Software · head to head
Goodbudget vs Splitwise
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; Splitwise the free tier limits how many expenses can be added in a day and shows adverts
- They diverge on capability: Goodbudget covers Envelope budgeting, Splitwise covers Bill splitting.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Goodbudget and Splitwise actually diverge.
| Attribute | Goodbudget | Splitwise |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2012 | 2011 |
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
- Bank accounts
Only in Splitwise
- Bill splitting
- Group management
- Settlement tracking
- Venmo
- PayPal
Both cover
- Expense tracking
- 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 Splitwise
- Sharing a household budget across a couple's devicesnot Splitwise
- Tracking debt payoff alongside envelopesnot Splitwise
Splitwise
- Splitting shared household bills between flatmatesnot Goodbudget
- Tracking who owes what on a group tripnot Goodbudget
- Settling up across currencies on the Pro plannot Goodbudget
- Recording IOUs between friends over timenot 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
Splitwise
- The free tier limits how many expenses can be added in a day and shows adverts
- Transaction import works in the United States only
- Currency conversion, receipt scanning, charts and expense search are all Pro features
- The Pro price is not shown on the product page
Pricing, plan by plan
Goodbudget
Free- FreeFree
- 10 envelopes
- Basic tracking
- Plus$5.99/month
- Unlimited envelopes
- Advanced reports
- Receipt capture
Splitwise
Free- FreeFree
- Bill splitting
- Group tracking
- Mobile app
- Splitwise Pro$4.99/month
- Receipt scanning
- Advanced analytics
- No ads
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 Splitwise if
- You need bill splitting.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android.
- You also want group management.
Questions people ask
- Is Goodbudget or Splitwise better?
- Neither clearly leads. Goodbudget starts at Free and Splitwise at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Goodbudget or Splitwise?
- Goodbudget starts at Free and Splitwise at Free.
- Does Goodbudget or Splitwise 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 Splitwise is typically brought in for.
- What can Goodbudget do that Splitwise cannot?
- Goodbudget covers Envelope budgeting, Shared budgets, Receipt scanning, Bank accounts. Splitwise covers Bill splitting, Group management, Settlement tracking, Venmo. Both handle Expense tracking, Web support, IOS support, Android support.