What a free family budget app should include
Every budget app says it is free. The honest question is what the free tier includes, how it is paid for, and when you will hit the wall.
Updated 2026-06-10
Free budget apps are funded three ways: ads and partner offers, a limited tier that upsells a subscription, or venture money that eventually becomes one of the first two. None of these is evil — but you should know which one you are signing up for.
For families, the free-tier question is sharper: most free tiers are built for one user, and the sharing features you actually need live behind the paywall.
The checklist for a family
- Separate logins for each family member — shared passwords are not sharing.
- A shared budget both partners can see and edit in real time.
- Category limits, not just a transaction list.
- No ads wrapped around your financial data.
- A paid tier you could actually afford if you outgrow free.
What BudgTrek’s free plan includes — and excludes
Free gets you one budget group, the home dashboard, spend logging, reports, and web + mobile access, with no card required and no ads. It does not include custom categories or extra members — that is Starter, at $0.99/month billed annually, deliberately priced so the upgrade is a coffee, not a commitment.
If you only ever budget alone with default categories, free is permanent. When your partner joins, Starter’s 5 members and 10 categories cover most households. Compare options in detail in our comparison hub.
BudgTrek pricing at a glance
1 budget group, home dashboard, spend logging & reports, web + mobile. No card required.
Up to 10 categories, 5 members, shared group budgets, all period views (day–year).
Unlimited groups & categories, up to 100 members, receipt photos, priority support, JSON export.
Frequently asked questions
Is BudgTrek’s free plan time-limited?
No. It is a permanent plan, not a trial, and requires no payment card.
How does BudgTrek make money if free has no ads?
Subscriptions — Starter and Pro. Your data is not the product; the upgrade is.
Can two people use the free plan together?
The free plan covers one group and one member; adding your partner is what Starter is for ($0.99/month billed annually).