Comparison

Checkbook vs Budget Stack

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Checkbook

Manage your finances across multiple accounts with this intuitive app. Track checking, savings, cash, and credit card balances, schedule recurring transactions, and view detailed reports. Avoid overdraft fees and bank errors with easy-to-use tools.

Highlights
  • Multiple account management
  • Transaction scheduling
  • Receipt attachment
  • Customizable reports
  • Recurring transactions
  • Passcode protection
Features
Read full description

The smartest way to balance your checkbook and reconcile your account, a modern check register and accounts tracker trusted since 2011. No ads. No data collection. Checkbook replaces your paper register with a clean, fast app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Track every transaction, reconcile against your bank statement with a tap, and see your true outstanding balance , not just what the bank shows. ※ WHY CHECKBOOK • Reconcile-first design : built around the workflow you already use • Outstanding vs. cleared balance always visible at a glance • Attach photo receipts to any transaction (perfect for HSA, taxes, business expenses) • Multiple accounts: checking, savings, cash, credit cards with custom grouping • Universal app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac • No ads. No data collection. Your data stays on your device. ※ NEW IN VERSION 5 Partner Sharing (Premium Plus) Share a checking, savings, or credit card account with your spouse, partner, or family member in real time over iCloud. Both of you can add, edit, and reconcile transactions, with display names showing who entered what. ※Premium Plus Subscription One annual subscription unlocks: • iCloud Backup — secure, automatic backups across devices • Cash Flow Forecast — projected balances from recurring bills • Bill Reminders — never miss a payment • Spending Insights — monthly trends and category analysis • Smart Search — filter by date, amount, category, or status • Transaction Tags — flexible custom organization • PDF Reports — professional account statements • Tax Summary — categorized annual reports for tax prep • Bank Import — load OFX, QFX, and CSV files from your bank • Receipt Scanner — scan paper receipts to auto-fill transactions • Siri Shortcuts — add transactions and check balances with your voice • Advanced Export — Excel, QIF, and OFX formats ※ CORE FEATURES Accounts • Unlimited accounts with custom grouping • Transfer between accounts in a single tap • Balance, outstanding, and cleared totals always visible ※Transactions • Add, edit, and reconcile in seconds • Attach photo receipts to any transaction • Order a printed copy of any receipt right from the app • Split a transaction across multiple categories • Search by date, amount, category, payee, or memo ※ Recurring • Schedule recurring transactions, income, and transfers • Repeat weekly, biweekly, monthly, quarterly, or yearly • Reliable scheduling — recurring entries post on time, every time ※ Charts & Reports • Pie and bar charts for income and expense by category • 6-month trend charts for spending and income • PDF and print support ※ Security & Backup • Passcode and Face ID protection • Account delete lock prevents accidental data loss • Dropbox and iCloud backup options • Follows your device locale for currency and formatting ※ WHO IT'S FOR Anyone who wants a real check register on their phone — whether you're balancing a household checkbook, tracking small business expenses, managing an HSA, organizing bills, or just trying to avoid overdraft fees. If you've ever kept a paper check register, this is the modern version of that workflow — done right. ※ PRICING Checkbook - Account Tracker is free to use. Optional in-app purchases and a Premium Plus subscription unlock additional capabilities. All previous in-app purchases continue to work. ※ SUPPORT Questions, feedback, or feature requests? Email us — we read every message. Please don't post issues as App Store reviews — we have no way to reply. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.mobileinnov.com/PrivacyPolicy.html

About

Budget Stack

Features
Read full description

Budget Stack helps you keep everyday spending organized without turning budgeting into a chore. Create simple spending lists, add transactions, sort purchases by category, and see totals at a glance. Whether you’re tracking a card balance, planning a home project, managing recurring expenses, or keeping a shared wish list tidy, Budget Stack gives you a clean place to capture what matters. Features: Create multiple spending lists Add transactions with merchants, amounts, dates, notes, and recurrence Organize spending with customizable categories and tags View totals and category breakdowns Sort and manage lists quickly Sync and recover your data with iCloud Privacy-first design with no analytics, tracking, or personal data collection Optional premium icons for a more personalized look Budget Stack is built for people who want a focused, private, lightweight way to understand where their money is going. Everything needed for one person. Budget Stack Premium (Families & Smart Features): Includes: * Shared Lists * Family Budget Sharing * Smart Lists * Future Siri AI features * Premium app icons * Future premium widgets

Screenshots

Checkbook4 screens
Budget Stack4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is device support: Budget Stack at 4 against Checkbook's 2. Checkbook's advantage is iOS requirement (16.6 vs 18.6). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Checkbook sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per year and Budget Stack sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Checkbook ships an update every 4 days, Budget Stack every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Checkbook versus Budget Stack: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCheckbookBudget Stack
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (6K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews49.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings6K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 5 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS16.6 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size26 MB37 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMobile Innovations LLCAndrew Williams

Bugs and requests

Checkbook

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Recurring transactions not populating correctly
  • Backup to Dropbox not working
  • Transactions disappearing or data loss
  • Search function issues
  • Inability to update Dropbox login credentials

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to reconcile accounts
  • Option to view upcoming/future transactions
  • Landscape mode support on iPad
  • Sync across multiple devices
  • More customization options

Budget Stack

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Checkbook

Subscriptions1
  • Premium Plus7 Days trial$9.991 Year
One-time3
  • Dropbox Support$1.99
  • Budgets$1.99
  • Multiple Accounts$2.99
1 purchases

Budget Stack

One-time1
  • Premium$5.99

Questions

Is Checkbook free?
Checkbook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Budget Stack free?
Budget Stack is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Checkbook or Budget Stack have ads?
Neither Checkbook nor Budget Stack shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Checkbook or Budget Stack?
Checkbook ships an update every 4 days, and Budget Stack every 5 days. Most recently, Checkbook was updated on October 20, 2026 and Budget Stack on October 19, 2026.

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