How We Built Budget Base: A Free Financial Tracking Tool

Budget Base started as a simple idea: create a free, easy-to-use financial tracking tool that anyone could access without paying subscription fees.

The Problem

Most financial tracking tools on the market either charge monthly fees or have limited functionality in their free versions. We wanted to create something comprehensive yet accessible to everyone.

The Development Process

We began by mapping out the core features that users would need:

• Income and expense tracking
• Budget categorisation
• Financial overview dashboards
• Savings projections
• Goal setting capabilities

Using Next.js for the framework and v0 with ChatGPT for development assistance, we were able to create a responsive, fast application that works across all devices in a fraction of the time traditional development would take.

Key Challenges

One of the biggest challenges was designing an interface that was simple enough for beginners but powerful enough for more advanced users. We went through multiple iterations of the UI, testing with real users at each stage.

The Result

Budget Base has now been used by thousands of people and has received endorsements from several accountants who recommend it to their clients. The application remains completely free with no advertising or hidden costs, making it truly accessible to everyone.