# Alternatives to YNAB

Zero-based budgeting with a cult following.

YNAB ranks #5 of 14 in Budgeting apps, with an Alt Score of 73. It is proprietary, sold by subscription from $109/year and available on Web, iOS and Android. 9 of 10 checklist rows are verified against a public source.

Source: https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/ynab/
Category: Budgeting apps

## Where YNAB stands out

- **Envelope / zero-based budgeting** — 5 of 13 apps with a verified answer have this
- **Subscription price** — 6 of 14 apps with a verified answer have this

## Overview

- **Who it's for**: People who want hands-on control over their money — from those living paycheck-to-paycheck to savers who want a proactive plan for every dollar, rather than a passive after-the-fact spending tracker.
- **What you get**: A zero-based budgeting system built on YNAB's Four Rules: give every dollar a job, embrace your true expenses, roll with the punches, and age your money. You assign all your income to specific categories (rent, groceries, savings goals, etc.) so the budget always totals zero. Bank accounts sync automatically for real-time balances and transaction import, and reports show spending trends, net worth, and progress toward goals.
- **How it works**: You connect your bank accounts (or enter transactions manually), then allocate your available money across budget categories until every dollar is assigned. As you spend, transactions are categorized and category balances update in real time; when a category runs short you move money from another category rather than overspending, and you re-budget as income arrives throughout the month.

## Profile

- **License**: Proprietary (verified 2026-07-11)
- **Pricing model**: Subscription (verified 2026-07-11)
- **Starts at**: $109/year (verified 2026-07-11)
- **Platforms**: Web, iOS, Android
- **Status**: active (verified 2026-07-11)

## Ranked alternatives

| # | App | Alt Score | Licence | Platforms |
|---|-----|-----------|---------|-----------|
| 1 | [Lunch Money](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/lunch-money.md) | 86 | Proprietary | Web, iOS, Android |
| 2 | [Quicken](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/quicken.md) | 82 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS |
| 3 | [Simplifi](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/simplifi.md) | 82 | Proprietary | Web, iOS, Android |
| 4 | [Actual Budget](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/actual-budget.md) | 78 | MIT | Windows, macOS, Linux, Web |
| 5 | [GnuCash](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/gnucash.md) | 68 | GPL-2.0 | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| 6 | [KMyMoney](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/kmymoney.md) | 68 | GPL-2.0 | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| 7 | [PocketGuard](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/pocketguard.md) | 68 | Proprietary | ? |
| 8 | [Goodbudget](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/goodbudget.md) | 64 | Proprietary | iOS, Android, Web |
| 9 | [Monarch Money](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/monarch-money.md) | 64 | Proprietary | Web, iOS, Android |
| 10 | [Copilot Money](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/copilot-money.md) | 60 | Proprietary | macOS, iOS, Web |
| 11 | [EveryDollar](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/everydollar.md) | 60 | Proprietary | Web, iOS, Android |
| 12 | [Firefly III](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/firefly-iii.md) | 60 | AGPL-3.0 | Web |
| 13 | [HomeBank](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/homebank.md) | 60 | GPL-2.0 | Windows, macOS, Linux |

Alt Score = Verified coverage (90%) + Visibility (10%). See https://altcatalog.com/how-alt-score-works/

## Feature comparison

Legend: Yes / No / Partial / ? (not verified).

| Budgeting apps checklist | YNAB | Lunch Money | Quicken | Simplifi | Actual Budget | GnuCash |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Subscription | Subscription | Subscription | Subscription | Free | Free |
| Starts at | $109/year | $100/year | $3.49/month | $2.99/month | ? | ? |
| License | Proprietary | Proprietary | Proprietary | Proprietary | MIT | GPL-2.0 |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android | Windows, macOS | Web, iOS, Android | Windows, macOS, Linux, Web | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Bank sync (regions) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial | Partial |
| Manual entry mode | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Envelope / zero-based budgeting | Yes | Partial | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Investment tracking | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial | Yes |
| Multi-currency | No | Yes | Yes | No | Partial | Yes |
| Shared budgets | Yes | Yes | Partial | Yes | Yes | ? |
| Reports & net worth | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CSV import | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Local-only data option | ? | ? | Partial | No | Yes | Yes |
| Subscription price | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |

## Sources

Sources for YNAB. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.

- **License**: Proprietary — <https://www.ynab.com/pricing> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Copyright © 2026, YNAB. All Rights Reserved.”
- **Pricing model**: Subscription — <https://www.ynab.com/pricing> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “$14.99 USD*/month”
- **Starts at**: $109/year — <https://www.ynab.com/pricing> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “$109 USD* paid annually”
- **Platforms**: Web, iOS, Android — <https://www.ynab.com/features> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Access YNAB on your computer, phone, or tablet (even offline!)”
- **Status**: active — <https://www.ynab.com/whats-new> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Show Your Plan, Hide the Amounts”
- **Bank sync (regions)**: Yes — <https://support.ynab.com/en_us/direct-import-in-europe-Syae1z_A9> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Direct Import is now available for select European banks.”
- **Manual entry mode**: Yes — <https://support.ynab.com/en_us/adding-transactions-without-direct-import-B1kBALVaxx> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Learn how to manually add and categorize transactions in YNAB when direct import isn't available, so your plan stays accurate and up to date.”
- **Envelope / zero-based budgeting**: Yes — <https://www.ynab.com/method> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “You assign every dollar you have to one of your expense categories in YNAB based on what's important and when it's due.”
- **Investment tracking**: No — <https://support.ynab.com/en_us/tracking-investment-accounts-a-guide-r1Bzjxd05> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Since investment funds aren't included in your categories, you don't have to add the accounts in YNAB.”
- **Multi-currency**: No — <https://support.ynab.com/en_us/using-multiple-currencies-in-ynab-a-guide-SyBF6PHno> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “When using more than once currency, we recommend creating a separate budget.”
- **Shared budgets**: Yes — <https://www.ynab.com/features> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Share your YNAB subscription with partners, families, and other close-knit groups of up to six people—all for the price of a single subscription!”
- **Reports & net worth**: Yes — <https://support.ynab.com/en_us/net-worth-BkwQO5WA5> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Consider the way your spending and saving decisions impact all of your accounts. Track your net worth over time.”
- **CSV import**: Yes — <https://support.ynab.com/en_us/file-based-import-a-guide-Bkj4Sszyo> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “download a file of transactions from your bank and drag and drop it into YNAB”
- **Subscription price**: Yes — <https://www.ynab.com/pricing> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “$14.99 USD*/month”

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Ranked by verified data, never by who paid. https://altcatalog.com/trust/