# PocketGuard vs Budgets

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Budgets at 100% against PocketGuard's 39%. Budgets also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). PocketGuard's advantage is ratings volume (7.7K vs 3) and rating (4.6 vs 4.3). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PocketGuard sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and Budgets sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PocketGuard holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PocketGuard has 7.7K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 39% of PocketGuard's written reviews are positive against 100% of Budgets's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

PocketGuard ships an update every 3 weeks, Budgets every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PocketGuard | Budgets |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (7.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocketguard-budget-app/id949414211/reviews)** | [4.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/budgets-expense-tracker/id1118397541/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **7.7K** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 38.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#57** | — |
| Size | 164 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PocketGuard, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1435880178) | [MoneyBudgie](https://appshunter.io/developer/354069981) |

## What reviewers say

### PocketGuard

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocketguard-budget-app/id949414211)

**Currently charting:** #57 Top Grossing · Finance (US App Store)

This app simplifies personal finance by automatically tracking expenses and bills. It helps you understand your disposable income, analyze spending habits, and manage subscriptions to save money. Set financial goals and create debt-payoff plans with smart algorithms.

**Highlights:** Automatic expense tracking, Bill and subscription monitoring, Disposable income calculation, Spending habit analysis, Financial goal setting, Debt-payoff plan creation

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly offer with 7 day trial | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| PocketGuard Plus | $4.99 | per month |
| Monthly subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| PocketGuard Plus | $7.99 | per month |
| Monthly subscription | $7.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscriptions | $12.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $12.99 | per month |
| PocketGuard Plus | $24.99 | per year |
| PocketGuard Plus | $34.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $74.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Membership | $79.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient app that helps track spending
- 👍 Customizable budgeting categories
- 🚀 Real-time transaction updates
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 🚀 Helpful for getting finances under control

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Recurring issues with bank account syncing
- 🔒 Security concerns with 2FA/MFA requirements
- 🚫 Lack of support for certain banks/credit cards
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🐛 Buggy app performance and frequent crashes

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent transaction syncing and labeling
- Inability to delete or manage connected accounts
- Budgeting data disappearing or not updating properly

**Requested features**

- Ability to carry over unspent budget to next month
- More advanced reporting and analytics
- Light/dark mode theme options
- Improved transaction categorization and learning
- Support for multiple users/family budgeting


### Budgets

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/budgets-expense-tracker/id1118397541)

Track your spending against custom budgets to avoid overspending. See how much money you have left to spend with visual displays and review your purchase history. This app helps you regain control of your finances.

**Highlights:** Create custom budgets (monthly, weekly, etc.), Log purchases against budgets, View remaining budget amounts visually, Track spending history, Secure passcode protection

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Descriptions with Purchases | $0.99 | one-time |
| Carry Over Under & Over Spend to next Period | $0.99 | one-time |
| No Ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| Transaction CSV Export, Multi-Delete & Filter | $1.99 | one-time |
| App Customisation using Themes | $1.99 | one-time |
| PRO - All Features | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PocketGuard free?

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

### Is Budgets free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PocketGuard or Budgets?

PocketGuard is rated higher. PocketGuard averages 4.6 out of 5 from 7.7K ratings, while Budgets averages 4.3 from 3 ratings.

### Do PocketGuard or Budgets have ads?

Both PocketGuard and Budgets show ads.

### Which is updated more often, PocketGuard or Budgets?

PocketGuard ships an update every 3 weeks, and Budgets every 6 weeks. Most recently, PocketGuard was updated on October 26, 2026 and Budgets on October 24, 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.*