# The Beans vs PlanLink

The clearest difference is rating: PlanLink at 4.8 against The Beans's 4.1. PlanLink also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and review sentiment (96% vs 66%). The Beans's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 7 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Beans sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. PlanLink asks for nothing beyond the download.

PlanLink holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 87 and 105 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 66% of The Beans's written reviews are positive against 96% of PlanLink's.

The Beans ships an update every 2 weeks, PlanLink every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Beans | PlanLink |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (87 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-beans/id1472437187/reviews) | **[4.8 (105 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planlink/id1626687408/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 87 | **105** |
| Positive reviews | 65.9% of reviews | **95.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 7 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 58 MB | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TheBeans](https://appshunter.io/developer/1472415861) | [Spectrum Pension Consultants, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1626687410) |

## What reviewers say

### The Beans

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-beans/id1472437187)

This app offers a free, personalized visual financial plan to help you achieve money and life balance. It automatically categorizes transactions, plans expenses, and provides spending updates. Securely connect your accounts for a holistic financial overview.

**Highlights:** Custom visual financial plan, Automatic transaction labeling, Monthly expense planning, Spending and bill updates, Secure account connection, Personalized plan customization

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The Beans Premium - 1 month | $4.99 | per month |
| The Beans Premium - 1 year | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and user-friendly
- 🚀 Helps stay motivated and reduce financial anxiety
- 💡 Provides a clear picture of budget and finances
- ✅ Quick and easy plan development
- ✨ Well-designed and reliable

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❌ Not great for entrepreneurs with complex income
- 💸 Unauthorized withdrawal of funds
- 🚫 Unable to download on iPhone
- 🤔 Confusing interface and lack of explanation
- ⚠️ Inaccurate expense tracking

**Reported bugs**

- 🐛 App unable to recognize all income flows for entrepreneurs
- 🐛 Buggy app preventing access to transferred money details
- 🐛 Inaccurate tracking of expenses and month-over-month spending
- 🐛 App overheats iPhone
- 🐛 Transactions on account not showing up in the app

**Requested features**

- Ability to manually add reoccurring expenses and income
- More clear explanations of visuals and functionality
- Option to delete account directly within the app
- Support for weekly payment schedules
- Improved handling of complex income flows for entrepreneurs


### PlanLink

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planlink/id1626687408)

Quickly enroll in retirement plans and manage your investments. Access loan and withdrawal options, view performance data, and track transaction history securely with biometric authentication.

**Highlights:** Retirement plan enrollment, Investment portfolio management, Contribution changes, Loan and withdrawal requests, View portfolio returns, Transaction history search, Live fund performance data

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Beans free?

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

### Is PlanLink free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The Beans or PlanLink?

PlanLink is rated higher. The Beans averages 4.1 out of 5 from 87 ratings, while PlanLink averages 4.8 from 105 ratings.

### Do The Beans or PlanLink have ads?

Neither The Beans nor PlanLink shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Beans or PlanLink?

The Beans ships an update every 2 weeks, and PlanLink every 7 months. Most recently, The Beans was updated on September 21, 2026 and PlanLink on September 5, 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.*