Software · head to head
Banktivity vs Money Manager
The short version
- Only Money Manager has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Banktivity runs on macOS, iPhone and iPad only, with no Windows, Android or web version; Money Manager databases created by version 1.4.x are not readable by current releases and produce the error MMEX database version 13 doesn't work with this MMEX version, requiring a manual conversion procedure
- They diverge on capability: Banktivity covers Account tracking, Money Manager covers Expense tracking.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Banktivity and Money Manager actually diverge.
| Attribute | Banktivity | Money Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | open-source |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Mac, IOS | Windows, Mac, Linux, IOS, Android |
| Founded | 2007 | 2005 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Banktivity
- Account tracking
- Bill management
- Investment tracking
- Budget forecasting
- Bank accounts
- Investment accounts
Only in Money Manager
- Expense tracking
- Budget tracking
- Reporting
- Multi-currency support
- Import/Export
- CSV
- Windows support
- Linux support
Both cover
- Mac support
- IOS support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Banktivity
- Personal budgeting and money management on a Macnot Money Manager
- Investment and net worth trackingnot Money Manager
- Retirement planning projectionsnot Money Manager
- Connecting to over 14,000 financial institutionsnot Money Manager
Money Manager
- Free desktop personal finance tracking on Windows, macOS and Linuxnot Banktivity
- Running a portable personal accounts file from removable media on Windowsnot Banktivity
- Categorising spending and reporting on personal accounts without a subscriptionnot Banktivity
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Banktivity
- Runs on macOS, iPhone and iPad only, with no Windows, Android or web version
- Pricing is not shown on the product page and sits behind a separate plans page
Money Manager
- Databases created by version 1.4.x are not readable by current releases and produce the error MMEX database version 13 doesn't work with this MMEX version, requiring a manual conversion procedure
- Linux is supported only through Flatpak builds for aarch64 and x86_64
- The download page states no system requirements, deferring them to a separate compatibility page
- There is no vendor support contract; the project is distributed as open source with no paid tier
Pricing, plan by plan
Banktivity
On request- Monthly$4.99/month
- Full feature access
- Cloud sync
- Annual$39.99/month
- All monthly features
- Discounted rate
Money Manager
Free- Open SourceFree
- Expense tracking
- Budget management
- Reports
Which should you pick?
Choose Banktivity if
- You need account tracking.
- You work on Mac, IOS.
- You also want bill management.
Choose Money Manager if
- You need expense tracking.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, Mac, Linux, IOS, Android.
- You also want budget tracking.
Questions people ask
- Is Banktivity or Money Manager better?
- Neither clearly leads. Banktivity starts at On request and Money Manager at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Banktivity or Money Manager?
- Money Manager has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Banktivity and Free for Money Manager.
- Does Banktivity or Money Manager run on more platforms?
- Banktivity runs on Mac, IOS. Money Manager runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, IOS, Android.
- Can I use Money Manager for free?
- Yes. Money Manager has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Banktivity starts at On request.
- What is Banktivity best used for?
- Banktivity is most often used for personal budgeting and money management on a mac, investment and net worth tracking, retirement planning projections, connecting to over 14,000 financial institutions. Of those, personal budgeting and money management on a mac and investment and net worth tracking are not what Money Manager is typically brought in for.
- What can Banktivity do that Money Manager cannot?
- Banktivity covers Account tracking, Bill management, Investment tracking, Budget forecasting. Money Manager covers Expense tracking, Budget tracking, Reporting, Multi-currency support. Both handle Mac support, IOS support.
Related pages
More on Money Manager
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