Plum

Overview

Plum is a personal finance app for people who want saving to happen alongside everyday money management, with investment options in the same service. Its strongest fit is someone with an eligible personal current account who values automatic transfers and flexible savings pockets; its paid tiers make most sense when pocket goals, fuller spending tools or priority support matter.

Plum’s approach puts automation first, but it is not a substitute for a conventional bank account: connected accounts must be current accounts in your own name, and its e-money products do not carry FSCS coverage.

For a broader comparison of tools built around putting money aside, see Automated Savings Apps.

Key features

Saving around your spending

Plum analyzes transactions and balances in a linked account to estimate what can be set aside, then transfers money by direct debit every 4–5 working days. That cadence makes saving less dependent on remembering to move money, though it also means users should be comfortable with recurring withdrawals from their current account. Card roundups, scheduled transfers and custom savings rules add ways to save deliberately as well as automatically.

The EU plan comparison includes automatic, round-up, weekly, payday and no-spend rules across all four plans. Rainy-day rules begin at Pro, so Basic users get the central rule set but not every trigger. Instant withdrawals offer flexibility when money needs to come back out.

Pockets and investing

Pockets give savings a place to be separated and organized, but the plan limits are meaningful: Basic has one pocket and no pocket goals; Pro allows a Primary pocket plus three others and adds goals. Boost and Premium increase that to a Primary plus 15 pockets. The EU comparison also lists Plum Interest money market funds, US stocks, cryptocurrencies and ETFs on every plan, so access to investment options is not reserved for the higher tiers.

Account access and safeguards

In Spain, Plum supports Open Banking connections with providers including BBVA, Santander, CaixaBank, ING, N26, Revolut and Wise. Its eligibility rule is narrower than that list might suggest: only a current account held in the user's own name can be the primary connection, not a business, savings or joint account.

Plum says it does not store or access bank login details and uses read-only transaction access, AES encryption for sensitive data and 256-bit TLS for browser-server communications. It identifies regulated payment and investment entities in its company disclosures and is registered with the UK Information Commissioner's Office. E-money products are not FSCS-covered; funds are held in segregated accounts under safeguarding rules, which is a different protection arrangement and should factor into where users keep cash.

The app is available to users aged 18 or older in the UK, Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Greece and Cyprus. Support is available seven days a week through the app or by email at [email protected].

Pricing

Plum is freemium, with a free tier and three monthly paid plans. The stated pricing note is Free plan, paid from £3.99/mo, with a 30-day trial; the plan comparison prices below are in euros.

Basic keeps the recurring cost at zero but gives up pocket goals and limits the tracker. Pro is the lower-cost step for goal-based saving, while Boost is the first tier with a full tracker, price alerts and recurring investments. Premium adds priority support without increasing the pocket allowance or feature set otherwise described.

Platforms

Plum is available on Android and iOS. Its supported-country list covers the UK, Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Greece and Cyprus, for adults aged 18 or older.

Who it's for

Plum is a good match for someone who wants regular saving transfers calculated from account activity, then wants to keep savings, spending management and investing options in one app. It particularly suits users who will make use of several pockets or set goals, since those are the clearest reasons to move beyond Basic. Anyone whose main connected account is joint, a savings account or a business account should look elsewhere, as should readers who require FSCS cover for e-money holdings.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Transfers are driven by linked transactions and balances, with a recurring 4–5-working-day schedule that reduces reliance on manual saving.
• Pro: Several saving rules and investment categories are included in every EU plan, rather than being restricted to the paid tiers.
• Pro: Instant withdrawals and higher-tier pocket allowances make the app more adaptable for users organizing multiple savings goals.
• Con: Basic has only one pocket, no pocket goals and a limited spend tracker, so users wanting organized goal-based saving will likely need a subscription.
• Con: Only personal current accounts in the user's own name can be primary linked accounts, excluding joint, business and savings accounts.
• Con: E-money holdings are not FSCS-covered, which may rule Plum out for people who prioritize that specific protection.

Alternatives

Choose Chip if you want another freemium Android and iOS savings app with autosaves, recurring deposits and access to savings accounts; autosaves are available for 45p per save on its Basic plan.

PiggyVest is worth considering if a free service on Android, iOS and web is more important, with no transaction charges or monthly fees on its services, though some products have processing fees and early withdrawals may incur penalties.

finbee is another free-plan option for Android and iOS, with a free tier that limits access to saving history to two years and does not show completed-goal history.

Consider Goin if you want automatic saving, investment options and rewards, with a Pro tier that adds more cashback and flexible, speedy saving.

SavingsBox offers a free plan across Android, iOS and web for personal savings boxes, manual contributions and bank or ACH payments, with a limited AI coach.

Spave is a free alternative for Android and iOS.

Betterment may suit readers looking for a web option as well as mobile apps, but its Digital and Premium plans have eligibility thresholds rather than published prices.

Qapital is a paid alternative for iOS and Android if a free plan is not a requirement.

Verdict

Choose Plum if you want automatic saving tied to account activity, plus pockets and investment options in one app, and your personal current account is supported. Basic gives a useful no-subscription starting point, but goals and more complete spending tools require paid tiers. Look elsewhere if account eligibility or the absence of FSCS cover on e-money holdings conflicts with how you need to manage cash.