Comparison

Simple Spend Tracker vs yen

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Envelope budgeting method
  • Manual transaction logging
  • Offline functionality
  • No bank account linking
  • One-time purchase unlock
  • Distraction-free interface
Features
Read full description

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.

About

yen

Features
Read full description

A kakeibo budget app and expense tracker for couples and households. See where your money goes, without giving any app your bank login. · Log an expense in seconds: type the amount, tag it, save. · See your week at a glance in four spending types, not fifty categories. · Track cash, bank, card and loan accounts in any currency, with historical exchange rates. · Stay on plan with monthly budgets, bill reminders and photo receipts. · Keep your data yours: CSV / JSON import and export. Delete the account from the bottom of Settings; you can cancel for 14 days. How it works 1. Type what you spent and hit save. No bank connection, no auto-categorization that gets it wrong. 2. Tag it with one tap: something you needed, something you wanted, something that feeds your mind or soul, or something you didn't see coming. 3. At the end of the week, see your pattern and decide what to change. That four-bucket method is called kakeibo (家計簿). Japanese households have used it since 1904. yen-yen puts it on your phone. Free, with optional add-ons The solo ledger is free forever. No ads, and we don't sell your data. Founder Cohort: · Share a household ledger with a partner or roommate. · AI-assisted statement import — paste lines, you approve every row, nothing auto-saves. · Ask, longer audit history, and priority support. The first 100 signed-up households get these Family features free (Founder access), with nothing to buy. After that, Pro and Family are optional in-app subscriptions, each with a 7-day free trial. The free solo ledger works forever whether or not you were in the cohort. What yen-yen will never do · Connect to your bank. · Auto-write anything to your ledger. · Send spending-guilt notifications. · Show ads. Account deletion From the bottom of Settings. You can cancel for 14 days. Also at https://kensaur.us/yen-yen/account/delete. Privacy Hosted on Supabase (Postgres), encrypted in transit and at rest. Privacy policy (web): https://kensaur.us/yen-yen/privacy Terms (web): https://kensaur.us/yen-yen/terms In-app (mobile): Settings → Help & legal → Privacy / Terms Made by kensaurus LLC in Tokyo. Bugs and questions: kensaurus@gmail.com One of a family of small apps — no sign-up wall. One optional account works in all of them.

Screenshots

Simple Spend Tracker4 screens
yen4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: yen at every 3 days against Simple Spend Tracker's every 2 months. yen also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Simple Spend Tracker sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and yen sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Simple Spend Tracker ships an update every 2 months, yen every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Simple Spend Tracker versus yen: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSimple Spend Trackeryen
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (6 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings6 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB80 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJOEL PATRICK NELSONkensaurus LLC

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Simple Spend Tracker

One-time1
  • SimpleSpend Pro$1.99
4 purchases

yen

Subscriptions4
  • yen-yen Pro (Monthly)7 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • yen-yen Family (Monthly)7 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • yen-yen Pro (Yearly)7 Days trial$39.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • yen-yen Family (Yearly)7 Days trial$69.991 Year

Questions

Is Simple Spend Tracker free?
Simple Spend Tracker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is yen free?
yen is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Simple Spend Tracker or yen have ads?
Neither Simple Spend Tracker nor yen shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Simple Spend Tracker or yen?
Simple Spend Tracker ships an update every 2 months, and yen every 3 days. Most recently, Simple Spend Tracker was updated on October 24, 2026 and yen on October 25, 2026.

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