# Payla vs Budget Buddy

The clearest difference is update cadence: Payla at fortnightly against Budget Buddy's every 3 months. Payla also leads on iOS requirement (15.6 vs 26.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Payla sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days and Budget Buddy sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Payla against 5.0 for Budget Buddy. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 2 respectively.

Payla ships an update fortnightly, Budget Buddy every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Payla | Budget Buddy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/payla-split-group-expenses/id6748067386/reviews) | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/budget-buddy-expense-tracker/id6748146585/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **2** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 85 MB | 50 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Cloudbud Tech](https://appshunter.io/developer/1774555170) | [ALPER KAPLAN](https://appshunter.io/developer/1801852243) |

## What reviewers say

### Payla

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/payla-split-group-expenses/id6748067386)

Effortlessly manage shared expenses and track group bills with friends, roommates, or family. This app simplifies debt settlement by calculating the minimum transactions needed to balance accounts. Features include flexible splitting options, real-time syncing, and receipt photo attachments.

**Highlights:** Fast expense logging, Smart debt simplification, Real-time group sync, Multi-currency support, Flexible split options, Receipt and bill photo attachments, Easy settlement options

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Payla Pro Weekly | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Payla Pro Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Payla Pro Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| Payla Life Time | $49.99 | one-time |


### Budget Buddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/budget-buddy-expense-tracker/id6748146585)

Effortlessly manage your finances by tracking expenses, setting budgets, and monitoring bills. This app offers a clear overview of your spending, helps you save for goals, and allows for collaborative budgeting with family. It prioritizes your privacy with no ads or data selling.

**Highlights:** Expense tracking across cash, cards, and accounts, Customizable monthly budgets by category, Bill and subscription management, Collaborative budgeting for partners/family, Consolidated view of all financial accounts, Savings goal setting and progress tracking, Apple Watch integration for quick insights

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Premium | $5.99 | per month |
| Yearly Premium | $39.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Payla free?

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

### Is Budget Buddy free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Payla or Budget Buddy?

Payla and Budget Buddy are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 2 ratings respectively.

### Do Payla or Budget Buddy have ads?

Neither Payla nor Budget Buddy shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Payla or Budget Buddy?

Payla ships an update fortnightly, and Budget Buddy every 3 months. Most recently, Payla was updated on October 30, 2026 and Budget Buddy on October 28, 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.*