# Checkbook vs Spending Tracker

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Spending Tracker at 95% against Checkbook's 56%. Spending Tracker also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and rating (4.8 vs 4.3). Checkbook's advantage is chart position (#132 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.5). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Checkbook sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Spending Tracker sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Spending Tracker holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14K and 19K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of Checkbook's written reviews are positive against 95% of Spending Tracker's.

Checkbook ships an update every 6 weeks, Spending Tracker every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Checkbook | Spending Tracker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/checkbook-account-tracker/id484000695/reviews) | **[4.8 (19K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spending-tracker/id548615579/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 14K | **19K** |
| Positive reviews | 55.8% of reviews | **94.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#132** | — |
| Size | 122 MB | 50 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Beesoft Apps](https://appshunter.io/developer/1420966143) | [MH Riley Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/409695800) |

## What reviewers say

### Checkbook

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

**Currently charting:** #132 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 Tracker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spending-tracker/id548615579)

Easily track your expenses and income to gain control over your finances. Set budgets, view spending summaries, and generate reports with interactive charts. Take the first step towards saving money by understanding where your money goes.

**Highlights:** Simple and intuitive interface, Flexible time period tracking (Weekly, Monthly, Yearly), Budget mode with carry-over, Summary view of spending progress, Log expenses and income, Editable spending and income categories, Interactive charts and reports

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Upgrade | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 📊 Helpful reports and charts
- 💰 One-time fee for premium features
- 🔁 Recurring transactions
- 🗂️ Multiple accounts and categories

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional syncing issues
- 🔢 Lack of fortnightly budget option
- 🗂️ Difficulty deleting unused categories
- 💰 Paid upgrade required for some features
- 📈 Limited budget tracking within categories

**Reported bugs**

- Transactions sometimes entered in wrong order
- Backup and restore functionality not always reliable

**Requested features**

- Add ability to split transactions into multiple categories
- Incorporate currency conversion and exchange rates
- Allow family/shared account access and updates
- Implement a 'Debt' category to track loan payments
- Add option to take photos of receipts and attach to transactions


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Checkbook free?

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

### Is Spending Tracker free?

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

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

Spending Tracker is rated higher. Checkbook averages 4.3 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while Spending Tracker averages 4.8 from 19K ratings.

### Do Checkbook or Spending Tracker have ads?

Both Checkbook and Spending Tracker show ads.

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

Checkbook ships an update every 6 weeks, and Spending Tracker every 2 months. Most recently, Checkbook was updated on October 17, 2026 and Spending Tracker on October 18, 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.*