Need a way to track your spending? Let’s explore the top budgeting apps to try in 2026. These financial management tools range from basic budgeting tools to advanced platforms focused on investments and financial goals.
Whether you’re paying bills, monitoring expenses, or tracking investment and savings, these apps can help you manage your finances and work towards your savings goals. Some require manual inputs while others use AI for automatic expense categorization. So, let’s check out some of the top-rated budgeting apps available in Canada that you may want to test out as you plan your finances for 2026!
Goodbudget
The time-tested envelope budgeting method has digitized with Goodbudget, a virtual budgeting program. Built to cater to the tech-savvy crowds, this budget tracker helps you get rid of the paper envelopes while sharing and tracking your budget with family and friends. Whether your goal is to save for big expenses, pay off debt, or get your finances in order, Goodbudget is a good solution to consider.
- Cost: Free basic account or $13.84 CAD/month or $110.69/year for the premium plan.* This offers additional functions like unlimited digital envelopes and accounts and up to seven years of tracking history.
- Accessibility: Available on both iPhone and Android Apps.
You Need A Budget (YNAB)
YNAB is an app that uses the zero-based budgeting approach. Each dollar earned is allocated to specific expense categories like savings, expenses, or goals, which helps users stay on top of spending and be prepared for unexpected costs by reallocating funds between categories as needed. The ability to sync bank accounts and credit cards allows for some automation; however users can manually assign charges to categories to stay engaged. YNAB also offers educational resources, including free workshops, articles, and guidebooks.
- Cost: After a 34-day free trial, $20.80 CAD/month or $151.25/year.
- Accessibility: Available on both mobile and desktop.
Monarch
Monarch offers a comprehensive view of your financial health, going beyond traditional budgeting. Users can sync their bank, credit card, and investment accounts, and even add assets like real estate or collectibles. Monarch also provides reports on spending trends, income, and other areas that help you visualize the flow of your money. With a more automated setup than YNAB, Monarch minimizes the need for manual entries, making it ideal for users who prefer a hands-off approach but still want detailed financial insights.
- Cost: After a 7-day free trial, $20.80 CAD/month or $138.75/year. As of January 2026, you can receive 50% off with code NEWYEAR2026*
- Accessibility: Available on both mobile and desktop.
Fudget
Fudget is a no-frills budgeting app designed to help users track their income and expenses without complicated features or bank account syncing. Its minimalist design is perfect for people who prefer to manually enter their transactions and maintain a simple record of their spending. Users can create lists of expected expenses and check off each item as it’s paid. Fudget also offers quick calculations, making it easy for tracking one-off expenses and making on-the-go adjustments.
- Cost: Free version available, or Fudget Plus for $28.29 CAD/year (7-day free trial), offers unlimited budgets on multiple devices and many other additional customization features.
- Accessibility: Available on both mobile and desktop.
KOHO
It’s not a budgeting app, but KOHO functions as a budgeting tool on top of being a prepaid, reloadable Mastercard. It tracks your spending in real time, categorizes expenses, and provides insights to help you stay on top of your budget. One of KOHO’s features is its cashback rewards program, which gives users cashback on certain purchases. Additionally, users can set savings goals within the app and use the “RoundUps” feature to automatically save small amounts. KOHO’s budgeting features are fully integrated with its spending, making it an all-in-one financial management tool.
- Cost: Free basic account, or $18 CAD/month or $144/year for KOHO Extra.
- Accessibility: Available on both mobile and desktop.
Budgeting Spreadsheet
Excel provides complete control over how you organize your finances while safeguarding your privacy, as it does not rely on third-party apps connecting with your bank or credit card accounts. Whether you prefer to create your own budgeting template or download free templates online, Excel allows you to input income and expenses manually, categorize transactions, and generate charts to visualize spending patterns.
You can even set up formulas to automatically calculate savings, track debt payments, and project future financial goals based on your current spending habits. You can also customize it to meet your specific needs, whether that’s managing a personal budget, household finances, or even small business expenses. It requires more manual entry, but offers you lots of opportunities for customization.
- Cost: Excel is part of the Microsoft Office suite, which may require a subscription ($11.50 CAD/month for Microsoft 365 Personal), but free alternatives like Google Sheets offer similar functionality.
- Accessibility: Available on desktop (Excel) or online (Google Sheets).
*Disclaimer: CPABC does not endorse any of the services or products mentioned in this article. It is the reader’s responsibility to research and review the services and products independently. Prices noted are as of January 14, 2026.
Nelson Soh, CPA, CA is a TEDx Speaker, best-selling author of Life Literacy and the 100 Day Money Mindset Journal. Nelson is also the co-founder of FSQ Consulting, a business consulting firm, and one of CPA Financial Literacy Program volunteers. You can follow Nelson on LinkedIn, Instagram, or TikTok, to learn more about financial and life literacy.
