Limited to a smaller selection of investments compared to other platforms. |
| Provides automated portfolio rebalancing. | No tax-loss harvesting or advanced tax features. |
| Allows fractional share investing, even for small amounts. | No access to live customer support for basic accounts. |
19.E*TRADE
ETRADE is an app that will prove to be a true friend while planning for your retirement as it lets you manage investments while providing investment accounts as well. They do not charge any commissions while trading in stocks, ETFs, and options and on top of that they endow you with advanced tools to deal safely in the marketplace.
ETRADE also has retirement planning calculator, tax optimization calculation, and automated investing via managed portfolios. In the end, E*TRADE is the right app for starting and seasoned investors who want to expand and take charge of their wealth in an effective and simple manner.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Offers a broad range of investment options, including stocks, bonds, and ETFs. | Fees for some mutual funds and advisory services. |
| Provides advanced research tools and educational resources. | High margin rates compared to other brokers. |
| Excellent customer support and account management. | Limited access to international investments. |
How We Pick Best Apps For Financial Planning
User Experience: The search is carried out for applications having simple and pleasant interfaces.
Features and Tools: Budgeting, investment tracking and planning for retirement and tax optimization are some of the aspects we examine as far as integration of financial planning tools are concerned.
Cost: The cost structure is also factored in especially in relation to the value offered when one purchases the product especially in relation to the market conditions.
Security: We place security as a very important requirement for all applications and therefore seek the presence of encryption and other privacy features.
Customer Support: Availability of customer support for troubleshooting while trying to use the application helps during the planning process.
Integration with Other Services: It becomes easy to prepare a financial plan with the use of applications that have integration with banks, credit cards, or investment accounts.
Accessibility: Both mobile and desktop versions of the applications are favored for ease of use.
Reputation: Examining the reviews and ratings assists us to gauge the reliability of the app.
Automation: For the purpose of saving time and error handling, we prefer using applications that provide tracking, payments or investments that occur automatically.
Customization: It is easier for individuals to use applications that provide customized solutions and have flexible settings.
Conclusion
In final analysis, the top-rated financial planning apps are those that are simple to use while being feature-rich and safe as these will assist users in managing their finances dutifully. If you are looking to plan on a budget, monitor your investments, or even save for retirement, there are many apps out there that would assist you.
It would all boil down to what your objectives were, how much you were willing to spend, and what capabilities you wanted, but once you got the right app, making money would be easier.
