Goodbudget Budget Planner Reviews

by Thelilgirlntx

So far, GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner has been fairly useful. Even though I find some things to be confusing, I have also found the help team to be VERY helpful, which is rare and very much appreciated!!! Here's my biggest problem, and the reason I am probably going to be using the BetterHaves app going forward: to get more than 10 envelopes, they expect you to pay $15 for 3 months, or $25 for 6, and there's not even a better deal 12 month option!!! That is OUTRAGEOUS!!!! Sure, you also get access from 5 devices, big whoop, and 5 years of transaction history, another big whoop. Maybe the 5 devices would be worth it if it included tablets! There is no version for the iPad. $15-25 for those THREE extra perks (unlimited envelopes, 5 devices, 5 yrs history) is absolutely ridiculous. Even though I've already got 5 months of budget history, I'm cutting my losses and using the BetterHaves app from now on, b/c they give me unlimited envelopes. Whatever features I'm losing by switching, they still don't add up to $15, and nowhere near $25 worth.

by Thadsdad42

Goodbudget is an amazing app that helps with budgeting. It does what it is supposed to and can help everyone to understand how to budget well and effectively. Goodbudget has graphs that are easy and simple to understand. One of them tells you where you spend your money the other tells you how much you spend and how much income you get. Goodbudget has easy-to-understand features and if you don’t understand they took time to create videos on how to learn to use GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner well. GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner also helps show you how much you spend and save to keep up with your finances well.

However, GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner isn’t perfect just like everything. One negative about GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner is that there is a paywall to get all the features and it can be tricking when first starting. The videos created are also a bit of a problem because they show that GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner is very complex and can’t be fully used if not watched. Personally, one thing that bothered me was I needed to pay for an app about budgeting which I think is silly.

I understand that GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner is free and a paywall is there for the creators to earn money from it, you can improve on helping a basic user to add a tutorial on what each feature does. This would be very simple to add and will help more people to want to download it for its simple explanation on how to use it. Other than this simple thing I love your app and how you guys were able to make it.

by Kiiks52

I have used Goodbudget for 3 years now, and it has absolutely changed my life. Even as a single-person household working in human services, Goodbudget helped me save a down payment for a house, which I bought 18 months after I began using the program. Today, Goodbudget helps make paying all the monthly bills possible and still have money for 401k and for whatever fun goals I set, such as saving up for an overseas vacation or a new car.

My parents began using Goodbudget a year ago, and they have also saved thousands within the course of a year. I can’t recommend this program enough.

That being said, it’s high time that the IT department stepped up its game. GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner hasn’t been optimized for iPhone X, envelopes cannot be fully customized on GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner , etc. If I’m going to keep recommending GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner to all my friends, I hope they will step up their game and make GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner something to be really proud of. (I don’t like recommending a program and then apologizing to my friends because GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner is lacking in areas). Also, pricing could be reduced to attract more newcomers, in combination with starting a referral program so we could be rewarded for bringing Goodbudget brand new long term paying customers.

by Ceptor17

GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner is not complicated and does have a tremendous amount of features. One thing it does not have is an auto sync with you bank account. However, before thinking that this is a bad thing keep in mind that this forces you to keep using this (balancing your checkbook so to speak). Some of the benefits of GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner are easy envelope transfers, split transactions, auto funding, and atypical budgeting. Atypical budgeting? So many other tools out there are based on monthly cycles. Sure, this works for you water bill, mortgage/rent, and cell phone, but, who is paid monthly? We use this to auto-fill all of our envelopes every two weeks when we are paid. This will really force you to only spend what you have. The only issue that I have found is it occasionally will not sync (minus 1 star), but within 30 minutes or so we are back in business.

by Turrnthepaige

GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner is exactly what I wanted for budgeting. Regular budgeting apps made no sense to me, since I typically don’t spend over $5 a month on coffee and didn’t need that kind of budget, but maybe one month I’m traveling a lot I might spend $15 on coffee. The lack of rollover would frustrate me on other apps. This allows me to have a single savings accounts, but know how much exactly I have budgeted for certain thing, which is not everything in my savings. I used to hate the manual inputing of transactions, but now that I have the hang of it I don’t mind it since it gives me time to make sure my statements are correct.
The reason I gave this 4 star though is that I wish there was slightly more customization. Your options for envelope savings are irregular/annual and picking ONE other way (monthly, biweekly, etc). This doesn’t work well for me since I budget my rent monthly, my grocery’s weekly, and my insurance every 6 months. I wish in the premium version, at least, they had the option to break down the way you want to budget envelopes in more depth. I would immediately purchase it then.

by Krtyxl

Good Budget was kind of confusing to learn at first. Now that I’ve been at it for a couple weeks, I REALLY like it. I was looking for a very simple system that emulated an envelope system that is familiar to a lot of talk radio fans. I never wanted to carry physical envelopes. That seems archaic to me and very inconvenient at times. I also wanted something I could set up to automate my weekly budget allotment deposits into those envelopes. Also important was that it be as close to free as possible. GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner did all of that for me. I didn’t want to over complicate the number of envelopes, so I only have four. That makes this completely free for me. Like I said, it wasn’t user friendly to learn and some of the controls of the envelopes aren’t very intuitive, but now that I’ve learned the system, I have automated it to do exactly what I want. I figured it out quickly, but it did take a bit of effort on my part. I’m glad i did. I really like the user interface, too.

by Ohdrhjud

Easiest user interface I've seen among envelope budgeting apps that cover basic needs in budgeting, and it's nice that they don't put a time limit on the free version while you're first getting your finances under control (though the paid version is definitely worth the unlimited envelopes!). Mobile version is clean and functional. Reports are decent too, though some other apps allow you to get more detailed analysis.

Reason for only 4 stars is that they're are a few random annoying glitches, most notably that if you edit am existing budget, you can NOT see what your total budget is adding to as you edit, so I have to budget in a spreadsheet first then copy it all manually into GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner to ensure I'm not budgeting myself into a deficit. It would also be nice if they added the ability to link directly to accounts like mint does in case I miss a transaction, though there are pros and cons to enabling people to be less hands-on in their budgeting.

by Amitdatta

I just started my third year using the goodbudget app. I used the free version for a year, by when I have realized that budgeting was saving me upwards of a hundred dollars each month. Simple keeping track of how much money I was spending each month in what categories helped me plan my budget and save money.

After a year, I was willing to pay $45 for a year of premium services (measly compared to how much GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner helped me save already). The premium service is useful to compare how much I was paying for various categories across the years. Also, keeps me track balances on the ten credit cards I've racked up as well as my checking and savings accounts.

Goodbudget is a fantastic way to get financial literacy. Other apps (like Mint) which automatically sync with your accounts don't really work since there are many expenses which I've paid for friends and they pay back later.

It is a bit of work, entering each expense manually. But I have at most a handful of expenses each day and it takes just 30 seconds for each expense. Using those 30 seconds to enter an expense is more beneficial than spending those same 30 seconds looking at a cat video on instagram.

by SachaPete

In April of 2013 I estimated my income, created a budget, took some money out of savings and lived off last months income (accruing new income with which to create a new every penny allocated budget). I haven't looked back. I use the subscription level account so that I can use Goodbudget (then called EEBA) to balance all of my bank accounts (checking, credit card that gets paid off every month, savings accounts). I even got my sister to do the same thing. She used an income tax refund to start the live off last months income process. We recently upgraded our house. I couldn't have done it all without the Goodbudget tool to manage my money (instead of it managing me). My favorite features include: real time updates to envelopes so my hubby and I are always in synch, the progress bar that helps you make decisions on if I should really go out to eat or not, easy imports/balancing of all of my bank accounts. I couldn't live without GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner. Goodbudget is AWESOME SAUCE!!!!

Update:
Here we are in May of 2019 and is still think this is the most awesome thing in the world. I would never want to manage my finances without GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner. I reconcile my accounts every month and GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner is a MUST.

by Schmeiller

I've used Quicken, I've tried several other apps, there are definitely lots of good options out there. GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner, though, has worked best for me for a couple years now. I love envelope budgeting--it's the only way that really works for me. And this is the most affordable option without having to sacrifice ease of use. The desktop interface is great, the mobile app is great. Do I wish it incorporated auto download from my bank and credit card accounts? Sure--that would make reconciling easier...though I've gotten so used to exporting and importing that it's a breeze now. I wish I could deselect all transactions at the start of reconciling instead of having to go through and clicking on each one to clear transactions--it's really the one thing that I don't like. Highly recommend!

by An0npm

GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner is amazing. I used the paper-envelope method successfully for years, but then started to get lazy & too addicted to my smartphone for all the paper. My finances became a total mess. I was in desperate need of something that emulated a style of budgeting that made sense to me, that was easy & simple, & that didn’t force me to link an app to my checking account (which I absolutely refuse to do). GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner is all of those things & has been exactly what I needed to get back on track with my budgeting! I will say: the interface is a little counterintuitive & takes a little getting used to, but once you’ve got it it’s incredibly simple. It’s definitely not enough to give only 4/5 stars, in my opinion (which seems to be the only reason many other reviewers do). I am so grateful for GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner & can see myself using this for years to come.

by James_Cheney

I was in debt, about $10k. My girlfriend recommended I try the Dave Ramsey envelope system. I tried it for a month with cash in envelopes. It was a disaster. I rarely used cash anyway, so it was cumbersome and unfamiliar. I would go grocery shopping and forget to bring my grocery envelope. I thought there must be a better way to do this. Goodbudget to the rescue! It’s been almost 6 years now using GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner , and it’s absolutely changed my life. My wife and I pay for the yearly subscription and it’s worth every penny. The best thing is that at any given time we know EXACTLY how much $ we have for each category of spending. It’s eliminated almost 100% of fights about money. If you’ve never lived in a budget it will take a little getting used to, but it’s so worth it. I’ve always been bad with money and was never able to save anything. Now, it’s easy! Thank you Goodbudget!!!

by Leonardjreiss

Outside of freezing every now and again, and not syncing until you open GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner , this is a marvelous tool. Not only are you able to set your budget but you can watch the visuals to see how you are doing. In addition, it performs as a register for any and all accounts you may have. It also shows the exact totals left in each "envelope" as you work for your individual or family finances. I have also been extremely pleased with the support I have received using the paid version. Some may think it is not worth paying an annual subscription. As a former user of Quicken software, I feel this is a much more practical and user-friendly software. Any problems I have had, they have been very quick to respond, usually within 24 hours and solve any issues.

by PhilInTheSpaces

My wife and I love GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner. We do a yearly subscription (and it has its own envelope) and it is well worth it. We each have an allowance so big goofy purchases don’t need to be explained. I just safe up my allowance. When bills are due the money is there and our savings is building faster than ever. We both have GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner on our phones so both can see where our money is any time. We never argue over finances and that is huge. And I have it set when we get paid to automatically distribute to each envelope. And bills that are automatically paid through bank bill pay are automatically removed from the envelope. Balancing takes about 15 min. Why would you not do your budget like this? I swear buy it. After all the bills got set up in envelopes we started adding envelopes. Christmas, home decor, medical, property taxes, eating out, we’ve even paid off three credit cards.

by Buccoloj

I have been using GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner for one year and it has helped me do a complete 180 with my finances. I use to always be broke living one paycheck to another and now I have money saved and bills paid the second they arrive. GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner helps you see where all of your money is going as long as you input everything you spend. GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner is super easy to input the expenses and only take a few seconds once you have all your categories set. I don’t have my accounts linked because I like to only work out of good budget and then go back and balance it once I get my bank statement. This has worked so week for me that I am debt free minus the house of course and now I don’t stress about where all my money goes. It has taught me how to live within my means and how to save for the things I really want to do. Over the years I have tried other apps and never could commit to them because they were to complicated. Good budget has changed that completely, thank you!

by Lulu840

GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner has changed my life. It is very user friendly and is exactly what I was looking for. My husband and I have a joint account for bills and I can’t get him to switch to GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner (which I use for my personal expenses). Why? Because GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner he uses directly imports the expenses from our account. I do like that feature which allows you to simply drag and drop those expenses directly into an envelope or category on GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner . That’s the biggest thing I wish GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner offered. The other thing is sometimes I put my paycheck in a day early so that it is already divided up and appears there on that day. Well even though I put the day of my payday in, it appears immediately in the envelope and I wish it wouldn’t. That could be user error on my part. Regardless, I LOVE GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner and would recommend it 100%. If you’re not sure, try the free version first. You won’t mind paying for the better version once you see how great it is!

by MarkW42

I have used GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner for a few years now and am very thankful for its existence.

Preface: I almost always use the notes on transactions to detail what exactly each transaction is, for convenience when I want to look back through them.

The one annoying thing that needs to be fixed: when scrolling through transactions, if you tap one to edit it or see details (such as a note I’ve written), after you hit cancel or back out of it, GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner automatically scrolls back up to the very top of your transactions. (This also happens randomly sometimes when simply scrolling down.) Pretty frustrating when I’m trying to go through multiple transactions from a while back that require a lot of scrolling, and then I have to scroll all the way back down to each transaction EVERY time. It would be awesome if I could keep my place in the scroll.

by Pomplamoosee

I’ve been using GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner for at least 8 years (Remember when she was called EEBA?) GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner motivated me to take charge of my $, pay off debt and live an intentional, enjoyable life of financial stewardship. I’m a disciple of Jesus Christ and a student of Dave Ramsey. GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner is FAR more robust than Every Dollar. Discipline yourself and your spending and you’ll be sweetly surprised as your financial goals are achieved: debt free living, achieve savings goals to purchase cars for cash and to pay off a mortgage early. Budgeting would be a horrible chore if it weren’t for GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner. The sales / tech support team are top notch. You will not regret making Goodbudget a part of your personal finance tool chest. I use it WITHOUT linking to external accounts to force me to balance and track my accounts. Try the free version and commit yourself to track all your spending (ALL YOUR SPENDING) for 2 months. This will help you develop a budget. If you’re using the free version with consistent discipline for 2 months, upgrade to the full version. You won’t regret it.

by AppUser5903

This is one of the best apps I’ve ever used. I started using it about a year ago, and have saved lots, and have been way more effective with my hard-earned money. I’ve used GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner to help pay off 3 debts, saved for a major house repair that I paid in cash, and saved for future funds like tires and Christmas. And I’ve met goals, tracked them, and have done it all at once! GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner has changed my family’s life and financial future!

It’s super easy to use and incredible to watch your money grow or be put to the best use. The goal envelopes are one of my favorite features. I like it better than other budget apps because it has a reconcile function for the bank accounts. Most of the other apps automatically downloaded transactions, but didn’t have a reconcile function, and that was critical for me. What’s the purpose of having a use for every dollar in your account if you can’t confirm the reconciled amount? Even automatic downloads get messed up. Entering transactions in manually in GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner is a few quick, easy taps and keeps me more on top of what’s happening in my account.

I can’t recommend GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner highly enough! Happy saving!!!

by Cats In Cravats

Goodbudget has been my go-to budget app for years. It's the best, easiest, and simplest replacement for the old cash envelope budget system. I use the free version, so I don't have bank account syncing, but I've always been diligent about tracking my transactions and checking my bank account to make sure everything lines up, so I don't feel like I'm missing anything. On payday I simply go in and fill the appropriate envelopes and it keeps me on track with all my bills and living expenses. I love that GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner has an "Annual/Irregular" feature, which I use to track my "sinking funds" like car maintenance and pet bills; things I might not spend money on monthly, but I still budget for. I use the 10 monthly envelopes to track my monthly bills and daily spending like groceries and gas in my checking account and the annual/irregular envelopes to track my sinking funds in my savings account. I love GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner and will continue to use it as long as it's around!

by Philiplives

My wife and I love GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner. We do a yearly subscription (and it has its own envelope) and it is well worth it. We each have an allowance so big goofy purchases don’t need to be explained. I just safe up my allowance. When bills are due the money is there and our savings is building faster than ever. We both have GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner on our phones so both can see where our money is any time. We never argue over finances and that is huge. And I have it set when we get paid to automatically distribute to each envelope. And bills that are automatically paid through bank bill pay are automatically removed from the envelope. Balancing takes about 15 min. Why would you not do your budget like this? I swear buy it. After all the bills got set up in envelopes we started adding envelopes. Christmas, home decor, medical, property taxes, eating out, we’ve even paid off three credit cards.

by SFKNR

I love Goodbudget! It is seriously the best budget app I’ve ever used. Here’s what I love about it.

First, it’s really simple to get started. They have a great Getting Started Video series that walks people through getting set up from start to finish.

Second, everything is customizable. So I can create my own envelope categories and set the budget for each. I can create scheduled transactions that add in my income on the day I actually get paid, as well as scheduled payments for things that I pay automatically, like my car insurance.

Third, I really appreciate that I have to manually add transactions myself. I think that keeps me much more aware of my spending because I have to add each one myself. My boyfriend uses Mint, and he has no idea how much he’s spent on things until he logs in and categorizes everything. Only then will he realize he’s over budget. That will not happen to you if you diligently add your expenses into Goodbudget.

That also forces me to open up GoodbudgetBudgetPlanner and actually look at my envelopes before spending, because I know if I don’t have enough cash to cover my purchase, my envelope will go negative, and I work hard to avoid that.

Overall, the most important thing Goodbudget allows me to do is plan before I spend by setting money aside in an envelope. That way, I’m consciously making a plan for how I want to spend money that month. And I know that when an envelope is empty, I should stop spending.