# SpendWise vs Basal

The clearest difference is update cadence: Basal at every 3 weeks against SpendWise's every 4 months. Basal also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SpendWise sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Basal sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

SpendWise ships an update every 4 months, Basal every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SpendWise | Basal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basal-daily-expense-tracker/id6758315193/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **5** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Size | 24 MB | 50 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Neerav Kothari](https://appshunter.io/developer/1081411587) | [Jensen Butler](https://appshunter.io/developer/1868234074) |

## What reviewers say

### SpendWise

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spendwise-expense-diary/id6751885084)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $3.99 | one-time |


### Basal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basal-daily-expense-tracker/id6758315193)

This app helps you understand your true daily spending by calculating your 'financial metabolic rate.' It amortizes all life costs, including recurring and one-time expenses, to show your real-time cost of living. Get precise forecasts and manage upcoming bills and debts effortlessly.

**Highlights:** Calculates daily, weekly, and monthly spending rate, Amortizes all life costs with shelf-life, Tracks recurring and dynamic expenses, Provides life scenario spending projections, Manages upcoming bills and debts, Offers 750+ expense presets, Categorizes spending with dynamic insights

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Annual Pro | $9.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Pro | $24.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SpendWise free?

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

### Is Basal free?

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

### Do SpendWise or Basal have ads?

Neither SpendWise nor Basal shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SpendWise or Basal?

SpendWise ships an update every 4 months, and Basal every 3 weeks. Most recently, SpendWise was updated on October 25, 2026 and Basal on October 14, 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.*