Keeping your spending under control is easier when you have the right app. In this post, I compare five of the best budgeting apps for 2025: YNAB, PocketGuard, EveryDollar, Monarch Money and Goodbudget. Each has its own philosophy and features, so you can find the one that fits your style.

YNAB (You Need a Budget) – For hands‑on zero‑based budgeting

• Zero‑based budgeting: YNAB encourages users to assign every dollar a job, planning ahead for spending, saving and debt (The Best Budget Apps for 2025: YNAB, PocketGuard and …).
• Link or manual: You can link your bank accounts or manually enter transactions; there’s also a loan payoff simulator and YNAB Together for sharing with up to five users (The Best Budget Apps for 2025: YNAB, PocketGuard and …).
• Cost & trial: $14.99 per month or $109 per year, with a 34‑day free trial (The Best Budget Apps for 2025: YNAB, PocketGuard and …).
• Get started: Try YNAB here.

PocketGuard – For knowing your “leftover” cash

• Leftover feature: PocketGuard shows how much money you have left after accounting for bills and goals; it prominently displays your safe‑to‑spend amount (PocketGuard App Review for 2025).
• Premium tools: The Plus version adds unlimited bank connections, debt‑payoff planning and subscription tracking (PocketGuard App Review for 2025).
• Goal setting: It helps set financial goals and track subscriptions.
• Sign up: Check out PocketGuard.

EveryDollar – For simplicity and Ramsey‑style budgeting

• Ease of use: NerdWallet notes that EveryDollar shines because of its ease of use and customization (EveryDollar App Review For 2025).
• Zero‑based method: Follows Dave Ramsey’s zero‑based budgeting approach; the free version is straightforward for beginners.
• Costs: The free version offers basic tracking; the premium version adds bank syncing and extra features but comes with a higher cost.
• Try it: Try EveryDollar.

Monarch Money – For collaborative budgeting

• Customizable budgets: Monarch Money provides robust features and lets users sync bank, credit card, loan and investment accounts, and even share a subscription with a partner (The Best Budget Apps for 2025: YNAB, PocketGuard and …).
• Flexible strategy: Offers both “flex” and “category” budgeting modes and includes investment tracking.
• Pricing: $14.99/month or $99.99/year with a seven‑day free trial (The Best Budget Apps for 2025: YNAB, PocketGuard and …).
• Get started: Explore Monarch Money.

Goodbudget – For envelope budgeting fans

• Envelope budgeting: Goodbudget uses digital envelopes to allocate income to spending categories; it’s great for planners who prefer manual control (The Best Budget Apps for 2025: YNAB, PocketGuard and …).
• Free & premium: The free version is limited to a few envelopes and accounts; the paid version expands features.
• Join: Sign up for Goodbudget.

Conclusion
There’s no one‑size‑fits‑all budgeting app—choose the one that matches your money management style. If you enjoy hands‑on planning, YNAB or Goodbudget may be best; if you want a quick snapshot of spendable cash, PocketGuard’s leftover feature is handy; if you value simplicity, EveryDollar is a solid choice; and for comprehensive, shareable budgeting, Monarch Money shines. Try a few of these apps using the links above and see which helps you stay on track!