Simple budget apps that don't link to your bank account
You don't need to hand over your bank login to keep a budget. If you're happy to type in your bills and spending yourself, there are free apps, cheap one-time apps and paper tools that never connect to your bank. Here's how they compare.
Disclosure: The Well Habit makes and sells Bill & Budget Board, which is included in this comparison. If you buy it, we earn money. We have no affiliate links and take no payment from any other app on this page. Prices and features change, so check the official site before you buy.
Quick answer
- Free, in your browser, nothing to install: Cash Calendar.
- Free phone app: Dudget (iPhone and Android), or Coffer's free tier (iPhone).
- A bills checklist and a planned-vs-actual budget on one page, paid once: Bill & Budget Board ($9).
- A full budgeting method, and you don't mind a subscription: YNAB with unlinked accounts.
- Paper: the CFPB's free toolkit.
Comparison: budget apps that work without a bank connection
| Tool | Price | Where it runs | Bank link | What it's like |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill & Budget Board (ours) | $9 once | Web browser, phone-friendly layout; offline HTML copy | None | Bills with due dates and paid/unpaid status, plus a planned vs actual budget. JSON/CSV export. No sync between devices, notifications or recurring bills. |
| Cash Calendar | Free; optional Pro $7 at launch, $19 regular, one-time | Web browser | Never asks for a bank login; optional CSV import from your bank | Spending and income shown day by day on a calendar. No account. Entries stay in your browser. |
| Dudget | Free plan; Pro $24.99/year | iPhone and Android app | No bank login; no account needed to start | One safe-to-spend number, category limits and rollover. Works offline. 30+ currencies. |
| Coffer | Free tier (3 accounts, 90 days of history); Enhanced $29.99 or Advanced $49.99, one-time | iPhone app | No bank connections; bank CSV import | Monthly budgets, net worth, optional iCloud sync. Data stays on your iPhone unless you turn on iCloud. |
| EveryDollar (free version) | Free; Premium $79.99/year or $17.99/month | Computer, phone or tablet | Free version: manual entry. Bank connect is a Premium feature | Zero-based monthly budget, unlimited categories, due dates for bills. |
| YNAB with unlinked accounts | $14.99/month or $109/year after a 34-day free trial | Web and mobile apps | Optional: use unlinked accounts with manual entry or file import (web or iPad) | Built around the YNAB budgeting method, with goals and debt tools. |
| CFPB Your Money, Your Goals toolkit | Free | Printable tools and handouts | None | A US government toolkit of 43 tools and handouts, including ones for keeping track of income and bills. Paper, not an app. |
How to choose
Start with what you actually forget
If late bills are the problem, you want due dates and a paid or unpaid mark. If overspending is the problem, you want category limits or a single "safe to spend" number. Few simple tools do both well, so pick the one that matches your main problem.
Decide how much typing you'll really do
Without a bank link, every number is one you enter. A short list of monthly bills takes a few minutes. Logging every coffee takes a daily habit. If you won't log daily, choose a tool built around bills and monthly totals rather than transactions.
Check where your data lives and how to back it up
Apps that keep data only on your device can lose it if you clear the browser or lose the phone. Look for an export or backup option and use it. Bill & Budget Board, for example, has JSON backup and CSV export, and nothing syncs between devices.
Watch the subscription math
One-time prices (Bill & Budget Board, Coffer, Cash Calendar Pro) cost the same no matter how long you use them. Subscriptions (Dudget Pro, EveryDollar Premium, YNAB) are charged every year or month. Free versions are worth trying first.
When Bill & Budget Board is not the right pick
- You want transactions pulled in automatically. It has no bank sync or imports.
- You want reminders. It has no notifications.
- You want the same data on your phone and laptop. Nothing syncs between devices; you move a JSON backup yourself.
- You want a free tool. Several free options above may be enough.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a budget app without linking my bank account?
Yes. Every option on this page works without a bank connection. You type in amounts yourself, and some (YNAB, Coffer, Cash Calendar) can also import a transactions file you download from your bank's website.
What is the simplest free budget app without bank linking?
If you want something free, look at Cash Calendar (in your browser, no account), Dudget (iPhone and Android, free plan), Coffer's free tier (iPhone) or EveryDollar's free version. The CFPB also publishes free printable budgeting and bill-tracking tools.
Why would I pay $9 for Bill & Budget Board?
Only if its layout suits you: bills with due dates and paid or unpaid status next to a planned-versus-actual budget, on one phone-friendly page, for one payment. It is deliberately manual. It has no bank sync, notifications, recurring bills or syncing between devices.
Is my data private if I don't link my bank?
Not linking a bank means no bank login is shared. Where the rest of your data is stored depends on the app. Coffer, Dudget and Cash Calendar say entries stay on your device; Bill & Budget Board keeps entries in your browser. Read each app's privacy policy before you choose.