The best apps to help you save you money

YOLT Good for:

budgeting

Track your savings and outgoings in one place, set goals and view a ‘total balance’ across all your bank accounts. There’s a quirky ‘stealth mode’, which turns your money into a different currency and amount should you need to show accounts to anyone without oversharing.

Cons: you have to sign up for the prepaid debit card – similar to Monzo. Currently there isn’t a web app, you can only use it on smartphones.

CHIP

Good for: automatic saving An AI-enabled app that pulls small but manageable amounts from your bank account into the Chip account depending on things like payday and spending habits. The whole idea is that you won’t miss the money you save.

Cons: the first £100 you save is a free trial, then at a cost of £1.50 every 28 days. When you decide to withdraw funds it can take a couple of days for them to appear in your bank account if done over a weekend.

PLUM Good for:

serious saving Adjustable moods change how much you save each month, from ‘shy’ to ‘beast’ mode. It’s similar to Chip in many ways, but with the added feature of allowing you to invest your savings. A ‘rainy day’ feature allows the app to save or invest every time it rains, too. Cute.

Cons: some features, the investing service and savings challenges are only available with a Plum Pro account which costs £2.99 a month after a trial.

MONEYBOX Good for:

beginner investors

Invest or save your round-ups and make scheduled or one-off deposits into one of three investment options – cautious, balanced or adventurous.

Cons: the management costs can add up, it’s £1 a month after the first three months plus a small percentage of the amount held in your account.

STARLING BANK Good for:

multiple goals Deposit cheques up to £500 from your mobile phone by taking a picture through the app and save into separate pots for different targets: home deposit, hen dos, 21 June…

Cons: deals listed in the Marketplace section may not be the best available rate.