Business owners in need of a solution for their budgeting issues should consider using software or applications to help them create and adhere to these financial projections. Once, businesses and individuals had to develop budgets by hand and pen, these days, thanks to technology, it is easier than ever to track and record your finances for budgeting purposes.

If you are looking for a software or application that can help with your small business budget, we will take an in-depth look at the best business budgeting software and applications available to you today.

What To Look Out For In Budgeting Tools?

When shopping around for the best budgeting app for your small business and personal finances, you will want to consider a few things before settling on specific software. There will be certain features your business will benefit from using, some features that are a must-have, and other non-essential tools that can still work for you in various ways.

Therefore, when browsing the tech market to find the best budget tools, whether a mobile app or software, look for ones that offer:

• Cross-Platform Capability: Will this budgeting software work on all smartphones, tablets, and computers? Depending on the type of phone or tablet you use for work purposes, you will need to make sure that the online budgeting tools will work on your platform. Look for apps for small business that offer both iOS and Android applications.
• Multiple Device Accessibility: On top of ensuring your budget app can be used on the various software platforms, you should also check the app accessibility for multiple devices. Business operations seamlessly cross between computers, smartphones, and tablets, so your apps should be able to do the same, offering you access to its features from multiple devices at any time.
• Length and Cost of Service: Certain apps and software will require you to purchase a monthly or yearly plan to use their services versus a one-off payment to obtain the app. Therefore, you will want to gauge the prices and packages and compare across brands to ensure you get the best deal out there.
• Secure and Encrypted Protection: As budgeting apps typically sync with your financial accounts and business bank account, the software will have access to personal finance information. To ensure your sensitive information remains safe and secure, you should look for an app that uses multi-layer encryption and authentication processes. If the app does not state how it will protect your information, it is best to move on to the next product.
• Budget Tracking: Creating a budget using online budgeting tools is the easy part. The hardest part of budget planning is sticking to the laid out projections and numbers. Find an app that cross-references your projected budget alongside your current spending and financial position each month, so you know whether or not you are following your budget successfully.
• One or Multiple Users: Certain budgeting apps only allow one user to use the software and view the data. Others provide multi-user capability and share functions to export your finances to shareholders, partners, or professional accountants. If you require multiple user access, then you will need to make sure the package you choose will provide this option.

Top Budgeting Apps

There are thousands of apps on the market currently, so how do you know what business budgeting software will work best for you? We’ve done our research and landed on five small business budgeting software tools that work great for an array of industries and company types.

Some of the best budgeting apps and software on the market today include:

• LivePlan
• Mint
• Budgeto
• EXL Reports
• Dryrun

LivePlan

One of the best apps for a small business currently on the market for new and growing businesses is the LivePlan app. Companies just starting out can take advantage of the LivePlan business strategy to create a pitch and send it out online. This app breaks the business planning process down, helping you create a comprehensive business plan from the ground up.

LivePlan also helps you create a budget with forecasting to predict future sales. Unsure what your new business’ sales will look like? Not a problem, as LivePlan can help you see if your budget is reasonable when compared against your industry. With the Benchmarks feature, you can compare your business plan against other businesses across the country to see how it stands up.

Sync LivePlan to bookkeeping software to get the most out of this app. This app offers an extensive free trial, providing users with a 60-day risk-free trial that will allow you a 100% refund if the software doesn’t work for you.

Mint

This budget tracker and planner provides one interface where you can sync and see all of your finances in the same place. Many individuals use Mint for their personal budgeting needs, but this app can also be used by businesses when you sync your business accounts.

Thanks to the budgeting goal tracker, create highly customizable budgets that you can easily and accurately stick to. These features provide a clear picture of how well you’re doing within the specified month, illustrating your budget goals alongside your actual spending. This app categorizes your expenses in real-time and sends you alerts when a payment is due or a bill is upcoming.

Mint uses multiple layers of secure encryption and multi-factor authentication to ensure your private information stays that way. Download and use this budgeting software on any smartphone or tablet and start managing your money on the go today.

Budgeto

It’s not just because of the name, but Budgeto is one of the best budgeting applications for small businesses as it offers an intuitive interface with easy to use features. Set up your business’ account on Budgeto, and it can automatically propagate the app with your region’s income taxes, sales taxes, company contribution rates, and depreciation rules for smart configuration.

Automatic and real-time calculations provide you with the information you need, exactly when you need it. With multi-scenario and multi-user functionality, you can test your budget out in different scenarios and share them with your partners.

Start your free trial today, and gain two weeks of free app use, accessing a 5-year budget plan, unlimited scenarios and users, and QuickBooks Online integration.

EXL Reports

EXL Reports differs from other budgeting apps, as this software focuses on reporting and management tools that can be used for your business’ financial information. One of the biggest parts of budgeting is knowing the ins and outs of your business’ finances. With EXL Reports, gain insight into your accounts with customizable financial reports, budget tracking, cash flow projections, and profit and loss reports.

This app brand originated in the United Kingdom but offers software packages to businesses across North America. EXL Report syncs with accounting software to provide businesses with a comprehensive and complete set of financial tools. This online budgeting tool offers individuals a plan that covers single company use and multi-company use. However, only one user can access the app at a time, making the shareability of information harder to do compared to the other apps on this list.

Dryrun

Dryrun is a Canadian-run and operated business software that helps you manage your company’s cash flow. Seamlessly import essential financial data from your business’ accounting software for complete visibility of your finances. Unlike other online tools, Dryrun auto forecasts your budget from your past expenses to help you plan for the future. Pick from 10 different auto-repeat options to make recurring budgeting an easy and straightforward process.

Predict the risks to your budget and view clear and concise data that can help you bring clarity to your budget issues. Duplicate budgets and run various scenarios to see how your finances would play out for each action. There is also a share feature, so you can export and send your budget plans to stakeholders, partners, or your professional advisors.

Dryrun provides businesses with a free trial of their services but is also currently offering a COVID relief deal to users. This deal offers a 50% discount on their current plans to help businesses during this difficult time.

Sync Your Budget App with Accounting Software

When you decide which budgeting software will work best for you and your business, make sure your app of choice can sync with your other financial applications and accounting software. Companies that use QuickBooks Online can access thousands of budgeting apps through their software, alongside QuickBooks’ features like receipt scanning and financial reporting, to ensure that all financial needs are covered.

Use QuickBooks Online and connect your personal finance and bank accounts to quality budget tools and business apps to sync all of your business information into one place. Take advantage of an intuitive interface and comprehensive features, and start your business budgeting successfully today!