Making Cents Blog

The convenience of mobile banking is hard to beat, and with the great leaps forward in security and features in recent years, now might be the time to take the plunge if you haven’t already. Today’s smartphone apps go beyond the basics, helping you track expenses and stay within your budget, among other things. Here are some suggestions:

1. Alliance Credit Union Mobile Banking
Available for: iPhone & Android
Cost: Free

We’re known for providing our customers with a community-like atmosphere—we treat you like an individual. Even though we’re not a large financial institution, we can still offer modern banking options. The Alliance Credit Union app allows you to easily check your balance, view your transaction history, and transfer funds to and from multiple accounts. You can also search for nearby bank or ATM locations to avoid the extra surcharge.

2. Mint
Available for: iPhone & Android
Cost: Free

I think it’s safe to say that Mint is one of the most popular personal financial planning apps out there. Mint visually shows you where your money is going each month. Whether it’s groceries, gas, or shopping, handy graphs highlight what you spend your money on. It also has a handy budget feature that allows you to create your monthly budgets for each category or account.

3. BillTracker
Available for: iPhone
Cost: $1.99

If you have a problem paying bills on time, BillTracker is one of the best apps for keeping up with your payments. You can see when bills are due on your calendar and how much is due, as well as set alarms to remind yourself to pay on time. You can also add accounts to the app, allowing you to pay bills directly from your phone. Just think: your cable bill, car payment, and student loan can be paid on time every month!

4. Expensify
Available for: iPhone, Android, Windows Phone, & Blackberry
Cost: Free

Expensify takes expense reports to another level. If you frequently travel for work, this app will make your life a lot easier. It scans your receipts, tracks spending, and records time and miles traveled. It also has a feature that allows you to sync the app with QuickBooks so your employer can easily reimburse you. Although it’s free for individual users, it’s also available for corporate purchasing.

5. Pageonce
Available for: iPhone, Android, Windows Phone, & Blackberry
Cost: Free

Pageonce is available on all operating systems, making it a fairly popular financial app. You can pay your bills, check multiple account balances and transactions, and create a bill pay calendar with notifications. Pageonce is like an all-in-one financial app, making it easier for you to view all of your accounts and bills in one place.

The most important thing to consider when choosing a financial app is whether it is a safe and secure place to do your banking. One common feature among all of these apps is that they are 100% safe and secure.

Conclusion

Online banking is quickly becoming the rule rather than the exception. It’s expected that within the next few years, most U.S. households with Internet access may very well bank online. With the expansion of financial apps, there are many reasons to let your smartphone be your companion in your financial world.