Jan 3 • Reviews/Recommednations
Review: You Need A Budget (YNAB) App
You Need A Budget (YNAB) is a popular personal finance app and method based on zero-based budgeting, teaching users to give every penny a job to control spending, reduce stress, and achieve financial goals like saving or getting out of debt. It requires active participation, syncing with bank accounts to track transactions, and offers a proactive approach to money management, unlike passive tools, helping users prioritise spending and build healthy financial habits.
I’ve been using YNAB for over 10 years, and at this point it’s less a budgeting tool and more part of how our household runs. We update it daily with spending and income, and that consistency is a big reason it works so well for us. As an ADHDer, I can often miss payments, impulse buy and lose track of my spending but since I've made YNAB tracking a habit, I can see in real time where every penny of my money is and analyse where I'm spending it.
YNAB’s biggest strength is clarity. You always know exactly where your money is - not just roughly, but to the penny. Every pound has a job, which makes it much easier to understand your real income versus expenses and to guide spending and saving decisions. It’s brilliant for planning ahead too: holidays, Christmas, big purchases, and the inevitable unexpected costs (like when the washing machine breaks!).
We also use it to pre-save for annual expenses like car insurance, which makes those bigger bills feel far less painful when they arrive.
It’s particularly useful for shared finances. Multiple family members can access and update the budget, so everyone is working from the same, up-to-date picture rather than relying on assumptions or memory.
There is a learning curve. YNAB has rules and a specific way of thinking about money, and it can feel complicated when you’re just getting started. It really only shines if you’re willing to engage with it properly and use it regularly. There’s also a safety consideration - if coercive control is an issue in a relationship, shared financial visibility could be difficult or unsafe, and that’s something to approach thoughtfully.
Pricing is around £85 per year, which isn’t cheap but also isn’t outrageous for what it offers. That said, it’s only worth the money if you’re actually going to use it. Half-using YNAB won’t give you the results that make the cost feel justified.
For us, it’s been one of the most impactful tools we’ve ever adopted. See the Resources section for my list of categories that we use in our budget.
YNAB hasn't paid me or gift anything for this review. It is my honest opinion. However, if you click the link above and join YNAB, both you and me will get a free month.
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Review: You Need A Budget (YNAB) App
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