Free Budget Spreadsheets and Tools
These free online tools let you skip the setup and start tracking your money right away.
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Creating a spreadsheet from scratch takes time, and maintaining it takes discipline and consistency. But there are free online tools and spreadsheets that can simplify the process, whether you’re looking to build a home budget, holiday budget or business budget.
We rounded up some free online tools you can use, including spreadsheets and our very own 50/30/20 budget template, to make sticking to a budget easier.
Microsoft Excel budget spreadsheet
How it works: Save yourself the hassle of setting up rows, columns and formulas by using a pre-made Excel budget spreadsheet from Microsoft. There are budgets for households, holidays, events and businesses.
What we like: There’s a budget for just about every situation. Some lay out each month’s income side by side, which can be especially useful if you have a fluctuating income. Access Excel online and collaborate with others in the same document at the same time.
Where to get it: Visit create.microsoft.com and type “budgets” in the search box to find an Excel file to download. Or sign in to Microsoft and edit in your desktop browser.
The downside is that you need Microsoft 365 software to open the file with Excel on your computer, which you’ll have to purchase if you don’t already have it. You might be able to open the file with another program, such as Google Sheets, but the formatting or certain features might work differently.
Google Sheets budget template
How it works: Google Sheets is a part of the Google Workspace suite. Google Sheets has pre-made templates, such as an annual budget and monthly budget. There are also business budgets for entrepreneurs who want to track their expenses. You can access Sheets for free with a Google account. Accounts include 15GB of free storage; if that’s not enough, you can pay to upgrade.
What we like: You can bring your budget with you by logging in to your Google account from your smartphone, tablet or computer. You can also share access to a household budget with other members of your family.
Where to get it: Sign in at google.com/sheets, then browse the template gallery, which you can find at the top right of the page.
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NerdWallet’s budget spreadsheet
How it works: The NerdWallet budget lets you to input your monthly income and expenses. With that information, the spreadsheet shows how your finances compare with the 50/30/20 budget breakdown, which recommends that 50% of your income goes toward needs, 30% toward wants and 20% toward savings and debt repayment.
It's OK if your budget doesn’t perfectly align with the 50/30/20 breakdown. For instance, if you live in an area with a high cost of living, a 60/30/10 budget might be a better fit. In this budgeting framework, the “needs” category is increased to account for rising prices, while the “wants” bucket is a bit smaller.
What we like: Well, we're biased but the planner prompts you to consider a wide range of expenses — from life insurance premiums to travel expenses to credit card payments — so you don’t miss anything.
Where to get it: You can read the story about our free budget template first, then use it directly on NerdWallet. The You can also just download the spreadsheet, which is compatible with Microsoft Excel and Apple Numbers.
FTC budget worksheet
How it works: The Federal Trade Commission offers a website to educate consumers about money, including how to budget. To get started, you can download the budget worksheet PDF and fill in the fields to see how your money is allocated each month and what changes — if any — you want to make.
What we like: Numbers and formulas can make budgeting a turnoff, but this simple worksheet is the furthest thing from intimidating. It’s a great jumping-off point if you’ve never budgeted before.
Where to get it: On Consumer.gov, click the “Your Money” tab, then "Making a Budget” to download the budget PDF. You can also use this version.
What to consider before you make your budget
Find a spreadsheet you like? Do your research before downloading.
Only download tools from trusted websites
Taking the steps to make sure the budgeting tool comes from a reliable source can help you avoid phishing viruses and scams. While the four options on our list come from trusted sources, check online reviews for unfamiliar tools, apps and websites before downloading.
Don’t settle for something that doesn’t fit your needs
If the tools above aren’t a good fit, you’ve got other options. Maybe you're looking for an app-based experience rather than a spreadsheet.
Many budgeting apps link with your bank accounts and categorize spending to create a more hands-off, automated approach. Check out some of the best budget apps.
Step back and get clarity
Maybe looking at all the budgeting spreadsheets has made you realize that the budget you’ve been working with isn’t cutting it. It could be outdated, not detailed enough or not inclusive of your priorities and goals. Either way, now’s the time to back up and learn more about budgeting, including the various monthly expenses to track.
