Finding the best app for budgeting in Australia in 2025 is essential for anyone wanting complete control over their finances. With rising living costs, investment options, and complex tax rules, Australians need more than just a simple expense tracker. The right budgeting app provides live bank feeds, automatic tax calculations, investment tracking, and actionable insights, helping you save, invest, and plan for the future.
This guide compares the top budgeting apps for Australians, highlighting features, automation, and how they can help you take control of your financial life.
Why TaxTank is the Best App for Budgeting and Tax in Australia
TaxTank is the only app in Australia that combines budgeting, fully automated tax calculations, and financial forecasting. Unlike other apps, it gives you a full, real-time picture of your finances, including tax, which is one of the biggest factors in your financial life.
Key Features of TaxTank:
- Automatic Tax Calculations: Calculates income tax, deductions, and potential refunds in real time.
- Comprehensive Budgets: Create budgets based on income, spending patterns, LVR, equity and financial goals.
- Live Bank Feeds: Connects seamlessly with all major Australian banks and credit cards.
- Expense Categorisation: Automatically sort spending into categories, including categories linked directly to ATO categories
- Property and Investment Tracking: Monitors shares, ETFs, crypto, and investment property values.
- Financial Forecasting: Predicts cash flow, upcoming bills, and investment growth automatically.
- In-app Chat Support: TaxTank offers AI-powered chat to guide you through onboarding and assist with any issues. Real human agents are available during business hours if you need extra help.
Why Choose TaxTank: TaxTank is ideal for individuals, self-employed Australians, and property investors looking for a completely automated financial solution. Its ability to combine budgeting, tax, and investment tracking in one app makes it the best app for budgeting in Australia.
PocketSmith: Forecasting Your Budget and Cash Flow
PocketSmith is a popular choice for Australians who want long-term budgeting and financial planning. Its features allow you to anticipate cash flow and test different financial scenarios.
Key PocketSmith Features:
- Multi-year cash flow forecasting.
- Scenario planning for major purchases or unexpected bills.
- Consolidation of multiple bank accounts, loans, and investments.
- Interactive charts and reports to track overspending.
Limitations:
- Does not provide automatic tax calculations.
- Customer support is via email only which can cause delays when issues occur.
YNAB (You Need A Budget): Manual Imports for Zero-Based Budgeting
YNAB works well for Australians who don’t mind manual data imports. It doesn’t connect directly to Australian banks, but uploading CSV or OFX files allows you to track all transactions.
YNAB Features:
- Zero-based budgeting ensures every dollar has a purpose.
- Customisable categories for personal spending.
- Goal tracking and reporting across multiple devices.
- Manual file import from Australian banks.
Limitations: Requires manual imports and does not automate tax calculations, but it remains a strong choice for disciplined budgeting.
Raiz: A Budgeting App That Grows Your Wealth Automatically
Raiz is perfect for Australians who want a budgeting app that also invests for you. By rounding up purchases to the nearest dollar and investing the difference, it combines budgeting with automated micro-investing.
Raiz Features:
- Automatic round-ups for investment portfolios.
- Portfolio tracking for growth-focused and ethical investments.
- Goal setting for holidays, home deposits, or retirement.
- Budget monitoring to identify spending patterns.
- Annual tax summaries for investments.
Limitations:
- Does not automatically calculate tax for other income sources outside investments.
- Budgeting features are limited compared to dedicated apps like TaxTank.
- Investment returns depend on market performance, which can fluctuate.
Actual Budget: Self-Hosted Financial Control
Actual Budget is perfect for technically minded Australians who want complete control over their financial data. By hosting it on your own server, you can manage budgets, accounts, and reports securely.
Key Features:
- Self-hosted for full data ownership and privacy.
- Flexible budgeting for complex financial situations.
- Customisable reports and multi-account management.
- Manual or scripted data imports.
Limitations: Requires technical setup and does not provide automated tax or live bank feeds, making it more suitable for advanced users.
Up, Revolut and other Banking Apps: Banking with Built-In Budgeting Tools
Up, Revolut and most major banks now integrate budgeting tools directly into banking apps, giving Australians a simple way to track spending while banking.
Bank Features:
- Real-time notifications for all transactions.
- Goal-based budgets for savings, bills, and discretionary spending.
- Spend insights and trend analysis.
- Competitive international transfers.
- Secure login with biometric authentication.
Limitations: While convenient, these apps do not automate tax calculations or investment tracking like TaxTank.
How to Choose the Best App for Budgeting in Australia
When evaluating the best budgeting app for Australians, consider:
- Automation: TaxTank automatically calculates budgets, taxes, and forecasts.
- Bank Integration: Live syncing with major Australian banks saves time.
- Ease of Use: Clear dashboards and categorisation simplify tracking.
- Tax & Investment Insights: Essential for investors, property owners, and self-employed users.
- Manual Options: Apps like YNAB or Actual Budget work for users willing to handle imports or host their own software.
- Security & Privacy: High-grade encryption and Australian compliance are critical.
Benefits of Using the Best App for Budgeting
Using a top app for budgeting delivers:
- Reduced Overspending: Track patterns and control unnecessary expenses.
- Improved Savings: Automatic goals, round-ups, and budgeting tools.
- Smarter Investment Decisions: Consolidated tracking of shares, crypto, and property.
- Lower Financial Stress: Real-time insights keep you on top of bills, debt, and financial goals.
TaxTank’s Advantage: It uniquely combines budgeting, tax automation, and investment insights in one seamless platform.
Final Verdict: The Best App for Budgeting in Australia 2025
TaxTank is the clear leader for Australians seeking complete financial automation. It’s the only app that fully integrates automatic tax calculations, budgeting, and financial forecasting, making it perfect for individuals, sole traders, and property investors.
Other apps like Raiz, PocketSmith, YNAB, Actual Budget, Up, and Revolut serve specific niches, but none offer the same comprehensive automation and Australian financial integration as TaxTank.
With the right app, budgeting becomes effortless, strategic, and empowering, helping Australians save, invest, and plan for long-term financial success.
Ready to stop guessing and start budgeting, tracking investments, and calculating tax automatically? Try TaxTank today and experience the only Australian app that fully automates your financial life. See your spending, savings, investments, and tax all in one place..
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FAQs: Best App for Budgeting in Australia 2025
What is the best app for budgeting in Australia?
The best app for budgeting in Australia in 2025 is TaxTank. It’s the only app that included budgeting, automatic tax calculations, and financial forecasting while providing live bank feeds and investment tracking. For Australians looking for complete financial control, TaxTank is unmatched.
Can I use TaxTank to track investments and property?
Yes. TaxTank allows you to track shares, ETFs, cryptocurrency, and property investments. You can monitor performance, forecast growth, and see your overall wealth in one platform, alongside budgeting and tax automation.
Are there free alternatives to TaxTank?
Apps like Raiz, PocketSmith, YNAB, Actual Budget, Up, and Revolut offer budgeting features, some with free tiers. However, they do not provide the same level of automation for tax, budgeting, and investment tracking as TaxTank.
Can I connect Australian bank accounts to YNAB or Actual Budget?
YNAB requires manual file imports (CSV or OFX) from Australian banks. Actual Budget is self-hosted, so you can script imports if you’re technically skilled. Neither app offers automatic Australian bank feed integration like TaxTank.
Does Raiz calculate my tax automatically?
No. Raiz provides tax summaries for investments, but it does not calculate tax for your other income or expenses. TaxTank remains the only app that automates all tax calculations alongside budgeting.
Can I use TaxTank if I’m self-employed or a property investor?
Absolutely. TaxTank is perfect for sole traders, freelancers, and property investors, as it automatically calculates tax, tracks business and investment finances, and forecasts cash flow.
Is it safe to use budgeting apps in Australia?
Yes, if the app meets Australian privacy and security standards. TaxTank, Up, and Revolut use bank-level encryption and secure authentication. Self-hosted apps like Actual Budget allow complete control over your data, enhancing privacy further.
