# Lode vs BudgetIQ

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Lode at 18.0 against BudgetIQ's 26.0. On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Lode sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and BudgetIQ sells 2 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 Lode against 5.0 for BudgetIQ. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 4 respectively.

Lode ships an update every 5 days, BudgetIQ every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lode | BudgetIQ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lode-ai-expense-tracker/id6760552716/reviews) | [5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/budgetiq-budget-tracker/id6789143554/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **8** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Freemium |
| Size | 112 MB | 56 MB |
| Requires iOS | **18.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kyrylo Svystun](https://appshunter.io/developer/1884937511) | [Karim Abdallah](https://appshunter.io/developer/1846410930) |

## What reviewers say

### Lode

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

This AI-powered finance app automatically logs your expenses from bank notifications and Apple Pay. It helps you manage budgets, track bills, and plan for trips without requiring bank logins. Your data is securely stored in your iCloud.

**Highlights:** Automatic expense logging from notifications, AI-powered transaction categorization, Budget and bill tracking, Trip budgeting and expense management, Receipt scanning and import, iCloud sync for iPhone and iPad

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, iPhone Duo support

**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 |


### BudgetIQ

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/budgetiq-budget-tracker/id6789143554)

This app simplifies financial management by helping you track income and expenses. Gain insights into your spending habits with beautiful charts and analytics to achieve your financial goals.

**Highlights:** Track income and expenses, Customizable spending categories, Weekly, monthly, and yearly financial insights, Spending trend analysis, Visual charts and graphs, Build spending streaks, Quick access widgets

**Features:** iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| BudgetIQ Pro | $2.99 | per month |
| BudgetIQ Pro Yearly | $24.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lode free?

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

### Is BudgetIQ free?

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

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

Lode and BudgetIQ are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 8 and 4 ratings respectively.

### Do Lode or BudgetIQ have ads?

Neither Lode nor BudgetIQ shows ads.

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

Lode ships an update every 5 days, and BudgetIQ every 4 days. Most recently, Lode was updated on November 5, 2026 and BudgetIQ on November 6, 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.*