# IRS vs Build a Budget

The clearest difference is update cadence: Build a Budget at every 10 days against IRS's every 3 months. Build a Budget also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6). IRS's advantage is ratings volume (14K vs 1) and chart position (#82 vs unranked). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Build a Budget holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: IRS has 14K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

IRS ships an update every 3 months, Build a Budget every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | IRS | Build a Budget |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/irs/id414113282/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/build-a-budget/id6809194081/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **14K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 27.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#82** | — |
| Size | 40 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 26.5 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Internal Revenue Service](https://appshunter.io/developer/414113285) | [ALEXANDER KALMAN DUNN](https://appshunter.io/developer/1870110372) |

## What reviewers say

### IRS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/irs/id414113282)

**Currently charting:** #82 Top Free · Finance (US App Store)

Access your IRS account securely from your mobile device to view your balance, make payments, and check your refund status. You can also access tax records, view notices, and manage your profile. Guest access allows checking refunds and finding tax preparation assistance.

**Highlights:** Secure account sign-in, View account balance, Make payments, Check refund status, Access tax records, View notices and letters, Opt-in to email notifications

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 💰 Helps with tax payments
- 🔍 Provides refund status updates
- ⏱️ Convenient for checking tax info

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent errors and glitches
- 📱 Limited functionality compared to website
- 🔒 Security/authentication issues
- 🕰️ Slow/delayed updates

**Reported bugs**

- Login/authentication problems
- Incorrect refund information displayed
- Inability to check status after multiple attempts
- Lack of compatibility with older devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to view tax transcripts
- Improved payment scheduling options
- Notifications for refund status changes
- Expanded historical data access


### Build a Budget

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/build-a-budget/id6809194081)

Manually log income and expenses quickly with customizable categories and recurring transaction schedules. Automate tracking with Apple Shortcuts for a faster financial overview.

**Highlights:** Manual income and expense logging, Customizable categories, Recurring transaction scheduling, Apple Shortcuts automation, Quick transaction entry

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is IRS free?

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

### Is Build a Budget free?

Build a Budget is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, IRS or Build a Budget?

Build a Budget is rated higher. IRS averages 4.6 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while Build a Budget averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do IRS or Build a Budget have ads?

Neither IRS nor Build a Budget shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, IRS or Build a Budget?

IRS ships an update every 3 months, and Build a Budget every 10 days. Most recently, IRS was updated on November 11, 2026 and Build a Budget on November 10, 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.*