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Personal Finance · head to head

GnuCash vs MoneyWiz

GnuCash logo

GnuCash

Personal Finance

Personal finance and accounting software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
M

MoneyWiz

Personal Finance

Simple and powerful personal finance app

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: GnuCash desktop only, with no mobile application; MoneyWiz there is no free tier; every plan requires a subscription
  • They diverge on capability: GnuCash covers Double-entry bookkeeping, MoneyWiz covers Expense tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GnuCash and MoneyWiz actually diverge.

Attributes where GnuCash and MoneyWiz differ
AttributeGnuCashMoneyWiz
Pricing modelopen-sourcefreemium
PlatformsWindows, Mac, LinuxWeb, IOS, Android
Founded19972011

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 GnuCash

  • Double-entry bookkeeping
  • Reports and graphs
  • Budget tracking
  • Import/Export
  • OFX format
  • Windows support
  • Mac support
  • Linux support

Only in MoneyWiz

  • Expense tracking
  • Budget management
  • Financial analytics
  • Bank accounts
  • Credit cards
  • Web support
  • IOS support
  • Android support

Both cover

  • Multi-currency support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

GnuCash

  • Personal finance tracking with a checkbook register interfacenot MoneyWiz
  • Double-entry bookkeeping for a small businessnot MoneyWiz
  • Tracking stocks, bonds and mutual fund accountsnot MoneyWiz
  • Importing transactions via QIF, OFX or HBCInot MoneyWiz
  • Scheduled recurring transactions and financial reportsnot MoneyWiz

MoneyWiz

  • Tracking personal accounts, budgets and bills across iOS, macOS, Windows and Androidnot GnuCash
  • Syncing one finance database across multiple devices through MoneyWiz Cloudnot GnuCash
  • Automatically importing transactions through bank syncnot GnuCash

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

GnuCash

  • Desktop only, with no mobile application
  • Version 3.11 is the last release supporting Windows 7 and macOS 10.12 and earlier
  • Uses strict double-entry accounting, so every transaction needs two sides

MoneyWiz

  • There is no free tier; every plan requires a subscription
  • Bank sync with over 40,000 banks is Premium only, at 59.99 USD a year or 5.99 USD a month
  • The Standard plan at 29.99 USD a year provides only cloud sync between devices, with no bank sync
  • Subscriptions cap usage at 15 devices and two MoneyWiz Cloud accounts
  • Priority support is restricted to the Premium tier

Pricing, plan by plan

GnuCash

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Double-entry bookkeeping
    • Multi-currency support
    • Reports and graphs

MoneyWiz

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Basic expense tracking
    • Multiple accounts
  • Premium$4.99/month
    • Advanced analytics
    • Budget forecasting
    • Custom categories

Which should you pick?

Choose GnuCash if

  • You need double-entry bookkeeping.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Mac, Linux.
  • You also want reports and graphs.
GnuCash review

Choose MoneyWiz if

  • You need expense tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want budget management.
MoneyWiz review

Questions people ask

Is GnuCash or MoneyWiz better?
Neither clearly leads. GnuCash starts at Free and MoneyWiz at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GnuCash or MoneyWiz?
GnuCash starts at Free and MoneyWiz at Free.
Does GnuCash or MoneyWiz run on more platforms?
GnuCash runs on Windows, Mac, Linux. MoneyWiz runs on Web, IOS, Android.
Can I use GnuCash for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is GnuCash best used for?
GnuCash is most often used for personal finance tracking with a checkbook register interface, double-entry bookkeeping for a small business, tracking stocks, bonds and mutual fund accounts, importing transactions via qif, ofx or hbci. Of those, personal finance tracking with a checkbook register interface and double-entry bookkeeping for a small business are not what MoneyWiz is typically brought in for.
What can GnuCash do that MoneyWiz cannot?
GnuCash covers Double-entry bookkeeping, Reports and graphs, Budget tracking, Import/Export. MoneyWiz covers Expense tracking, Budget management, Financial analytics, Bank accounts. Both handle Multi-currency support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

GnuCash: How much does GnuCash cost?

GnuCash is completely free. The software is licensed under the GNU GPL with no subscription fees, pricing tiers, or paid versions.

Source
GnuCash: What platforms does GnuCash support?

GnuCash is available free across GNU/Linux, BSD, Solaris, macOS, and Microsoft Windows platforms.

Source
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