# Smart Spend vs BudgiVest

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Smart Spend at none against BudgiVest's 3. BudgiVest's advantage is update cadence (daily vs every 8 days) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BudgiVest sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Smart Spend asks for nothing beyond the download.

Smart Spend ships an update every 8 days, BudgiVest daily. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Smart Spend | BudgiVest |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (258 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-spend-cost-analyzer/id1464471112/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **258** | — |
| Positive reviews | 84.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 days | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 75 MB | 100 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Scicotherapy Labs LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1260450873) | [James Bettencourt](https://appshunter.io/developer/1495289483) |

## What reviewers say

### Smart Spend

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-spend-cost-analyzer/id1464471112)

This app helps you actively understand and transform your spending habits through hands-on learning and financial insights. It offers customized budgeting tools, engaging trivia, and advanced analysis without linking bank accounts, prioritizing your privacy. Receive daily feedback and earn rewards for improving your financial discipline.

**Highlights:** Active spending and savings tracking, Financial pattern identification, Spending knowledge trivia game, Customizable budgeting (Cash Pool, MicroBudgets), Advanced search and filter tools, Privacy-focused, no bank linking, Siri integration and iOS widgets

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Original take on budgeting
- 💡 Risk of purchase indicator
- 💡 Annual expenses tracking
- 💡 Brilliant cash pool idea
- 💡 Prioritize purchases (needs, loves, likes, wants)

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❌ Missing country currency
- 🐛 App crashes after update
- ❌ Cannot edit/delete previous entries
- ❌ No option for weekly expenses (e.g., groceries)
- ❌ Cannot edit bill information (only delete and re-enter)

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes immediately upon opening after update
- Hourly income input glitch, defaults to $45
- Cannot edit/delete previous entries
- Cannot edit bill information, only delete and re-enter

**Requested features**

- Visualize cash pool growth
- Add additional income sources (bonus, etc.)
- Ability to change savings by numbers, not just percentage
- Show difference when adding a purchase to see remaining spendable amount
- Add more themes/color options


### BudgiVest

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/budgivest-expense-tracker/id6758671678)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Quarterly Subscription | $7.99 | per 3 months |
| Yearly Subscription | $9.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Smart Spend free?

Smart Spend is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is BudgiVest free?

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

### Do Smart Spend or BudgiVest have ads?

Neither Smart Spend nor BudgiVest shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Smart Spend or BudgiVest?

Smart Spend ships an update every 8 days, and BudgiVest daily. Most recently, Smart Spend was updated on October 25, 2026 and BudgiVest 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.*