Budgeting your paycheck can feel like an overwhelming and confusing task. As of 2025, 78% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, struggling with saving and investing their income. However, there's a resource: Zero-based budgeting can help you make the most of your paycheck, aiding you in managing your cash flow, cutting on overspending, and reaching your financial goals.
Here's a roundup of seven apps that can help you implement the zero-based budgeting method — where you assign a specific job to every dollar of your income. This can work to ensure that your bills are covered and your savings goals stay on track. Whether you’re new to budgeting and stuck in an “income minus expenses” cycle or a seasoned budgeter gearing up to buy your first home, each app offers a set of unique features designed to help you in every aspect of your journey.
1. You Need a Budget (YNAB)
If you find yourself wondering where all your money went even after just getting paid, then “You Need a Budget!” The YNAB app is formed around a four-rule system: assigning every dollar a job, embracing true expenses, rolling with the punches, and aging your money. This system helps you plan for both everyday bills and long-term goals.
Key features:
- The four-rule system gives structure and consistency, making it easier to stay disciplined even with irregular income.
- YNAB comes with goal-tracking tools that let you set targets for savings and debt payoff and monitor progress visually.
- This app also comes with bank syncing, which makes it easier to import transactions automatically, while still offering manual entry if you prefer hands on control.
Pros
YNAB helps you think ahead by teaching you to plan for upcoming bills and future goals. Once you learn the system, the app will feel like a personal money coach right in your pocket.
Cons
The biggest challenge is its complexity. If you’re looking for something quick and simple, then YNAB might feel like too much work at the start. You’ll also need to pay for a subscription. The price is $14.99 per month, or $109 per year.
Pricing:
YNAB costs $14.99 per month or $99 annually after a 34-day free trial.
2. EveryDollar
If you ever wanted one-on-one financial advice from Dave Ramsey, EveryDollar is the next best thing. This app follows Dave Ramsey’s zero-based budgeting philosophy of assigning every dollar a job before the month begins. Nothing is left unplanned, and every expense or goal is accounted for. The app shows you how to follow Ramsey’s famous “baby steps,” plan — building an emergency fund to paying off debt and eventually building wealth.
Key features:
- Zero-based budgeting system: This method ensures you plan out your full-time income each month, so there’s no extra money slipping away.
- Baby Steps Integration: Through this plan, you’re guided through Ramsey’s recommended financial journey, including debt snowball, where you focus on paying off your smallest debt first, while making minimum payments on the rest. Once it’s gone, you roll out that payment into the next smallest debt, creating momentum until everything is paid off.
- Goal-Setting Tools: EveryDollar also comes with goal-setting tools to help keep you accountable to afford the things you want. For example, if you’re saving up to afford braces for your 9-year old, you can create “braces” goal, and the app will break it into smaller monthly savings targets with a progress bar.
Pros: EveryDollar is perfect for individuals who want structure and step-by-step guidance. The app makes it easy to stay motivated, and its goal-tracking features provide accountability and encouragement.
Pricing:
Free Plan: EveryDollar offers a free plan, through its manual entry only. This option is best for those just starting out in their savings journey.
Premium Plan: If you desire automatic bank syncing, faster tracking, and time-saving convenience than their everyday premium option would work best for you.
3. Goodbudget
If you’re a visual learner, then you'll like Goodbudget. This app uses a digital envelope system, letting you divide your income into virtual envelopes for categories like rent, groceries, and savings. This approach lets you see exactly how much is left in each category, helping you avoid overspending. While it requires manual transaction entry, couples and families can share envelopes across devices, keeping everyone aligned. It’s good for those who want hands-on shared budgeting with clear, organized goals.
Pros: The app’s digital envelope system makes it easy to see how much money is allocated to each category, helping prevent overspending. Through their envelope sharing system, couples and families can see each other’s income and savings, encouraging teamwork and transparency. Its hands-on approach also helps you plan for your future goals.
Cons: The app requires manual transaction entry, which can be time-consuming. It also lacks bank-syncing in the free version, so accuracy depends on consistent updates. Users who prefer automated tracking may find it tedious.
Pricing:
Free Plan: The app offers a free plan that includes ten envelopes.
Paid Plan: The app also offers a paid plan known as plus plan that costs $8 a month or $70 a year with unlimited envelopes.
4. Pocketguard
Pocketguard simplifies budgeting with a zero-based approach. Its “In My Pocket” feature shows exactly how much money you can safely spend after covering bills, goals, and necessities. The app automatically categorizes transactions and sets spending limits, giving you a clear snapshot of your finances. It’s beginner-friendly and designed for individuals who want a simple and fast way to track spending without feeling overwhelmed by complex features.
Pros: PocketGuard works well for beginners who want a quick and simple overview of their spending. The automatic transaction tracking saves time, and it's financial snapshot gives you a clear picture of what you can safely spend. It also encourages intentional planning for long-term savings.
Cons: More advanced budgeters may find PocketGuard too basic. Its limited customization options can be frustrating for users who want more control or detailed planning. There is also no bank syncing included in the free version, which some users may find frustrating.
Pricing:
Free Plan: There is a free plan available.
PocketGuard Plus: This plan costs $7.99 per month or $79.99 per year with additional features like debt payoff planning and cash flow projections.
5. Honeydue
If you're looking for an app that’s going to help you budget with your significant other, then you need Honeydue. This app is a couples-based budgeting tool that combines financial tracking with communication features. Partners can share accounts and budgets, receive bill reminders, and get notifications about each other’s spending. The app also lets you control privacy by choosing what to share. This app is best for married couples or partners who want to coordinate finances, stay transparent, and manage shared expenses without conflicts or missed bills.
Pros: Honeydue is perfect for couples who want to stay financially aligned. The app encourages open communication, prevents missed bills, and helps partners coordinate shared expenses without unnecessary conflict.
Cons: While it works well for couples, it's less useful for individual users. It also doesn't offer the same advanced budgeting tools as apps like YNAB.
Pricing:
The app is free to use with an optional premium for upgrades.
6. Mint
Mint is a free, all-in-one financial management app that tracks spending, bills, and investments in one place. While it’s not strictly a zero-based budgeting tool, it excels at giving a full picture of your finances, including credit scores and trends. With automatic categorization, bill reminders, and detailed reports, Mint is best for users who want a comprehensive, no-cost solution to monitor and manage money efficiently.
Pros: Mint is a strong option for individuals who want a free, all-in-one tool. It gives a big picture overview of your finances and is especially helpful for credit monitoring and tracking investments in addition to daily expenses.
Cons: Mint isn't strictly designed for zero-based budgeting. While it's great for overall money management, some users find the ads distracting and the focus less proactive than apps built specifically for budgeting.
Pricing:
The app is free to use.
7. Tiller
If you thrive on excel, then Tiller is the budgeting app for you. Tiller is a spreadsheet-based budgeting tool that connects to Google Sheets or Excel, automatically updating your accounts and transactions. It offers unmatched flexibility for those who love customizing categories, charts, and reports. It allows you to tailor your budgeting to meet your exact needs.
Pros: Tiller lets you fully customize spreadsheets. It also automatically updates accounts, saving time on tracking. Excel and Google Sheets users get full control over their budget.
Cons: The setup requires effort and spreadsheet knowledge. The app also lacks visual dashboards. Beginners may find it too hands-on.
Pricing:
Tiller costs $79 per year, with a 30-day free trial available.
Expert tips for zero-based budgeting app success
Follow these guidelines to ensure your zero-based budget goes smoothly:
Start simple. Pick one app that matches your needs before adding others.
Schedule weekly reviews. Adjust your categories and check progress consistently.
Set up sinking funds. Prepare for irregular or annual expenses.
Integrate tools. Link apps to EarnIn, spreadsheets, or other tracking methods for clear and easy money management.
Stay disciplined: Regularly log expenses and review your goals to prevent budget drift.
How EarnIn tools support your zero-based budget
Even the best budgeting apps can’t predict unexpected expenses; so EarnIn tools are here to help:
Get up to $150/day, with a max of $750 between paydays, with no interest, no mandatory fees — just an optional tips1. It's not a loan; it's simply a way to get your money when you need it, rather than waiting for the traditional payroll cycle.
Tip Yourself3 offers FDIC-insured “tip jars,” to save automatically from each paycheck.
Balance Shield4 provides low-balance alerts and optional automatic transfers, helping you stay on track and avoid overdrafts.
FAQs
Are zero-based budget apps worth the subscription cost?
Yes, if you’re committed to tracking every dollar. Paid apps like YNAB or EveryDollar Premium provide features such as bank syncing, goal tracking, and automated reports that make budgeting faster and more accurate. Learn more in our EarnIn budgeting guide.
Can you use multiple budgeting apps together effectively?
Yes, but it’s best to master one first. Some users combine tracking apps like Mint with zero-based apps like YNAB to get both comprehensive insights and precise budget control, while keeping EarnIn tools for cash-flow support.
How do zero-based budget apps handle irregular income?
They encourage planning ahead by building sinking funds for variable or seasonal income. Apps like YNAB and EveryDollar allow you to assign every dollar purposefully, smoothing out irregular paychecks to maintain a consistent budget.
What’s the difference between zero-based budgeting and traditional budgeting apps?
Zero-based budgeting assigns every dollar a job each month, helping to ensure nothing is left unplanned. Traditional apps often focus on tracking spending rather than proactively allocating funds, which can make planning for goals harder.
Please note, the material collected in this post is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be relied upon as or construed as advice regarding any specific circumstances. Nor is it an endorsement of any organization or services.
This Blog was sponsored by EarnIn. While the author received compensation, the information shared is grounded in independent research and intended to provide helpful and accurate guidance to readers.
EarnIn is a financial technology company, not a bank. The Cash Out product is provided exclusively by EarnIn. Certain bank products are provided by Evolve Bank & Trust and/or Lead Bank, Members FDIC. The FDIC insures deposits to protect your money in the event of a bank failure. More details about deposit insurance here. Additional services in the app are offered in partnership with trusted third parties.
1
A pay period is the time between your paychecks, such as weekly, biweekly, or monthly. EarnIn determines your daily and pay period limits (“Daily Max” and “Pay Period Max”) based on your income and financial risk factors as outlined in the Cash Out Maxes section of our Cash Out User Agreement. EarnIn reserves the right to adjust the Daily Max and Pay Period Max at its discretion. Your actual Daily Max will be displayed in your EarnIn account before each Cash Out.EarnIn does not charge interest on Cash Outs or mandatory fees for standard transfers, which usually take 1–2 business days. For faster transfers, you can choose the Lightning Speed option and pay a fee to receive funds within 30 minutes. Lightning Speed may not be available at all times and/or to all customers. Restrictions and terms apply; see the Lightning Speed Fee Table and Cash Out User Agreement for details and eligibility requirements. Tips are optional and do not affect the quality or availability of services.
2
Tips go to EarnIn and help us provide tools such as Credit Monitoring for free and keep Lightning Speed fees low. Your service quality and availability aren’t affected by whether you tip or not.3
Lightning Speed is an optional service that allows you to expedite the transfer of funds for a fee. Depending on the product, the fee may be charged by EarnIn or its banking partner. Lightning Speed may not be available to all customers. Actual transfer speeds depend on your bank. See the Lightning Speed Fee Table for details.4
Tip Yourself Account funds and Tip Jars are held with Evolve Bank & Trust, member FDIC and FDIC insured up to $250,000. Tip Yourself is a 0% Annual Percentage Yield and $0 monthly fee service deposit account. For more information/details, visit Evolve Bank & Trust Customer Account Terms. The FDIC provides deposit insurance to protect your money in the event of a bank failure. More details about deposit insurance here.
5
Balance Shield provides free alerts when your bank account balance drops below the threshold you set in your EarnIn account. You can also enable automatic transfers ($100/day - subject to your available earnings - with a limit of $1,000/pay period), if your bank account balance falls below your set threshold. If your available earnings are insufficient to transfer the $100, the transfer will not be completed. You choose the speed of these automatic transfers. Standard speed is available at no cost and the transfer typically takes 1-2 business days. Lightning Speed is available for a fee [see Lightning Speed Fee Table] and the transfer typically takes less than 30 minutes. You will also have the option to set a tip for automatic transfers. Tips are optional and can be $0; however, if you choose to set a tip, it will be applied to each Balance Shield transfer. Whether you tip, how much, and how often you tip does not impact the quality and availability of services. You can cancel the alerts and/or transfers at any time in your EarnIn account settings. See the Cash Out User Agreement for more details. While Balance Shield can help you avoid overdrafts, it does not guarantee protection from third-party fees, and its effectiveness depends on your usage and bank activity.
