# PocketGuard vs Surplus

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Surplus at 83% against PocketGuard's 39%. Surplus also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). PocketGuard's advantage is ratings volume (7.7K vs 28) and chart position (#63 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PocketGuard sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and Surplus sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Surplus holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PocketGuard has 7.7K ratings behind it against 28, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 39% of PocketGuard's written reviews are positive against 83% of Surplus's.

PocketGuard ships an update every 3 weeks, Surplus monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PocketGuard | Surplus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (7.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocketguard-budget-app/id949414211/reviews) | **[4.8 (28 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surplus-expense-tracker/id1578612881/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **7.7K** | 28 |
| Positive reviews | 38.5% of reviews | **83.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#63** | — |
| Size | 167 MB | 67 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PocketGuard, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1435880178) | [Dev Harvest LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1526293285) |

## What reviewers say

### PocketGuard

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

**Currently charting:** #63 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 (8)**

| 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 |
| Monthly subscription | $7.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscriptions | $12.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $12.99 | per month |
| PocketGuard Plus | $34.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $74.99 | per year |

**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


### Surplus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surplus-expense-tracker/id1578612881)

This app helps you manage your monthly finances by tracking income, expenses, and upcoming payments. It provides insights into your spending habits, categorizes transactions, and offers customizable reports. Sync your accounts automatically or manually for a clear overview of your leftover spend.

**Highlights:** Monthly income and expense tracking, Categorization of spending, Customizable reports with CSV export, Transaction grouping, Home and lock screen widgets, Automation via Shortcuts app

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Surplus Pro Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Surplus Pro Yearly | $14.49 | per year |
| Surplus Pro Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Surplus Pro Lifetime | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PocketGuard free?

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

### Is Surplus free?

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

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

Surplus is rated higher. PocketGuard averages 4.6 out of 5 from 7.7K ratings, while Surplus averages 4.8 from 28 ratings.

### Do PocketGuard or Surplus have ads?

PocketGuard shows ads; Surplus does not.

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

PocketGuard ships an update every 3 weeks, and Surplus monthly. Most recently, PocketGuard was updated on November 1, 2026 and Surplus on November 3, 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.*