# YNAB vs Purchase Tracker

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Purchase Tracker at none against YNAB's 4. Purchase Tracker also leads on review sentiment (83% vs 51%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.0). YNAB's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 35 months) and ratings volume (62K vs 15). On price, rating and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. YNAB sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. Purchase Tracker asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for YNAB against 4.8 for Purchase Tracker. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: YNAB has 62K ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 51% of YNAB's written reviews are positive against 83% of Purchase Tracker's.

YNAB ships an update weekly, Purchase Tracker every 35 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | YNAB | Purchase Tracker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (62K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ynab/id1010865877/reviews) | [4.8 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/purchase-tracker/id1457110640/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **62K** | 15 |
| Positive reviews | 50.9% of reviews | **83.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | — |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 35 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#5** | — |
| Size | 155 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [You Need A Budget LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1226490621) | [Khanh Steffen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1223668802) |

## What reviewers say

### YNAB

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ynab/id1010865877)

**Currently charting:** #5 Top Grossing · Finance (US App Store)

This app helps users gain control of their finances by creating flexible spending plans, tracking expenses, and managing debt. It aims to reduce financial stress and empower users to reach their goals. Features include account linking, manual transaction entry, and collaborative planning for multiple users.

**Highlights:** Create and share unlimited spending plans, Automatically import transactions, Manually add transactions, Loan Planner for debt paydown, Visualize progress towards goals, Real-time updates for shared plans

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| YNAB Subscription | $14.99 | per month |
| YNAB Subscription | $14.99 | per month |
| YNAB Subscription | $109.00 | per year |
| YNAB Subscription | $109.00 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 💰 Helps save money
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 🚀 Efficient budgeting system
- 🤝 Helpful for couples/families
- 🧠 Changes financial mindset

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Steep learning curve
- 🔌 Connectivity issues with some banks
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🕰️ Reconciliation process could be improved
- 📱 Mobile app lacks some features of web version

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent disconnections from bank accounts
- Syncing issues between mobile and web versions

**Requested features**

- Fortnightly budgeting options
- Improved reporting and analytics
- Ability to upload files/documents
- Undo/redo functionality
- Biometric login for mobile app


### Purchase Tracker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/purchase-tracker/id1457110640)

A privacy-focused expense tracker that works entirely offline. Log daily spending, set budgets, and gain insights into your financial habits with simple charts and graphs. Ideal for users seeking a straightforward and secure way to manage their money without ads or subscriptions.

**Highlights:** Log daily expenses, 100% offline functionality, Set monthly spending limits, Customizable categories, Spending insights with charts, Data export/import

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is YNAB free?

YNAB is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Purchase Tracker free?

Purchase Tracker is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, YNAB or Purchase Tracker?

YNAB and Purchase Tracker are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 62K and 15 ratings respectively.

### Which is updated more often, YNAB or Purchase Tracker?

YNAB ships an update weekly, and Purchase Tracker every 35 months. Most recently, YNAB was updated on September 25, 2026 and Purchase Tracker on September 14, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*