Comparison

DebtWise vs Payfin

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

DebtWise

This app helps you create a personalized debt payoff plan and stick to it. It offers custom ordering of debts, automatic payment reminders, and progress tracking. It also includes classic payoff strategies and works offline in multiple languages.

Highlights
  • Custom debt payoff order
  • Automatic payment reminders
  • Progress tracking and milestones
  • Avalanche and Snowball strategies
  • Cascade effect for accelerated payoff
  • Offline functionality
  • Data export
Features
Read full description

DebtWise helps you build a realistic, personalized debt payoff plan — and actually stick to it. Most debt apps force you into Avalanche (highest interest first) or Snowball (smallest balance first). DebtWise gives you a third option: your own order. CUSTOM PAYOFF ORDER Drag your debts into any sequence that makes sense for your life. Pay off the family loan first. Tackle the one causing you the most stress. DebtWise recalculates your freedom date instantly every time you reorder — no re-entering data, no spreadsheet fiddling. NEVER MISS A PAYMENT Get a local reminder 3 days and 1 day before each debt's due date. Tap "Mark as Paid" when you've paid — the app advances the due date and starts building your payment history. All reminders are scheduled on-device. No server, no account. AVALANCHE & SNOWBALL TOO Both classic strategies are built in. With Pro, compare them side by side: see exactly how much interest each one saves and which gets you debt-free fastest. CASCADE EFFECT When a debt is paid off, its minimum payment automatically rolls into the next one — accelerating your payoff without any extra effort. Included with Pro. TRACK YOUR PROGRESS Watch your freedom date get closer. Unlock milestones as you pay down each debt. See your total interest shrinking month by month. WORKS OFFLINE, IN 9 LANGUAGES Fully usable with no internet connection. Available in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese. FREE TO START Track unlimited debts, free forever — reminders, milestones, and data export included. Upgrade to Pro for your own custom payoff order, cascade payments, side-by-side strategy comparison, the cash-flow-first strategy, and data import. Pro is a yearly plan or a one-time purchase. PRIVATE BY DESIGN No account. No cloud sync. No ads. Your debts live only on your device and leave it only if you export or share them. Anonymous usage stats (which features are used, when something breaks) never include your debts or anything that identifies you. Terms of Use: https://sites.google.com/view/debtwise-terms-of-use/home

About

Payfin

Read full description

Payfin turns a pile of debts into one clear picture: a single remaining balance, a projected debt-free date, and a plan to follow. Add what you owe, log each payment, and watch your total move as the payoff ring fills. Choose the method that fits you — avalanche (highest APR first) or snowball (smallest balance first) — and see how your projected debt-free date and interest change. FREE • Track one debt with the signature payoff ring and balance • Log payments and follow your progress • Pure-black dark and clean light themes PRO • Track unlimited debts • Avalanche & snowball planners with month-by-month projections • Projected debt-free date and monthly interest breakdown • Payment reminders and milestone moments • Home-screen widgets for your balance, next payment, and trajectory • Exclusive themes, accent colors, and app icons • Run "what-if" scenarios with extra payments and rate changes Payfin is a personal record-keeping and planning tool. Projections are estimates based on the numbers you enter — not financial advice. SUBSCRIPTION Payfin Pro is $4.99/week with a 3-day free trial, or $29.99/year. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation. Subscriptions auto-renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the period; manage or cancel anytime in App Store settings. Privacy Policy: https://hs0929.github.io/payfin/privacy/ Terms of Use: https://hs0929.github.io/payfin/terms/

Screenshots

DebtWise4 screens
Payfin4 screens

Verdict

The call

DebtWise and Payfin are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. DebtWise sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per 7 days and Payfin sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

DebtWise ships an update every 6 weeks, Payfin every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
DebtWise versus Payfin: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDebtWisePayfin
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size37 MB71 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAmanuel Getachew ShiferawEunbi Go

In-app purchases

4 purchases

DebtWise

Subscriptions3
  • DebtWise Pro$2.497 Days
  • DebtWise Pro$5.991 Month
  • DebtWise Pro$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • DebtWise Pro$19.99
2 purchases

Payfin

Subscriptions2
  • Payfin Weekly Premium Subscription3 Days trial$4.997 Days
  • Payfin Yearly Premium Subscription$29.991 Year

Questions

Is DebtWise free?
DebtWise is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Payfin free?
Payfin is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do DebtWise or Payfin have ads?
Neither DebtWise nor Payfin shows ads.
Which is updated more often, DebtWise or Payfin?
DebtWise ships an update every 6 weeks, and Payfin every 3 weeks. Most recently, DebtWise was updated on October 16, 2026 and Payfin on October 9, 2026.

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