# Best Budget vs Budget Planner

The clearest difference is rating: Budget Planner at 4.6 against Best Budget's 3.9. Budget Planner also leads on ads (none vs shown). Best Budget's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and device support (4 vs 1). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Budget Planner sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Best Budget asks for nothing beyond the download.

Budget Planner holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 68 and 24 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of Best Budget's written reviews are positive against 83% of Budget Planner's.

Best Budget ships an update every 6 months, Budget Planner every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Best Budget | Budget Planner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (68 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/best-budget/id492359166/reviews) | **[4.6 (24 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/budget-planner-mellow/id1332401340/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **68** | 24 |
| Positive reviews | 76.2% of reviews | **83.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 5 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 52 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16 | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [倩 赵](https://appshunter.io/developer/376557917) | [Barton Cone](https://appshunter.io/developer/1332401339) |

## What reviewers say

### Best Budget

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/best-budget/id492359166)

This personal finance app helps you manage your money by creating unlimited income and expense budgets. Track transactions, monitor spending against your budgets, and gain insights into your financial habits. It offers robust reporting and data management features to help you become your own financial expert.

**Highlights:** Create unlimited budgets, Track income and expenses, Set budget details (name, amount, category), Rollover budget amounts, Transfer funds between budgets, View transaction history, Generate income/expense reports, Export budgets (HTML, CSV, PDF)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 🚀 Efficient budgeting features
- 💡 Helpful for tracking expenses
- 🔒 Secure and private
- 👍 Great for managing multiple budgets

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 💸 Aggressive advertising in free version
- 🔍 Limited customization options
- 🤔 Confusing interface for some users

**Reported bugs**

- Transactions not saving properly
- Budgets disappearing without explanation
- Incorrect calculations and balance display

**Requested features**

- Ability to link accounts and sync data
- More detailed reporting and analytics
- Recurring income and expense options
- Improved user guide and tutorials


### Budget Planner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/budget-planner-mellow/id1332401340)

A straightforward budgeting and expense tracking application designed for simplicity. It allows users to create custom budgets, track income and transactions, and manage funds using an envelope system.

**Highlights:** Customizable budget titles, Track income and transactions, Envelope budgeting system, Biweekly and monthly budget options, Simple expense tracking

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mellow Pro | $2.99 | per month |
| Mellow Pro | $14.99 | per year |
| Mellow Pro | $2.99 | one-time |
| Mellow Pro | $24.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Best Budget free?

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

### Is Budget Planner free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Best Budget or Budget Planner?

Budget Planner is rated higher. Best Budget averages 3.9 out of 5 from 68 ratings, while Budget Planner averages 4.6 from 24 ratings.

### Do Best Budget or Budget Planner have ads?

Best Budget shows ads; Budget Planner does not.

### Which is updated more often, Best Budget or Budget Planner?

Best Budget ships an update every 6 months, and Budget Planner every 5 months. Most recently, Best Budget was updated on November 1, 2026 and Budget Planner on November 2, 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.*