# Cashew vs BudgetArk

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: BudgetArk at none against Cashew's 3. BudgetArk also leads on iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.0). Cashew's advantage is ratings volume (542 vs 4). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Cashew sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. BudgetArk asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Cashew against 5.0 for BudgetArk. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cashew has 542 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 98% of Cashew's written reviews are positive against 100% of BudgetArk's.

Cashew ships an update every 3 weeks, BudgetArk monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cashew | BudgetArk |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (542 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cashewexpense-budget-tracker/id6463662930/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/budgetark/id6760246006/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **542** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 97.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 103 MB | 54 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [James Kokoska](https://appshunter.io/developer/1704737685) | [RICKEY AUSTIN CORNETT](https://appshunter.io/developer/1883445918) |

## What reviewers say

### Cashew

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cashewexpense-budget-tracker/id6463662930)

This app helps you understand your spending habits by allowing you to set flexible budgets and visualize your financial progress with charts. Track subscriptions, recurring transactions, and manage finances across different currencies with a personalized interface.

**Highlights:** Flexible budgeting (monthly, weekly, custom), Visual spending reports (pie charts, bar graphs), Subscription and recurring transaction tracking, Personalized interface (dark mode, accent colors), Multi-currency support with conversion rates, Timely reminders for transactions

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cashew Pro Monthly | $1.49 | per month |
| Cashew Pro Yearly | $11.99 | per year |
| Cashew Pro Lifetime | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Sleek and intuitive interface
- 💡 Customizable budgets and categories
- 🚀 Smooth performance
- 👍 Helpful visualizations and analytics

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional sync issues between devices
- 💡 Lack of bank/account integration
- 💡 Missing calendar view
- 🐛 Laggy animations when adding transactions

**Reported bugs**

- Recurring transactions not generating properly
- Inconsistent behavior when configuring past installments

**Requested features**

- Add widgets for quick access
- Implement shared budgets and family access
- Improve recurring transaction management
- Export data to Excel/CSV


### BudgetArk

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/budgetark/id6760246006)

Manage your finances privately with this open-source app. Track debt, plan budgets, and project investments without subscriptions or sign-ups. Your financial data stays on your device.

**Highlights:** Debt tracking with progress insights, Budget planning by category, Investment projection tools, Couples-friendly debt planning, Avalanche and Snowball payoff strategies, Local data storage, Open-source with community feedback

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cashew free?

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

### Is BudgetArk free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Cashew or BudgetArk?

BudgetArk is rated higher. Cashew averages 4.9 out of 5 from 542 ratings, while BudgetArk averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Cashew or BudgetArk have ads?

Neither Cashew nor BudgetArk shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Cashew or BudgetArk?

Cashew ships an update every 3 weeks, and BudgetArk monthly. Most recently, Cashew was updated on November 7, 2026 and BudgetArk on November 5, 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.*