Saving money is one of those things that can sound much easier than it actually is.
You might start the month with good intentions, then the school shoes need replacing, the car makes a strange noise, the food shop comes in higher than expected, and suddenly there’s very little left to move into your savings.
This is where where auto-saving apps can be useful. They won’t fix a stretched budget or replace proper financial advice, but they can take some of the daily effort out of putting money aside.
The best auto-saving apps in the UK use open banking to connect to your current account, look at your spending, and help you save in smaller, more manageable amounts. Some round up your card purchases. Others move money automatically, set savings challenges, or help you build a plan for a specific goal.
Here’s how three of the better-known options, Moneybox, Plum and Chip, compare.
Auto-saving apps compared
| App | Best for | Main auto-saving features | Free version? | Paid costs to watch | Good With Money view |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moneybox | Beginners who like round-ups and want savings, ISAs and investing in one place | Round-ups, weekly deposits, savings goals | Yes, for cash savings | Investment accounts have fees, including a monthly subscription after the first three months, platform fees and fund costs | Simple and easy to use, but check what ESG-labelled funds actually hold before investing |
| Plum | People who struggle to save consistently and want more help turning goals into action | Automatic saving, round-ups, payday rules, savings challenges, rainy day rules and Plum Plan | Yes, Plum Basic is free | Paid plans add features and can cost from £3.99 to £14.99 a month for newer UK subscribers | Strong for nudges, automations and goal planning, but Plum Plan is not regulated financial advice |
| Chip | Savers who want simple autosaves, cash savings and investing in one app | Autosaves based on spending, recurring deposits, savings accounts and prize savings | Yes, Chip Basic is free | Autosaves cost 45p each on Basic, or are included with ChipX | Good for low-effort saving, though some investment options may not suit values-led investors |
What is an auto-saving app?
An auto-saving app is a money app that helps you save without manually moving money every week or month.
Most connect to your bank account through open banking. They then look at your income, bills and spending patterns to work out what you may be able to afford to save.
Depending on the app, you can usually round up card purchases and save the spare change, move small amounts into savings automatically, set separate savings goals, and pause or adjust payments when money is tight.
The appeal is that saving becomes less dependent on willpower. Instead of waiting to see what’s left at the end of the month, small amounts can move across as you go.
Are auto-saving apps safe?
Auto-saving apps can be safe, but you need to check exactly where your money is being held.
Eligible cash savings held with UK-authorised banks, building societies and credit unions are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme up to £120,000 per eligible person, per authorised firm.
That protection does not automatically apply to every balance you see inside a money app. Some app balances may be held as electronic money, some may be in partner bank savings accounts, and some may be invested.
Investment protection is different from cash savings protection and does not cover normal investment losses.
Before using any app, check who holds your cash, whether the savings account is FSCS protected, whether your money is being saved as cash or invested, what fees apply, and whether the app’s partner banks share a banking licence with any other savings you hold.
Our best auto-savings apps for 2026
Below are three of the most popular options, with a look at how they work, what they cost and where to be cautious.
Moneybox
Moneybox is one of the best-known saving and investing apps in the UK. It’s built around a simple idea: round up what you spend and save or invest the difference.
Once you connect your bank account, Moneybox can round card transactions up to the nearest pound and move the spare change into your account. You can also set up weekly deposits and save towards specific goals.
Moneybox offers cash savings accounts, Cash ISAs, Lifetime ISAs, Stocks and Shares ISAs, Junior ISAs and pensions. That makes it a broad option if you want to keep several money goals in one place.
What Moneybox is good for
Moneybox works well if you are new to saving or investing and want something that feels easy to use.
The round-up feature is simple, and the app can help you start building a habit without needing to overhaul your budget. It can also be useful if you want to save for a first home, as Moneybox offers Lifetime ISA options.
For values-led investors, Moneybox offers ESG-labelled investment funds. This is a useful starting point, but don’t rely on the label alone. ESG funds can vary widely, so it is worth checking the fund factsheet, holdings and exclusions if you care about where your money goes.
What Moneybox costs
Moneybox does not charge a customer service fee on its cash savings products.
Investment accounts come with charges. These include a £1 monthly subscription fee after the first three months, unless you qualify for an exemption, plus a 0.45 per cent annual platform fee and fund provider costs.
Plum
Plum is designed to take more of the mental load out of saving.
It connects to your bank account, looks at your income and spending, and automatically sets aside what it thinks you can afford. You can also use round-ups, payday deposits, rainy day rules and savings challenges.
Plum says it has eight automations that users can control. These include options designed to help you save in different ways, from simple weekly savers to more playful challenges.
One of Plum’s newer features is Plum Plan, an AI-powered planning tool built into the app. It’s designed to help users turn a goal into a personalised roadmap, whether that goal is a first home, retirement, a holiday, or something else.
You start by telling Plum your goal and when you want to reach it. Plum then analyses where you are now, where you need to be, and suggests a plan to help you get there. It can also show relevant products based on your goal, such as savings accounts, ISAs, investments or a pension.
For example, if you’re saving for a first home, Plum says a Lifetime ISA might be part of your plan if you are eligible, because of the 25 per cent government bonus. Once you have chosen the products and set up the automations, Plum can help direct money into the right pockets in line with your plan.
That could be useful if your goal is clear, but the steps feel fuzzy. Many of us know we should be saving for the future, but fewer of us know exactly which account to use, how much to put away, or how to balance competing goals.
There is an important caveat. Plum Plan gives financial insights for information only. It is not financial, investment or tax advice. Its guidance is based on information you provide, and some suggested products may be investments, which means your capital is at risk.
That means Plum Plan may be helpful as a starting point, but you still need to check whether the suggestions are right for your circumstances. For bigger decisions, such as pensions, investing, tax planning or using a Lifetime ISA, regulated advice may be worth considering.
What Plum is good for
Plum is especially useful if consistency is your weak spot.
The app has plenty of nudges, from round-ups and payday rules to rainy day saving and savings challenges. These can make saving feel more manageable, especially if traditional budgeting has never really clicked for you.
Plum Plan gives the app a more structured feel. Rather than simply saving spare change, you can connect your saving to a goal and see whether you are broadly on track.
It may suit someone who wants to save for a house deposit, build a travel fund, prepare for future family costs, or start thinking about retirement without sitting down with a spreadsheet.
Plum also offers savings, investments, a Cash ISA, Lifetime ISA and pension products. Some users will like having these in one place. Others may prefer to keep savings, investments and pensions separate.
For sustainable investors, Plum offers access to ESG-focused funds. As with any app, check what the funds actually invest in before assuming they match your values.
It is also worth checking how your money is protected. Plum offers various products, some of which are covered by the FSCS and some of which are not. Its electronic money products are not covered by the FSCS, though Plum says funds are safeguarded in line with e-money regulations.
What Plum costs
Plum has a free Basic plan. Paid plans are currently Plus at £3.99 a month, Boost at £7.99 a month and Max at £14.99 a month.
Paid plans unlock extra features, more pockets, different rates and lower investment charges, depending on the plan.
Plum Plan itself is free, but some suggested products and features may require a paid subscription.
The key question is whether you will use the paid tools enough to justify the monthly fee. If you are only saving small amounts, a subscription can eat into the benefit.
Chip
Chip is another popular auto-saving app. Like Plum, it analyses your spending and works out what you may be able to save automatically.
It offers cash savings, a Cash ISA, prize savings and investments. Chip can appeal if you want an app that feels simple but still gives you several options once your savings habit starts to build.
What Chip is good for
Chip is good for people who want low-effort saving and a clean app experience.
Its autosave feature can help you put money aside without manually deciding how much to move. The prize savings account may also appeal if you like the idea of a lottery-style incentive without risking your original savings.
Chip also offers investment accounts, although investments should usually be for longer-term goals of at least five years. Your money can go down as well as up.
If sustainability is important to you, check the underlying funds rather than relying on the app alone. Some investment options are run by large global asset managers, which may or may not fit with your values.
What Chip costs
Chip has a free Basic plan. On Basic, autosaves currently cost 45p per save, while recurring deposits are free.
ChipX costs £5.99 every 28 days if paid monthly, or £65.05 if paid annually. ChipX includes unlimited free autosaves and removes Chip’s platform fee on investments, though fund manager charges can still apply.
If you autosave often, ChipX may be worth comparing with the per-save cost. If you only use autosave occasionally, the free plan may be enough.
Do you need an auto-saving app?
You don’t need to download another app just because everyone else seems to have one.
Some banks and building societies already offer round-ups, savings pots or regular saver accounts within their own apps. Starling, Monzo, Nationwide and Tandem are among the providers with features that can help you save automatically or separate money into pots.
A simple standing order into a separate savings account can also work well. It is less clever, but there is nothing wrong with boring if it works.
An auto-saving app may be useful if you find it hard to save consistently, want to build an emergency fund, like small regular nudges, need separate pots for different goals, or want to make saving feel more automatic.
It may be less suitable if you are regularly overdrawn, paying expensive debt, or struggling to cover essentials. In that case, the priority may be debt support, budgeting help or speaking to a free money guidance service before adding another app.
What to check before you download
Before choosing an auto-saving app, ask a few simple questions.
Is the free version enough for what you need?
Will the monthly fee be worth it?
Is your money held as cash, electronic money or investments?
Is the savings account FSCS protected?
Can you withdraw easily if you need the money?
Do the investment options match your risk level and values?
For Good With Money readers, there is one more question: where does your money actually go?
An app can make saving easier, but it doesn’t automatically make your money greener or fairer. If your cash is held with a partner bank, check who that bank is. If you invest, look at the underlying funds, their holdings and their approach to climate, fossil fuels, workers’ rights and governance.
Which auto-saving app is best?
There isn’t one best auto-saving app for everyone.
Moneybox is a friendly choice if you want round-ups, savings, ISAs and investing in one place.
Plum is strong if you want more automation, behavioural nudges and goal planning through Plum Plan.
Chip is worth considering if you want straightforward autosaves, savings accounts and the option of prize savings.
The right choice is the one that fits how you actually behave with money. If it helps you save without making you feel punished, it is doing something useful.
Start small, keep an eye on fees, and move money elsewhere if you find a better rate or a more ethical home for your savings. The app is only the tool. The habit is what counts.
