Software · head to head
Spendee vs Banktivity
The short version
- Only Spendee has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Spendee the free Basic plan allows one cash wallet and one budget; Banktivity runs on macOS, iPhone and iPad only, with no Windows, Android or web version
- They diverge on capability: Spendee covers Expense tracking, Banktivity covers Account tracking.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Spendee and Banktivity actually diverge.
| Attribute | Spendee | Banktivity |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Pricing model | freemium | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, IOS, Android | Mac, IOS |
| Founded | 2013 | 2007 |
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 Spendee
- Expense tracking
- Budget management
- Shared wallets
- Financial analytics
- Web support
- Android support
Only in Banktivity
- Account tracking
- Bill management
- Investment tracking
- Budget forecasting
- Investment accounts
- Mac support
Both cover
- Bank accounts
- IOS support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Spendee
- Tracking personal spending across cash and bank accountsnot Banktivity
- Sharing a budget or wallet with a partner or householdnot Banktivity
Banktivity
- Personal budgeting and money management on a Macnot Spendee
- Investment and net worth trackingnot Spendee
- Retirement planning projectionsnot Spendee
- Connecting to over 14,000 financial institutionsnot Spendee
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Spendee
- The free Basic plan allows one cash wallet and one budget
- Shared wallets are excluded from the free plan
- Premium at $5.99 a month is triple the $1.99 Plus plan, and the pricing page does not quantify what separates them beyond shared wallets
- Bank sync depends on a supported bank list rather than being universal
Banktivity
- Runs on macOS, iPhone and iPad only, with no Windows, Android or web version
- Pricing is not shown on the product page and sits behind a separate plans page
Pricing, plan by plan
Spendee
Free- FreeFree
- Expense tracking
- Budget creation
- 3 wallets
- Premium$6.99/month
- Unlimited wallets
- Advanced analytics
- Investment tracking
Banktivity
On request- Monthly$4.99/month
- Full feature access
- Cloud sync
- Annual$39.99/month
- All monthly features
- Discounted rate
Which should you pick?
Choose Spendee if
- You need expense tracking.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android.
- You also want budget management.
Choose Banktivity if
- You need account tracking.
- You work on Mac, IOS.
- You also want bill management.
Questions people ask
- Is Spendee or Banktivity better?
- Neither clearly leads. Spendee starts at Free and Banktivity at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Spendee or Banktivity?
- Spendee has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Spendee and On request for Banktivity.
- Does Spendee or Banktivity run on more platforms?
- Spendee runs on Web, IOS, Android. Banktivity runs on Mac, IOS.
- Can I use Spendee for free?
- Yes. Spendee has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Banktivity starts at On request.
- What is Spendee best used for?
- Spendee is most often used for tracking personal spending across cash and bank accounts, sharing a budget or wallet with a partner or household. Of those, tracking personal spending across cash and bank accounts and sharing a budget or wallet with a partner or household are not what Banktivity is typically brought in for.
- What can Spendee do that Banktivity cannot?
- Spendee covers Expense tracking, Budget management, Shared wallets, Financial analytics. Banktivity covers Account tracking, Bill management, Investment tracking, Budget forecasting. Both handle Bank accounts, IOS support.