# Basil vs Control

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Basil at none against Control's 3. Basil also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.2). Control's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 3 weeks) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Control sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Basil asks for nothing beyond the download.

Basil holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.2. 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 96% of Control's.

Basil ships an update every 3 weeks, Control every 3 days. Both last shipped on October 28, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Basil | Control |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basil-budget-and-spend-tracker/id6757653703/reviews)** | [4.2 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/control-budget-tracker/id6759602182/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 9 | **10** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 96.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 51 MB | 56 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **18.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Swapnil Bapat](https://appshunter.io/developer/1833237038) | [Alex Patrick Palacean](https://appshunter.io/developer/1879209041) |

## 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


### Control

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/control-budget-tracker/id6759602182)

An elegant budgeting app designed for clarity and control over your finances. It offers features like voice transaction entry, bill splitting, and AI-powered financial insights. Track expenses, manage multiple jobs, and monitor investments with beautiful reports.

**Highlights:** Apple Pay transaction import, Voice transaction entry, Split bills, AI-powered financial insights, Investment tracking, Shared budgets, Receipt scanning

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Control Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Control Club | $3.99 | per month |
| Lifetime payment | $17.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Basil free?

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

### Is Control free?

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

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

Basil is rated higher. Basil averages 4.6 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while Control averages 4.2 from 10 ratings.

### Do Basil or Control have ads?

Neither Basil nor Control shows ads.

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

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