Google Sheets · Expense Tracking

Expense and Income Tracker Google Sheets: Free Templates + A Better Way

Q: What is the best free expense tracker for Google Sheets?

Google's own Monthly Budget template (File → New → From template gallery) is the most accessible. These are free and auto-save to Google Drive.

Q: How do I make an expense tracker in Google Sheets?

Create columns for Date, Category, Description, Amount (expense), and Amount (income). Add a running balance column using SUM formulas. Use a separate summary tab with SUMIF to total by category. Add data validation for the Category column so entries are consistent.

October 2026 · 7 min read

Google Sheets is one of the most popular ways to track expenses. It's free, works on any device, and saves automatically to your Google Drive. If you've searched for "expense and income tracker Google Sheets," you're probably looking for a ready-made template — or wondering how to build one yourself.

This guide covers both. We'll also show you when a dedicated app is a better fit than a spreadsheet, and how Spentt gives you the best of both worlds.

Why People Use Google Sheets for Expense Tracking

Google Sheets has a few genuine advantages over apps:

Full control — you can structure it however you like
No account needed — just a Google account you already have
Shareable — easy to share with a partner or family member
Customisable formulas — build exactly the summaries you need
It's free — no subscription, no in-app purchases

The Best Free Google Sheets Expense Tracker Templates

1. Google's Built-In Monthly Budget Template

The easiest place to start. Inside Google Sheets, go to File → New → From template gallery and search for "Monthly budget." Google's own template includes planned vs. actual spending, income and expense sections, and automatic balance calculation. It's basic, but it's the fastest way to get started.

2. Personal Budget Template (Income + Expense Split)

For a more detailed tracker, look for templates that separate income and expenses into different tabs. A good setup has:

Tab 1: Transactions — one row per entry with Date, Category, Type (Income/Expense), Amount, and Notes
Tab 2: Summary — auto-totals by category using SUMIF formulas
Tab 3: Charts — visual breakdown of where money goes

3. Build Your Own in Google Sheets

Here's the column structure that works best for a transactions tab:

Date	Category	Description	Income	Expense	Balance
1 Oct	Salary	October salary	50,000	—	50,000
1 Oct	Food	Lunch	—	250	49,750

Useful formulas:

=SUMIF(C:C,"Food",F:F)    ← total for any category
=SUMPRODUCT((MONTH(A:A)=10)*(F:F))   ← monthly total

Add data validation to the Category column so all entries use the same names — this keeps your SUMIF formulas accurate.

The Real Problems with Google Sheets for Daily Tracking

It's slow to update from your phone

Open Sheets → find the right tab → scroll to the bottom → type the date → fill in the category → enter the amount. That's 6–8 steps, and it's easy to make errors on a phone keyboard. Most people forget to log at the moment of spending, and then forget entirely.

No reminders or habit support

Google Sheets has no nudges, no streak, no daily check-in. It depends entirely on your discipline — and for most people, the spreadsheet is kept up-to-date for a week or two, then falls behind, then is abandoned.

Formulas break

Add a row in the wrong place, accidentally paste over a formula, or forget to extend a range — and your totals stop working. Debugging a broken Sheets formula is not why you started tracking expenses.

No insights out of the box

A transaction list is just data. What you actually want is: "Am I spending more this month than last? What category is eating my budget?" Getting these answers from Sheets takes time you probably don't have.

A Better Option: An App That Still Uses Google Drive

If you like the idea of Google Sheets — free, your data in Drive, no app to pay for — but want something that actually works for daily use, Spentt is worth a look.

Spentt vs Google Sheets:

	Google Sheets	Spentt
Price	Free	Free
Setup required	Yes	No
Speed to log	Slow (6+ steps)	Fast (~5 seconds)
Works on phone	Awkward	Designed for it
Works offline	No	Yes
Insights & charts	Manual setup	Built-in
Data ownership	Your Google Drive	Your Google Drive
Income tracking	Yes	Yes
Cash tracking	Yes	Yes

Use Google Sheets if: You want full customisation, you share a budget with a partner who needs spreadsheet access, or you already have a Sheets system that works for you.

Use Spentt if: You want something you'll actually stick to — fast to update from your phone, with automatic monthly insights, and data that still lives in your Google Drive.

Free to use. No bank linking. Data stays in your Google Drive.

Try Spentt free →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Google Sheets good for tracking expenses and income?

Google Sheets works well if you're disciplined about manual entry and comfortable with formulas. The main downsides are that it's slow to update from a phone, requires setup, and formulas break easily. A dedicated app like Spentt is faster and more sustainable for daily tracking.

What is the best free expense tracker for Google Sheets?

Google's own "Monthly Budget" template (File → New → From template gallery) is the most accessible starting point. It's free and auto-saves to Google Drive.

Can I track expenses without a spreadsheet?

Yes. Apps like Spentt let you log expenses in under 5 seconds from your phone, with automatic categorisation and monthly insights. Spentt stores your data in your own Google Drive — so you get the privacy and ownership of a spreadsheet, without the maintenance.

How do I make an expense tracker in Google Sheets?

Create columns for Date, Category, Description, Income, and Expense. Add a running balance column with SUM formulas. Use a summary tab with SUMIF to total by category. Add data validation on the Category column so entries stay consistent.

The Bottom Line

Google Sheets is a solid option for expense tracking if you're willing to put in the setup time and have consistent habits. The free templates from Google's template gallery are a good starting point.

But if you've tried a Sheets-based tracker before and it didn't stick — the problem probably wasn't you, it was the friction. Logging expenses needs to be fast, and Sheets isn't optimised for that.

Spentt is built for exactly that: fast logging, automatic insights, and your data still lives in Google Drive. If you've been maintaining a spreadsheet and finding it tedious, give it a try — it takes two minutes to set up and nothing to maintain.

Takes 2 minutes to set up. Free forever.

Start tracking free →

Last updated: October 2026