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Personal Finance · head to head

Banktivity vs Vanguard

Banktivity logo

Banktivity

Personal Finance

Personal finance for Mac and iOS

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Vanguard logo

Vanguard

Personal Finance

Investing for your future

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Banktivity runs on macOS, iPhone and iPad only, with no Windows, Android or web version; Vanguard a 25 USD annual account service fee applies unless the account uses e-delivery, is a Cash Plus Account, is enrolled in an advisory service, or holds 1 million USD or more in qualifying assets
  • They diverge on capability: Banktivity covers Account tracking, Vanguard covers Low-cost index funds.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Banktivity and Vanguard actually diverge.

Attributes where Banktivity and Vanguard differ
AttributeBanktivityVanguard
Pricing modelsubscriptiontransaction
PlatformsMac, IOSWeb, IOS, Android
Founded20071975

Identical on both: starting price (On request), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Personal Finance).

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
  • Mac support

Only in Vanguard

  • Low-cost index funds
  • Commission-free trading
  • Retirement accounts
  • Financial advisors
  • Web support
  • Android support

Both cover

  • Bank accounts
  • Investment accounts
  • 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 Vanguard
  • Investment and net worth trackingnot Vanguard
  • Retirement planning projectionsnot Vanguard
  • Connecting to over 14,000 financial institutionsnot Vanguard

Vanguard

  • Holding low cost index mutual funds and ETFs for long term investingnot Banktivity
  • Running IRAs and taxable brokerage accountsnot Banktivity
  • Employer retirement plan participationnot 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

Vanguard

  • A 25 USD annual account service fee applies unless the account uses e-delivery, is a Cash Plus Account, is enrolled in an advisory service, or holds 1 million USD or more in qualifying assets
  • Broker assisted trades cost 25 USD each, waived only at 1 million USD in qualifying assets or with an advisory service
  • Options trades carry a 1 USD per contract fee on top of zero commission
  • Transaction fee mutual funds cost 20 USD per online trade below 1 million USD in qualifying assets, falling to 8 USD only at higher tiers
  • Outgoing wire transfers cost 10 USD unless the account is a retirement account or holds 1 million USD or more
  • Commission levels are tied to a Qualifying Assets balance, so the cheapest rates require 1 million USD or more

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

Vanguard

On request
  • Self-Directed Investor$undefined/month
    • Low-cost index funds
    • Commission-free trading
  • Advisory Services$undefined/month
    • All Self-Directed features
    • Financial advisors

Which should you pick?

Choose Banktivity if

  • You need account tracking.
  • You work on Mac, IOS.
  • You also want bill management.
Banktivity review

Choose Vanguard if

  • You need low-cost index funds.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want commission-free trading.
Vanguard review

Questions people ask

Is Banktivity or Vanguard better?
Neither clearly leads. Banktivity starts at On request and Vanguard at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Banktivity or Vanguard?
Banktivity starts at On request and Vanguard at On request.
Does Banktivity or Vanguard run on more platforms?
Banktivity runs on Mac, IOS. Vanguard runs on Web, IOS, Android.
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 Vanguard is typically brought in for.
What can Banktivity do that Vanguard cannot?
Banktivity covers Account tracking, Bill management, Investment tracking, Budget forecasting. Vanguard covers Low-cost index funds, Commission-free trading, Retirement accounts, Financial advisors. Both handle Bank accounts, Investment accounts, IOS support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Banktivity: Does Banktivity offer a free trial?

Yes. Banktivity offers a 30-day free trial at any subscription level with no credit card required. This allows you to test the platform before committing.

Source
Vanguard: How much are Vanguard's expense ratios?

Vanguard's average ETF and mutual fund expense ratio is 0.07%, compared to the industry average of 0.44%, representing significantly lower fees.

Source
Banktivity: What devices does Banktivity support?

Banktivity is available on Mac, iPhone, and iPad with cross-device sync. Data is encrypted end-to-end across all devices.

Source
Vanguard: Does Vanguard offer advisory services?

Yes. Vanguard Advisers, Inc. provides retail direct investment advisory strategies, though specific advisory costs are not disclosed on the public pages and require direct inquiry.

Source
Banktivity: How many banks does Banktivity connect to?

Banktivity connects to 14,000+ banks, allowing direct connections to most major financial institutions.

Source
Banktivity: What financial planning tools does Banktivity include?

Banktivity includes budgeting, financial reporting, investment portfolio tracking, retirement planning tools, and net worth tracking across all your accounts.

Source
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