Comparison

Truly Simple Envelopes vs Spending

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

Head to head
About

Truly Simple Envelopes

Read full description

Managing money is stressful, and modern budgeting apps usually make it worse. They connect to your bank, download hundreds of transactions you don't recognize, bombard you with confusing pie charts, and charge you a hefty monthly subscription for the privilege. Truly Simple Envelopes is the opposite. It’s a digital version of the classic "cash stuffing" envelope method, built to be visually calm, completely manual, and intentionally friction-free. It never links to your bank accounts or automatically pulls in data. Instead, it asks you to mindfully put money into digital envelopes, and manually subtract it when you spend. By stripping away the bloat and focusing entirely on how much money you have left for different priorities, it brings peace of mind back to your finances while helping you develop healthy and sustainable financial habits. The core app, including iCloud syncing between your devices, is entirely free. If you find it useful, a one-time, lifetime $4.99 fee unlocks unlimited envelopes. Features: • The Main Wallet: A central holding bucket for all unallocated income. Add your paycheck here, then distribute the cash to your categories. • Custom Envelopes: Create dedicated folders for Groceries, Rent, Vacation, etc. Customize them with tactile, earthy colors and native Apple icons. • iCloud Sync: Built natively for Apple devices. Your balances and transactions sync instantly and privately across your Mac, iPhone, and iPad. • Accessible: Designed strictly to WCAG AA accessibility standards. Enjoy high-contrast text, large touch targets, and full support for Apple's Dynamic Type text scaling. • Complete Control: Swipe to delete a mistaken transaction, use the built-in Reconcile tool to clean up duplicate sync records, or hit the "Reset App Data" button to completely wipe your slate clean at any time. • Proudly Subscription-Free: We hate recurring billing as much as you do. Stick with the free version, or pay once and use the software forever. No ads, no trackers, no hidden fees.

About

Spending

Features
Read full description

Spending – Simple Personal Finance Keep your everyday finances organized with Spending. Easily record your expenses and income, keep important money notes, and manage debts—all in one simple and intuitive app. - Track Your Expenses Quickly add your daily expenses and organize your spending so you always know where your money goes. - Record Your Income Keep track of your salary, payments, and other sources of income to get a clearer view of your finances. - Manage Your Debts Keep a simple record of money you owe or money owed to you. Track debt details and stay on top of your payments. - Save Important Notes Add personal notes about your finances, purchases, payments, or anything you want to remember. - Simple & Easy to Use Spending is designed to make personal finance management simple, fast, and convenient. No complicated tools—just the features you need to stay organized. Start tracking your money today with **Spending** and build better financial habits. https://sites.google.com/view/spendingappstore/terms-of-use-eula

Screenshots

Truly Simple Envelopes3 screens
Spending4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Spending at 15.6 against Truly Simple Envelopes's 17.0. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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. Truly Simple Envelopes sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Spending sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scorecard1 real difference · 5 level
Truly Simple Envelopes versus Spending: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTruly Simple EnvelopesSpending
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS17.015.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB54 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperColin WrightKhaled Benamor

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Truly Simple Envelopes

One-time1
  • Unlock Pro$4.99
3 purchases

Spending

Subscriptions2
  • 1 Month PRO$6.991 Month
  • 1 Year PRO3 Days trial$34.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Offer$49.99

Questions

Is Truly Simple Envelopes free?
Truly Simple Envelopes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Spending free?
Spending is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Truly Simple Envelopes or Spending have ads?
Neither Truly Simple Envelopes nor Spending shows ads.

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