Budget Apps That Don't Need Your Bank Login (2026)
See your own safe-to-spend number Free paycheck budget, set up in 60 seconds →Yes, you can budget well without giving an app your bank login. MyGood, Goodbudget, EveryDollar's free version and YNAB all work with manual entry, and so does a plain spreadsheet. The difference is how much typing each one asks of you and what you get back. Here's how they compare, checked October 2026.
Why skip the bank connection?
- Fewer places hold your banking access. Even with token-based connections, every linked app is one more company with a view into your accounts.
- Connections break. Bank links expire and need re-authenticating, and a budget that depends on them goes stale when they do.
- Typing it in makes you notice. Logging a purchase takes seconds and keeps you aware of your spending in a way an automatic feed doesn't.
The trade-off is real: you have to log what you spend. The apps below differ mainly in how little logging they need to stay useful.
The options compared
| MyGood | Goodbudget | EveryDollar (free) | YNAB | Spreadsheet | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Free (20 envelopes) | Free | $109/yr after trial | Free |
| Budgets by | Paycheck | Envelope | Month | Money on hand | Whatever you build |
| Tells you what you can spend today | Yes | No | No | No | If you build it |
| Learning curve | Minutes | An hour | An hour | Days to weeks | Depends on you |
MyGood: least typing for a useful answer
You enter your paychecks and bills once. MyGood assigns each bill to the paycheck that pays it and shows how much you can safely spend per day until the next payday. After that, logging a purchase is the only regular input. The free plan has no time limit and needs no card. If you later want transactions pulled in, bank sync is an optional Pro feature ($9.99/month); nothing in the app depends on it.
Goodbudget: envelopes, shared
A digital version of cash envelopes that syncs between devices, so a couple can share one budget. You refill envelopes each payday and subtract purchases as you make them. The free plan allows 20 envelopes, one account and two devices; Premium is $10 a month or $80 a year.
EveryDollar free: a monthly zero-based budget
Dave Ramsey's app. The free version is manual by design: plan the month to zero, then enter transactions. Bank connection, payday-based plans and reports are in Premium ($79.99 a year). How it compares to MyGood.
YNAB with unlinked accounts
YNAB supports accounts you update by hand, and its method works the same either way. It's the most capable option here, but it costs $14.99 a month or $109 a year after a 34-day trial, and the method takes time to learn. A simpler approach if YNAB felt like too much.
A spreadsheet
Free and fully private, and as good as the formulas you write. The catch is upkeep: most people stop updating a spreadsheet budget within a few weeks. If you go this way, keep it to one number: money left this pay period divided by days until payday.
Budget without linking a bank.
Free paycheck budget with a daily safe-to-spend number. No bank login, no credit card.
Try MyGood free → Or try the safe-to-spend calculator first, no sign-up.Frequently asked questions
Is there a budget app that does not need my bank login?
Yes. MyGood, Goodbudget and the free version of EveryDollar all work without connecting a bank, and YNAB lets you use accounts you update by hand. MyGood is free with no time limit and shows how much you can safely spend per day until payday.
Is it safe to connect my bank to a budgeting app?
Reputable apps use token-based connections through providers like Plaid, and many people are comfortable with that. It is still one more company with access to your account data, so if you would rather not, a manual-entry app works fine.
What is the best free budget app without bank sync?
It depends on how you like to budget. MyGood budgets by paycheck and gives a daily safe-to-spend number; Goodbudget uses shared envelopes (20 on the free plan); EveryDollar free is a monthly zero-based budget.
How do I budget without linking my bank account?
Enter your paychecks and bills once, set aside savings from each paycheck, and log purchases as you make them. Divide what is left in the pay period by the days until payday to get what you can safely spend per day.
Can I add bank sync to MyGood later?
Yes. Bank sync through Plaid is an optional Pro feature ($9.99 a month). Your budget works the same with or without it.