Personal Finance · head to head
EveryDollar vs Betterment
The short version
- Only EveryDollar has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: EveryDollar the free version has no bank connection, so every transaction is entered by hand; Betterment digital automated investing charges $5 per month fee for accounts under $24,000 balance
- They diverge on capability: EveryDollar covers Zero-based budgeting, Betterment covers Automated investing.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which EveryDollar and Betterment actually diverge.
| Attribute | EveryDollar | Betterment |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $5/month |
| Pricing model | freemium | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Founded | 2014 | 2008 |
Identical on both: platforms (Web, IOS, Android), 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 EveryDollar
- Zero-based budgeting
- Transaction tracking
- Budget planning
- Financial insights
Only in Betterment
- Automated investing
- Retirement planning
- Financial advisory
- Goal tracking
- Investment accounts
Both cover
- Bank accounts
- Web support
- IOS support
- Android 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 Betterment
- Tracking bills and sinking funds by categorynot Betterment
- Automatically importing bank transactions into a budget on Premiumnot Betterment
Betterment
- Small investors starting with automated investing at no minimum balancenot EveryDollar
- Fee-only digital wealth management for accounts under $24,000 via $5/month flat feenot EveryDollar
- Premium advisory access for high-net-worth individuals with $100,000+ balancenot 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
Betterment
- Digital automated investing charges $5 per month fee for accounts under $24,000 balance
- Premium advisory service requires minimum balance of $100,000 in eligible investments
- Foreign transaction fees apply to checking account (though reimbursed after the fact)
- High-balance fee discounts only available above $1,000,000 account balance
Pricing, plan by plan
EveryDollar
Free- FreeFree
- Manual budget entry
- Plus$14.99/month
- Bank sync
- Mobile app
- Transaction tracking
Betterment
$5/monthNo published plan breakdown. See the Betterment review.
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 Betterment if
- You need automated investing.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want retirement planning.
Questions people ask
- Is EveryDollar or Betterment better?
- Neither clearly leads. EveryDollar starts at Free and Betterment at $5/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, EveryDollar or Betterment?
- EveryDollar has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for EveryDollar and $5/month for Betterment.
- Does EveryDollar or Betterment run on more platforms?
- EveryDollar runs on Web, IOS, Android. Betterment runs on Web, iOS, Android.
- Can I use EveryDollar for free?
- Yes. EveryDollar has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Betterment starts at $5/month.
- 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 Betterment is typically brought in for.
- What can EveryDollar do that Betterment cannot?
- EveryDollar covers Zero-based budgeting, Transaction tracking, Budget planning, Financial insights. Betterment covers Automated investing, Retirement planning, Financial advisory, Goal tracking. Both handle Bank accounts, Web support, IOS support, Android support.