# SpendWidget vs Budget Planner

The clearest difference is update cadence: Budget Planner at every 5 days against SpendWidget's fortnightly. Budget Planner also leads on iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.1). SpendWidget's advantage is ratings volume (4 vs 1). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SpendWidget sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month and Budget Planner sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 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 SpendWidget against 5.0 for Budget Planner. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 1 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

SpendWidget ships an update fortnightly, Budget Planner every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SpendWidget | Budget Planner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spendwidget-expense-tracker/id6757985671/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/budget-planner-ctrl-xpenses/id6798405768/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 12 MB | 81 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.1 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Michael Sullivan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1816802531) | [JUAN CONRADO A DE LAROSA](https://appshunter.io/developer/6798405771) |

## What reviewers say

### SpendWidget

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spendwidget-expense-tracker/id6757985671)

This finance app focuses on your daily spending, offering clear totals with weekly and monthly context. It helps you understand your habits at a glance to make better financial decisions without overwhelming charts or complex budgets.

**Highlights:** Daily spending totals, Weekly spending context, Monthly spending context, Clear habit understanding, Simplified financial decisions

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SpendWidget Pro | $1.49 | per month |
| SpendWidget Pro | $2.99 | per month |
| SpendWidget Pro | $19.99 | per year |


### Budget Planner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/budget-planner-ctrl-xpenses/id6798405768)

Manage your finances without linking bank accounts. Track credit cards, build debt payoff plans, set budgets, and monitor goals. All your financial data is stored locally for privacy.

**Highlights:** Track credit cards and purchases, Build debt payoff plans (snowball/avalanche), Set category budgets and track spending, Monitor financial goals and net worth, Private, local data storage, Biometric access protection

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ctrl Xpenses Pro Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Ctrl Xpenses Pro Annual | $16.99 | per year |
| Ctrl Xpenses Pro Lifetime | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SpendWidget free?

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

### Is Budget Planner free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SpendWidget or Budget Planner?

SpendWidget and Budget Planner are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 4 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do SpendWidget or Budget Planner have ads?

Neither SpendWidget nor Budget Planner shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SpendWidget or Budget Planner?

SpendWidget ships an update fortnightly, and Budget Planner every 5 days. Most recently, SpendWidget was updated on September 28, 2026 and Budget Planner on October 24, 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.*