# Basil vs Expensa

The clearest difference is rating: Basil at 4.6 against Expensa's 3.9. Basil also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 7) and review sentiment (100% vs 86%). Expensa's advantage is update cadence (every 11 days vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Expensa sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Basil asks for nothing beyond the download.

Basil holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 10 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Basil's written reviews are positive against 86% of Expensa's.

Basil ships an update every 3 weeks, Expensa every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Basil | Expensa |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basil-budget-and-spend-tracker/id6757653703/reviews)** | [3.9 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/expensa-expense-tracker/id6758392205/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 9 | **10** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 85.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 11 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 51 MB | 91 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Swapnil Bapat](https://appshunter.io/developer/1833237038) | [Andrii Sereda](https://appshunter.io/developer/1780402701) |

## What reviewers say

### Basil

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basil-budget-and-spend-tracker/id6757653703)

Automate your budgeting with secure, on-device AI that captures transactions from various payment methods instantly. Organize your finances, gain insights into spending habits, and track recurring bills without manual entry.

**Highlights:** Automatic transaction logging, AI-powered voice dictation, Instant spending insights, Recurring bill tracking, 100% local data storage, Beautiful, customizable interface

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Expensa

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/expensa-expense-tracker/id6758392205)

This app offers a private way to track expenses and manage budgets without linking bank accounts. It uses AI to automatically categorize transactions and build budgets, with support for over 150 currencies and iCloud syncing for privacy.

**Highlights:** Automatic transaction tracking via Wallet Shortcuts, AI-powered budget creation and categorization, Multi-currency support for travelers, Private iCloud sync, no bank linking, Shared budgets for family and partners, Customizable budget cycles and alerts

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Expensa PRO Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Expensa PRO Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| 1 Espresso | $0.99 | one-time |
| 2 Espressos | $1.99 | one-time |
| 4 Espressos | $4.99 | one-time |
| 10 Espressos | $9.99 | one-time |
| Expensa Pro Lifetime | $79.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Basil free?

Basil is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Expensa free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Basil or Expensa?

Basil is rated higher. Basil averages 4.6 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while Expensa averages 3.9 from 10 ratings.

### Do Basil or Expensa have ads?

Neither Basil nor Expensa shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Basil or Expensa?

Basil ships an update every 3 weeks, and Expensa every 11 days. Most recently, Basil was updated on October 28, 2026 and Expensa on October 26, 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.*