The UK has a unique mix of traditional banks, digital challengers, and multi-currency accounts. The best budgeting app is one that works with all of them.

If you bank with Monzo and Revolut but also have an HSBC mortgage and a Barclays savings account, finding a single budgeting app that pulls everything together is surprisingly difficult. Many popular apps are US-centric, some only support Open Banking connections (which exclude certain account types), and others have dropped UK support entirely.

We tested the most popular options available to UK residents, focusing on bank compatibility, GBP handling, multi-currency support for expats, and GDPR compliance. Here is what we recommend.

What UK Users Should Look For

  • Bank compatibility: Does it work with your specific banks? High-street banks, digital banks, building societies, and credit cards all have different export formats.
  • GBP as default currency: Can you set pounds sterling as your primary currency without workarounds?
  • Multi-currency support: If you hold EUR, USD, or other currencies (common with Revolut and Wise), can the app handle them?
  • GDPR compliance: Is the app subject to UK/EU data protection rules, or is your data processed under weaker US regulations?
  • Open Banking vs CSV: Do you want automatic sync (Open Banking) or prefer not to grant third-party access to your accounts (CSV import)?

The Best Budget Apps for the UK, Ranked

Our Top Pick

1. Savly

Savly is a privacy-first budgeting dashboard that works through CSV and Excel imports. This means it is compatible with every UK bank that lets you download transactions — which is virtually all of them. Monzo, Revolut, Starling, HSBC, Barclays, Lloyds, NatWest, Nationwide, Chase UK, and building societies all offer CSV or Excel exports.

Savly's column mapper automatically detects the format from each bank, so you do not need to reformat files before importing. It supports 20+ currencies natively, which is particularly useful for UK residents who also hold EUR or USD accounts through Revolut or Wise. GBP is fully supported as a primary currency.

Because Savly never connects to your bank directly, there is no Open Banking consent to manage and no risk of a third party accessing your account. Your data stays on your device and in your Savly account — it is never sold or shared.

Pros

  • Works with every UK bank via CSV/Excel
  • 20+ currencies — ideal for multi-currency accounts
  • No bank linking — maximum privacy
  • Free tier: unlimited transactions, 4 budgets
  • GDPR compliant
  • Clean, modern interface

Cons

  • No automatic bank sync (manual import)
  • Free tier limited to 4 budget categories
  • AI features require Premium

Free tier: Unlimited transactions, 4 budgets, 1 savings goal, CSV/Excel import, 20+ currencies.

Premium: £5.99/month — unlimited budgets, AI assistant, household sharing.

Open Banking

2. Emma

Emma is a UK-founded fintech app that uses Open Banking to connect to your bank accounts. It is well-designed, with strong subscription tracking and spending analytics. The app detects recurring payments, identifies wasteful subscriptions, and gives you a spending breakdown by category.

The free tier is functional but limited — budgeting features are mostly locked behind paid plans. Emma also only supports bank accounts that are available through Open Banking, which can exclude some building societies, offshore accounts, and international banks.

Pros

  • Automatic bank sync via Open Banking
  • Excellent subscription tracking
  • UK-founded, GDPR compliant
  • Clean interface with smart insights

Cons

  • Budgeting features require paid plan
  • Limited to Open Banking-supported accounts
  • Multi-currency support is basic
  • Requires granting third-party account access

Free tier: Bank connections, spending insights, subscription tracking.

Paid (Emma Pro/Ultra): From £4.99/month for budgets, custom categories, and net worth tracking.

Auto-Saving

3. Plum

Plum started as an automatic savings app and has grown into a broader financial tool. It analyses your spending patterns and automatically sets aside money it calculates you will not miss. The app also offers investment options, bill splitting, and basic budgeting through spending pots.

Plum connects via Open Banking and is strong on the savings side, but its budgeting tools are not as mature as dedicated budget apps. It is best for people who want help saving rather than detailed expense tracking.

Pros

  • Automatic savings based on spending patterns
  • Investment features built in
  • Open Banking integration
  • UK-founded, FCA regulated

Cons

  • Budgeting tools are basic
  • Best features require paid plans
  • No CSV import option
  • Limited multi-currency support

Free tier: Automatic savings, basic spending analysis, 1 savings pocket.

Paid (Plum Pro/Ultra): From £2.99/month for interest on savings, extra pockets, and investments.

Envelope Budgeting

4. YNAB (You Need A Budget)

YNAB is one of the most respected budgeting apps globally. It uses a zero-based envelope method where you assign every pound to a category. The methodology is sound, the community is active, and the educational content is extensive.

The catch for UK users is that YNAB's direct bank import has limited UK support and has historically been unreliable for some UK accounts. Many UK users end up importing transactions manually or via file import. At $14.99/month (roughly £12) with no free tier, it is also one of the most expensive options.

Pros

  • Excellent zero-based budgeting methodology
  • Strong community and learning resources
  • Multi-currency support
  • Available on web, iOS, and Android

Cons

  • No free tier — $14.99/month after 34-day trial
  • UK bank import support is limited
  • Steep learning curve
  • Priced in USD, which fluctuates for UK users

Free tier: None — 34-day free trial only.

Paid: $14.99/month (~£12/month) or $109/year.

UK Native

5. Money Dashboard

Money Dashboard is a UK-based app that has been around since 2011. It uses Open Banking to connect to UK bank accounts and offers spending analysis, budgeting, and net worth tracking. The Neon version (their latest release) has a cleaner interface than the original.

It is free to use, which is a significant advantage. However, development has slowed in recent years, and some users report connection issues with certain banks. The budgeting features are functional but not as refined as dedicated budgeting tools.

Pros

  • Completely free
  • UK-built for UK banks
  • Open Banking connections
  • Net worth tracking included

Cons

  • Development has slowed — fewer updates
  • Some bank connection reliability issues
  • No multi-currency support
  • No CSV import fallback

Cost: Free.

Bank Built-in

6. Monzo Built-in Budgeting

If you already bank with Monzo, the built-in budgeting and spending categorisation tools are surprisingly good. You can set monthly budgets by category, see your spending in real time, and use Pots to ring-fence money for specific purposes. It is all integrated directly into the banking app.

The obvious limitation is that it only covers your Monzo account. If you have accounts at other banks, credit cards, or savings elsewhere, Monzo cannot track those. It is a good starting point but not a complete budgeting solution for people with multiple accounts.

Pros

  • Free with your Monzo account
  • Real-time spending notifications
  • Pots for saving and ring-fencing
  • No extra app to install

Cons

  • Only tracks Monzo transactions
  • Cannot consolidate multiple bank accounts
  • No CSV import for other accounts
  • Basic budget categories

Cost: Free for Monzo customers.

Why Savly Is Our Top Pick for UK Users

The UK banking landscape is fragmented. Most people have accounts at two or more banks, and many hold multi-currency accounts through Revolut, Wise, or international employers. Savly is the only app on this list that works with every UK bank regardless of whether it supports Open Banking, and it handles multiple currencies natively.

The privacy advantage is also significant. Open Banking is secure, but it still involves granting a third party read access to your account data. With Savly, you download a file from your bank and upload it — nothing else is shared. For people who are uncomfortable with third-party account access, this is a meaningful difference.

Try Savly with Your UK Bank

Savly works with every major UK bank. Here is how to get started in under five minutes:

  1. Export from your bank: Log into your online banking (Monzo, Revolut, HSBC, Barclays, etc.) and download your transactions as CSV or Excel. Most banks offer this in the transaction history or statements section.
  2. Upload to Savly: Open Savly and use the import tool. The column mapper automatically detects your bank's format — no reformatting needed.
  3. Set your budgets in GBP: Create budget categories for your spending areas. The free tier gives you 4 categories, which is enough for essentials, bills, savings, and discretionary spending.
  4. Add all your accounts: Import from multiple banks into the same Savly account. See your complete financial picture in one dashboard, regardless of how many banks you use.
Start Budgeting in GBP →
No credit card required • Works with every UK bank

Frequently Asked Questions

Which budget app works with all UK banks?

Savly works with every UK bank that offers CSV or Excel export, which includes all major high-street banks (HSBC, Barclays, Lloyds, NatWest) and digital banks (Monzo, Revolut, Starling, Chase UK). Since it uses file imports rather than direct bank connections, there are no compatibility issues — if your bank lets you download your transactions, Savly can import them.

Do I need to share my bank login with a budgeting app?

No. Apps like Savly use CSV and Excel imports, which means you download a file from your bank and upload it to the app. Your banking credentials are never shared. Other apps like Emma and Plum use Open Banking, which is more secure than screen scraping but still involves giving a third party read access to your account data. It is a matter of personal preference and risk tolerance.

Is there a good free budgeting app for people in the UK?

Yes. Savly offers a free tier with unlimited transactions, 4 budget categories, and full GBP support — with no ads. Emma and Plum also have free tiers but with more limited budgeting features. Monzo's built-in budgeting is free for Monzo customers but only covers your Monzo account. If you use multiple banks, Savly is the most flexible free option because it imports from any bank via CSV.