Emma TechnologiesEmma
Our verdict · One of the most complete all-round money trackers for UK beginners, with a free tier that covers most of the basics.
Choose it if
Strong free tier that covers day-to-day tracking
Skip it if
The best features (custom categories, offline accounts) sit behind paid tiers
Where to get it
Emma
Free (Basic); paid plans from ~£4.99/month
Indicative price at the time of review.
Emma connects to most major UK banks through Open Banking and gives you a single, clean view of your money across current accounts, credit cards and savings. It automatically categorises spending, flags recurring subscriptions and wasted 'money leaks', and lets you set budgets by category. The free Basic plan is genuinely usable for everyday tracking, while the paid Plus (~£4.99/month), Pro (~£9.99/month) and Ultimate (~£14.99/month) tiers add custom categories, offline and manual accounts, bill reminders and cashback deals; annual billing cuts the cost by roughly 30% (pricing and plan terms change often, so check the current cost). It ranks above Snoop for anyone who wants deeper manual budgeting and a single dashboard across every account, though its breadth of features can feel busy at first. It is the app we'd hand to someone who has never budgeted before and wants everything in one place. Paid tiers typically come with a short free trial, so set a reminder if you don't intend to keep it.
The good & the bad
Pros
- Strong free tier that covers day-to-day tracking
- Connects a wide range of UK banks and cards in one view
- Automatically spots subscriptions and recurring waste
Cons
- The best features (custom categories, offline accounts) sit behind paid tiers
- So many features can feel busy for absolute beginners at first
How it compares
| Pick | WATTB Score | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.EmmaThis pick | 94/100 | Free (Basic); paid plans from ~£4.99/month (indicative) | overall |
| 2.Snoop | 90/100 | Free; Snoop Plus ~£5.99/month or ~£47.99/year (indicative) | free app |
| 3.Monzo | 88/100 | Free account; paid tiers Extra ~£3/month, Perks ~£9/month, Max from ~£19/month (indicative) | all-in-one bank and budget |
| 4.Plum | 84/100 | Free (Basic); Plus ~£3.99, Boost ~£7.99, Max ~£14.99/month (indicative) | automated saving |
| 5.HyperJar | 80/100 | Free to download and use (indicative) | envelope-style budgeting |
Key facts
- Best for
- overall
- Typical cost
- Free (Basic); paid plans from ~£4.99/month (indicative)
- Platforms
- iOS and Android
- Account linking
- Open Banking, most major UK banks
- Free tier
- Yes (Basic), with core budgeting
- Standout tool
- Subscription and 'money leak' detection
- Paid extras
- Custom categories, cashback, bill reminders
Researched by WATTB
- Published
- 31 August 2026
- Updated
- 31 August 2026
- Last verified
- 31 August 2026
- Sources
- 7 sources
We research and rank options from public data, official information and published reviews. How we research →
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