Personal Finance · head to head
EveryDollar vs Apple Pay
The short version
- Each has a real cost: EveryDollar the free version has no bank connection, so every transaction is entered by hand; Apple Pay apple Pay works only in countries and regions that support contactless payments and is not available in all markets
- They diverge on capability: EveryDollar covers Zero-based budgeting, Apple Pay covers Digital wallet.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which EveryDollar and Apple Pay actually diverge.
| Attribute | EveryDollar | Apple Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | freemium | free |
| Platforms | Web, IOS, Android | IOS, WatchOS, MacOS |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Personal Finance), founded (2014).
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 EveryDollar
- Zero-based budgeting
- Transaction tracking
- Budget planning
- Financial insights
- Web support
- Android support
Only in Apple Pay
- Digital wallet
- Secure payments
- Contactless transactions
- P2P money transfers
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
- WatchOS support
- MacOS support
Both cover
- Bank accounts
- IOS support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
EveryDollar
- Zero based monthly budgeting using the Ramsey methodnot Apple Pay
- Tracking bills and sinking funds by categorynot Apple Pay
- Automatically importing bank transactions into a budget on Premiumnot Apple Pay
Apple Pay
- Contactless in store payment from iPhone and Apple Watchnot EveryDollar
- Paying in apps and on the web without entering card detailsnot EveryDollar
- Sending money between Apple users with Apple Cash and Tap to Cashnot EveryDollar
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
EveryDollar
- The free version has no bank connection, so every transaction is entered by hand
- CSV export of budget data is Premium only
- Spending reports and historical comparisons are Premium only
- Premium costs $17.99 per month billed monthly, and the $6.67 headline rate requires paying $79.99 for a year up front
- The free trial lasts 14 days and is limited to new users
Apple Pay
- Apple Pay works only in countries and regions that support contactless payments and is not available in all markets
- Apple Cash is available only in the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico
- Apple Cash Family accounts and Tap to Cash transactions are each capped at 2000 USD within a rolling seven day period
- Mac support requires a Touch ID equipped model
- A card works only if the issuing bank supports Apple Pay, and banks may charge their own overseas usage fees
Pricing, plan by plan
EveryDollar
Free- FreeFree
- Manual budget entry
- Plus$14.99/month
- Bank sync
- Mobile app
- Transaction tracking
Apple Pay
Free- FreeFree
- Secure payments
- P2P transfers
- Transit passes
Which should you pick?
Choose EveryDollar if
- You need zero-based budgeting.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android.
- You also want transaction tracking.
Choose Apple Pay if
- You need digital wallet.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on IOS, WatchOS, MacOS.
- You also want secure payments.
Questions people ask
- Is EveryDollar or Apple Pay better?
- Neither clearly leads. EveryDollar starts at Free and Apple Pay at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, EveryDollar or Apple Pay?
- EveryDollar starts at Free and Apple Pay at Free.
- Does EveryDollar or Apple Pay run on more platforms?
- EveryDollar runs on Web, IOS, Android. Apple Pay runs on IOS, WatchOS, MacOS.
- Can I use EveryDollar for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is EveryDollar best used for?
- EveryDollar is most often used for zero based monthly budgeting using the ramsey method, tracking bills and sinking funds by category, automatically importing bank transactions into a budget on premium. Of those, zero based monthly budgeting using the ramsey method and tracking bills and sinking funds by category are not what Apple Pay is typically brought in for.
- What can EveryDollar do that Apple Pay cannot?
- EveryDollar covers Zero-based budgeting, Transaction tracking, Budget planning, Financial insights. Apple Pay covers Digital wallet, Secure payments, Contactless transactions, P2P money transfers. Both handle Bank accounts, IOS support.