The 10 best budgeting and money savings apps

Smartphones are changing the way we bank. As high street banking branches close, you can now manage your money online instead. Here are 10 of the best banking apps to consider.

This app is good for regular travellers who want the best possible exchange rates.

You can hold multiple currencies on the card and Revolut doesn’t take a cut when you transfer money.

It gives you instant notifications every time you spend, in pounds.

 

This digital bank offers an easy account summary, with instant notification of debit card transactions and the freedom to set monthly spending targets. You can move over your full banking, including your salary.

 

Yolt, owned by Dutch bank ING, uses open banking to sync multiple current accounts, savings accounts and credit cards into a single view.

You can’t move money using the app but you can use it to check your spending and how to budget. Yolt now works with 25 UK banks and more will be added.

 

If you're struggling to save, Moneybox could get you started. It does this by rounding up any spending to the nearest pound, and saving the difference.

So if you buy a coffee for £2.20 it rounds this up to £3, and pop 80p into tax-free stocks and shares Isa on your behalf. This is for long-term investing rather than short-term saving.

There is a £1 monthly subscription plus investment platform and fund fees totalling a competitive 0.68% a year.

This app also connects all your online current account, savings accounts and credit cards, then groups transactions into various categories, such as electricity and groceries, which may highlight if you are spending too much say, down the pub or on takeaways.

It can also help you save towards certain goals, such as clearing debt, going on holiday or buying a house.

 

This bank account offers a contactless debit card, standing orders, direct debits and interest on your savings.

You can also connect with a digital wallet such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay and Fitbit Pay.

Digital bank Tandem shows you how much you spend each month across your various accounts to identify savings and helps find you better deals on your regular bills.

It also spots upcoming bills and warns if you are in danger of slipping into the red.

 

Another app that lets you see all your accounts and borrowings in one place but with a twist.

It also shows your investments and can put you directly in touch with financial experts who can see your data instantly and securely, and offer personal advice.

 

Another an app-based current account aimed at people who have trouble managing their money.

It holds money back from your account and releases payments for bills as they fall due, so you don’t blow your salary straight after payday.

 

One of the more venerable financial apps, Atom launched way back in 2016 offering fixed interest savings accounts and mortgages.

You can save from £50 to £100,000 at market leading rates or get advice from an independent mortgage broker, and check the progress of your application on the app.