# Buddy vs Sankey App

The clearest difference is price: Buddy at Free against Sankey App's $4.99. Buddy also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 2 months) and chart position (#73 vs unranked). Sankey App's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 18.0). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Buddy is free to download; Sankey App costs $4.99 up front. Buddy sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Sankey App sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Buddy ships an update every 9 days, Sankey App every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Buddy | Sankey App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $4.99 |
| Rating | **[4.7 (9.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buddy-budget-planner-app/id936422955/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **9.6K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 48.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#73** | — |
| Size | 169 MB | 75 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Buddy Budgeting AB](https://appshunter.io/developer/936422954) | [Lukas Klein](https://appshunter.io/developer/1716534841) |

## What reviewers say

### Buddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buddy-budget-planner-app/id936422955)

**Currently charting:** #73 Top Grossing · Finance (US App Store)

This app helps you create and manage personal or shared budgets. Track expenses, connect your bank account for automatic transaction import, and gain a clear overview of your spending, income, and savings. It also features tools to split costs and settle up with others.

**Highlights:** Create personal budgets, Shared budgeting for couples/groups, Connect bank accounts for transaction import, Detailed spending and income overview, Expense splitting and settlement tracking

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Buddy Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| Buddy Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| Premium | $9.99 | per month |
| Buddy Premium | $9.99 | per month |
| Buddy Premium | $16.99 | per year |
| Buddy Premium | $24.99 | per year |
| Buddy Premium | $34.99 | per year |
| Buddy Premium | $34.99 | per year |
| Buddy Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| Buddy Premium | $49.99 | per year |
| Unlimited | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Visually appealing
- 💡 Customizable categories
- 🚀 Intuitive interface
- 👍 Helps with budgeting

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Recurring transactions not working properly
- 🐛 Balance not carrying over to next month
- 🐛 Syncing issues between devices
- 🐛 Transactions disappearing or resetting
- 💸 Expensive subscription

**Reported bugs**

- Recurring transactions not working as expected
- Balance not carrying over to next month
- Syncing issues between devices
- Transactions disappearing or resetting
- Inability to edit categories without creating new ones

**Requested features**

- Calendar view for transactions
- Bill reminders and due date tracking
- Ability to hide/exclude certain transactions
- Savings/investment tracking
- Multi-currency support


### Sankey App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sankey-app/id6444832016)

Visualize your income and expenses with clear charts. Easily categorize transactions and manage your finances to stay informed about your spending habits and avoid missed payments.

**Highlights:** Income and expense visualization, Clear charts and diagrams, Intuitive user interface, Quick category assignment, Financial management, Payment tracking

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sankey Pro | Free | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Buddy free?

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

### Is Sankey App free?

Sankey App costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Do Buddy or Sankey App have ads?

Neither Buddy nor Sankey App shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Buddy or Sankey App?

Buddy ships an update every 9 days, and Sankey App every 2 months. Most recently, Buddy was updated on October 28, 2026 and Sankey App on October 27, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*