# YNAB vs GlassJar

The clearest difference is review sentiment: GlassJar at 100% against YNAB's 51%. GlassJar also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8). YNAB's advantage is ratings volume (62K vs 1) and chart position (#4 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. YNAB sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month and GlassJar sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

GlassJar holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: YNAB has 62K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 51% of YNAB's written reviews are positive against 100% of GlassJar's.

YNAB ships an update weekly, GlassJar every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | YNAB | GlassJar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (62K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ynab/id1010865877/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/glassjar-shared-money/id6784363393/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **62K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 51.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#4** | — |
| Size | 157 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | +4 | 12+ |
| Developer | [You Need A Budget LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1226490621) | [Home Team Management LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1405086561) |

## 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


### GlassJar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/glassjar-shared-money/id6784363393)

Easily track shared expenses with roommates, friends, or family. See who paid what, who owes whom, and settle up quickly. Offers detailed spending insights and optional bank syncing for automatic transaction import.

**Highlights:** Track shared expenses, See who paid and who owes, Automatic balance calculation, Settle up payments, Import expenses via CSV/JSON, Spending calendar heatmap, Automatic bank sync (premium)

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| One Bank Sync | $1.99 | per month |
| Yearly Access | $3.99 | per year |
| Sync up to 3 banks | $5.99 | per month |
| Bank Sync up to 10 banks | $9.99 | per month |
| Bank Sync Unlimited | $14.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is YNAB free?

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

### Is GlassJar free?

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

### Which has better reviews, YNAB or GlassJar?

GlassJar is rated higher. YNAB averages 4.8 out of 5 from 62K ratings, while GlassJar averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do YNAB or GlassJar have ads?

Neither YNAB nor GlassJar shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, YNAB or GlassJar?

YNAB ships an update weekly, and GlassJar every 6 days. Most recently, YNAB was updated on November 7, 2026 and GlassJar on October 31, 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.*