# YNAB vs Stuart (Expense Tracker)

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Stuart (Expense Tracker) at none against YNAB's 4. Stuart (Expense Tracker) also leads on iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). YNAB's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 5 months) and chart position (#4 vs unranked). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

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

YNAB ships an update weekly, Stuart (Expense Tracker) every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | YNAB | Stuart (Expense Tracker) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (62K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ynab/id1010865877/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **62K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 51.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | **#4** | — |
| Size | 157 MB | 41 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [You Need A Budget LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1226490621) | [Si Han Ding](https://appshunter.io/developer/1890691645) |

## What reviewers say

### YNAB

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

**Currently charting:** #4 Top Grossing · Finance (US App Store)

This app helps you gain control over your finances by creating a proactive spending plan, paying down debt, and reaching your financial goals. It offers real-time updates for shared plans and securely links to financial accounts for automatic transaction import.

**Highlights:** Proactive spending plan creation, Debt paydown planning, Automatic transaction import, Real-time updates for shared plans, Goal tracking and visualization, Manual transaction entry, Siri integration

**Features:** Apple Watch app, iPhone Duo support

**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


### Stuart (Expense Tracker)

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stuart-expense-tracker/id6763327786)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is YNAB free?

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

### Is Stuart (Expense Tracker) free?

Stuart (Expense Tracker) is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do YNAB or Stuart (Expense Tracker) have ads?

Neither YNAB nor Stuart (Expense Tracker) shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, YNAB or Stuart (Expense Tracker)?

YNAB ships an update weekly, and Stuart (Expense Tracker) every 5 months. Most recently, YNAB was updated on November 7, 2026 and Stuart (Expense Tracker) on October 28, 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.*