# Expensa vs Lode

The clearest difference is rating: Lode at 5.0 against Expensa's 3.6. Lode also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 80%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Expensa sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Lode sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Lode holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 7 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of Expensa's written reviews are positive against 100% of Lode's.

Expensa ships an update weekly, Lode every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 12, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Expensa | Lode |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/expensa-ai-expense-tracker/id6758392205/reviews) | **[5.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lode-ai-expense-tracker/id6760552716/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **8** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | 80.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Freemium |
| Size | 81 MB | 48 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Andrii Sereda](https://appshunter.io/developer/1780402701) | [Kyrylo Svystun](https://appshunter.io/developer/1884937511) |

## 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 |


### Lode

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lode-ai-expense-tracker/id6760552716)

Effortlessly track your finances using natural language input and AI-powered categorization. Manage budgets, bills, and savings goals with receipt scanning and multi-currency support. Ideal for those seeking a fast and intuitive budgeting experience without complex forms.

**Highlights:** AI transaction entry via natural language, Receipt scanning and data extraction, Budgeting and bill management, Multi-currency tracking, Savings goals and debt tracking, Home screen widgets and Siri Shortcuts, Shared financial spaces

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lode Premium | $3.99 | per month |
| Lode Premium | $29.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Premium | $59.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Expensa free?

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

### Is Lode free?

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

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

Lode is rated higher. Expensa averages 3.6 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Lode averages 5.0 from 7 ratings.

### Do Expensa or Lode have ads?

Neither Expensa nor Lode shows ads.

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

Expensa ships an update weekly, and Lode every 5 days. Most recently, Expensa was updated on September 12, 2026 and Lode on September 21, 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.*