# Budget Bestie vs Spending Tracker

The clearest difference is ads: Spending Tracker at none against Budget Bestie's shown. Spending Tracker also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Budget Bestie's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 months) and ratings volume (3.2K vs 1). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Budget Bestie sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Spending Tracker sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Spending Tracker holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Budget Bestie has 3.2K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Budget Bestie ships an update fortnightly, Spending Tracker every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on November 12, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Budget Bestie | Spending Tracker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (3.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/budget-bestie/id6460258044/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spending-tracker-spendkit/id6772575807/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3.2K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 30.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#60** | — |
| Size | 125 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Budget Bestie Corp.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1702068834) | [Jose Sapon](https://appshunter.io/developer/1833571607) |

## What reviewers say

### Budget Bestie

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/budget-bestie/id6460258044)

**Currently charting:** #60 Top Grossing · Finance (US App Store)

This app helps you manage your money using the cash stuffing method, digitally. It guides you through creating expense envelopes, allocating funds, and tracking spending to meet savings goals. Get reminders for bills and budget according to your pay schedule.

**Highlights:** Digital cash stuffing method, Customizable expense envelopes, Automated spending tracking, Bill payment reminders, Savings goal management, Budgeting by pay schedule

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $7.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $8.99 | per month |
| Annual Subscription | $49.99 | per year |
| Annual Subscription | $59.99 | per year |
| Annual Subscription | $69.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 💻 Customizable budgeting
- 📊 Helps track spending
- 🎨 Aesthetically pleasing design
- 🤝 Useful for couples/families
- 🧠 Helpful for those with ADHD

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription-based, not free
- 🔒 Lack of transparency about paid features
- 🕰️ Lengthy setup process before payment required
- 💸 Expensive subscription cost
- 🐛 Buggy and glitchy at times

**Reported bugs**

- Freezing/crashing on certain screens
- Inability to type zeros
- Transactions not updating in real-time
- Difficulty navigating/accessing certain features

**Requested features**

- Debt tracking section
- Ability to edit/delete past transactions
- Flexible pay schedule options
- Sharing/collaboration features
- Free basic version


### Spending Tracker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spending-tracker-spendkit/id6772575807)

Track your spending, bills, and subscriptions in one place without needing bank logins. Set budgets, savings goals, and manage debts with quick logging and insightful views. Get reminders for upcoming charges and help with cancellations.

**Highlights:** Log expenses and income quickly, Track subscriptions and bills with reminders, Create and manage budgets, Set and monitor savings goals, Manage debts and payments, View spending by category and day, Receipt scanning for totals

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Monthly | $7.99 | per month |
| Premium Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| SpendKit Premium Lifetime | $59.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Budget Bestie free?

Budget Bestie 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, Budget Bestie or Spending Tracker?

Spending Tracker is rated higher. Budget Bestie averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3.2K ratings, while Spending Tracker averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Budget Bestie or Spending Tracker have ads?

Budget Bestie shows ads; Spending Tracker does not.

### Which is updated more often, Budget Bestie or Spending Tracker?

Budget Bestie ships an update fortnightly, and Spending Tracker every 5 months. Most recently, Budget Bestie was updated on November 12, 2026 and Spending Tracker on November 8, 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.*