How to Add Budget Widgets to Your iPhone Home Screen

The best way to stay aware of your spending is to make the data impossible to miss. iPhone widgets on your home screen and lock screen do exactly that — your daily spending total, your monthly budget progress, or your top expense categories visible without opening any app.

Here's how to set it up.

Why Budget Widgets Are the Secret to Actually Tracking

Most people who download a budget app use it consistently for the first few days and then gradually forget to open it.

The problem isn't motivation — it's that the information is buried in an app that requires a deliberate tap to access. Out of sight means out of mind.

A home screen widget changes this. Your spending total is now the first thing you see when you pick up your phone. A quick glance before deciding whether to grab lunch tells you where you stand in your monthly budget. This passive visibility changes behavior without requiring any additional action.

Users who add spending widgets to their home screen report significantly higher tracking consistency than those who rely on opening the app alone.

What Information Can You See in a Budget Widget?

This varies by app, but a good expense tracker widget can show:

Today's total spending — what you've logged so far today
This week's total — useful for a mid-week check
Monthly total vs budget — how much you've spent against your monthly limit
Days remaining in the month — helps contextualize whether you're pacing correctly
Top spending category — where the most money is going right now
Budget remaining — how much you have left for the month

Expenly widgets offer a clean at-a-glance view of your spending in small, medium, and large sizes — designed to show the most useful information at the size you choose.

How to Add Widgets on iPhone (iOS 16, 17, and 18)

The process is the same on iPhone across recent iOS versions:

Adding to your home screen:

Long-press on an empty area of your home screen until apps start wiggling
Tap the "+" button in the top-left corner
Scroll down to find the app (or use the search bar to find "Expenly")
Browse the available widget sizes — small, medium, or large
Tap "Add Widget" to place it on your home screen
Drag it to your preferred position
Tap "Done" in the top-right corner

Adding to your lock screen (iOS 16 and later):

Long-press on your lock screen
Tap "Customize"
Tap the lock screen area below the time (this is the widget row)
Tap "+" to add a widget
Find Expenly in the app list
Select your preferred lock screen widget
Tap "Done" and then "Set as Wallpaper Pair"

Lock screen widgets are small by necessity, but they're perfect for a quick balance check — the most common use case before a purchase.

Lock Screen Widgets for Your Spending

The lock screen widget is the most powerful tool for passive spending awareness.

Your phone's lock screen is typically the first thing you see when you pick up your device — dozens of times a day. A budget widget here means your spending total is visible constantly, without any action required.

Common lock screen widget uses:

See your daily spending total before unlocking for a purchase
Check how many days remain in your monthly budget period
Get a quick "on track / over budget" signal without opening any app

Home Screen Widget Sizes: Small, Medium, and Large

Small widget (2×2): Shows one primary number — typically today's spending or monthly total. Best for people who want a single-number check.

Medium widget (4×2): Can show daily + monthly spending, or a comparison view. More information at a glance.

Large widget (4×4): Can show a spending breakdown, budget progress bars by category, or a mini chart. Best for users who want a dashboard without opening the app.

The right size depends on your home screen layout and what information you actually want to see without opening the app. Start with a small or medium and adjust from there.

Setting Up Expenly Widgets in 60 Seconds

Download Expenly from the App Store and open it at least once
Log at least one expense so the widget has data to show
Long-press your home screen, tap "+"
Search for "Expenly"
Pick your preferred widget size
Tap "Add Widget" → Done

The widget updates automatically as you log expenses. No manual refresh needed.

For the lock screen widget, follow the iOS lock screen customization steps above and choose the Expenly option from the widget picker.

Free on the App Store

Expenly

Home screen and lock screen widgets for your budget at a glance.

Also read: How to Track Your Daily Expenses on iPhone · How to Review Your Monthly Spending