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Personal Finance · head to head

Quicken vs Wise

Quicken logo

Quicken

Personal Finance

Take control of your finances

From
$3.99/month
Rated
-
Wise logo

Wise

Personal Finance

International money transfers at the real exchange rate

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Wise has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Quicken quicken Simplifi (cloud version) costs $3.99 annually if billed yearly, but renews at full price $6.99/month unless cancelled before renewal; Wise exchange rate fees start at 0.31% plus corridor-specific transfer fees
  • They diverge on capability: Quicken covers Budget creation, Wise covers International transfers.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Quicken and Wise actually diverge.

Attributes where Quicken and Wise differ
AttributeQuickenWise
Starting price$3.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, Windows, macOSWeb, IOS, Android
Founded19832011

Identical on both: 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 Quicken

  • Budget creation
  • Bill management
  • Investment tracking
  • Tax planning
  • Investment accounts
  • Credit cards
  • Windows support
  • Mac support

Only in Wise

  • International transfers
  • Real exchange rates
  • Multi-currency accounts
  • Bill payments
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Web support
  • Android support

Both cover

  • Bank accounts
  • IOS support

What people use each for

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

Quicken

  • Individuals managing personal finances via Quicken Simplifi cloud app for budgeting and savings trackingnot Wise
  • Freelancers and self-employed managing business and personal finances via Quicken Business & Personal plannot Wise
  • Users preferring local data storage via Classic desktop editionsnot Wise

Wise

  • Budget Managementnot Quicken
  • Expense Trackingnot Quicken
  • Investment Trackingnot Quicken

Where each one falls short

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

Quicken

  • Quicken Simplifi (cloud version) costs $3.99 annually if billed yearly, but renews at full price $6.99/month unless cancelled before renewal
  • Renewal pricing significantly higher than introductory rate; annual cost jumps from $47.88 (promotional) to $83.88 (regular renewal)

Wise

  • Exchange rate fees start at 0.31% plus corridor-specific transfer fees
  • Transfer speed dependent on destination country banking infrastructure
  • No published documentation of maximum transfer limits
  • Multi-currency account features may have regional restrictions

Pricing, plan by plan

Quicken

$3.99/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Quicken review.

Wise

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Wise review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Quicken if

  • You need budget creation.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS.
  • You also want bill management.

Choose Wise if

  • You need international transfers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want real exchange rates.

Questions people ask

Is Quicken or Wise better?
Neither clearly leads. Quicken starts at $3.99/month and Wise at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Quicken or Wise?
Wise has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $3.99/month for Quicken and Free for Wise.
Does Quicken or Wise run on more platforms?
Quicken runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS. Wise runs on Web, IOS, Android.
Can I use Wise for free?
Yes. Wise has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Quicken starts at $3.99/month.
What is Quicken best used for?
Quicken is most often used for individuals managing personal finances via quicken simplifi cloud app for budgeting and savings tracking, freelancers and self-employed managing business and personal finances via quicken business & personal plan, users preferring local data storage via classic desktop editions. Of those, individuals managing personal finances via quicken simplifi cloud app for budgeting and savings tracking and freelancers and self-employed managing business and personal finances via quicken business & personal plan are not what Wise is typically brought in for.
What can Quicken do that Wise cannot?
Quicken covers Budget creation, Bill management, Investment tracking, Tax planning. Wise covers International transfers, Real exchange rates, Multi-currency accounts, Bill payments. Both handle Bank accounts, IOS support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Wise: What are Wise's transfer fees and exchange rates?

Wise uses mid-market exchange rates without hidden markups and charges a flat fee starting from 0.31% plus a currency transfer fee depending on the corridor. Volume discounts are available for larger transfers.

Source
Wise: How long do international transfers take with Wise?

Transfers can arrive same-day within seconds according to Wise marketing materials, though actual timing depends on the destination country and banking infrastructure.

Source
Wise: Is there a cost for a Wise account or monthly subscription?

Opening a Wise account is free with no monthly subscription. You only pay fees when you send money or convert currency.

Source
Wise: Can I send money between Wise users for free?

Sending or receiving the same currency between Wise contacts is free. Converting to a different currency costs less than standard rates but is not free.

Source
Wise: What security features does Wise offer?

Wise includes two-factor authentication for account protection, holds funds with established financial institutions, maintains 24/7 customer support, and has dedicated fraud and security teams.

Source
Wise: How much money can I transfer with Wise?

Wise does not publicly specify transfer limits on the main site. Limits may vary by country, sender verification level, and corridor.

Source

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