YNAB
Subscription zero-based budgeting app built around giving every dollar a job before you spend it.
- Verified facts
- 6 of 6
- Alternatives ranked
- 7
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- 0
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About YNAB
YNAB (short for You Need A Budget, pronounced "why-nab") is a subscription budgeting app built around its own method: you assign every dollar you have right now to a category, ask "what's it for?" before spending, and move money between categories when plans change. It is zero-based budgeting with a strict rule that you only budget money already in your accounts, not next month's paycheck. Transactions can come in automatically through bank connections or be entered by hand, and the app syncs across the web, iPhone, iPad and Android, with offline entry on mobile. Targets let you plan for savings goals and irregular bills, a loan planner shows how extra payments change a payoff date, and reports cover spending and net worth. One subscription can be shared with up to six people, the app carries no ads, and YNAB says it makes money only from subscriptions, not from selling data. It suits people who want to plan their money actively and are willing to learn a method; the company runs free workshops and has a large user community. The trade-off is effort and cost: YNAB expects regular check-ins and a mindset shift that some people find hard at first, there is no free tier after the 34-day trial, and at $109 a year it is one of the pricier apps in the category.
Best for: People who want a hands-on, zero-based method and will review their budget every few days.
Pros and cons
What works
- A clear method: you only budget money you already have
- 34-day free trial with no credit card
- One subscription covers up to six people
- Bank import or manual entry, synced across devices
- No ads, and a large library of workshops and guides
Why people leave
- No free tier once the trial ends
- $109 a year is at the high end of the category
- Takes time to learn and regular attention to keep up
Top YNAB alternatives
See all 7- 1
Actual Budget80.4Open-source envelope budgeting in the same spirit as YNAB, free to self-host, with a built-in importer for YNAB data.
- 2
EveryDollar74.4Also zero-based, with a free manual version you can use indefinitely and bank import on premium.
- 3
Monarch Money74.0A full-picture tracker with flexible budgets, investments and partner sharing, for people who want less of a strict method.
- 4
Goodbudget73.4Envelope budgeting with a free plan, and manual entry that keeps you close to every transaction.
- 5
Hunter Vault71.0Free to start with no bank login: budgets, bills and debt payoff wrapped in quests, XP and ranks.
Why people left YNAB
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Reviews
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YNAB: common questions
Is YNAB free?
No, YNAB is a paid product. Annual price: $109 per year (checked on YNAB's own site).
Is YNAB open source?
No, YNAB is not open source. Open-source alternatives include Actual Budget.
What platforms does YNAB run on?
YNAB is available for Web, iOS and Android.
What are the best alternatives to YNAB?
The highest-ranked YNAB alternatives right now are Actual Budget, EveryDollar and Monarch Money. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.