# SpendLists vs Surplus

The clearest difference is update cadence: SpendLists at fortnightly against Surplus's monthly. Surplus's advantage is review sentiment (83% vs 75%). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SpendLists sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Surplus sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Surplus holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 19 and 28 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of SpendLists's written reviews are positive against 83% of Surplus's.

SpendLists ships an update fortnightly, Surplus monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SpendLists | Surplus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (19 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spendlists-income-tracker/id1495276397/reviews) | **[4.8 (28 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surplus-expense-tracker/id1578612881/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 19 | **28** |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | **83.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 44 MB | 67 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.1 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Phanith Ny](https://appshunter.io/developer/1424424060) | [Dev Harvest LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1526293285) |

## What reviewers say

### SpendLists

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spendlists-income-tracker/id1495276397)

This app offers a straightforward way for freelancers and creators to manage their income and expenses without complex spreadsheets. It provides clear monthly summaries and helps reduce financial anxiety by organizing money details simply. Designed for those with irregular income, it offers a clean and trustworthy platform to understand earnings.

**Highlights:** Track income and expenses, Organize money details in lists, Clear monthly summaries, iCloud Sync across Apple devices, Multiple currency support, Private and secure with Face ID/Touch ID, Share lists as images or PDFs

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Snack-Sized Tip | $5.99 | one-time |
| Lunch-Sized Tip | $7.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Pro | $9.99 | one-time |
| SpendLists Pro Lifetime | $9.99 | one-time |


### Surplus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surplus-expense-tracker/id1578612881)

This app helps you manage your monthly finances by tracking income, expenses, and upcoming payments. It provides insights into your spending habits, categorizes transactions, and offers customizable reports. Sync your accounts automatically or manually for a clear overview of your leftover spend.

**Highlights:** Monthly income and expense tracking, Categorization of spending, Customizable reports with CSV export, Transaction grouping, Home and lock screen widgets, Automation via Shortcuts app

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Surplus Pro Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Surplus Pro Yearly | $14.49 | per year |
| Surplus Pro Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Surplus Pro Lifetime | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SpendLists free?

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

### Is Surplus free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SpendLists or Surplus?

Surplus is rated higher. SpendLists averages 4.6 out of 5 from 19 ratings, while Surplus averages 4.8 from 28 ratings.

### Do SpendLists or Surplus have ads?

Neither SpendLists nor Surplus shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SpendLists or Surplus?

SpendLists ships an update fortnightly, and Surplus monthly. Most recently, SpendLists was updated on October 25, 2026 and Surplus on October 22, 2026.

---

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