SimpleFinancesWhat does EveryDollar do well?
EveryDollar is the official budgeting app of Ramsey Solutions, and it's the cleanest implementation of zero-based budgeting you can get: before the month starts, you give every dollar of expected income a job (rent, groceries, debt payoff, savings) until income minus assignments equals zero. That planning discipline is the whole Ramsey philosophy in app form, and it genuinely works for people working the Baby Steps out of debt. The free tier is real (unlimited budget categories, no time limit), it runs on iPhone, Android, and the web, and the paid tier adds thoughtful planning features like paycheck-date scheduling so your budget matches when money actually arrives. If you're following the Ramsey plan and you want its app, EveryDollar is exactly that.
How much does EveryDollar cost?
The free version is free forever, but it's manual-entry only. Every coffee, every gas fill-up, every Amazon order: you type it in yourself, because bank connections are a premium feature. EveryDollar Premium adds automatic bank sync, paycheck and bill-date planning, custom reports, and access to coaching, at $17.99 a month or $79.99 a year (about $6.67/month), after a 14-day free trial that converts to a charge. For comparison, SimpleFinances includes bank connections and automatic categorization in its one plan, Premium at $19.99 a month or $100 a year, with no trial clock. And worth saying plainly: EveryDollar's annual premium price is cheaper than SimpleFinances Premium's $100/year. The difference is what each dollar buys, which the rest of this page covers.
Is the free version of EveryDollar enough?
Honestly: it can be, if you'll actually do the typing. In the zero-based method, manually entering each transaction is partly the point, not a missing feature. The friction is the feature: typing in a $6.40 coffee makes you feel the purchase, and Ramsey fans will tell you that awareness is where the behavior change comes from. If that's you, the free tier is a legitimately good tool and you should use it.
The catch is what happens in practice: most people stop entering transactions after a few weeks, and a budget that isn't fed becomes fiction: the app says you have grocery money left because it doesn't know about Tuesday. That's the honest test for "is free enough": not whether the features are sufficient, but whether you'll still be doing data entry in March. If the answer is no, you need bank sync, which means paying for EveryDollar Premium, or using a tool where the connection is included from the bottom tier.
Zero-based vs automatic: the real difference
This comparison is less about features than about method. Zero-based budgeting is forward-looking: you plan the month before it happens and steer to the plan. It builds real intentionality, and it demands real upkeep: assigning dollars, recategorizing, adjusting when life ignores the plan. Automatic budgeting, the SimpleFinances approach, is reality-first: connect your accounts, and the app shows you where the money actually went, categorized without your help, with the recurring charges you forgot about surfaced alongside. One is a workout program; the other is a fitness tracker. Neither is wrong. But the best method is the one you'll still be using in six months, and if the data-entry habit has failed you before, that's evidence worth trusting about yourself.
Choose EveryDollar if…
- You're working the Ramsey Baby Steps and want the official tool.
- Zero-based planning discipline is what you're after, and you'll maintain it.
- You'll genuinely enter transactions by hand (free), or you want its cheaper annual premium.
- Coaching access matters to you.
Choose SimpleFinances if…
- You want bank sync and automatic categorization from the cheapest tier.
- You'd rather see where money actually went than maintain a plan.
- Forgotten subscriptions, a health score, and net worth matter to you.
- You never want a 14-day trial clock that converts to a charge.
SimpleFinances vs EveryDollar: feature comparison
| SimpleFinances | EveryDollar | |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | No, flat $19.99/mo or $100/yr | Yes Manual entry only |
| Bank sync & auto-categorization | Yes Included | Premium only ($17.99/mo or $79.99/yr) |
| Monthly price with bank sync | $19.99/mo | $17.99/mo |
| Annual price (full product) | $100/yr Premium | $79.99/yr (cheaper) |
| Free trial required? | No, flat pricing | 14-day trial, then charges |
| Method | Automatic: shows where money went | Zero-based: plan you maintain |
| Tells you what to fix first | Yes Full review with next steps | A dashboard you set up and maintain |
| Subscription finder | Yes (Premium) | No |
| Financial health score | Yes | No |
| Net worth & cash-flow calendar | Yes | Partial: paycheck & bill planning |
| Coaching access | No | Yes (Premium) |
| Platform | Web: works on any device, nothing to download | iOS, Android, web |
The honest summary: if you're committed to the Ramsey method (or you'll truly do manual entry), EveryDollar is the right tool, and its annual premium is cheaper. If what you actually want is to be told where your money goes and what to fix first, SimpleFinances is the better pick: a one-time $49.99 read of every account, with the report yours to keep. It is built for people who want to make changes, not another dashboard to check.
How much does SimpleFinances cost?
Premium is $19.99 a month or $100 a year (about $8.33/month, saving $139.88 versus monthly), a flat, printed price with no trial timer. It includes the parts EveryDollar paywalls (bank connections and automatic categorization) plus the subscription finder, financial health score, net-worth timeline, and cash-flow calendar. Prefer one payment? The one-time $49.99 Full Financial Review gets you a complete report, yours to keep. No ads, no 14-day countdown: you know the price before you start, and it doesn't change after two weeks.
See your money without the homework
Every transaction categorized automatically, forgotten subscriptions surfaced, and a health score, for a flat $19.99/month or $100/year, with bank sync included and no trial countdown.
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