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Money Manager vs YNAB

Money Manager logo

Money Manager

Software

Personal and household finance tracker

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
YNAB logo

YNAB

Software

You Need A Budget

From
$14.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Money Manager has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Money Manager databases created by version 1.4.x are not readable by current releases and produce the error MMEX database version 13 doesn't work with this MMEX version, requiring a manual conversion procedure; YNAB subscription priced exclusively in US dollars; international customers face unfavourable exchange rates
  • They diverge on capability: Money Manager covers Expense tracking, YNAB covers Zero-based budgeting.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Money Manager and YNAB actually diverge.

Attributes where Money Manager and YNAB differ
AttributeMoney ManagerYNAB
Starting priceFree$14.99/month
Pricing modelopen-sourcesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, Mac, Linux, IOS, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android
Founded20052004

Identical on both: 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 Money Manager

  • Expense tracking
  • Budget tracking
  • Reporting
  • Multi-currency support
  • Import/Export
  • CSV
  • Windows support
  • Mac support

Only in YNAB

  • Zero-based budgeting
  • Bank sync
  • Goal tracking
  • Reports
  • Multi-device sync
  • Bank connections
  • Plaid
  • Bank-level encryption

Both cover

  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Money Manager

  • Free desktop personal finance tracking on Windows, macOS and Linuxnot YNAB
  • Running a portable personal accounts file from removable media on Windowsnot YNAB
  • Categorising spending and reporting on personal accounts without a subscriptionnot YNAB

YNAB

  • Individual budget tracking with 34-day free trial before subscription commitmentnot Money Manager
  • Household budget management with wife-on-plan sharing for up to 6 household membersnot Money Manager
  • Manual transaction entry for banks outside the supported import listnot Money Manager

Where each one falls short

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

Money Manager

  • Databases created by version 1.4.x are not readable by current releases and produce the error MMEX database version 13 doesn't work with this MMEX version, requiring a manual conversion procedure
  • Linux is supported only through Flatpak builds for aarch64 and x86_64
  • The download page states no system requirements, deferring them to a separate compatibility page
  • There is no vendor support contract; the project is distributed as open source with no paid tier

YNAB

  • Subscription priced exclusively in US dollars; international customers face unfavourable exchange rates
  • Multi-currency support restricted to one currency per spending plan
  • Bank import limited to select institutions in US, Canada, UK, and EU only
  • Household plan can only be shared with up to 6 people; additional members cannot access shared plan

Pricing, plan by plan

Money Manager

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Expense tracking
    • Budget management
    • Reports

YNAB

$14.99/month

No published plan breakdown. See the YNAB review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Money Manager if

  • You need expense tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Mac, Linux, IOS, Android.
  • You also want budget tracking.
Money Manager review

Choose YNAB if

  • You need zero-based budgeting.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want bank sync.
YNAB review

Questions people ask

Is Money Manager or YNAB better?
Neither clearly leads. Money Manager starts at Free and YNAB at $14.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Money Manager or YNAB?
Money Manager has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Money Manager and $14.99/month for YNAB.
Does Money Manager or YNAB run on more platforms?
Money Manager runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, IOS, Android. YNAB runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Money Manager for free?
Yes. Money Manager has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. YNAB starts at $14.99/month.
What is Money Manager best used for?
Money Manager is most often used for free desktop personal finance tracking on windows, macos and linux, running a portable personal accounts file from removable media on windows, categorising spending and reporting on personal accounts without a subscription. Of those, free desktop personal finance tracking on windows, macos and linux and running a portable personal accounts file from removable media on windows are not what YNAB is typically brought in for.
What can Money Manager do that YNAB cannot?
Money Manager covers Expense tracking, Budget tracking, Reporting, Multi-currency support. YNAB covers Zero-based budgeting, Bank sync, Goal tracking, Reports. Both handle Android support.
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