# Vault22 vs Buddy

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Vault22 at none against Buddy's 15. Vault22 also leads on review sentiment (62% vs 48%) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). Buddy's advantage is ratings volume (9.6K vs 51) and chart position (#87 vs unranked). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Buddy sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Vault22 asks for nothing beyond the download.

Buddy holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Buddy has 9.6K ratings behind it against 51, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 62% of Vault22's written reviews are positive against 48% of Buddy's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Vault22 | Buddy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (51 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vault22/id611120440/reviews) | **[4.7 (9.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buddy-budget-planner-app/id936422955/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 51 | **9.6K** |
| Positive reviews | **61.9% of reviews** | 48.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days | Every 9 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#87** |
| Size | 119 MB | 169 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Vault22 Financial Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1676406067) | [Buddy Budgeting AB](https://appshunter.io/developer/936422954) |

## What reviewers say

### Vault22

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vault22/id611120440)

This app acts as a personal financial coach, helping you build, grow, and protect your wealth. It connects to over 120 financial institutions, providing personalized tools, expert advice, and actionable insights to improve your financial wellness.

**Highlights:** Connects to 120+ financial institutions, Personalized financial fitness levels, Consolidated view of all accounts, Detailed spending insights and categorization, Budget setting and tracking, Personalized financial nudges, Debt management strategies, Tax time export feature

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Buddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buddy-budget-planner-app/id936422955)

**Currently charting:** #87 Top Grossing · Finance (US App Store)

This app helps you create and manage personal or shared budgets. Track expenses, connect your bank account for automatic transaction import, and gain a clear overview of your spending, income, and savings. It also features tools to split costs and settle up with others.

**Highlights:** Create personal budgets, Shared budgeting for couples/groups, Connect bank accounts for transaction import, Detailed spending and income overview, Expense splitting and settlement tracking

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

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Buddy Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| Buddy Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| Premium | $9.99 | per month |
| Buddy Premium | $9.99 | per month |
| Buddy Premium | $16.99 | per year |
| Buddy Premium | $24.99 | per year |
| Buddy Premium | $34.99 | per year |
| Buddy Premium | $34.99 | per year |
| Buddy Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| Buddy Premium | $49.99 | per year |
| Unlimited | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Visually appealing
- 💡 Customizable categories
- 🚀 Intuitive interface
- 👍 Helps with budgeting

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Recurring transactions not working properly
- 🐛 Balance not carrying over to next month
- 🐛 Syncing issues between devices
- 🐛 Transactions disappearing or resetting
- 💸 Expensive subscription

**Reported bugs**

- Recurring transactions not working as expected
- Balance not carrying over to next month
- Syncing issues between devices
- Transactions disappearing or resetting
- Inability to edit categories without creating new ones

**Requested features**

- Calendar view for transactions
- Bill reminders and due date tracking
- Ability to hide/exclude certain transactions
- Savings/investment tracking
- Multi-currency support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Vault22 free?

Vault22 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Buddy free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Vault22 or Buddy?

Buddy is rated higher. Vault22 averages 4.5 out of 5 from 51 ratings, while Buddy averages 4.7 from 9.6K ratings.

### Do Vault22 or Buddy have ads?

Neither Vault22 nor Buddy shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Vault22 or Buddy?

Vault22 ships an update every 9 days, and Buddy every 9 days. Most recently, Vault22 was updated on October 24, 2026 and Buddy on October 30, 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.*