Margin calculates your daily spending allowance based on your real income, real bills, and real goals. One number. Updated in real time.
Tell Margin how often you get paid. Weekly, biweekly, monthly. The app builds your budget periods around your actual pay cycle.
Log your actual paycheck when it hits. Spread it across your pay period or add as a lump sum. Variable income works perfectly.
Open Margin anytime and see exactly what you can spend today. Log expenses as you go and watch your allowance adjust in real time.
See what you can spend today. Your paycheck divided by days remaining, minus bills, minus spending. One number, real time.
Allocate 50% to needs, 30% to wants, 20% to savings. Each category tracks independently.
Save one hour of pay every workday before spending anything. Watch savings accumulate automatically.
Give every dollar a job. Assign income to categories until you hit zero. Nothing wasted.
Split bills with friends. Tip calculator included. Built-in numpad.
Want something? Wait 24 hours. If you still want it tomorrow, buy it.
Fast calculator without leaving the app.
See what saving 1 hour of pay per day adds up to yearly.
See your actual spending pace vs your plan in real time.
Earn badges for staying under budget, resisting impulses, hitting goals.
Most budgeting apps charge $80–120/year to people who are already struggling with money. Some give you a 3-day trial then lock you out. We think that’s backwards. Margin’s free tier gives you everything you need to take control of your finances. No tricks, no paywalls on basic features, no selling your data. Pro exists for people who want bank sync and AI — not because we’re holding your budget hostage.
Real features. Real prices. No fine print.
| Margin | YNAB | Monarch | EveryDollar | Dollarwise | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual cost | $49.99 | $109 | $99.99 | $79.99 | $120 |
| Free tier | ✓ Full | ✕ | ✕ | Limited | 3-day trial |
| Budget models | 4 models | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Bank sync | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Pro only | ✓ |
| AI categorization | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Offline support | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ |
| No data collection | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
Margin stores everything on your device. No accounts required. No tracking, no analytics, no ads. We never see your data because it never leaves your phone.
Read our privacy policy →Free. Private. No account needed. Takes two minutes.