Category budgets
Set limits for groceries, transport and fun — the dashboard highlights overruns in green, yellow and red.
Budget Tracker in Google Sheets and Excel — free download
A budget tracker is a free spreadsheet template where you log income and expenses on the Data sheet while the dashboard automatically calculates category budgets, savings progress and recurring payments. Works in Google Sheets and Excel, downloads with no sign-up.
- FreeNo sign-upGoogle Sheets + Excel
Sound familiar?
- The salary arrives, and two weeks later there is no clue where the money went.
- Subscriptions charge themselves automatically and you only find out via an overdraft.
- Saving the “leftovers” never works: there is no visible goal and no progress bar.
- Money lent to friends lives in your head and in chats instead of one list.
What the template can do
Recurring payments
A list of subscriptions and auto-charges with due dates and amounts: you see how much goes to waste every month.
Savings goals
Multiple goals with progress bars: saved so far, remaining and whether you will make the target date.
Bank CSV import
A CSV import macro: bank statement transactions land on the Data sheet with a single click.
Debt sheet
Who owes whom and how much: amount, date and repayment status — all in one place.
Dashboard and charts
Three charts and a Today / Week / Month KPI block update automatically from the Data sheet.
How to use it — 5 steps
- 1
Open the “Make a copy” link for Google Sheets, or download the .xlsx and open it in Excel.
- 2
On the Settings sheet set your own categories and limits — that is the only setup needed.
- 3
Log every expense and income on the Data sheet: one row per transaction.
- 4
Check the dashboard weekly: where you overspent, how much is left for goals.
- 5
Press “Import bank CSV” in the macro menu to load a full statement at once.
Why a spreadsheet, not an app
Your data stays yours
The file lives in your Google Drive or on your computer. No account on someone else's service, no exports on support request.
Transparent formulas
Everything is calculated by formulas you can open and change. No closed code and no monthly fee for “analytics”.
Works offline
The Excel version works fully without internet — on a plane, on the road, at a dacha.
Zero subscription
Popular finance apps cost $3–6 a month. This template is free and will stay free.
What is included
- Google Sheets file with a “Make a copy” link and Apps Script macros
- Offline .xlsx version (Excel 2016+ / Microsoft 365, Windows and Mac) with a macro menu
- An Instruction sheet inside the file: a step-by-step start in your language
- 30 days of demo data so the dashboard comes alive right after copying
Why a budget tracker in a spreadsheet
Spreadsheet accounting is the simplest way to see the month: what you earned, what you spent and exactly on what. The template is built on a “single input point” principle: you only write transactions to the Data sheet, while the Dashboard sheet recalculates automatically — category summaries, weekly trends and goal progress.
Conditional formatting is pre-configured: an overrun turns yellow at 80% of the limit and red beyond it. Thirty days of demo data show what a filled dashboard looks like and can be removed with the “Reset period” button.
Frequently asked questions
Is it really free and without sign-up?
Yes. The download is direct: no form, no email, no trial period. The site runs on voluntary donations and advertising.
How is this better than an expense-tracking app?
An app is handier on a phone but closed: you never see the formulas and cannot change the logic. A spreadsheet is fully yours — edit categories, formulas and reports. For phone entry use a Google Form or a QR code pointing to the input sheet.
Does it work in Excel on Mac?
Yes, the .xlsx works in Excel 2016 and newer on Windows and Mac. VBA macros live in a separate ribbon menu; if VBA is unavailable, all analytics still work on plain formulas.
What is the “bank CSV import”?
A button in the macro menu that loads your bank statement in CSV format onto the Data sheet. Check the column format on the Instruction sheet — it matches most banks.
Can I use it from a phone?
Yes: enter data through Google Sheets on mobile, or through a duplicate Google Form. Mobile entry is verified against the mobile layout of Google Sheets.
Who can see my financial data?
Nobody. The file lives in your Google Drive account or locally on your computer. The site collects no data about the spreadsheet contents.
Download the template and start using it today — it is free.