Emma
London budgeting app that connects UK bank accounts through Open Banking, with free and paid plans plus savings and investing
Quick Overview
| Company | Emma Technologies LTD |
|---|---|
| Category | Budgeting Apps |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
| Founded | Not stated |
| EU Presence | Yes - United Kingdom (UK, outside the EU) |
| Data Location | See privacy policy (UK GDPR; some credit features transfer data to the US) |
| Open Source | No |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes (UK GDPR) |
| Self-Hosting | No |
| Main Features | Account aggregation, budgeting and tracking, recurring payment and subscription tracking, net worth, bank transfers, Spaces, savings pots, investing, credit score, web app |
| Pricing | Basic GBP 0; Plus GBP 4.99/month; Pro GBP 9.99/month; Ultimate GBP 14.99/month; 7-day free trial |
| Best For | UK users who want budgeting, subscriptions and savings pots in one app |
| Replaces | YNAB, Monarch |
Detailed Review
Emma Technologies LTD is registered in England and Wales under number 10578464 with its registered office in London, and is registered with the FCA under the Payment Services Regulations 2017 (reference 794952), as the terms state.
The app aggregates accounts through Open Banking with read-only access, tracks recurring payments and subscriptions, and offers budgeting and net worth tracking. Savings, investing and credit score features sit in the same app.
Plans
Basic costs GBP 0 and supports 2 bank logins. Plus is GBP 4.99 per month (GBP 41.99 per year) with 4 bank logins, Pro is GBP 9.99 per month (GBP 83.99 per year) with unlimited logins, custom categories and offline accounts, and Ultimate is GBP 14.99 per month (GBP 124.99 per year) and adds business accounts and Spaces for personal, business and joint accounts.
A 7-day free trial is offered. Bank transfers inside the app are capped per month on the lower plans, from GBP 500 on Basic to unlimited on Ultimate.
Beyond Budgeting
Emma also lists a Cash ISA pot, easy access and notice pots, a general investment account, stocks and shares ISA, junior ISA, a credit score and report, and rent reporting. These are separate financial products with their own fees, such as a GBP 0.50 autosave fee on Basic.
Data Handling
The privacy policy says personal data is kept for seven years after the business relationship ends or as local law requires. For credit features it names TransUnion UK Limited as credit reference agency and iovation Inc. in the United States for device-based fraud prevention.
Limitations to Consider
Emma is a UK company and is built around UK Open Banking and UK products such as ISAs; the UK is outside the EU, so it sits under UK GDPR.
The privacy policy states that credit score and report features can send data to TransUnion UK and to iovation Inc. in the United States. Basic is limited to 2 bank logins and the lower plans cap in-app transfers. Prices are in pounds. For a euro-priced option see Wallet by BudgetBakers.
Who Should Use Emma
UK residents who want budgeting, subscription tracking and savings or investing products in one app.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- UK-registered company with FCA registration
- Free Basic plan
- Subscription and recurring payment tracking
- Web app plus mobile apps
- Net worth and Spaces on higher plans
Cons
- Outside the EU (UK GDPR applies)
- Credit features send data to a US affiliate
- Basic limited to 2 bank logins
- UK-centred products priced in pounds
Alternatives to Emma
Other European budgeting apps worth comparing before you decide:
Wallet by BudgetBakers
Czech Republic · Czech budgeting app with bank sync and multi-currency
Finanzguru
Germany · German finance app with contract detection and AI companion
Finanzblick
Germany · Free German multibanking and budget app on own servers
Spendee
Czech Republic · Prague budgeting app with shared wallets and bank sync
See all European budgeting apps or compare them directly against YNAB on our alternatives page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Emma Technologies LTD is registered in England and Wales, so it is a UK company rather than an EU one, and the UK GDPR applies.
The plan table shows 2 bank logins on Basic, 4 on Plus and unlimited on Pro and Ultimate.
For credit score and report features the privacy policy says data is shared with TransUnion UK and with iovation Inc. in the United States.