7 Best Budget Apps for College Students in 2025 (Free & Easy to Use)

6

Let’s be real — being a broke college student in 2025 is almost a rite of passage. But it doesn’t have to stay that way.

Whether you’re trying to stop overspending on coffee, split bills with your roomie, or actually save for a summer trip — these are the Best Budget Apps for College Students in 2025

Here are 7 of the best budgeting apps that are 100% college student–friendly, easy to use, and (mostly) free.

1. Mint – All-In-One Budgeting Powerhouse

🎯 Best for: Beginners who want to track everything in one place

Mint connects directly to your bank account, credit cards, and student loans. It auto-categorizes expenses and sends you alerts when you’re overspending.

Pros:

• Totally free
• Easy to set goals
• Real-time expense tracking

Cons:

• Ads can be annoying
• Interface is a little outdated

2. Wally – Super Visual & Gen Z-Friendly

🎯 Best for: Students who love charts, visuals & simplicity

Wally is super visual, colorful, and allows for manual budgeting too — ideal for students who don’t want to connect bank accounts.

Pros:

• Minimal UI
• Privacy-focused
• Great for international students

Cons:

• Not great for advanced features
• No bill splitting

3. Splitwise – For Roommates & Group Expenses

🎯 Best for: Housemates, besties, or club groups

If you constantly say “you owe me ₹299,” this is the app for you. Track shared expenses, IOUs, and split bills effortlessly.

Pros:

• Perfect for shared housing
• Syncs with Venmo, PayPal
• Simple, no setup

Cons:

• Not a full budgeting app
• No savings tracking

4. Goodbudget – Envelope-Style Budgeting

🎯 Best for: Manual planners & cash-style budgeters

Goodbudget uses the “envelope method” digitally. Allocate set amounts to different categories (groceries, rent, etc.).

Pros:

• Great for budgeting mindset
• Syncs across devices
• Free tier works well

Cons:

• Manual input only
• Not connected to your bank

5. YNAB (You Need A Budget) – For Budget Nerds

🎯 Best for: Detail-obsessed students who love control

This app literally forces you to budget like a grown-up. It’s powerful — and a bit intense.

Pros:

• Great training for real-life money
• Long free trial for students
• Encourages mindful spending

Cons:

• Paid after trial
• Learning curve is steep

6. PocketGuard – Helps Stop You From Overspending

🎯 Best for: Avoiding “oops I’m broke again” moments

It shows how much is “safe to spend” after bills/savings — so you know whether Starbucks is a yes or no today.

Pros:

• Very student-friendly
• Real-time “spend left” tracker
• Auto-syncs bank data

Cons:

• Free version has limits
• Some US-only features

7. Buddy – Cute, Colorful, Budgeting with Friends

🎯 Best for: Fun-loving students who want to budget socially

With a pastel aesthetic and social features, Buddy is a super Gen-Z way to manage your money and motivate friends too.

Pros:

• Gorgeous UI
• Add friends & compare budgets
• Easy to understand

Cons:

• Manual data input
• Only on iOS

📊 Comparison Table: Quick Overview

App	Best For	Auto Sync	Free Plan	Splits Bills
Mint	All-in-one beginners	✅	✅	❌
Wally	Visual budgeters	❌	✅	❌
Splitwise	Roommates	❌	✅	✅
Goodbudget	Envelope budgeting	❌	✅	❌
YNAB	Total control	✅	✅ (trial)	❌
PocketGuard	Prevent overspending	✅	✅	❌
Buddy	Fun, social saving	❌	✅	✅ (partly)

🙋‍♀️ FAQs – Budgeting as a College Student

❓ What is the best free budgeting app for college students?

Mint and Splitwise are excellent free options. For more visuals, try Wally.

❓ Is YNAB worth it for students?

Yes, especially if you love structure and control. They even offer a free trial for students.

❓ Which app helps split expenses with roommates?

Splitwise is built just for that!

🧠 Final Thoughts

Budgeting in college doesn’t have to be boring or painful. These 7 apps are student-approved, Gen Z–friendly, and perfect for staying broke… less often.

Pick one, start tracking your expenses, and watch your financial stress go down.

This will aslo helps you: How to Live on $50 a Week as a College Student: 7 Real-Life Strategies

P.S. Don’t forget to bookmark Brokelite.com — we’ve got more college money tips coming your way!

📌 Author Bio

Written by Team Brokelite
Helping Gen Z manage money like pros — even on a college budget.