Comparison

Kakeibo vs Stow

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

Head to head
About

Kakeibo

This app helps you cultivate mindful spending habits through a Japanese budgeting philosophy. It encourages intentional purchasing by requiring manual expense logging and reflection, promoting savings goals and conscious financial decisions.

Highlights
  • Mindful spending philosophy
  • Manual expense logging
  • Four spending categories
  • Offline functionality
  • Minimalist Japanese aesthetic
  • Monthly reflection prompts
Features
Read full description

Save first. Live on the rest. Kakeibo is the Japanese art of mindful spending, created in 1904 by journalist Hani Motoko. Unlike modern budget apps that sync your bank and automate everything, Kakeibo asks you to slow down, write it down, and reflect. WHY KAKEIBO WORKS The secret is friction. When you manually record each expense, you build awareness. When you ask yourself "Do I truly need this?" before every purchase, impulse spending drops. The Kakeibo method is designed to help you spend more intentionally and build a steadier saving habit. THE FOUR PILLARS Every expense falls into one of four categories: - Needs (necessities you cannot avoid) - Wants (things you enjoy but can live without) - Culture (education, books, experiences) - Unexpected (repairs, medical, surprises) This simplicity is intentional. No 47 sub-categories. No decision fatigue. Just four honest buckets that reveal where your money really goes. HOW IT WORKS 1. Set your monthly income 2. Decide your savings goal FIRST 3. Budget what remains across the four pillars 4. Record every expense mindfully 5. Reflect at month's end: What went well? What can improve? WHAT MAKES THIS APP DIFFERENT - No bank linking, no cloud servers — your data stays on YOUR device - Designed for the Kakeibo philosophy, not generic expense tracking - Monthly reflection prompts based on the original Japanese method - Beautiful, minimal interface inspired by Japanese aesthetics - Works completely offline - Widget support to keep your budget visible KAKEIBO PRO Unlock personal coaching insights, spending trends, recurring-expense detection, the large Home Screen widget, and CSV import with Kakeibo Pro. - Monthly and yearly plans. Eligible new subscribers can start with a free trial. Prices are shown in the app and on the App Store. Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at the confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless it is canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage and cancel your subscriptions by going to your account settings on the App Store after purchase. Whether you follow Dave Ramsey's envelope method, practice zero-based budgeting, or simply want to spend more intentionally — Kakeibo gives you the mindful framework to save first and live better. 「千里の道も一歩から」 A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Privacy Policy: https://batuhangoktepe.github.io/kakeibo/privacy.html Terms of Use: https://batuhangoktepe.github.io/kakeibo/terms.html

About

Stow

This privacy-focused app helps you manage your money using the envelope budgeting method. Easily divide your income into virtual envelopes, track spending in real-time, and always know your available balance. It operates entirely offline, keeping your financial data secure on your device.

Highlights
  • Envelope budgeting
  • Offline operation
  • Privacy-focused
  • Quick transaction logging
  • Customizable envelopes
  • Multi-currency support
Features
Read full description

Take control of every dollar — before it disappears. Stow is a privacy-first envelope budgeting app for iPhone. Divide your paycheck into envelopes, log spending in seconds, and always know exactly what's left. No bank connections. No account to create. No ads. No tracking. Your budget lives on your iPhone, where it belongs. WHY ENVELOPE BUDGETING WORKS The envelope method is nearly a century old, and it still works because it's simple: you decide what each dollar is for, and you stop when the envelope is empty. Groceries, rent, coffee, savings — whatever matters to you. Stow takes that system and makes it fit the way you actually live: in your pocket, at the register, five seconds at a time. WHAT YOU CAN DO ON THE FREE TIER - Create up to 5 envelopes with custom icons and colors - Log unlimited transactions, in seconds, with a large number pad - Choose a monthly budget period that matches how you get paid - Automatic period rollover so you start fresh every month - Full spending history for your current and previous period - Multi-currency support — auto-detected from your region - Dark mode, Dynamic Type, and full VoiceOver support - Works 100% offline — no internet required, ever STOW PREMIUM (optional) Upgrade when you're ready for more power: - Unlimited envelopes - Weekly and biweekly budget periods for paycheck-to-paycheck budgeting - Full transaction history across every past period - Spending reports, trends, and charts - CSV and PDF export for spreadsheets or tax season - Additional budget templates to jumpstart setup - Custom themes and icon packs BUILT FOR REAL PEOPLE, REAL MONEY Whether you're living paycheck to paycheck, saving for a house, paying down a credit card, or just tired of hitting Friday and wondering where it all went — Stow is the shortest path to a working budget. Log your morning coffee in two taps. See your grocery budget at a glance. Know before you swipe. PRIVACY IS NOT A FEATURE — IT'S THE FOUNDATION Most budgeting apps monetize your financial data, sell it to aggregators, or use it to train ads. Stow can't, because your data never leaves your device. There is no server. There is no analytics pipeline. We never see a cent of your spending — and we never will. The only thing that touches our systems is your App Store purchase, handled through Apple's payment infrastructure and our subscription provider (RevenueCat). Budget data stays on-device. ACCESSIBILITY Stow is designed from the ground up for everyone. Every screen supports VoiceOver, scales with Dynamic Type, works in light and dark mode, and meets WCAG AA contrast. Color is never the only way something is communicated. QUESTIONS OR FEEDBACK? Email stow.contactus@gmail.com — a real human reads every message. Privacy policy: https://maxk-37.github.io/stow-legal/#privacy Terms of service: https://maxk-37.github.io/stow-legal/#terms Stow is an independent app, built by a small team who believe personal finance software shouldn't require handing over your bank login.

Screenshots

Kakeibo4 screens
Stow4 screens

Verdict

The call

Kakeibo and Stow are too close to call on the numbers: across 7 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. Kakeibo sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Stow sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Kakeibo ships an update weekly, Stow every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Kakeibo versus Stow: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKakeiboStow
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFreemium
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.617.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size14 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHALIL GOKTEPEMax Koumarelas

Customer experience

Kakeibo

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Stow

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Kakeibo

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Premium3 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$29.991 Year
3 purchases

Stow

Subscriptions2
  • Stow Premium — Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Stow Premium — Annual7 Days trial$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • Stow Premium — Lifetime$59.99

Questions

Is Kakeibo free?
Kakeibo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Stow free?
Stow is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Kakeibo or Stow have ads?
Neither Kakeibo nor Stow shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Kakeibo or Stow?
Kakeibo ships an update weekly, and Stow every 4 days. Most recently, Kakeibo was updated on November 9, 2026 and Stow on October 31, 2026.

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