Best budgeting app for UK bank accounts in 2026?

danj2k

Can anyone recommend a good budgeting app (that's not YNAB) that can connect with multiple UK bank accounts and help me track my cash flow so I can identify areas where I'm overspending?

The well-known big names such as Quicken Simplifi or Monarch Money seem to be mainly America focused with little or no support of UK banks.

I have a Halifax account and a Monzo account, both have standing orders and pots and stuff like that set up, so I need an app that can cope with that level of complexity.

I did try searching to see if there was an existing thread but the results were all either closed threads or from several years ago.

I used to use YNAB many years ago when it was an app that was installed on your PC, before it went subscription, but I never liked the way it operated, which I think is now called "zero-based budgeting".

sausage_time

Here is a canned search on this board for "budget app" sorted most recent first.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/search?domain=discussions&query=budget%20app&sort=-dateInserted&scope=site&categoryIDs[0]=20&source=community

danj2k

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81976044#Comment_81976044

I already did do such a search but did not find the recent results to be helpful. I would like to find an app that is currently supported (this rules out Microsoft Money), can connect to UK banks (this rules out open source solutions such as GnuCash or KMyMoney as these typically are local-computer only), and is not just a spreadsheet but can show where the money is going, to which accounts, and what it's being spent on.

Nasqueron

Why not just put all your transactions in a spreadsheet - just listing them one by one might be enough to spot the overspend?

danj2k

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81976194#Comment_81976194

A spreadsheet is not going to understand that this piece of money came from a standing order from that pot in the other account, etcetera. There's surely software out there that already does what I want to do without having to reinvent the wheel?

Gonk1967

Try HomeBank | Free personal finance software, money management for everyone

It doesn't connect directly to your bank accounts but it can import CSV or QIF files exported from your bank accounts.

I've been using it for about 18 months now and it really does help show where the money goes.

Oranda

@danj2k Have you looked at Snoop, Moneyhub or Emma?

Dizzycap

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81976285#Comment_81976285

Of the 3, I personally find Snoop is the best, although there can be some payment delays logged in Snoop from your connected bank accounts at times which can flag up as a 'Not enough money in your account to pay your upcoming bills' message, when they've already been paid 2 days earlier - A small glitch but easily ignorable. You can pay per month to upgrade your Snoop accoun/ App, but I personally didn't find anything particularly beneficial for me to warrant paying a monthly fee for! (Very MSE).

SmartyPants8

If you have an iPhone, check out an app called “Accounts: Budget Planner” on the UK Apple App Store.

It supports connections to most UK banks and is focused on detailed monthly budgeting.