In short: a budgeting app rests on three things: getting the transactions (bank connection or manual entry), making them readable at a glance, and giving people a reason to come back every day, such as a forecast or a widget. With a bank connection and a subscription, expect the €15,000 to €40,000 range or more.
What sets a good budgeting app apart
There are plenty of budgeting apps; the ones people keep have a clear angle. Fintur chose to show the upcoming balance, down to the day, rather than last month’s spending. That angle shaped the whole product: the main screen, the calendar of direct debits and the assistant that simulates a purchase before you make it.
The features of a budgeting app
- Get the transactions: read-only bank connection, file import or manual entry.
- Sort: automatic categories that can be corrected by hand.
- Read: balance, spending by category, calendar of direct debits.
- Forecast: projected balance, alerts before an overdraft.
- Bring people back: widgets, notifications, a score or a goal.
How the bank connection works
In Europe, an app can read its users’ bank accounts thanks to the Payment Services Directive (PSD2), through a licensed provider. Fintur uses Powens: users connect their bank, and the app receives their transactions in read-only mode, without ever seeing their login details. This provider is a recurring cost to factor into the business model.
Making money with a budgeting app
The most common model is a subscription: a useful free version, and a paid version that unlocks the bank connection, forecasts or the assistant. Fintur manages its Premium subscription with RevenueCat, which simplifies in-app purchases on the App Store and Google Play.
How much does a budgeting app cost?
| Scope | Usual range |
|---|---|
| Manual entry, categories, charts, no online account | €2,000 to €5,000 |
| Accounts, sync across devices, notifications, subscription | €5,000 to €15,000 |
| Bank connection, forecasts, widgets | €15,000 to €40,000 |
| AI assistant, many languages, website and blog like Fintur | Over €40,000 |
For a finance app, going native is often a sound choice (widgets, Face ID, interface polish): see React Native or native.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a license to read bank accounts?
Not if you go through a licensed provider, which holds the license and provides the connection to the banks. That’s the route most budgeting apps take.
Can a budgeting app work without a bank connection?
Yes, with manual entry or file import. It makes a good first version: cheaper, with no recurring cost, and it lets you test whether users are interested.
How do you protect users’ data?
Read-only account access, encryption, Face ID or passcode access, and as little stored data as possible. The GDPR also requires a clear privacy policy.
iPhone only or Android too?
Fintur started on iPhone, in native SwiftUI, to polish the interface and the widgets. A React Native codebase lets you target both platforms from the start.
Which business model should you choose?
A subscription is the most common: free for the essentials, paid for the bank connection and advanced features. It covers the recurring cost of the bank connection.