Budgeting has always been a vital facet of life. Be it Sydney, Tasmania, or Victoria, every Aussie can manage personal finance with the help of accurate accounting.
Reference to government data or the top budgeting apps in Australia can help you understand finances better. But you will agree that hovering over online statistics is not always a beneficial prospect.
Government data provides generic information. On the contrary, smartphone apps can help you in managing your personal expenses.
Still, the main question is – what should an ideal budgeting app offer?
To answer this question, scroll below to know the must-have features you should consider before choosing an Aussie budgeting application.
1. Expenditure Tracking
With over 12 million downloads, CommBank is the top finance app in Australia. So, what is the reason for its overwhelming popularity?
This budgeting app has a dedicated Spend Tracker. This feature segregates your credit and debit card transactions. So, you can gain insights into your expenses in minutes.
When choosing any Aussie finance app, ensure it offers a seamless expense tracking facility. Also, pay attention to the UI. You should easily be able to classify your expenditures into different categories like food, entertainment, education, and bills.
2. Hassle-free Syncing with Bank Accounts
Paid budgeting apps in Australia can sync with any number of bank accounts. As a result, you can switch between your preferred account for particular payments.
On the other hand, free finance apps do not support unlimited syncing. So, if you have accounts in more than one Australian bank, consider this aspect.
Notably, unlimited syncing proves beneficial for Aussie entrepreneurs with separate business and personal accounts. You can switch between the required option to keep your finances in order.
3. Access to File Import
Do you want to limit sharing your personal information on budgeting apps?
Look for the ‘file import’ feature if the answer is yes. This facility enables you to import account data without making manual entry mandatory.
So, you can use formats like .csv, .qif or .qfx to transfer the necessary account information to the budgeting application. This feature reduces the hassle of manual data entry in some finance apps.
4. Strong Security Measures
Budgeting apps contain information about your finances and transactions. So, it would help if you consider using an Aussie application that has one or all of the following measures:
- Data encryption
- Multi-factor authentication
- Security code
- Access to remote deletion
Reliable budgeting apps will offer these security features to protect user data. So, never overlook this vital aspect while choosing your next financial app.
5. Bill Payment Notifications
Finally, your budgeting app is like a personal accountant. This accountant should remind you of your upcoming bills, right?
Choose a personal finance app that provides pop-up or standard notifications on bill payments. Remember, these smartphone applications can work as excellent reminders.
Generally, almost every Australian budgeting app will have this feature. Still, the onus is on you to verify before buying a full subscription as a user.
Endnotes
Budgeting applications offer real-time insights into your spending habits and accounts. The features of different apps can vary. However, the ones included in this article are crucial for contributing to effective financial management.
You should consider your requirement for a budgeting app before choosing a service provider. This decision can simplify your choice between free or paid versions. Still, to get the best help for personal finance management, paid apps offer additional valuable features.
