Best personal finance apps (2024)

Discover Bank gave its mobile app a makeover in 2021, and it's beautiful. The new streamlined interface makes it easier than ever to switch between accounts, make transfers, deposit checks, see your rewards balance, pay bills, or check on your credit score. There's even a version of the app for Apple Watch. With a 4.8 rating, Discover Bank is the highest scoring app we rated this year.

A good investing app should help you make better decisions about your portfolio and provide peace of mind — not goad you into buying and selling stocks with video-game aesthetics like confetti. Charles Schwab's mobile app strikes the perfect balance between a minimalist interface and a powerful suite of tools. Particularly interesting are the customizable views, the research offerings, and the AI-powered Schwab Assistant that responds to voice commands and questions.

Wealthfront's app isn't just gorgeous, it's also powerful. Whether you're looking for a set-it-and-forget-it investment, or something you can tinker with whenever you like, Wealthfront's customizable portfolios are easy to edit via sliding dials in its mobile app. There's no need to make any trades or fret about when to buy or sell, all you have to do is tell Wealthfront what's important to you (like socially responsible investing) and what you want to achieve (like steady, long-term growth).

There are dozens of highly rated budgeting apps these days, but Goodbudget still stands out from the crowd thanks to its user-friendly design, the ability to sync and share budgets with family members or friends, and a host of resources to help make budgeting easier. It's also one of the only budgeting apps that's based on a specific saving philosophy — the envelope system, a fail-safe way to ensure you don't spend more discretionary income than you should every month.

If you need to pay someone across international borders — or get paid — Wise (formerly TransferWise) is likely your easiest and cheapest option. The Wise app lets you convert money between more than 50 different currencies all over the world, and helps ensure you get the best possible exchange rate alongside a low and transparent fee. Plus, when you travel, Wise has a debit card you can pre-load with local currency, without having to worry about whether you have enough cash or paying massive credit card fees.

There's a good chance your bank's mobile app already includes Zelle as a payment transfer feature, but if it doesn't, the standalone Zelle app is the quickest and easiest way to send money to someone else in the U.S. — even if they use a different bank. Best of all, Zelle doesn't charge any fees.

Crypto investing apps have multiplied exponentially over the last few years, but Voyager stands above the rest thanks to its intuitive design, a rewards and loyalty program, and access to more than 100 cryptocurrencies. You can automate your investing strategy with a variety of different settings, and Voyager recently added a debit card for spending your balance as well.

If you're looking for a digital wallet to store your crypto holdings, Exodus Mobile Wallet lets you keep more than 150 cryptocurrencies in an airtight virtual safe. You can convert funds from one currency to another, send and receive assets, and lock your wallet behind fingerprint scanning and face recognition.

The best teen banking solutions include oversight protections for parents and educational resources for teens. FamZoo has both, plus the ability to set up multiple accounts for different purposes, and create incentives for your teens when they meet savings and budgeting goals. Parents can even loan money to their teens at a customized interest rate.

Greenlight is known for its debit cards for kids, but in 2021 it launched a new investing platform for kids and teens. Parents can approve every trade their teens want to make, teens can buy fractional shares in stocks for as little as $1, and Greenlight incorporated a ton of educational videos and resources to help your teen learn how to invest wisely.

You don't have to use a premium credit card to get premium spending rewards anymore. The Fetch Rewards app lets you earn extra cash back and other special offers when you shop with its partnering brands, but you can also earn points from "any receipt from any store or restaurant." There are hundreds of brands to choose from, and you can redeem points for gift cards or other rewards options.

Whether you're shopping online or in-store, Klarna lets you split any purchase into four payments, paid every two weeks, with zero interest or fees. Plus, many businesses that partner with Klarna will let you start paying 30 days after purchasing. The soft credit check when you sign up means using Klarna won't impact your credit score, and it now offers a shopping app with rewards.