Software · head to head
Goodbudget vs EveryDollar
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Goodbudget free plan is capped at 10 regular envelopes, 10 more envelopes, 1 account, 2 devices and 1 year of history; EveryDollar the free version has no bank connection, so every transaction is entered by hand
- They diverge on capability: Goodbudget covers Envelope budgeting, EveryDollar covers Zero-based budgeting.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Goodbudget and EveryDollar actually diverge.
| Attribute | Goodbudget | EveryDollar |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2012 | 2014 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, IOS, Android), 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 Goodbudget
- Envelope budgeting
- Shared budgets
- Receipt scanning
- Expense tracking
Only in EveryDollar
- Zero-based budgeting
- Transaction tracking
- Budget planning
- Financial insights
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.
Goodbudget
- Envelope method budgetingnot EveryDollar
- Sharing a household budget across a couple's devicesnot EveryDollar
- Tracking debt payoff alongside envelopesnot EveryDollar
EveryDollar
- Zero based monthly budgeting using the Ramsey methodnot Goodbudget
- Tracking bills and sinking funds by categorynot Goodbudget
- Automatically importing bank transactions into a budget on Premiumnot Goodbudget
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Goodbudget
- Free plan is capped at 10 regular envelopes, 10 more envelopes, 1 account, 2 devices and 1 year of history
- Automatic bank sync is Premium only and works with US banks only
- Premium is limited to 5 devices and 7 years of history
- Free plan gets community support only; email support requires Premium
- Premium costs $10 per month or $80 per year
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
Pricing, plan by plan
Goodbudget
Free- FreeFree
- 10 envelopes
- Basic tracking
- Plus$5.99/month
- Unlimited envelopes
- Advanced reports
- Receipt capture
EveryDollar
Free- FreeFree
- Manual budget entry
- Plus$14.99/month
- Bank sync
- Mobile app
- Transaction tracking
Which should you pick?
Choose Goodbudget if
- You need envelope budgeting.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android.
- You also want shared budgets.
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.
Questions people ask
- Is Goodbudget or EveryDollar better?
- Neither clearly leads. Goodbudget starts at Free and EveryDollar at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Goodbudget or EveryDollar?
- Goodbudget starts at Free and EveryDollar at Free.
- Does Goodbudget or EveryDollar run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, IOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Goodbudget for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Goodbudget best used for?
- Goodbudget is most often used for envelope method budgeting, sharing a household budget across a couple's devices, tracking debt payoff alongside envelopes. Of those, envelope method budgeting and sharing a household budget across a couple's devices are not what EveryDollar is typically brought in for.
- What can Goodbudget do that EveryDollar cannot?
- Goodbudget covers Envelope budgeting, Shared budgets, Receipt scanning, Expense tracking. EveryDollar covers Zero-based budgeting, Transaction tracking, Budget planning, Financial insights. Both handle Bank accounts, Web support, IOS support, Android support.