Overall Rating: 4.3\/5<\/em><\/p>\nIt seems like today almost everything is on a subscription, and you may not realize how much subscriptions are costing you. According to information from the Consumer News and Business Channel (CNBC), people tend to underestimate how much they spend on subscription services by at least $100. But even if you forget about the subscriptions you made long ago, your bank account doesn\u2019t. No one wants to be surprised by a nasty overdraft fee. This is where a finance app like Rocket Money can help.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rocket Money is a money management and budgeting app that lets you see all your financial accounts in one place. The Rocket Money app allows you to add accounts to your dashboard, including your checking, savings, credit card and investment accounts.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If you don\u2019t have multiple accounts, the app might still be right for you; Rocket Money works with even just one financial account. Once your account is linked (through the third-party app Plaid), you can view your money and make budgeting decisions.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\nRocket Money<\/center><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nPros\u00a0<\/td>\n Cons\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nEasily view all the money across all your accounts<\/td>\n Some features are only available for premium users<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nLots of budgeting and savings features\u00a0<\/td>\n Limited customer support availability<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nTrack your credit\u00a0<\/td>\n Bill negotiation service is a separate cost<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nCancel subscriptions in-app<\/td>\n<\/span>Rocket Money Key Features\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\nYour dashboard breaks down your recent transactions, upcoming bills and how much money you have left to spend (after bills). Rocket Money also allows you to automatically see your recurring payments and cancel subscriptions within the app. This makes it simple to track where your money is going and to remove any unwanted subscriptions.\u00a0<\/p>\n
You can set a monthly budget for several different expenses and automate your savings using the power of artificial intelligence (AI). Once you opt into their autopilot savings feature, Rocket Money uses AI to analyze your accounts and determine the best time for you to save. If monitoring your credit is a personal finance goal, Rocket Money also enables you to track your credit through all three major credit bureaus.<\/p>\n
Rocket Money may help you lower some of your monthly bills through their bill negotiation service. With bill negotiation, Rocket Money checks if the same billed service is available for a lower price. This saves time and the headache of negotiating and lowering your bills yourself. Savings can vary, but users have reported saving anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars per year when using the app.\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/span>Is Rocket Money Right For Me?<\/span><\/h3>\nThere are some reasons the Rocket Money app may not be the best personal finance app for you. Many of the budgeting features are only available to premium members, so you might be missing out on some aspects if you\u2019re looking for a completely free tool. Additionally, while Rocket Money offers support for free members via email or chat, priority customer support is only available for premium users. The bill negotiation service is also a separate fee from the rest of Rocket Money\u2019s features.\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/span>Money Manager\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\nCost: $2.49 per month\/$19.99 per year<\/em><\/p>\nOverall Rating: 4.8\/5<\/em><\/p>\nIn the past, managing your finances meant sitting by the kitchen table with a ledger and writing everything down. These days, many people are turning to budgeting apps to track their expenses. Finance apps like the Money Manager make it easier to keep track of your bills\u2014without pen and paper.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\nMoney Manager<\/center><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nPros\u00a0<\/td>\n Cons\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nEasy-to-use interface<\/td>\n Limited accounts on the free version of the app\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nToggle between monthly and weekly spending views\u00a0<\/td>\n The setup process may be complex for some users<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nMulti-currency support\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/span>Money Manager Key Features<\/span><\/h3>\nThe Money Manager app organizes your finances in one place, giving you an overview of your current situation. From there, you can set monthly budgets for different spending categories. Plus, the Money Manager app lets you view your daily, weekly or monthly budget, which may be helpful if you get paid weekly. Budget for the week without compromising the money you have for the rest of the month by toggling between weekly and monthly views. In the calendar view, get an overall picture of what bills are due and when.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Money Manager app has both free and premium versions. But, the free version doesn\u2019t skimp on features. For example, the Money Manager app includes a currency setting available for different countries, which can be useful for budgeting while traveling. Plus, with the free version, you can add up to 10 different financial accounts. There is also the option to remove ads from the free version for a one-time payment of $5.99. The premium version offers unlimited accounts in addition to an ad-free experience.\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/span>Is Money Manager Right For Me?<\/span><\/h3>\nThe Money Manager app is a good option for users who like getting into the details and need multi-currency support for their money. The straightforward app interface makes it ideal for those who need a simple expense-tracking tool.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Empower\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\nCost: Free<\/em><\/p>\nOverall Rating: 4.8\/5<\/em><\/p>\nNo matter where you are in your personal finance journey, it\u2019s key to know where your money goes. Budgeting apps like the Empower app can help you do just that with powerful budgeting, saving and investment tools.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\nEmpower<\/center><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nPros\u00a0<\/td>\n Cons\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nLots of budgeting, saving, investing, and retirement planning tools<\/td>\n Some users report issues with data syncing<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nAvailable on the web and mobile<\/td>\n Possible upsells to Empower Wealth Management<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nHigh net-worth support\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/span>Empower App Features<\/span><\/h3>\nThe Empower app offers powerful, free budgeting and retirement planning tools. With the Empower app, you can track, analyze and plan your personal financial goals. Empower comes with robo-adviser services that automate your investments and provide you with financial advice, something that may be especially attractive to high-net-worth people. Once you sign up for Empower and link your accounts, you can enter information about your goals to tailor your experience.<\/p>\n
The Empower budget planner section records all your transactions and organizes them by category, making it easier to spot areas of overspending. You also create up to 30 additional custom categories. From there, you can track spending and create savings goals.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The retirement planner section looks at your current savings, yearly savings, marital status, and more to see if you\u2019re on track for your retirement goals. You can even run through different scenarios and adjust your annual savings rate.<\/p>\n
The personal dashboard comes with a robust investing section. Once you link your brokerage account, you\u2019ll get a detailed breakdown of your portfolio balances to track your wealth-building progress in a single dashboard.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Is The Empower Budget App Right For Me?<\/span><\/h3>\nThe Empower app might not be a perfect fit for everyone. Some users have reported data syncing issues, and there\u2019s a possibility of getting upsells for the Empower Wealth Management service.\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/span>YNAB<\/span><\/h2>\nCost: $14.99 per month\/$109.00 per year<\/em><\/p>\nOverall Rating: 4.8\/5<\/em><\/p>\nMany budgeting apps today run using automation, and while automation can be convenient, budgeting is far from a passive sport. Managing debt, building wealth and supporting your career growth depend largely on financial wellness. If you want to reach your money goals, you need to budget and plan. Apps like You Need a Budget (YNAB) can help. According to their website, they save users an average of $600 within the first two months.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\nYNAB App<\/center><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nPros\u00a0<\/td>\n Cons\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nAssigns \u201cjobs\u201d for every dollar of your income<\/td>\n Costs money to use<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nLets you share your budget with family and friends<\/td>\n Takes time to learn<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nIncludes goal-setting tools<\/td>\n \nProvides detailed reporting<\/td>\n<\/span>YNAB App Features\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\nThe YNAB app is a personal finance app that stands out because it evaluates your spending using zero-based budgeting. Zero-based budgeting gives a \u201cjob\u201d to every dollar of your income, making your income and expenses equal to zero each month. For example, you can have a dollar assigned for bills and a dollar set aside for savings. Whatever the case, every dollar is accounted for, leaving no room for unplanned or uncontrolled spending.<\/p>\n
With YNAB you can customize your budget categories and choose how much you want to spend in each. You can even plan and schedule future transactions, so you know how your next paycheck will be spent. The app also allows you to share your budget with another family member with the YNAB Together feature. This can help when managing your finances as a couple or family.\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/span>Is The YNAB App Right For Me?<\/span><\/h3>\nYNAB takes a proactive and structured approach to budgeting. The app requires financial discipline and long-term planning, so it\u2019s a top option for users looking to improve in both. It\u2019s also a good choice for couples or families. While YNAB is not free, the app does offer a 34-day free trial. You can sign up for the trial period, test out all the features and decide if YNAB is the right fit for you.\u00a0<\/p>\n