Jar vs Simple Spend Tracker
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Jar
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Tell Jar what you spent, in your own words. Say "12 on lunch" and Jar fills in the name, amount and category for you, understood by Apple Intelligence right on your iPhone. Voice entry requires iOS 26 and an iPhone with Apple Intelligence turned on. Jar helps you take control of your finances with simple, clear, and powerful budgeting tools. Track your daily expenses in seconds, organize spending by categories, and always know where your money goes. With clean visuals and smart insights, Jar makes budgeting easy and stress-free. Create budgets for different needs, monitor your progress in real time, and see detailed breakdowns of your spending. Add expenses quickly, customize categories, and keep everything neatly organized. Need to budget together? Share your budget with family or partners using a simple code and stay in sync with shared spending. Jar is available through an auto-renewable subscription, with monthly and yearly plans. A subscription is required to access the app’s features. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Simple Spend Tracker
Easily manage your money without linking bank accounts or creating online profiles. This app uses the envelope budgeting method for straightforward tracking of your spending and deposits, keeping you in control of your finances.
- Envelope budgeting method
- Manual transaction logging
- Offline functionality
- No bank account linking
- One-time purchase unlock
- Distraction-free interface
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Simple Spend Tracker The simplest way to manage your money. No bank accounts to link, no spreadsheets, no learning curve. Just you and your budget. Simple Spend Tracker is built around the envelope budgeting method, one of the most proven personal finance strategies around. Set a starting amount for anything you want to track, log your spending as you go, and always know exactly what's left. How it works Set a starting balance for anything: groceries, rent, a vacation, a night out. Add expenses and income as they happen and your balance updates instantly, with your running balance shown after every transaction. Simple, manual, and completely in your control. Log spending in seconds • Home Screen widget: see your balance at a glance, then tap Expense or Income to add one • Siri and Shortcuts: say "Log an expense in SimpleSpend", or put it on your Action button • Edit any transaction's amount, date or note, or swipe to delete Your budgets, everywhere Create a free account and your budgets stay in sync on your iPhone, iPad and the web. Choose a primary budget to open first, and switch between budgets in a tap. Why Simple Spend Tracker • No bank syncing and no bank passwords. You enter what you spend. • No ads, ever. • No subscription. Your first budget is free, and SimpleSpend Pro unlocks unlimited budgets with a single one-time purchase. • A clean, distraction-free design in light and dark mode. Built for real budgeters Whether you're following the cash envelope method, saving toward a goal, managing weekly or monthly spending, or just trying to see where your money goes, Simple Spend Tracker gives you the clarity you need without the complexity you don't. Download free today. Budget smarter in minutes.
Screenshots
Verdict
Jar and Simple Spend Tracker are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Jar sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Simple Spend Tracker sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | Jar | Simple Spend Tracker |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (6 ratings) — better |
| Number of ratings | — | 6 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 17.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 74 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | El-Naqah | JOEL PATRICK NELSON |
In-app purchases
Jar
- Monthly Access$0.991 Month
- Yearly Premium Access7 Days trial$9.991 Year
Simple Spend Tracker
- SimpleSpend Pro$1.99
Questions
Is Jar free?
Is Simple Spend Tracker free?
Do Jar or Simple Spend Tracker have ads?
Which is updated more often, Jar or Simple Spend Tracker?
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