Save Money they say. But saving can be difficult especially if you are just getting started. Even the simplest thing like couponing can be time-consuming and hard.
Choosing the best app to get started can be tedious and the information can be overwhelming.
Do not fret, however! I have assembled an ultimate list of the best money-saving apps that are out there! These apps will help you automate your saving and put you on the path toward financial independence.
DIGIT
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Digit is a microwaving, money-saving app that works by saving small amounts of your money over time. It will not make you rich however, it will allow you to save money with very little thought.
This is a great first step to start automatically saving and start building up healthy money habits.
The way that digit works are that the app evaluates your spending habit and then transfers money into the linked banking account.
The amount of money that is transferred to your account each time will range from $2 to $15. The average amount withdrawn is about $7 to $9. The money-saving app is FDIC insured for up to $250,000.
This is a great option for those that are looking to start a small emergency fund or to pay for a mini-vacation a few months away.
It really does take the hard work out of saving money and automates the whole process.
There are some downsides, however. There is a $5 service per month. You do not make interest on the money that they withdraw however you do get some cashback rewards.
They do allow you to communicate with them through text messages if you have an inquiry, making them very mobile accessible.
The sweeten the deal they offer a $5 refer bonus for each friend you get to sign up.
The minimum investment is $0.
You can get started with a free month trial.
The app is available on:
Google Play
iPhone App
SMARTYPIG
SmartyPig’s motto is “Simple. Smart. Saving.” And it is another example of a micro saving product. The best thing about it is that it is completely free to use. It allows you to categorize your saved money in order to achieve a different financial goal.
With SmartyPig you set a goal such as a “two-week vacation in the Maldives ”, a down payment for a new car, and a new phone. Then you can create the goal in SmartyPig and then create an automatic bank transfer from your checking account to the savings fund.
How it works:
- Open an account: Go to their website or app and click on create an account. There is some limitation, you must be 18 years old and a U.S citizen or permanent resident. You will also need an ID, Social security number, address, phone number, and date of birth.
- Set A Goal: In the dashboard click on “Add a New Goal”. Name the goal whatever you want and pick a category that it best fits in.
- Fund the Account: You need to make sure you are connected to your checking account to make the initial deposit. This has to be at least $25. Then you select the date when this goal should be actualized and when the money should be withdrawn.
- Automatic Deposit: The final step is to set up automatic and recurring monthly, biweekly, weekly, or one-time deposits. You can insert the amount that you want to be withdrawn manually or the app will make a recommendation based on your goals and date.
- Withdrawing: When you have achieved your goal, you can use three methods to withdraw it. The first one is through a gift card that will give you a cash bonus of up to 14 percent. The second option is to use their Mastercard debit card and the final option is through a bank transfer.
The minimum deposit is $0.
The app is available on:
Google Play
iPhone App
QAPITAL
This is another money-saving app that was launched in 2015. Similar to other apps it is designed to help you save money by allocating small amounts of money from purchases and other activities towards your savings account through the app. You can use it to save money on debts, large purses, and large financial goals.
They have a number of ways to save money that sets them apart from their competitors:
- When you spend money, they round up the amount to the nearest $1, $2, $3, $4, $5.
- When you spend less money than your target budget amount, they will save the difference. For example, if you spend $50 on Urban Outfitters per week, and you spend $40 that week, then the $10 difference will be saved.
- If you fall into your vice and spend money on something that you are not supposed to then the app will save money for you.
- You can create a set schedule with a fixed amount of money to be withdrawn. This allows you to save money without thinking about it.
- IFTTTT: This allows and causes triggered savings for a number of things.
- If you are a freelancer, they will put some money aside for your taxes each time that you get paid.
- They allow you to use the 52-week rule. You save $1 in the first week, $3 in the third week.
They are not a bank and so do not directly provide FDIC coverage, however, they are FDIC insured through Wells Fargo Bank.
Pricing: The lowest tier basic plan costs $3 a month. The complete plan costs $6 per month. The master plan $12 per month.
Minimum Investment: $10
The app is available on:
Google Play
iPhone App
TIP YOURSELF
Tip Yourself allows you to reward yourself when you accomplish goals and tasks. The app also saves you money. The thought is that these little rewards will allow you to get in the habit of savings and managing your money.
So, if you bought that salad instead of that burger you tip yourself. Went the gym three times this week? Tip Yourself.
This helps you to cultivate good money habits. When you sign up for the account you have to link your checking account, to that, you can “Tip yourself.”
It is very intuitive and easy to use. The sign-up process is simple. You can also withdraw your funds when you have accrued a certain amount. The best thing about this is that there is no minimum amount that you need in order to withdraw and save money.
One of the cons is that you do not accrue interest. The max. amount you can tip $250. Customer service could be better.
The basic account which comes with two tip jars is free. The Pro account will cost $ 9.99 a year and you get 10 tip jars.
The app is available on:
Google Play
iPhone App
STASH
Stash is a little different from the other money-saving apps on this list because it acts much more like a micro-investor as opposed to a micro-saver. It is similar to Robo-advisors that you have probably heard of such as Wealthfront and Betterment.
However, they do not manage your account. Their main differentiation is that they teach you how to start investing or building your portfolio with ETFs and other stocks.
In order to begin, you will need bank information and a social security number. You need to be legal (18 years old) and be a U.S resident. You will then be prompted to take a questionnaire that will establish your investment risk.
These risk levels will range from conservative, moderate to aggressive based on your questionnaire response, investment goals, time horizon, age, etc. They stand out because they provide numerous investment options that align with your risk level.
Features:
- Single Stock Investing: If you rather invest in individual stocks, rather than an ETF you can do that. There are more than 70 stocks and investment options available.
- Stash Debit: They recently rolled out a debit card powered by Greed Dot bank. There is no minimum balance, no fees, and no overdraft fees.
- Some additional perks are that if you use the card at retailers you will earn some cashback as a fractional share of the company.
You can start investing with $5.
Pricing: The beginner plan starts at $1 per month, then $3 per month for the growth plan, and $9 a month for the Stash+.
The app is available on:
Google Play
iPhone App
ACORN
The acorns app is very similar to the Stash app and other apps. Whenever you spend money, they will round up that change to the nearest dollars and that money will be invested.
With this feature, you can choose which transactions should be rounded up, or whether you want to automatically round upon any purchase that you make.
They also allow you to multiply the amount of money that they round up. Those 25 cents could be rounded up to $2.50. You also have the option of setting up recurring deposits on different schedules.
Features:
- Found Money: When you use Acorn’s partner brands extra money will be added to your account.
- Potential: These features allow you to see where your savings and investment will look like in a week, month, and year.
- There is a learning feature that teaches you about investing, a glossary, and information you need to start investing.
- Gift Card: You can purchase an Acorns gift card at many stores.
- Found Money: Every time you use an Acorns-linked card at a partner retailer, this retail will then give you extra income into your acorns account.
There is an account minimum, no commissions fees, and no penalties when you withdraw your funds.
If you only invest a small amount you will lose money to fees.
Pricing: They will charge you $1 per month for under $1 million, 0.25% per year for anything over $1 million.
There are no fees if you are 24 and under and in college.
The app is available on:
Google Play
iPhone App
ROBINHOOD
Robinhood is one of my favorite investment apps. I personally use to it invest in some of my favorite individual stocks. It offers stock trades with fee-free options and a cash management account.
The name is meant to convey its mission of making investment accessible to everyone, not just the elite. It is a stockbroker app that has more than 10 million users, with billions of transactions.
It is simple to use. To trade stocks, you will have to use the search bar and look for the stock you want to buy. You can then buy the stock at the given price. These trades are completely free.
Due to its ease of access, it can be easy for people who are uninformed to start day trading and options trading. So, make sure that you are informed before you begin trading.
Features:
- You have instant and immediate access to your funds after selling the stock.
- There is the option of day trading, and the app allows you to track up to three trades.
- You have the option of trading without any commission fees.
- There is a cryptocurrency trading options for those who are interested in it. The options are limited but they are still there.
- Strong mobile and smartphone brokerage.
- Scheduled deposits with automatic transfers on a different timely basis.
- There is no account minimum, and no transfer fees. No foreign transaction fees etc.
- They have a Robinhood Gold option which allows you to trade after hours, gives you lines of credit, and large instant deposits amount.
Pricing: Stocks, ETFs, and options are commission-free. The Gold service will cost you at least $5 a month, any margin over $1,000 is charged 5% interest.
The app is available on:
Google Play
iPhone App
MAX MY INTEREST
If you know me, you know that I love high yield savings account as a means of getting passive income. However, finding the accounts with the highest interest rate can be time-consuming.
With MaxMyInterest.com you will no longer have to spend time chasing after the best rates. They have an automated cash management system that moves your money between groups of high yield savings accounts in order to maximize your earning potential.
Max’s wealthier clients will earn on average 2.48% and those with less than $250,000 can earn on average 2.71%.
Max is not a bank. They will not hold your money. What it does is automatic balances the funds between online saving accounts
Pricing: the membership pricing for this app is 0.02% of assets per quarter or 0.08% per year. There is no transfer fee, no ACH transfer fees.
This is a great option for those that have a large number of cash reserves, they look for unconventional online banks to maximize their earnings.
The app is available on:
Google Play
iPhone App
CHIME
Chime was created in 2013 with the goal of acting as a bank for millennials, similar to Robinhood. This is meant to replace your primary bank account. Chime is heavily mobile. You must have a smartphone to use it and download the money-saving app.
In order to begin, you will need your social security number, address, date of birth, etc. You then need to set up a direct deposit. You can also set direct deposit with employer paychecks.
However, you do not need to have a direct deposit. You can also use an external debit card, or external bank link using your Chime routing and account number, wire transfer, or Green Dot.
Now, to the savings part. Chime has an automatic saving option that pays you money. These savings accounts will round up any purchase to the nearest dollar and put that into your savings account when you use the Chime debit card.
You also have the option of taking advantage of the cashback rewards when you use them to pay bills. The reward rotation will change with different categories. This cashback option is similar to the ones you will find on Ebates and Topcashback.
There are no fees for minimum balances, transfers, or overdrafts. However, there is also no overdraft protection. There are also daily and monthly limitation amounts for transfers and cash-backs.
The app is available on:
Google Play
iPhone App
CLARITY MONEY
Clarity Money allows you to track your expenses and negotiate your bills. When you link the money-saving app with your checking account you have the ability to categorize your purchases.
One of the best features of this app is that all your accounts are available on the platforms and you can easily move money between accounts with the app.
By far the best feature of this app is that it will negotiate a decrease in some of your bills for you! This does not work with every single bill; it works best with telecom bills. Nevertheless, savings is savings. They will take ½ of the money saved on commissions and give you the rest.
They also allow you to cancel easily through the app, and they give you automated savings options and these automatic savings are in an FDIC insured bank account.
The shortcomings are that they are no budgeting options. This is strange because it limits your ability to examine your spending habits. It also does not allow you to customize your spending categories. But, it can save you money if used consistently.
The app is available on:
Google Play
iPhone AppF
MINT
When you think of a budgeting and personal finance app, Mint probably comes to mind, and for good reasons. There are more than 15 million active users on the platform and it is really accessible.
Getting started will require you to choose the accounts you want to use and see. This includes a mixture of banking, credit cards, investment accounts, and loan accounts.
The money-saving app is quick and updates are made almost automatically.
The interface is visually appealing and the charts and graphs make it easy to read your financial information. In a singular glance, you have access to all your financial information.
Mint’s main objective is to help you track, budget, and manage your expenses. They do this by categorizing your transactions in pre-defined categories. They have a feature that allows you to set goals such as paying off student loans and saving up for a vacation that is shown on your monthly budget.
Unlike most other personal finance apps, Mint also allows you to track your credit card score for free. Mint helps you keep track of your money by sending you alerts for:
- Late fees
- Bill payment reminders
- Rate changes
- Large and unexpected purchases
- Over budget in different categories
These alerts can help you save money on fees.
The best part about the app is that it is completely free.
The app is available on:
Google Play
iPhone App
YOU NEED A BUDGET (YNAB)
You Need A Budget is not like other apps on these lists which are jam-packed with features. What they do is help you create a simple budget that teaches you about money.
They have some general features such as giving you the ability to monitor your income and expenses. However, it goes a step further by allowing you to find the ingrained causes of your financial problems and helping you root them out.
It of course also helps you categorize your expenses and set goals.
More than just saving money the app also allows you to learn about money. They have:
- A blog: Where they post articles on money and budgeting fairly regularly.
- A forum: Where you can find like-minded people that will support you and that are in similar situations as yourself.
- Security: They will not have access to your data. Passwords are one-way through multiple iterations which makes it almost impossible for a hacker to get in. All your data is encrypted, and when you terminate your account all your data is removed from the interface.
- “Extra Helpful Help Guides”: This includes both video and written guides that help you with almost any money problem.
Pricing: There is a fixed monthly price of $6.99
The app is available on:
Google Play
iPhone App
HONEY
Okay, I am technically cheating because this is not a money-saving app but instead a free browser extension. However, it will help you save plenty of money! It saves you money but automatically searches for coupon codes at the checkout of your online store.
I actually have the browser extension on my screen as I am typing up this post.
If you are like me and are always Googling coupons before making a purchase this extension will save you a boatload of time.
I can honestly say that I save hundreds of dollars a year from using this browser extension. Even when it does not have a coupon code, it can sometimes point you to a store that has the same thing but at a much cheaper price.
An LA Times article found that the average user will save about $32 a month while using the extension.
An interesting feature is that every time you go online shopping you earn Honey Gold points, which can then be converted into gift cards.
A single point is equal to one cent. You can also earn more points by inviting friends, when they make their first purchase you earn $5.
The extension is available on:
Google chrome
Microsoft Edge
Mozilla Firefox
Apple Safari
FEEX
If you are a beginner or an expert in investing then you know that investment fees will eat up your returns if you are careful. Over a long period of time, those apparently small fees will lose you thousands of dollars.
This is where FeeX comes in, they brand themselves as the “Robin Hood of Fees” (sound familiar). They want to help you avoid the fees that come with the investment.
This works by allowing you to link your IRA accounts and showing you the fees that you are paying for those accounts. Then they show you crowdsource, anonymous information that shows you what fees other people are paying for their investment.
This isn’t just a random investment, they are the ones that are similar to yours, but are projected to have better returns while keeping about the same level of risks.
This is a niche little money-saving app because there are billions of dollars worth of hidden fees that investors accrue every year, oftentimes without even knowing it.
The transparency is very helpful and they also allow you to see your potential returns without fees included. This allows you to see if you are really getting your money’s worth.
The best thing about it is that it is free to use as of now. They may end up adding a premium fee for features later, but that has not happened yet.
The app is available on:
Google Play
iPhone App
TRIM
So, the Trim app is similar to clarity money in that it also allows you to negotiate your bills and it can also cancel your subscription for you.
Nowadays, it is so easy to get hanged up on subscription mayhem. There are subscriptions to everything from Netflix, to magazines, perfumes, makeup, and clothes if you can name it. There is probably a subscription out there for it.
Although, this can be convenient they can also often eat away at our budgets every single month. If you are frequently subscribing to things, it can be easy to get lost and forget where all your subscription fees come from.
This can oftentimes mean that you end up paying for things that you might not need or want.
But, here comes Trim to the rescue. They can help you trim some of those subscriptions and boost up your savings. The money-saving app will go through your financial transactions in order to find recurring transactions.
It then shows you those spending and allows you to select the ones you want to cancel. The app then does the work of canceling it for you.
The app also negotiates bills on your behalf. However, you have to submit bills manually in order for the negotiation to occur.
If they manage to find bills to negotiate down, they take a portion of those savings. The charge is 33% of the total money you would save each year, and that payment is made upfront.
The premium options come with a debt calculator, automatic credit card payments, financial coaching, etc.
Pricing: the basic subscription is free, and the premium amount is $10 per month
Google Play
iPhone App
VARO
Receiving passive income is a great way of saving money. One of the ways to do this is by receiving a high-interest rate. And Varo provides that.
You can earn 2.80% APY on balances up to $10,000.
In order to earn 2.805 APY, you have to meet these three requirements in the same calendar month (this is taken straight from their website):
- Make at least five Varo Visa® Debit Card purchases in each calendar month,
- Receive total direct deposits of $1,000 or more in the same calendar month, AND
- Keep a daily Savings Account balance up to $10,000. You read that right. We have a $10,000 daily maximum to earn our higher APY, but no minimum balance requirement.
- Otherwise, enjoy 1.21% APY. See the Varo Savings Account Agreement here.
Deposits are FDIC insured on up to $250,000.
The app is available on:
Google Play
iPhone App
PEAK MONEY
Peak may initially seem like a regular, basic savings app. And yes, it does offer budgeting and money management features. However, they offer some very interesting and unique features.
They create personalized and visually appealing user experiences that make saving money and budgeting simpler and easier.
It uses the idea of “peaks” (like the mountains) to help you achieve your savings goals. So, if you are not into the grind and hard numbers appeal of spreadsheets, Peak Money is a great option.
They also allow you to set up automatic money transfers that will go towards specific “peaks.” An additional feature is an option of rounding up your money spent in order to achieve your savings goals quicker.
You have the option of setting up a specific round-up amount or just rounding your purchase to the next dollar.
Now, I did say unique. So, let us dive into what makes Peak unique. They offer this program called Peak Rewards which is 1 to 1.5% annualized savings bonuses that are awarded quarterly. This program encourages you to save money due to its tiered rates
- If you have an average daily balance of more than $1,000 at the end of each quarter. You will earn between 0.375% to 1.5 % annually.
The best part? It is completely free.
The app is available on:
Google Play
iPhone App
TRUEBILL
TrueBill is on the same wave and offers as many other personal finance and budgeting apps on here. However, they do offer some pretty interesting features that differentiate them from other personal finance apps.
The 4 primary ways they save you money are:
- Lower bills: This is the negotiation feature of this app. They will negotiate your bill with over two dozen providers in order to lower your bills. These providers are usually for cable, phone, and internet. The average saving for telecom providers is about 20%. The company will take 40% of that saving and you give the remaining 60%.
- Subscriptions: The apps track all your transaction when you hook up your checking and savings accounts to it. They then show you where all your transaction if coming from, which allows you to cancel subscriptions you do not use. If you want TrueBill to cancel the subscription for you, you will have to upgrade to the premium service. They also automatically request refunds, overdraft fees, late fees, etc.
- Monitoring: They have this interesting feature in which they will monitor cable and internet outages in your areas, and if one occurs, you’ll receive credit for that.
- If you live in an area where electricity is unregulated, TrueBill will find you the lowest price per KW of electricity. This could be a huge saving incentive if the feature is available in your area.
Pricing: The app is free. However, the premium upgrade is $4.99 a month, or $35.99.
The app is available on:
Google Play
iPhone App
PARIBUS
Paribus is an app that allows you to save money and benefit from discount policies and refunds if you are an online shopper. It works with the vast majority of major retailers and takes very little effort.
How this works, in theory, is if you were to pay for an item. Let’s say a new pair of shoes. However, a week later when you go back to that same store you see that the item has been heavily discounted.
Well, this is where Paribus comes in. It will scavenge through your purchases to find these types of costs. They are also the ones that work with the retailers to get you the difference between the money back.
They will apply rebates and discounts to your purchases, all you need to do is download it. If there is a delay in shipping you can also possibly get some money back!
Paribus is a subsidiary of Capital One.
Pricing: Free
The app is available on:
Google Play
iPhone App
RETAILMENOT
RetailMeNot is for all the bargain shoppers and the coupon hunters out there. There are one of the largest and best-known sites for discounts, promos, rebates, and of course coupons.
There are thousands if not millions of coupons available on this site every day from almost any retailer you can think of.
They also have a newsletter that gives you information on the newest coupons that are available out there. They also have a feature that shows you if different coupon codes work based on consumer feedback.
The main downside to this money-saving app is that it can often show you coupons that don’t work or aren’t coupons at all. This can be very frustrating when you are trying to save money.
Although oftentimes seen as a browser only web. They do have an app that provides you with the same features.
The app is available on:
Google Play
iPhone App
SHOPKICK
On this list I have featured a number of apps that allow you to earn rewards when you buy things, however, Shopkick takes it a step farther by letting you earn gift cards without having to make purchases.
How it works is that it will give you points when you walk into stores and scan items.
Even when you do not plan on buying the item. If you do purchase the item, you will receive even more points when you scan your receipts. You can also earn these points without making a purchase if you watch online ads etc. If you refer your friends you and also save money this way.
The points you earn can then be redeemed for gift cards at major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Target, etc.
Every 250 kick points is worth $1.
You can also use the money-saving app with online retailers and earn points on those purchases.
Pricing; Free!
The app is available on:
Google Play
iPhone App
IBOTTA
Ibotta is an app that allows you to receive cashback on the money you spend. All you have to do is:
- Download the app.
- Browse through their rebate offering, and click on the plus signs for the things that you are planning on buying.
- Then continue to shop as you would normally.
- Upload your receipt when you are done shopping and get paid.
The stores in which you can earn cashback are varied. They range from grocery stores to restaurants, clothing departments, online stores, convenience stores, pharmacies home improvement shops.
To kick up the antics just a little more, they also offer bonus rebates each month and you can create a team in order to receive these rebates. Thus, maximizing your earnings.
You can also earn more money by offering referrals. You earn $5 per referral.
The amount of money you save has to be at least $20 before you can withdraw. You can then either use PayPal or Venmo to withdraw your money. You can also utilize a gift card as a withdrawal mechanism.
WIKIBUY
Again, I am cheating a little here again but this is technically not a money-saving app, but a browsing extension similar to Honey.
But, hey at least I am saving you money. As I mentioned Wikibuy is a browser extension that uses AI (artificial intelligence) in order to scavenge the internet for better deals, such as lower prices tags, promo codes, and coupon codes.
As soon as you hit the checkout button Wikibuy pops in order to show you potential discounts and lower-priced options. So, you can definitely save money.
They also have this feature that allows you to add items to a watch list. This watch list will notify you as soon as there is a price drop on the item.
They also have a product search tool that shows you a list of websites that sell that product, their prices, sales, etc. They also show you the coupon code and promo code that comes with it.
If you shop at partner sites you can receive credits that can be exchanged for gift cards.