# True Balance Lite vs The Checkbook

The clearest difference is price: True Balance Lite at Free against The Checkbook's $4.99. True Balance Lite also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.4). The Checkbook's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 months) and rating (4.8 vs 4.4). On review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

True Balance Lite is free to download; The Checkbook costs $4.99 up front. True Balance Lite sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and The Checkbook sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

The Checkbook holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Checkbook has 997 ratings behind it against 21, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 83% of True Balance Lite's written reviews are positive against 76% of The Checkbook's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

True Balance Lite ships an update every 6 months, The Checkbook fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | True Balance Lite | The Checkbook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $4.99 |
| Rating | [4.4 (21 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/true-balance-lite/id1357847669/reviews) | **[4.8 (997 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-checkbook/id6468368811/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 21 | **997** |
| Positive reviews | **83.3% of reviews** | 76.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#12** |
| Size | 5 MB | 61 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Robert Wohnoutka](https://appshunter.io/developer/372954100) | [Four One Four 213, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1709830108) |

## What reviewers say

### True Balance Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/true-balance-lite/id1357847669)

Easily track all your cash, personal, or business expenses with independent, customizable tapes. Correct mistakes, insert new entries, and see real-time recalculations for accurate financial overviews. Securely store data locally with optional password protection.

**Highlights:** 12 independent tracking tapes, Customizable tape names and colors, Real-time entry correction and recalculation, Local data storage with optional password, Backup and restore functionality, Large numeric keyboard for easy entry

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Entries | $3.99 | one-time |


### The Checkbook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-checkbook/id6468368811)

**Currently charting:** #12 Top Paid · Finance (US App Store)

Manage your finances on the go with this transaction tracker. Easily record income and expenses, schedule upcoming bills, and reconcile with your bank statements for accurate balance tracking. Offers multiple accounts, customizable themes, and secure access.

**Highlights:** Real-time transaction tracking, Upcoming bill and deposit scheduling, Bank account reconciliation, Multiple account management, Customizable color themes, Transaction search and filtering, Recurring transaction setup

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Shared Storage - Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Shared Storage - Annual | $19.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 💻 Easy to use
- 🔍 Helps track finances
- 📱 Convenient mobile app
- 🧮 Simple check register
- 🔒 Secure with Face ID

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔢 Limited account name length
- 🔍 Difficult to view past transactions
- 🔢 No custom currency options
- 🐛 Data loss issues
- 🚫 No iPad-optimized layout

**Reported bugs**

- Data loss and sync issues
- Incorrect transaction display
- Recurring transactions not working as expected

**Requested features**

- 📊 Spending reports and analytics
- 🔁 More recurring transaction options
- 🖨️ Check printing capability
- 🔀 Ability to split transactions
- 🔄 Easier transaction editing/deletion


## Frequently asked questions

### Is True Balance Lite free?

True Balance Lite is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is The Checkbook free?

The Checkbook costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, True Balance Lite or The Checkbook?

The Checkbook is rated higher. True Balance Lite averages 4.4 out of 5 from 21 ratings, while The Checkbook averages 4.8 from 997 ratings.

### Do True Balance Lite or The Checkbook have ads?

Neither True Balance Lite nor The Checkbook shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, True Balance Lite or The Checkbook?

True Balance Lite ships an update every 6 months, and The Checkbook fortnightly. Most recently, True Balance Lite was updated on November 2, 2026 and The Checkbook on November 3, 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.*