Alternatives to Quicken 2017 update?

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Alternatives to Quicken 2017 update?

Quicken is ramping up the pressure for desktop Quicken users to pay continuously for a subscription to their cloud-based app, by announcing that they will cease bank transaction downloads as of April 30, 2020.

I've seen this comparison article in another Apple Community thread. https://machow2.com/best-personal-finance-software-mac/ and found it credible.

However, one never knows which article to trust these days and which comparison article is written by a shill for the #1 rated widget. Any opinion about the independence of the machow2 article?

I'm not a fan of cloud-based apps (and still use external hard drives for backup), which therefore eliminates subscription-version Quicken and Personal Capital. Regarding "free" Personal Capital - I'd be very surprised (actually I'd worry that they might not survive) if their business plan can continue to be a "free" app that doesn't include a fee, in which case, I might as well subscribe to Quicken's cloud-based app, which I am loathe to do. I've been jacked around by Quicken too many times over the decades.

It appears that Moneyspire might be a good contender as an alternative to Quicken 2017 that would accept exported Quicken files and allow downloading banking transactions.

Any opinions?

MacBook Pro 13", macOS 10.14

Posted on Mar 26, 2020 12:38 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

FoxFifth

Level 10

472,095 points

Mar 26, 2020 3:42 PM in response to Help-Seeker

Are you located in the US? If so, they have a $35 plan. https://www.quicken.com/mac/compare

or Banktivity is a non-subscription $69.99 in the US and they have a free trial if you buy through their website: https://secure.iggsoftware.com/store/index.php

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Answer 2

FoxFifth

Level 10

472,095 points

Mar 26, 2020 1:08 PM in response to Help-Seeker

You may have a different definition for cloud-based, but that is not what I would call Quicken. You download the app and install it on your Mac. It is installed on your computer and runs from your computer, not from the cloud. Also, note that Intuit sold Quicken 4 years ago and the new owners are doing a very, very much better job with the Mac product. It is however, as you noted, paid for by subscription.

I don't have experience with the other products except for Banktivity. I used it for several years and liked it but reluctantly had to leave it a couple of years ago when I had a problem with syncing with one of my credit card companies. Their customer support tried very hard but couldn't resolve the issue for me. I suspect that they have resolved that by now (and I think was limited to one credit card company) so it may be worth a try. They are quite similar to Quicken but charge by one-time payment (one-time until the next major upgrade based on my previous experience).

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Answer 3

Help-Seeker Author

Level 1

18 points

Mar 26, 2020 3:34 PM in response to FoxFifth

Thank you FoxFifth for the clarification. That is helpful. I see that if I choose to subscribe for $45 a year, I can keep data on my computer or opt in to synchronize across platforms. So, my choice is to pay $45 a year or find another solution.

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Answer 4

Help-Seeker Author

Level 1

18 points

Mar 26, 2020 3:44 PM in response to FoxFifth

Thank you, FoxFifth. I've decided that the subscription is marginally worth it, compared to the added hassle of switching.

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Alternatives to Quicken 2017 update?

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