# Checkbook vs Spending

The clearest difference is rating: Checkbook at 4.3 against Spending's 3.6. Checkbook also leads on update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 18 months) and ratings volume (14K vs 7). Spending's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and ads (none vs shown). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Checkbook sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Spending asks for nothing beyond the download.

Checkbook holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Checkbook has 14K ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 56% of Checkbook's written reviews are positive against 88% of Spending's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Checkbook ships an update every 6 weeks, Spending every 18 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Checkbook | Spending |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/checkbook-account-tracker/id484000695/reviews)** | [3.6 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spending/id509905009/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **14K** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | 55.8% of reviews | **87.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 18 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#142** | — |
| Size | 122 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Beesoft Apps](https://appshunter.io/developer/1420966143) | [Steve Harris](https://appshunter.io/developer/509905012) |

## What reviewers say

### Checkbook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/checkbook-account-tracker/id484000695)

**Currently charting:** #142 Top Grossing · Finance (US App Store)

Manage your daily finances with this app, tracking credit card charges, cash expenditures, and more. It offers multiple accounts, recurring transactions, fund transfers, and detailed reports with graphs. Easily search and export your financial data.

**Highlights:** Multiple account tracking, Recurring transaction saving, Fund transfers between accounts, Export data in CSV, QIF, HTML, Calendar view of transactions, Reports and charts for expenses/income, Passcode protection

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium - 1 Month | $0.99 | per month |
| Premium - 1 Year | $7.99 | per year |
| Premium - 1 Year | $8.99 | per year |
| Premium - 1 Year | $9.99 | per year |
| Upgrade to Checkbook Pro | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💻 Easy to use
- 📊 Helpful charts and reports
- 🔄 Seamless sync across devices
- 🧮 Convenient built-in calculator
- 🗂️ Ability to manage multiple accounts

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Lacking advanced search/filtering
- 🔁 Recurring transactions issues
- 🔒 Concerns about data security
- 💰 Subscription model too expensive
- 📢 Intrusive ads in free version

**Reported bugs**

- Account balances not updating correctly
- Transactions disappearing or duplicating
- Sync issues between devices
- App crashes or freezes after updates

**Requested features**

- Custom categories and icons
- Budgeting and forecasting tools
- Ability to attach receipts/photos
- Improved account organization options
- Automatic balance reconciliation


### Spending

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spending/id509905009)

Easily track your daily and monthly expenses by category. This app helps you understand where your money goes, focusing on small, frequent purchases that can add up. Visualize your spending with graphs and manage multiple budgets for different needs.

**Highlights:** Track spending by category, View daily, weekly, and monthly expenditure, Spending breakdown graphs, Customizable categories, Multiple budget management, Daily spending limits

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Checkbook free?

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

### Is Spending free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Checkbook or Spending?

Checkbook is rated higher. Checkbook averages 4.3 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while Spending averages 3.6 from 7 ratings.

### Do Checkbook or Spending have ads?

Checkbook shows ads; Spending does not.

### Which is updated more often, Checkbook or Spending?

Checkbook ships an update every 6 weeks, and Spending every 18 months. Most recently, Checkbook was updated on October 16, 2026 and Spending on September 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.*