# Make a List! vs Simple Budget Planner

The clearest difference is ads: Simple Budget Planner at none against Make a List!'s shown. Make a List!'s advantage is ratings volume (1.7K vs 284). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Make a List! sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Simple Budget Planner sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Make a List! holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Make a List! has 1.7K ratings behind it against 284, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 66% of Make a List!'s written reviews are positive against 60% of Simple Budget Planner's.

Make a List! ships an update every 4 weeks, Simple Budget Planner fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Make a List! | Simple Budget Planner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/make-a-list/id1173321635/reviews)** | [4.4 (284 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-budget-planner/id1370056290/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.7K** | 284 |
| Positive reviews | **66.2% of reviews** | 59.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 27 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **15.6** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Filippo Maguolo](https://appshunter.io/developer/1154554717) | [Mehmet Cetin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1370056289) |

## What reviewers say

### Make a List!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/make-a-list/id1173321635)

Create and share unlimited lists with friends and family. Automatically syncs across all your iOS devices and Mac. Supports audio notes, pictures, and due dates for enhanced organization.

**Highlights:** Unlimited list creation, List sharing, Push notifications, Audio and picture attachments, Due dates, Cross-device synchronization

**Features:** Apple Watch app, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accessible for visually impaired users
- 👍 Customizable settings
- 👍 Useful for decorating lists
- 👍 Provides pictures for list items
- 👍 Easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy, with items randomly disappearing from lists
- 🐛 Unreliable list sharing
- 🐛 Difficult to reorder lists
- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🔋 Excessive ads in free version

**Reported bugs**

- Items randomly disappearing from lists
- Duplicate lists being created
- Inability to view new list entries
- Reordering lists not working as expected
- Syncing issues between devices

**Requested features**

- Add alarm functionality
- Allow sub-tasks within lists
- Improve list sorting and reordering
- Provide a way to delete entire lists
- Remember previously added items to avoid retyping


### Simple Budget Planner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-budget-planner/id1370056290)

Manage your money effortlessly with this intuitive app. Track income and expenses, utilize the envelope system for category budgeting, and set savings goals. Automate recurring transactions and gain insights into your spending habits.

**Highlights:** Expense and income tracking, Envelope budgeting system, Savings goal setting, Scheduled transactions, Income and expense statistics, Customizable budgets and categories

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Weekly | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Semiannually | $24.99 | per 6 months |
| Unlimited Annually | $39.99 | per year |
| Remove Ads | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 👍 Good for manual tracking
- 👍 Customizable categories
- 👍 No bank account connection needed

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 Not free, hidden costs
- 👎 Limited free version
- 👎 Forces purchase before trial
- 👎 Lacks advanced budgeting features
- 👎 Inconsistent transaction recording

**Reported bugs**

- Periodic transactions not recorded automatically
- App freezes or becomes unusable after declining to rate
- Glitching UI elements
- Data export errors
- Subscription sharing/family plan issues

**Requested features**

- Add dark mode option
- Allow sorting expenses by due date
- Add bi-weekly pay period option
- Add weekly budget option
- Improve screen resolution and UI scaling


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Make a List! free?

Make a List! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Simple Budget Planner free?

Simple Budget Planner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Make a List! or Simple Budget Planner?

Make a List! is rated higher. Make a List! averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1.7K ratings, while Simple Budget Planner averages 4.4 from 284 ratings.

### Do Make a List! or Simple Budget Planner have ads?

Make a List! shows ads; Simple Budget Planner does not.

### Which is updated more often, Make a List! or Simple Budget Planner?

Make a List! ships an update every 4 weeks, and Simple Budget Planner fortnightly. Most recently, Make a List! was updated on October 15, 2026 and Simple Budget Planner on October 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.*