# Expensa vs Control

The clearest difference is rating: Control at 4.0 against Expensa's 3.6. Control also leads on monetization model (free vs freemium) and review sentiment (95% vs 80%). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Expensa sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Control sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Control holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 8 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of Expensa's written reviews are positive against 95% of Control's.

Expensa ships an update weekly, Control every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 12, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Expensa | Control |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/expensa-ai-expense-tracker/id6758392205/reviews) | **[4.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/control-budget-tracker/id6759602182/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 8 | 8 |
| Positive reviews | 80.0% of reviews | **94.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 81 MB | 58 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Andrii Sereda](https://appshunter.io/developer/1780402701) | [Alex Patrick Palacean](https://appshunter.io/developer/1879209041) |

## What reviewers say

### Expensa

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/expensa-ai-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 (6)**

| 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 |


### 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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Control Club | $3.99 | per month |
| Lifetime payment | $11.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Expensa free?

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

### Is Control free?

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

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

Control is rated higher. Expensa averages 3.6 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Control averages 4.0 from 8 ratings.

### Do Expensa or Control have ads?

Neither Expensa nor Control shows ads.

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

Expensa ships an update weekly, and Control every 3 days. Most recently, Expensa was updated on September 12, 2026 and Control on September 25, 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.*