# The Checkbook vs Basic Budget+

The clearest difference is price: Basic Budget+ at Free against The Checkbook's $4.99. Basic Budget+ also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). The Checkbook's advantage is ratings volume (970 vs 1) and chart position (#31 vs unranked). On update cadence, ads, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Basic Budget+ is free to download; The Checkbook costs $4.99 up front. The Checkbook sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Basic Budget+ asks for nothing beyond the download.

Basic Budget+ holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Checkbook has 970 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

The Checkbook ships an update fortnightly, Basic Budget+ every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Checkbook | Basic Budget+ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.8 (970 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-checkbook/id6468368811/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-budget-plus/id6769976084/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **970** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 76.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#31** | — |
| Size | 61 MB | 53 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Four One Four 213, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1709830108) | [Furious Rhino](https://appshunter.io/developer/1892544280) |

## What reviewers say

### The Checkbook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-checkbook/id6468368811)

**Currently charting:** #31 Top Paid · Finance (US App Store)

Manage your finances on the go with this transaction tracker. Easily record income and expenses, schedule upcoming bills, and reconcile with your bank statements for accurate balance tracking. Offers multiple accounts, customizable themes, and secure access.

**Highlights:** Real-time transaction tracking, Upcoming bill and deposit scheduling, Bank account reconciliation, Multiple account management, Customizable color themes, Transaction search and filtering, Recurring transaction setup

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Shared Storage - Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Shared Storage - Annual | $19.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 💻 Easy to use
- 🔍 Helps track finances
- 📱 Convenient mobile app
- 🧮 Simple check register
- 🔒 Secure with Face ID

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔢 Limited account name length
- 🔍 Difficult to view past transactions
- 🔢 No custom currency options
- 🐛 Data loss issues
- 🚫 No iPad-optimized layout

**Reported bugs**

- Data loss and sync issues
- Incorrect transaction display
- Recurring transactions not working as expected

**Requested features**

- 📊 Spending reports and analytics
- 🔁 More recurring transaction options
- 🖨️ Check printing capability
- 🔀 Ability to split transactions
- 🔄 Easier transaction editing/deletion


### Basic Budget+

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-budget-plus/id6769976084)

Manage your finances with a simple ledger. Track multiple account types, transfers, and view basic reports. Quickly record transactions and understand your spending habits without linking financial accounts.

**Highlights:** Multiple account types, Transfers between accounts, Basic reporting, Quick transaction entry, Transaction recall, No financial account linking

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Checkbook free?

The Checkbook costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Basic Budget+ free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The Checkbook or Basic Budget+?

Basic Budget+ is rated higher. The Checkbook averages 4.8 out of 5 from 970 ratings, while Basic Budget+ averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do The Checkbook or Basic Budget+ have ads?

Neither The Checkbook nor Basic Budget+ shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Checkbook or Basic Budget+?

The Checkbook ships an update fortnightly, and Basic Budget+ every 2 weeks. Most recently, The Checkbook was updated on October 13, 2026 and Basic Budget+ on October 1, 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.*