[ad_1] Saving money has never been easy, and some would say modern technology has made it even harder. Where consumers once had to go out of their way to buy clothing and household supplies, or even splurge for something fun, technology has made it so you can shop on your phone and have anything you want delivered to your doorstep. And then you have subscription services, which get you to pay a monthly fee in exchange for a box of “stuff” you may not even need. But technology can also be used for good, and that’s especially true when it comes to our finances. With money saving apps, for example, you can set up your finances in a way that helps you save small sums of money that are set aside and even invested on your behalf. Don’t get money saving apps confused with budgeting apps. Where budgeting apps like You Need a Budget (YNAB.com) and Qube Money help you manage your finances and create a spending plan, money saving apps actually help you save more money each month, although often in different ways. We profiled the top money saving apps to find the best options that are made to work for the broadest range of consumers. Acorns came out on top in our ranking due to its ease of use and the fact it makes saving and investing money seamless. However, the additional apps that made our ranking are worth considering if you want to boost your savings goals this year. The Most Important Factors for Money Saving Apps Cost: You should never pay an arm and a leg for an app that is supposed to help you save money. For the purpose of this ranking, we looked for money saving apps that charge small, manageable monthly fees. Growth Potential: When you’re saving money each month, you want that money to grow. Consider money saving apps that make it possible to invest your savings or grow it over time with a generous promised return. Flexibility: Consumers should look for apps that can be tailored to their needs, or at least ones that let them set up their preferences. Mobile apps that aim to help you save should make it easy to set specific savings goals or even separate savings “buckets.” Safety: Before you sign up for a money saving app, check for security features like encryption and multi-factor authentication. The Best Money Saving Apps The top money saving apps have something for everyone without charging exorbitant fees. We compared more than 10 mobile apps that were created to help consumers save money to come up with our list of favorites. If you’re hoping to boost your savings this year and think technology might help, this is the perfect place to start your search: Best for Investing Learn More Best for High-Yield Savings Learn More Best for Setting Goals Learn More Best Savings Bonus Learn More Best for Automation Learn More Before you choose a mobile app that is geared to help you boost your savings, you should understand how it will work as well as the long-term costs. Our app reviews can help you decide which money saving app makes the most sense for your goals and your budget. Acorns: Best for Investing What We Love About Acorns: Acorns earned the top spot in our ranking for a few reasons. First, this app lets you invest using your spare change, which makes it easy to save small sums of money you may not even notice. Second, all three plans you can sign up for — Lite, Personal, and Family — include an investing component that makes it easy to grow the money you set aside, and even save for retirement. The “Personal” version of Acorns is the most robust version for individuals. This plan includes all-in-one investment assistance, help with retirement, a checking component, a metal debit card and more. You can also save money with no account fees and reimbursed ATM fees, and you can earn more with up to 10% in bonus investments. Further, this app gives you the chance to invest automatically with built-in retirement options, and you can tailor your plan to your retirement and investing goals. Generally speaking, an Acorns portfolio is typically made up of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) ranging from conservative to aggressive. What Holds it Back: The stock market doesn’t guarantee positive returns — especially in the short-term. In other words, you could wind up losing money if you only invest for a short amount of time. Reviews: 4.5 out of 5 stars on Google Play Cost: $1 per month for a Lite plan, $3 per month for a Personal plan, and $5 per month for a Family plan Get Started With Acorns Simple: Best for High-Yield Savings What We Love About Simple: Simple is a mobile app that offers savings tools that work in conjunction with a free checking account and a special debit card. This app lets you set up notifications that inform you each time a transaction is made, and you can use it to set financial goals, manage your expenses, and set aside “Safe to Spend” funds for whatever you want. Simple also lets you round up your debit transactions to the nearest dollar then transfer the difference into a high-yield Protected Goals subaccount with a 1.00% APY. One major benefit of Simple is the fact that it’s normally free to use. Fees you may have to pay include $5 for paper checks, out-of-network ATM fees, and foreign transaction fees if you use your debit card abroad. What Holds it Back: Simple doesn’t offer the same robust investing options as Acorns and some other apps that made our ranking. Reviews: 4 out of 5 stars on Google Play Cost: Using the app to manage your money is free Get Started With Simple Qapital: Best for Setting Goals What We Love About Qapital: Qapital is another money saving app you can use to reach your savings goals and