Best Budgeting Apps in India (2025) – Track Expenses & Save Smarter
Introduction
Struggling to track where your money goes every month? You’re not alone. Most people lose money simply because they don’t track it.
Thanks to tech, you no longer need Excel sheets. Budgeting apps can help you manage every rupee — automatically, easily, and for free.
Here are the top budgeting apps in India for 2025 that help you track expenses, control spending, and build financial discipline.
💡 Why You Need a Budgeting App
A budgeting app can help you:
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Track every expense (even UPI payments)
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Set savings goals
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Cut down wasteful spending
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Stay within your monthly budget
These tools sync with your SMS, bank, or UPI and give you a visual report of how you’re spending.
📱 Top 7 Budgeting Apps in India (2025)
1. Walnut
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Walnut is an SMS-based money management app that automatically tracks your expenses by analyzing keywords in your SMS alerts from banks and merchants. It helps you manage your spending, track bank transactions, and keep an eye on credit card dues. Walnut is now rebranded as axio.Here's a more detailed look at what Walnut (axio) offers:Key Features:
- Automatic Expense Tracking: Walnut analyzes SMS alerts from banks and merchants to automatically track your spending.
- Credit Card Dues Tracking: You can monitor your credit card dues and bills within the app.
- BHIM UPI Payments: You can transfer money using BHIM UPI through the app.
- ATM Finder: Find ATMs with cash near you in real-time.
- Expense Reports: Generate detailed reports of your spending.
- Friend Expense Splits: Easily split expenses with friends and settle them.
- No Bank Account Connection: Walnut doesn't require you to connect your bank accounts, making it a secure option.
- Customizable Categories: You can customize categories to track expenses and add notes and tags to transactions.
- Zero Input: Walnut is designed to work with minimal user input, making it easy to use.
- Automatic Expense Tracking: Walnut analyzes SMS alerts from banks and merchants to automatically track your spending.
Pros: No need to enter manually
Cons: Some features need permissions
Best For: Beginners who want automation
2. Money Manager (Realbyte)
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- Transaction Tracking: Record income and expenses, including the ability to add notes and attach photos of receipts.
- Budgeting: Set monthly budgets for different categories and track spending against them.
- Asset Management: Track multiple accounts (bank, cash, investments, etc.) and their balances.
- Reporting and Visualizations: Generate reports, charts, and graphs to visualize spending patterns and track progress towards financial goals.
- Recurring Transactions: Set up recurring income and expenses for automatic tracking.
- Backup and Restore: Backup data in Excel format and restore it, including support for Google Drive backup.
- Double-entry Bookkeeping: Manage assets like savings, loans, and real estate using a double-entry system.
- Filter Options: Filter transactions by date, account, or category.
- Customizable Categories: Create and customize categories to suit personal needs.
Additional Features:- Improved Calendar Visuals: Review monthly transactions in a calendar view.
- Aesthetically Improved Charts: Visualize expenses with well-organized charts.
- Easy Content Access: Access weekly, monthly, and budget summaries.
Benefits of Using Money Manager:- Improved Financial Awareness: Gain a clear understanding of income, expenses, and spending patterns.
- Goal-Oriented Mindset: Track progress towards financial goals and adjust spending habits accordingly.
- Stress Reduction: Reduce financial stress by gaining control over spending and budgeting.
- Transaction Tracking: Record income and expenses, including the ability to add notes and attach photos of receipts.
Best For: People who like control & privacy
3. ETMONEY
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nvestment Options:
- ET Money allows users to invest in a wide range of mutual funds, including equity, debt, and hybrid funds. They offer both Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs) and lump-sum investment options.
- ET Money provides insurance products, potentially offering options for life insurance, health insurance, and other forms of protection.
- The platform enables users to invest in fixed deposits (FDS) with various banks and financial institutions.
- ET Money offers loan facilities, which may include personal loans or other forms of financing.
- ET Money allows users to invest in the NPS, a government-backed pension scheme.
- ET Money offers the ability to invest through Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs), which are recurring investments in mutual funds.
Personal Finance Management:- ET Money provides tools for tracking expenses, managing budgets, and organizing financial data.
- The platform allows users to monitor their investments, including mutual funds, insurance, and other assets.
- ET Money offers personality assessments and tools to help users understand their risk tolerance and make informed investment decisions.
- The platform may provide guidance and tools for financial planning, including retirement planning and goal-setting.
Additional Features:- ET Money Genius: ET Money offers a method called "Genius" to help users invest like a professional.
- Timely Reminders: The platform sends reminders for investments and other financial tasks.
- One-Tap Payments: Users can make payments through the ET Money app using various payment methods.
- Fund Report Cards: ET Money provides reports on the performance of mutual funds.
📈 Investments + expenses tracking
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🧮 Calculates savings, insurance, SIPs
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🔐 Secure & trusted in India
Pros: All-in-one finance app
Cons: More advanced features
Best For: Intermediate users managing investments + expenses
4. Goodbudget
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Key Features:
- Virtual Envelopes: The core of the app is the ability to create virtual envelopes for different spending categories (e.g., groceries, rent, entertainment).
- Expense Tracking: Users can easily track their spending and see how much money is left in each envelope.
- Budget Sharing: Share your budget with family, partners, or roommates, allowing for collaborative budgeting.
- In-App Reports: Analyze your spending habits with reports showing spending by envelope, income vs. spending, and other useful insights.
- Debt Management: Track your debt and make payments within the app.
- Savings Goals: Set up savings goals and track your progress.
- Syncing: Sync your budget across multiple devices (Android and iOS).
- Automatic Bank Sync: Some versions allow you to automatically sync your bank transactions with the app.
- Customization: You can customize your envelopes and budget period.
How it Works:- Create Envelopes: Add envelopes for your different spending categories.
- Add Accounts: Link your bank accounts for automatic transaction syncing (optional).
- Add Income: Enter your income for the period.
- Fill Envelopes: Allocate money to your envelopes.
- Record Expenses: Track your spending by recording transactions in the appropriate envelopes.
- Track Progress: Use the reports and features to monitor your progress towards your goals.
💼 Based on the “envelope method” of budgeting
- Virtual Envelopes: The core of the app is the ability to create virtual envelopes for different spending categories (e.g., groceries, rent, entertainment).
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🌐 Cloud sync between devices
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📉 Set limits for every category
Pros: Unique system
Cons: Not India-focused
Best For: People who want manual budgeting by category
5. Spendee
- Spendee's AI algorithms analyze user spending data to provide a deeper understanding of where and how money is being spent.
- AI can identify spending patterns, suggest areas for potential cost reduction, and help users achieve their financial goals.
- Spendee uses AI to generate alerts and reminders, ensuring users stay informed about their finances, including bill payments and budget limits.
- AI can automate tasks like data entry and categorization, saving users time and effort.
- AI can help users track and manage their expenses, ensuring they stay within their budget and adhere to financial policies.
- Spendee prioritizes data security, using encryption to protect user information.
- Spendee focuses on a clean and intuitive user interface, making it easy for users to manage their finances.
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🌍 Global app with beautiful UI
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📲 Syncs with bank accounts (in some regions)
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🧩 Great for visual learners
Pros: Looks and feels premium
Cons: Not SMS-friendly in India
Best For: Young professionals, couples
6. CRED (for Credit Card Users)
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Key Features and Benefits:
- CRED allows users to add and manage multiple credit cards from various banks in a single app, according to Google Play.
- Users can pay their credit card bills directly through the app using various payment methods like UPI or credit card, according to Google Play.
- CRED provides access to users' CIBIL scores and alerts them to any potential issues or changes in their creditworthiness, according to CRED.
- This feature helps users stay informed about their credit card activity, including due date reminders, spending insights, and alerts for potential hidden charges, according to CRED.
- CRED offers reward points (CRED coins) for timely bill payments, which can be redeemed for various offerings and discounts within the app or on partner platforms, according to Bankbazaar.
- CRED members can access a curated shopping experience and various lifestyle offers through the app's CRED store, according to Google Play.
How CRED Works:- Users sign up for a CRED membership using their email address and mobile number, according to CRED.
- They link their credit cards to the app, which automatically fetches their bill details and statements, according to CRED.
- Users can pay their credit card bills through CRED using various payment methods.
- CRED provides tools to track spending, manage EMIs, and receive reminders for due dates.
- Users earn CRED coins for paying their bills promptly, which can be redeemed for various rewards.
In essence, CRED is a platform that aims to make credit card management easier and more rewarding for its members. It offers a centralized view of credit cards, bill payments, credit score monitoring, and a variety of rewards and benefits, according to Google Play. 💳 Tracks your credit card usage
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🤑 Earns rewards + cashback
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🧾 Bill payment reminders
Pros: Unique reward system
Cons: Only for credit card users
Best For: People with multiple credit cards
7. Bharat BillPay App (NPCI)
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Key features of Bharat BillPay:
- Interoperability: It connects various billers and payment channels, allowing customers to pay bills through different apps, websites, and physical locations.
- Accessibility: It provides a wide reach through both online and offline channels, making bill payments convenient for everyone.
- Security and Reliability: Bharat BillPay ensures secure transactions and timely settlements.
- Multiple payment options: Customers can pay through various modes like UPI, cards, wallets, and cash.
- Wide range of billers: It supports payments for a variety of bills, including utilities, loans, insurance, and more.
- Instant confirmation: Customers receive instant confirmation of their payments.
- B2B payments: Bharat BillPay also facilitates business-to-business payments.
Bharat BillPay's role in the digital payments landscape:- It promotes digital bill payments and reduces the reliance on cash.
- It connects billers with customers through various payment channels, making it easier for businesses to collect payments.
- By making bill payments accessible to all, it contributes to financial inclusion.
- It supports the government's initiative to promote digital payments and transform the economy.
🇮🇳 Official Indian bill management app
- Interoperability: It connects various billers and payment channels, allowing customers to pay bills through different apps, websites, and physical locations.
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📤 Pay & track all your utility bills
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🔐 Secure, UPI-integrated
Pros: Government-backed
Cons: Limited budgeting features
Best For: Monthly bill management in India
✅ How to Choose the Right Budgeting App
Ask yourself:
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Do I want automatic tracking or manual entry?
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Do I need to track just expenses, or also investments?
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Do I want an Indian app or a global one?
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Privacy concerns? Choose apps that store data locally or offline.
🧾 Conclusion
A budgeting app won’t magically make you rich — but it gives you clarity, which is the first step toward better money habits.
Choose the one that fits your lifestyle. Install it. Stick to it for 30 days. You’ll be shocked how much you can save.
🙋♀️ FAQs
Q: Which is the best free budgeting app in India?
A: Walnut and ETMONEY are great free options with automation.
Q: Can I use multiple budgeting apps?
A: Yes, but it’s better to stick with one for consistency.
Q: Are budgeting apps safe in India?
A: Yes, trusted apps like CRED, Walnut, and ETMONEY use encryption and permission-based access.
Thanks for sharing these money-saving tips. I am also exploring different ways to save money for students. I also shared a step-by-step guide on Financial topic on my blog.
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