Find out how to use YNAB for free, even though they don't offer a free version.
You Need A Budget (YNAB) is one of the top budgeting apps used by hundreds of thousands of people to manage their personal finances. You can use YNAB as a sort of digital ledger to track your bank accounts, credit card accounts, loan accounts, investment accounts, other financial accounts, your net worth, and your financial goals. More importantly than tracking your money, the budgeting app is built on a philosophy--YNAB's 4 Rules--designed to increase your financial confidence and improve your financial behavior all while reducing your stress about money.
There is no free version of YNAB, but there are a few ways you can use it for free on a temporary basis.
YNAB offers a 34-day free trial, no credit card required. You don't need to worry about canceling, either. You won't be charged unless you choose to subscribe.
You can get one month of free YNAB when someone subscribes using your referral link. If you subscribe to YNAB using a referral link, you'll get a free month in addition to the included 34-day free trial. If you don't know any current YNAB subscribers, you can use my referral link. For more details such as where to find your referral link, check out the article I wrote about the YNAB referral program.
If you are a college student, you get a free year of YNAB. No strings attached. To qualify for the college program, you must be a current college student. You can sign up by visiting ynab.com/college. YNAB will need to verify your student status before you get your free subscription, so be prepared with a college ID card, transcript, tuition statement, or other form of proof.
All college students can qualify for a free year of YNAB, including graduate students, medical residents, and part-time students.
Note: the college program is only available directly from YNAB. You won't be able to access it by purchasing a subscription through one of the app stores.
Some lucky people have employers who provide free YNAB subscriptions to their employees through the YNAB Wellness Program. Not so lucky? Same. If you're feeling extra motivated to get YNAB for free, chat with your benefits administrator at work about enrolling your company.
YNAB is worth its weight in gold, and the company knows it. YNAB claims the average new user saves $600 in 2 months and $6000 in their first year. As a Certified YNAB Budgeting Coach I see people transform their financial situation by using YNAB on a regular basis. Anxiety about money melts into peace as users adopt the YNAB method and master the app.
See my article about everything you need to know about hiring a budget coach. You can also check out this list of the best YNAB tutorials.
.png)