Why We Wrote This
Most "best budget app" articles are sponsored content. We built CoreFi, so we're not going to pretend we're unbiased. But we'll be straight about what every app does well and where it falls short, including us.
The Contenders
#### Money Dashboard (Free / £4.99 per month) Best for: Basic budgeting with Open Banking - Free plan with transaction categorisation - Planner tool for budgeting - Clean UI, established brand - *Drawback:* Limited features on free tier, no credit analysis, no goal tracking
#### Emma (Free / £4.99-£9.99 per month) Best for: Subscription tracking and spending insights - Excellent subscription detection - Automatic categorisation - Merchant spending insights - *Drawback:* Aggressive upselling, core features locked behind paywall
#### Plum (Free / £2.99-£9.99 per month) Best for: Automated saving and micro-investing - AI-powered savings automation - Round-up investing - Easy-access savings pots - *Drawback:* Investment options limited, mainly a savings tool
#### Snoop (Free) Best for: Bill switching and savings recommendations - Finds cheaper energy, broadband, insurance deals - Completely free - Good notifications - *Drawback:* Revenue model is referral commissions, limited financial planning
#### CoreFi (Free / £9.99-£24.99 per month) Best for: Complete financial picture with net worth tracking - Full net worth tracking across all accounts - Credit analysis with debt payoff strategies - Investment portfolio tracking - Business equity for business owners - Financial calendar with UK tax dates - Interactive learning modules - *Drawback:* Newer to market, smaller user base, no automated savings feature
The Verdict
No single app does everything. If you want automated savings, use Plum. If you want bill switching, use Snoop. If you want a comprehensive view of your entire financial life, including investments, business equity, and credit analysis, CoreFi fills a gap the others don't.