Review Insights · App Store
Budget Bestie
Budget Bestie Corp. · 2,844 ratings · ★ 4.7
4.7
★★★★★
2,844 ratings
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Top complaints - extracted from 66 negative reviews
Recurring phrases mined from 1-2★ reviews. The bigger the percentage, the more users have the same problem. Fix the top 2-3 in your version and you have product-market fit on day one.
1
"subscription"
26 negative reviews mention this · 39% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Deceptive. To claim something is free but have you fill in all your goals and then force you to pay to even use the app is completely deceptive and intentional. They get you to put time into and then force you to pay a subscription fee to use their ap…" - tomatolasagna
2
"free"
23 negative reviews mention this · 35% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Deceptive. To claim something is free but have you fill in all your goals and then force you to pay to even use the app is completely deceptive and intentional. They get you to put time into and then force you to pay a subscription fee to use their ap…" - tomatolasagna
3
"through"
22 negative reviews mention this · 33% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Scam!!!!. I tried to do a free trial and when I clicked it it tried to charge me $9.73 I cancelled it and everything through my settings on my iPhone and it’s still trying to charge me. And I have tried everything to get it to stop trying to charge m…" - 😒!!!!!!!
4
"budget"
18 negative reviews mention this · 27% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Don’t get. How are you going to make me pay for a budgeting app? Try telling people that the app isn’t free BEFORE they put in all of their information. And OBVIOUSLY you aren’t making it clear enough that it is a “SuBsRiPtIoN bAsEd ApP” if there are …" - Kena Leeee
5
"money"
17 negative reviews mention this · 26% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Deceiving. My response to the developer: It is clear that people are being mislead according to other reviews. Almost all apps have some sort of subscription but they serve ads to generate revenue and allow the user to use the app. I'm not paying for …" - KAGB10
6
"budgeting"
16 negative reviews mention this · 24% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Don’t get. How are you going to make me pay for a budgeting app? Try telling people that the app isn’t free BEFORE they put in all of their information. And OBVIOUSLY you aren’t making it clear enough that it is a “SuBsRiPtIoN bAsEd ApP” if there are …" - Kena Leeee
7
"envelopes"
14 negative reviews mention this · 21% of all complaints
★★★★★ "wish there was a free or cheaper option. i was really excited to use this app as i saw it on my fyp and thought it’d be a fun and cute way to help me be mindful of my spending. although i understand that there’s a lot that goes into making an app and there needs to be some kinda p…" - ariash e
8
"everything"
13 negative reviews mention this · 20% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Scam!!!!. I tried to do a free trial and when I clicked it it tried to charge me $9.73 I cancelled it and everything through my settings on my iPhone and it’s still trying to charge me. And I have tried everything to get it to stop trying to charge m…" - 😒!!!!!!!
9
"month"
12 negative reviews mention this · 18% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Too Confusing. Had to pay $9 to even use enough of the features to make it worth it, but it was too hard to figure out anyway and too limiting. I was looking for an app where I could just create a monthly budget but this made me reload my funds every coup…" - laurenlauren710
10
"whole"
12 negative reviews mention this · 18% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Fraud. The app presents itself as somewhat free. Originally you are told to put in all your expenses. So I went in, and I put every single expense that I incurred every month, which is way over 20 expenses total. After going through the whole proc…" - Naizzle
11
"waste"
12 negative reviews mention this · 18% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Fraud. The app presents itself as somewhat free. Originally you are told to put in all your expenses. So I went in, and I put every single expense that I incurred every month, which is way over 20 expenses total. After going through the whole proc…" - Naizzle
12
"setting"
12 negative reviews mention this · 18% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Scam!!!!. I tried to do a free trial and when I clicked it it tried to charge me $9.73 I cancelled it and everything through my settings on my iPhone and it’s still trying to charge me. And I have tried everything to get it to stop trying to charge m…" - 😒!!!!!!!
📋 All 66 negative reviews
Every 1-2★ review we fetched. Use the copy button to grab them all for your own analysis (paste into ChatGPT/Claude with a prompt like "summarize core user problems, group by theme, ignore bugs, focus on missing features").
Deceptive
To claim something is free but have you fill in all your goals and then force you to pay to even use the app is completely deceptive and intentional. They get you to put time into and then force you to pay a subscription fee to use their app. Just out of principle this is completely wrong
Don’t get
How are you going to make me pay for a budgeting app? Try telling people that the app isn’t free BEFORE they put in all of their information. And OBVIOUSLY you aren’t making it clear enough that it is a “SuBsRiPtIoN bAsEd ApP” if there are so many people in your reviews having the same problem.
Scam!!!!
I tried to do a free trial and when I clicked it it tried to charge me $9.73 I cancelled it and everything through my settings on my iPhone and it’s still trying to charge me. And I have tried everything to get it to stop trying to charge me
Too Confusing
Had to pay $9 to even use enough of the features to make it worth it, but it was too hard to figure out anyway and too limiting. I was looking for an app where I could just create a monthly budget but this made me reload my funds every couple of weeks. Idk when exactly certain payments hit, or some are only quarterly, and this was really limiting to account for certain things like that.
Wow
Did all that just to have to pay to budget. Insane.
Deceiving
My response to the developer: It is clear that people are being mislead according to other reviews. Almost all apps have some sort of subscription but they serve ads to generate revenue and allow the user to use the app. I'm not paying for something if I can’t experience the full app and see if it’s something I want to use my hard earned money for. My review still stands. You're collecting our data FOR FREE and your practices are deceiving.
I should've read the latest reviews instead of the top ones. Once you spend 30 minutes getting everything entered, your information is held ransom by a pay wall you can't get around. I'd give this 0 stars if I could!
I should've read the latest reviews instead of the top ones. Once you spend 30 minutes getting everything entered, your information is held ransom by a pay wall you can't get around. I'd give this 0 stars if I could!
THIS IS A PAID APP
once you finish the entire process of making your account and everything, they throw the subscription at you at the very end, and you have to pay to actually use the app. don’t let it fool you if you’re expecting a free budgeting app.
Fraud
The app presents itself as somewhat free. Originally you are told to put in all your expenses. So I went in, and I put every single expense that I incurred every month, which is way over 20 expenses total. After going through the whole process, they wouldn’t let me see anything until I verified that I was paying them money. If you can’t use the app without paying money, you need to make that clear in the beginning. You are not doing anything but pissing people off by going through the effort to use your app only to find out that it is in fact, not free at all. Not make it seem as if somebody can use the app on a limited basis for free. This is not a free app. I was not expecting much, but I wish that my time wasn’t wasted trying to use it, not knowing that I wasn’t going to be able to.
MISLEADING - ITS NOT FREE
They make you make an account, put in all of your budgeting information, give all the numbers, and then hit you with a paywall before you can use the app. It might’ve been obvious for some, but I’m annoyed that I did all that effort all for an app I’d have to pay for. Ironic for them to not include budgeting for the app with the rest of the information.
another subscription based app
The app idea is very simple, and while that’s nice, it’s just another app that hits you with a subscription cost AFTER you complete the set up.
waste of time
i thought this double be accessible for people who wouldn’t like to spend money just to save money. guess not
wish there was a free or cheaper option
i was really excited to use this app as i saw it on my fyp and thought it’d be a fun and cute way to help me be mindful of my spending. although i understand that there’s a lot that goes into making an app and there needs to be some kinda profit, but i wish it would’ve been more clear about it when i downloaded the app. it took me through a whole sequence of “stuffing my envelopes” and all that stuff, just to then leave me on a paying screen. felt like a waste of time and lowered my expectations. 8.99 monthly is also just a bit much in my opinion considering this is a budgeting app. might as well just make an google sheets or use notion to track
cheaper subscription options needed.
it'd be awesome if there we're a cheaper option, such as $2.99 USD, in order to use the app. i'm struggling with my money and would love to use this app but $8.99 USD is too much for me. it's just making it more difficult on my end. i want to support the app though. please consider cheaper options, even if it limits a feature or two.
Budget Bestie
This app is really difficult to use and I am a collage scholar In computers and electronics this app says 4+ but they are clearly lying seeing how I cannot figure out how to use this complicated app.
disappointing
i absolutely love the idea and the set up but seriously , $8.99 to budget digitally? it’s disappointing you have to PAY to use a BUDGETING app
scam
do NOT download this app. they make you fill out a lot of stuff in the beginning and them after youre done filling everything out, you HAVE to pay for a subscription.
Must Pay to Use
You do the work to create your budget just for it to be then locked behind a paywall. Unimpressed.
Subscription Only
They make you sign up for an account and make your budget envelopes to get you invested and then they hit you with a paywall. I can see how it would be a useful way of budgeting, but I’m not paying for it… Back to Excel I go.
No free version
It makes you sign up and do x,y and z before finding out there's no free version
Make this free!!!
I genuinely was excited to try this and I NEVER write reviews but I was supper disappointed after I set up all my little folders ready to finally make a change then boom, hit with a paywall🙄 the whole point of this app is for me to learn how to budget and save my money. And this thing I keep seeing you all respond with the whole “other users say they save more than they spend on our app” is just an easy copy and paste message you keep repeating. I honestly believe, after reading through a lot of other reviews on here, that if you all made this app free with maybe a few purchasable add ons. This app could become viral and really big and successful, more than you might be seeing now. I think that’s something that you all should really consider and then you all could be a great app that EVERYONE uses. But to the average person that doesn’t have extra money to spend and is trying to save, your message comes off as backwards and almost hypocritical. If you’re going to respond to my message don’t let it be one of your copy and paste responses, and let’s actually have that conversation.
Waste of time
The app seemed really good and helpful. I saw the add on tik tok. But as soon as I set everything up, it asked me to pay, and when I didn’t pay, it deleted all the stuff I had planned for the last 30+ minutes. So if you don’t what to pay for the app/ have your time wasted, then don’t download it.
Subscription based app!!
It really needs to state that it’s a subscription based app, before wasting your time setting it up. In BIG LETTERS from the get-go
Confusing. Cant continue without subscribing
I only wanted to use the free version which I thought the app had. Unfortunately after 20 mins of confusion and setting the “stuffing” I cant continue unless I allow the 3 day free trial which is neat but I dont want it.
Mislead
Saw an ad for this on TikTok and was super excited to try it out as an alternative to my cash stuffing I do now & budgeting I do now. Went through the trial, got everything set up, and then got hit with an $8 monthly fee in order to use the app. What a joke.
Monthly payments
Now why’d y’all make me set up all that stuff just to make me pay that makes no sense when im trying to save it would’ve paid if it was a one time payment but no its monthly or yearly I wish they averted that you need to spend money to use the app as much as they rave about how good that app is on social media
Subscribe or sign out
it should be made clear there is a subscription way before users spend 20 minutes setting up their budget. this is misleading. the paywall or a “Try first” screen should pop up the moment you enter the app, which is what apps that require a subscription do.
waste of time
it literally makes you go through the whole process of going through setting up envelopes and putting money into them just to make you pay $8 a month to organize money. the whole point of the app is to be smarter with your money and be able to afford things and the fact it asks
you to pay freaking $8 a month is insane.
you to pay freaking $8 a month is insane.
No wifi error message
Says I have no wifi connection whenever I try to log into the app even though I am connected
Don’t waste your time
I downloaded the app and spent time going through every single “fixed” payments and filled out all of the envelopes and “stuffed them.” Right after you finish, you get hit with the membership fee. Waste of time!! Needs to be more transparent right away that there is a fee involved with using the app
saving money but paywall
How are you going to advertise a budget app with simple folders for money for designated sections when you could easily make one your own just manually having to update it and make people pay for this app. Like it’s cute and all but paying for an app created to help you save money doesn’t sit right with me.
False Advertising
Ridiculous that this “free” app lets you go through the entire process of making your envelopes (took me like an hour or more), just to smack a pop up that says it’s a subscription. Why would you let me go through the entire thing just to have to pay $8 a month?? The whole point is i’m budgeting and trying to spend LESS, not add another subscription fee. Sad.
Complicated install
Why do you ask all these questions? STOP.
Give me a skip this junk button. How about a demo!
I know what envelope budgeting is, I don’t want nor need your help. I just want to test drive your software to see if I like it or not!
Test drive!!!!!!!
I realize it’s not going to be free! I am willing to pay!
I just don’t want to spend hours setting up your system.
I have better things to do-isn’t the point to make my life easier?
There is no value in wasting my time!
Give me a skip this junk button. How about a demo!
I know what envelope budgeting is, I don’t want nor need your help. I just want to test drive your software to see if I like it or not!
Test drive!!!!!!!
I realize it’s not going to be free! I am willing to pay!
I just don’t want to spend hours setting up your system.
I have better things to do-isn’t the point to make my life easier?
There is no value in wasting my time!
End of setting up app, request for payment
Standard bait and switch app. Go through all the steps to get going and then blindsided with a pay wall.
Misleading Advertisement
I had to spend over an hour setting up all the envelopes and then it makes me have to purchase a subscription to be able to actually use the stupid app. This just seems now like it’s gathering the information because who’s going to pay 70 bucks when none of the TikTok ads saying it’s subscription based. Total false advertising and now makes me feel like they only want my information. I cannot go back and delete any of the dollar amounts I’ve entered in, or any of the information. The responses they have been sending to other upset reviews are not apologies or acknowledgment of their fishing tactics in these TikTok posts. A free trial would be getting to experience the full scope of the app with the knowledge it will turn into a subscription FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, not after the envelopes are set up. It’s a scam and I don’t recommend this app at all. I cannot believe it’s almost at 5 stars. They have to paying for the reviews or it’s only the tiktok influencers who are giving the 5 star reviews and I bet they get to use the app for free.
Edited based off their response: no where on the listing in the COMPANY DESCRIPTION does it say subscription based app. The only way to learn that is by reading the reviews. So no you all do not make it clear anywhere. Or else again no one would be upset or complaining about it in the reviews.
Edited based off their response: no where on the listing in the COMPANY DESCRIPTION does it say subscription based app. The only way to learn that is by reading the reviews. So no you all do not make it clear anywhere. Or else again no one would be upset or complaining about it in the reviews.
waste of time
a budgeting app should not require a subscription💀i wasted about 15 minutes setting up “envelopes” with all my expenses just for me to get to the end of the steps and get asked to choose between two subscription types. if you’re going to ask to take my money at least do it BEFORE i waste my time on setting up my whole profile‼️‼️
Glitched
I put in all my budgeting information and got to the part where it was supposed to help me create envelopes and then it glitched. I tried everything to fix it and nothing worked. Now after reading that you have to pay a monthly fee, I’m glad I deleted it!
put the pricing AT THE BEGINNING
why did i set up all my budget only to get prompted with the pricing at the end?!
Subscription based 👎🏾
I saw an ad for this app on TikTok and I thought it was a great idea. I’ve been wanting to get a handle on my money and needed a tool to do it. This app was advertised as a great way to make every dollar count and to budget my money effectively. However, in none of the ads did they say you have to pay for the app. I realize companies need to make money and no one ever wants to help people for free, but this was false advertising. I went through the whole setting up process just for it to tell me that it would cost either $70 a year or $9 a month to budget my own money. I feel like it was deceptive advertising. I was genuinely looking forward to using it. To charge people looking to handle their money a fee for doing just that is crazy. You want me to pay a subscription just to be smart about my money???? And it’s not even a weeklong subscription to truly test whether it works or not. It’s only 3 DAYS!!!?
Another thing… after reading the CEO responses to the reviews complaining about the lack of transparency with the subscription, nowhere in advertising does it say it’s a subscription based app. Just because an app states that it has in-app purchases doesn’t mean users will automatically know it’s subscription based. It says at the very bottom of the description where you have to hit “read more” that’s it’s a subscription app. Y’all knew yall were hiding that
Another thing… after reading the CEO responses to the reviews complaining about the lack of transparency with the subscription, nowhere in advertising does it say it’s a subscription based app. Just because an app states that it has in-app purchases doesn’t mean users will automatically know it’s subscription based. It says at the very bottom of the description where you have to hit “read more” that’s it’s a subscription app. Y’all knew yall were hiding that
SUBSCRIPTION BASED
After downloading the app and setting everything up I was hit with a paywall. Went to look at reviews and ofc Apple pushes the 5 star reviews to the top, and none of them mention a subscription. The 1 star ratings do though, and your responses to them are trash. No, it’s not clear whatsoever that this is a subscription based app. First of all, most people will look at the pictures advertising the app, and nowhere on them shows that it’s subscription based. Second of all, not everyone is going to find this app by using social media (I didn’t) so it doesn’t matter if you advertised it as a paid service on your social media. Third of all, you say it’s in the description of the app.. which is TECHNICALLY true, but it’s the LAST paragraph of like TEN. Fourth of all, I wouldn’t be so mad if I opened the app and it was like “hey you wanna do a free trial and then see if you wanna pay from there?” before setting it up. You set EVERYTHING UP and THEN you’re hit with a paywall. Took me 15 minutes to go through and get everything inputted for nothing because I don’t have the extra money for this!! Hiding it like this is so shady, just be upfront about it all!! I’d happily watch ads to use this app, it looks amazing, but I just don’t have the money to shill out $8.99 a month right now. That’s the whole reason I’m trying to use a stuffing app!!
super cute, had me hooked, then demanded payment
no choice for a free version. a disclaimer that it’s paid would’ve been nice considering i put half an hour into it to start
Subscription based, but doesn’t say that 👎
This app has no disclosure that you have to pay for it until AFTER you set everything up. There is no clear explanation that it is subscription-based up front, nor in any of their MANY social media advertisements. And for $8 a month? It’s a cute layout, but absolutely ridiculous to assume the average person would spend that much on an app when the point is budgeting.
Reading through other reviews, the developer tries to use the 3 day free trial as leverage against the absurdity of the subscription, but that’s idiotic. They know that 3 days is not enough to fix your finances without emptying your pockets to the subscription. That’s why the app is month-based.
Disappointing all around. It’s very misleading and unethical to not disclose these things, especially until after you set up the whole app. And atop that, to be running so many social media campaigns and not bring it up in any of those either!!
Reading through other reviews, the developer tries to use the 3 day free trial as leverage against the absurdity of the subscription, but that’s idiotic. They know that 3 days is not enough to fix your finances without emptying your pockets to the subscription. That’s why the app is month-based.
Disappointing all around. It’s very misleading and unethical to not disclose these things, especially until after you set up the whole app. And atop that, to be running so many social media campaigns and not bring it up in any of those either!!
Just crazy..
I thought oh! an app to help me manage and save my money. I get through the whole process of creating envelopes and right at the end i am forced to pay $9 monthly just so that i can use the app. Now what kinda sense does it make to force users to pay monthly subscription fees for an app that is supposed to help with not spending money on stupid unnecessary things..? And not to mention, not even tell you that there is a monthly subscription required to use the app after going through the setup process.
Misleading!!
I hate when apps do this. Please stop with the subscriptions! I’d gladly pay $10-15 as a one-time purchase to unlock everything, but I’m not paying monthly for a budgeting app.
What made this worse is that I wasn’t told upfront that a subscription was required. I went through the entire setup, created all my envelopes, and then hit a paywall. That’s incredibly frustrating and misleading.
I’ve seen the CEO’s responses to other reviews, and I have to say: it does not clearly show that there are in-app purchases. That’s exactly why I was excited - I thought I had finally found a budgeting app that worked the way I wanted without a monthly subscription. Instead, it was the complete opposite.
I understand this is a startup and you’re trying to grow, but it would be so much better to offer a free version with ads or give users the option to pay once to unlock the full app. Subscriptions for a budgeting tool just feel wrong. If you need more revenue, offer optional customizations like colors, fonts, or themes for an extra one-time purchase - not a monthly fee.
I would’ve been fine with limited features if I could just explore the app a bit first. I was genuinely excited about Budget Bestie - it looked promising for cash stuffing - but now I’m deleting it and won’t be back. I hope you listen to feedback from other frustrated users and rethink the pricing model. I still wish your brand the best.
What made this worse is that I wasn’t told upfront that a subscription was required. I went through the entire setup, created all my envelopes, and then hit a paywall. That’s incredibly frustrating and misleading.
I’ve seen the CEO’s responses to other reviews, and I have to say: it does not clearly show that there are in-app purchases. That’s exactly why I was excited - I thought I had finally found a budgeting app that worked the way I wanted without a monthly subscription. Instead, it was the complete opposite.
I understand this is a startup and you’re trying to grow, but it would be so much better to offer a free version with ads or give users the option to pay once to unlock the full app. Subscriptions for a budgeting tool just feel wrong. If you need more revenue, offer optional customizations like colors, fonts, or themes for an extra one-time purchase - not a monthly fee.
I would’ve been fine with limited features if I could just explore the app a bit first. I was genuinely excited about Budget Bestie - it looked promising for cash stuffing - but now I’m deleting it and won’t be back. I hope you listen to feedback from other frustrated users and rethink the pricing model. I still wish your brand the best.
False advertising
Saw a video on their tik tok account and was so excited. Took 20 minutes to fill in all the information and envelope categories just to be hit with the pay to continue page. No where on their social media do they advertise this. I even commented my concern on one of their videos and they deleted it. Seems shady. Very disappointed. I’m sure it’s a great app if you pay for it but for me that defeats the purpose of trying to budget and save money.
Don’t waste your time
This app is for the birds not the cows. It is extremely difficult to get assistance and the font is so big you can’t fill out your envelopes. I am not a fan of update your software and get a new system for tech support that is easier for the customer.
Subscription based, not free
I just spent 20 minutes setting up my budget into separate categories on this app for it to give me a page offering a free 3 day trial for an $8/month fee. Dishonest way to get someone to use the app and then surprise them with a subscription in order to use the budget they just set up after multiple pages. Disappointing.
Can’t do anything without paying
seems like a good, cute app but it allows you to get through a good portion of the setup before informing you that you have to pay for any use of the app. I hate it when apps do that.
Payment just to use app
very upsetting that this is a budgeting app yet they make you pay 10 dollars a month use to use it. very weird and not at all helpful
Waste of time
They make you in out all your information and wait until the end to block you with a subscription
Greedy
They make you go through so many steps, so many setups and waste so much time to then ask for subscription payment at the end. Completely deceiving.
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Sentiment summary
93%
Positive (4-5★)
1%
Neutral (3★)
6%
Negative (1-2★)