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Software · head to head

Rocket Money vs YNAB

Rocket Money logo

Rocket Money

Software

Cancel subscriptions and save money automatically

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
YNAB logo

YNAB

Software

You Need A Budget

From
$14.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Rocket Money has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Rocket Money successful bill negotiation costs a one time fee of 35% to 60% of the first year's savings; YNAB subscription priced exclusively in US dollars; international customers face unfavourable exchange rates
  • They diverge on capability: Rocket Money covers Subscription tracking, YNAB covers Zero-based budgeting.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Rocket Money and YNAB differ
AttributeRocket MoneyYNAB
Starting priceFree$14.99/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
Founded20162004

Identical on both: 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 Rocket Money

  • Subscription tracking
  • Bill negotiation
  • Automatic savings
  • Spending insights
  • Credit score monitoring
  • Bank accounts
  • Credit cards
  • Utility providers

Only in YNAB

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

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Rocket Money

  • Finding and cancelling unwanted subscriptionsnot YNAB
  • Tracking bills and spending in one appnot YNAB
  • Having a third party negotiate down recurring billsnot YNAB

YNAB

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

Where each one falls short

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

Rocket Money

  • Successful bill negotiation costs a one time fee of 35% to 60% of the first year's savings
  • Premium is priced on a sliding scale and the help centre publishes no fixed monthly or annual amount, stating rates vary across platforms
  • Custom budget categories, financial goal plans, credit score tracking and real time account syncing are Premium only
  • The Premium free trial is 7 days

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

Rocket Money

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Subscription tracking
    • Spending insights
    • Bill reminders
  • Premium$12/month
    • Bill negotiation
    • Subscription cancellation
    • Smart savings

YNAB

$14.99/month

No published plan breakdown. See the YNAB review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Rocket Money if

  • You need subscription tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want bill negotiation.
Rocket Money 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 Rocket Money or YNAB better?
Neither clearly leads. Rocket Money 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, Rocket Money or YNAB?
Rocket Money has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Rocket Money and $14.99/month for YNAB.
Does Rocket Money or YNAB run on more platforms?
Rocket Money runs on Web, IOS, Android. YNAB runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Rocket Money for free?
Yes. Rocket Money has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. YNAB starts at $14.99/month.
What is Rocket Money best used for?
Rocket Money is most often used for finding and cancelling unwanted subscriptions, tracking bills and spending in one app, having a third party negotiate down recurring bills. Of those, finding and cancelling unwanted subscriptions and tracking bills and spending in one app are not what YNAB is typically brought in for.
What can Rocket Money do that YNAB cannot?
Rocket Money covers Subscription tracking, Bill negotiation, Automatic savings, Spending insights. YNAB covers Zero-based budgeting, Bank sync, Goal tracking, Reports. Both handle Web support, Android support.
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