Quicken Alternatives 2024 | TIME Stamped

Quicken is a personal finance tracking software that was first released in 1984. It remains a recognized name as an option to track your money. However, it’s not right for everyone. Unlike some competitors, Quicken must be installed on your personal computer and doesn’t run through your web browser. Here’s a closer look at top Quicken alternatives if you’re shopping for another option.

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Our recommendations for Quicken alternatives

1. YNAB

Short for “you need a budget,” YNAB is a budgeting-focused personal finance app designed for those who want to track their income and spending closely. YNAB is a zero-based budgeting platform, meaning you give every dollar a job, whether that’s monthly household expenses, debt payoff, savings, or investments.

After a 34-day free trial, YNAB costs $14.99 per month or $99 per year (which comes out to $8.25 per month). It’s primarily a web-based application, best for laptop and desktop computers. There’s also a helpful mobile app for Android and iOS to manage your finances on the go.

2. Empower

Empower is a personal finance tracking app that’s primarily focused on investments. While helpful budgeting features are available, the most powerful features are related to tracking your investments. Various views help you break down your investments to better understand your asset allocation, fees, portfolio risk, retirement-planning status, and more.

The Empower personal finance dashboard is free to use. The company also offers investment-management services for a fee, but you don’t have to utilize the paid investment service to sign up for the free budgeting and money-tracking tools. And with a price you can’t beat, it’s certainly worth considering.

3. Simplifi

Simplifi is a Quicken alternative made by the same company as Quicken. It’s a relatively low-cost option at $3.99 per month (billed annually). As the name suggests, it’s a simpler personal finance app focused on tracking your spending and financial account balances.

It’s not as robust as Quicken, but Simplifi includes everything most people need to understand their spending and financial position. It’s helpful and intuitive, so people new to budgeting or just wanting the basics may feel more comfortable with Simplifi than with more-complicated competitors.

4. Monarch Money

Monarch Money is a comprehensive personal finance app that handles budgeting, investments, and financial goal tracking, and includes helpful reports to understand your money. The combination of features makes it an excellent Quicken alternative if you’re looking for similar features. It’s also a top replacement for Mint.com, which closed up shop at the end of 2023.

You can use the app individually or invite a household member to share your account. It’s not the cheapest option at $14.99 per month or $99.99 per year ($8.33 per month), but it packs in a ton of valuable features, so the price tag may be worthwhile for households looking to wrangle all of their financial data in a single dashboard.

5. Rocket Money

Rocket Money is a personal finance app with free and premium editions. The free version includes basic features to track your financial accounts and spending, while the paid version includes more-advanced net worth tracking and budgeting features.

Rocket Money stands out for its subscription management features with a premium membership; You can ask it to cancel subscriptions on your behalf. You can also have Rocket Money negotiate lower bills, such as cellphone and cable bills, and ask for overdraft and late fee refunds as well as more-affordable car insurance. With a free version available, it’s worth checking out for basic account tracking features.

Is Quicken being discontinued?

No. It was sold by Intuit in 2016 to H.I.G. Capital, which sold it in 2021 to Aquiline Capital Partners. As of 2024 Quicken remains available.

Why consider a Quicken alternative?

Quicken’s desktop-based system can feel archaic in our increasingly cloud-centric world. Many Quicken alternatives offer cloud-based solutions, providing the flexibility to manage finances from anywhere, anytime, across multiple devices. While Quicken can connect to the cloud to power its mobile app, it remains primarily a desktop software.

What is the best free alternative to Quicken?

Empower’s financial dashboard is the best free alternative to Quicken. While the budgeting features are not quite as robust, the app will track your money and excels at helping you understand your investments.

Which Quicken alternatives work on Mac?

All Quicken alternatives discussed above are web-based, meaning they work on any computer. You can log into any of these apps using your web browser. You can use them on a Mac with the default Safari browser or another browser, such as Chrome or Arc.

What is the best option to migrate Quicken data to a new app?

Monarch Money and YNAB both allow you to import Quicken data in CSV format.

What is the best Quicken replacement for calendar budgeting?

Monarch Money has a helpful calendar view for recurring income and expenses. With a focus on subscriptions, Rocket Money also offers strong forward-looking features.

Which Quicken alternatives allow you to schedule bill payments?

These Quicken alternatives all have features to help you track your budget and can assist you in planning for upcoming bill payments. However, you can’t pay the bills directly from the apps. Instead, you must log in to your bank account and use your bank’s online bill pay system in addition to the budgeting app of your choice.

What are the best non-cloud-based Quicken alternatives?

Several companies offer budgeting apps that don’t connect to the cloud. Options include Moneydance and GnuCash. Moneydance is a paid app that costs $65 one time for the basic version or $9 per month or $90 per year for a subscription to Moneydance Plus. GnuCash is a free open-source budgeting and accounting software solution.

TIME Stamp: Other budgeting software may be better or cheaper for some users

While Quicken remains a viable and reasonable choice for many households, especially those accustomed to its interface and features, it’s worth exploring alternatives. Those listed above cater to various preferences and needs, offering potentially more-useful or more-affordable options.

Ultimately, the best budgeting app is the one you will consistently use. The key to successful financial management lies in regular tracking and analysis of your finances. Each app offers its own combination of features, and finding the one that resonates with your personal or business finance needs is critical for your long-term financial health.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

What happened to Quicken Online?

Quicken Online was absorbed into the main Quicken product. There’s no longer a standalone Quicken Online product. It was discontinued in 2010 and absorbed into Mint.com, which Quicken also discontinued, in 2023.

Is Quicken subscription only?

Quicken is currently offered as a subscription-only product starting at $10.99 per month.

Is Quicken Classic available without a subscription?

Quicken Classic has no option to buy it with a single payment and then use it forever. You must subscribe.