# Purchase Tracker vs Budget Bestie

Purchase Tracker and Budget Bestie both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 83% of Purchase Tracker's written reviews are positive against 31% of Budget Bestie's. Purchase Tracker also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 8) and device support (4 vs 1). Budget Bestie's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 35 months) and ratings volume (3.2K vs 15). On price and rating there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Budget Bestie sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Purchase Tracker asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Purchase Tracker against 4.7 for Budget Bestie. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Budget Bestie has 3.2K ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 83% of Purchase Tracker's written reviews are positive against 31% of Budget Bestie's.

Purchase Tracker ships an update every 35 months, Budget Bestie fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Purchase Tracker | Budget Bestie |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/purchase-tracker/id1457110640/reviews)** | [4.7 (3.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/budget-bestie/id6460258044/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 15 | **3.2K** |
| Positive reviews | **83.3% of reviews** | 30.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | — | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 35 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#43** |
| Size | 25 MB | 125 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Khanh Steffen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1223668802) | [Budget Bestie Corp.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1702068834) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Budget Bestie

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/budget-bestie/id6460258044)

**Currently charting:** #43 Top Grossing · Finance (US App Store)

This app helps you manage your money using the cash stuffing method, digitally. It guides you through creating expense envelopes, allocating funds, and tracking spending to meet savings goals. Get reminders for bills and budget according to your pay schedule.

**Highlights:** Digital cash stuffing method, Customizable expense envelopes, Automated spending tracking, Bill payment reminders, Savings goal management, Budgeting by pay schedule

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $7.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $8.99 | per month |
| Annual Subscription | $49.99 | per year |
| Annual Subscription | $59.99 | per year |
| Annual Subscription | $69.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 💻 Customizable budgeting
- 📊 Helps track spending
- 🎨 Aesthetically pleasing design
- 🤝 Useful for couples/families
- 🧠 Helpful for those with ADHD

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription-based, not free
- 🔒 Lack of transparency about paid features
- 🕰️ Lengthy setup process before payment required
- 💸 Expensive subscription cost
- 🐛 Buggy and glitchy at times

**Reported bugs**

- Freezing/crashing on certain screens
- Inability to type zeros
- Transactions not updating in real-time
- Difficulty navigating/accessing certain features

**Requested features**

- Debt tracking section
- Ability to edit/delete past transactions
- Flexible pay schedule options
- Sharing/collaboration features
- Free basic version


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Purchase Tracker free?

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

### Is Budget Bestie free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Purchase Tracker or Budget Bestie?

Purchase Tracker is rated higher. Purchase Tracker averages 4.8 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while Budget Bestie averages 4.7 from 3.2K ratings.

### Which is updated more often, Purchase Tracker or Budget Bestie?

Purchase Tracker ships an update every 35 months, and Budget Bestie fortnightly. Most recently, Purchase Tracker was updated on November 2, 2026 and Budget Bestie on November 3, 2026.

---

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