5 Budgeting Apps That Every Student Should Have

Managing finances as a student can be a daunting task. Between tuition fees, rent, and the occasional treat-yourself moment, it’s easy for your budget to spiral out of control.

But fear not, because we’ve got your back! In this blog, we’re diving into the world of student budgeting apps, unveiling the top 5 apps every student should have on their smartphone.

As a student, you’re likely juggling a busy schedule, exams, and social activities. Keeping a close eye on your finances is crucial to avoid unnecessary stress and financial worries. That’s where budgeting apps come to the rescue.

These digital companions offer a seamless way to track your expenses, set financial goals, and ultimately gain control over your money. Whether you’re a master of organisation or prefer a more hands-off approach, there’s an app for you.

In this blog, we’ll take a deep dive into each app, highlighting their features, benefits, and how they can specifically benefit students. Let’s start budgeting like a pro!

1. Emma

Emma is an amazing budgeting app for people who are just starting out and are looking for easy yet effective student budgeting apps. 

Emma has 4 different plans namely free, plus pro, and ultimate with each of them having improved features catered to your financial needs. 

The free plan alone has many features that can help you get started on improving your financial tracking. Emma allows you to integrate all your online accounts in one place and that includes everything including checking, savings, loans, and more. 

Emma categories your transactions automatically, which gives you a clear idea of where your money is being spent.

You can set different budget limits for different purposes and can give you insights into your spending habits. 

A valuable feature that a lot of students can benefit from is the subscription monitoring feature which can highlight any increase in the prices of subscriptions so you can decide if you want to keep it or not.

We all get carried away with the cycle of subscribing to new streaming services.

So this app can assist you in identifying any changes thereby helping you decide whether or not it is worth paying for!

The best feature that Emma offers for free is the credit score checker, which is crucial for young students who want to improve their credit health with time. 

2. Snoop

Snoop is another great budgeting app for students who want to keep on top of their finances. It has a free version as well as Snoop Plus that costs £4.99 per month with extra added benefits.

The free version has several useful features. Snoop gives you the option to integrate all your financial accounts in one place and that includes credit and debit cards.

The categorised transactions can give you clear insights into your expenditure and you can use this data to alter your spending habits directly. You get weekly spending reports so you don’t have to wait a whole month if you want to change anything.

You can also set a monthly budget and track it by categories so that you are not overspending on any one specific thing,

You get reminders when your bill payments are coming up so you never forget any payment! It even gives you deals and offers so you can switch providers for your services if it is cost-efficient. How amazing is that!

3. Wally 

Wally is a great student budgeting app that allows you to connect your different accounts in one place to manage your finances. You can easily track your spending budgets as well as any upcoming bills for FREE!

They have an interesting feature called the Wally GPT, which is an AI-powered tool that can assist you with planning and setting goals and learning more about finances and investing.

Learning about this can help you manage your money better in the long run, so this is a feature that you shouldn’t miss out on. The app also has access to over,15,000 banks in 70 countries meaning you can track and manage your finances with ease. 

4. Monzo 

Although Monzo is mainly a digital bank, this can be a great student budgeting app if you are looking for something simple.

You get notifications every time you make a purchase helping you constantly be aware of any purchases that are made online and offline. It also automatically categorises all your transactions giving you a complete idea of where your money is going.

Just like the other apps mentioned, Monzo also gives you the option to set monthly budgets for several categories so that you can always stay within your budget.

A unique feature that Monzo has saving pots in the app where you can set aside money regularly when you are saving for different purposes.

By using the roundup option, Monzo will always round up your expenditure to the nearest round figure and put the balance into the savings pot so you can seamlessly save without even realizing it. 

Even if it seems small, these small changes will eventually add up!

5. Monese

Monese is another digital money app that you can use to store and spend money just like any other bank. This app has great features that can help you with your budgeting goals. 

You can set weekly and monthly budgets so that you can always stay on track. You can also categorise your spending into several categories and use that data to evaluate how you would like to alter your spending habits in the coming month. 

With the help of their credit builder, you can start improving your credit score which can be very beneficial in the long run!

And if you are someone who likes to travel, then you can open money accounts in different currencies to spend it abroad. Overall Monese is an efficient student budgeting app that can help you manage your finances with ease. 

Budgeting is an essential skill for every student, and the right budgeting app can make a significant difference in managing your finances effectively. The budgeting apps we’ve explored in this blog offer a range of features to suit various needs and preferences.

Remember that each app has its unique strengths, so it’s worth exploring them to find the one that aligns best with your financial goals and lifestyle. By incorporating one of these budgeting apps into your routine, you’ll be better equipped to manage your money, avoid overspending, and work toward a more financially secure future as a student.

So, take the first step toward financial empowerment and download one of these student budgeting apps today. Your future self will thank you for it!