Best Personal Finance apps for Mac

[n8cas]

I'm new to Macs. Never used a personal finance program when I was a PC user, but it's time to find a great application that'll help me out. When I look online, most of what I read says, Quicken is much better than anything out there. I go to look for the Mac version only to read the worst reviews I've ever read about a prospective program/application. I've researched the new Quicken online, but I'm not sure it's for me. Quicken still has yet to come out with Mac 2008 - who knows when that'll happen. So what application should I use? Am I in the right forum for this question?


For someone new to a Mac is this the right website for these types of questions?

 

[Sky Blue]

I use iBank

 

[n8cas]

does iBank direct download from online bank websites and can you incorporate personal investment funds as well?

 

[Slumbercub]

Depending on what level of involvement and use you require there are several options. I used to use iBank and it is without doubt a fantastic application. In recent times my needs are much simpler and I only have need for a simple ledger, for that use nothing comes close to Checkbook 2 Pro.

Other options here:

http://www.pure-mac.com/finance.html

 

[MACboyet]

I use moneywell for mac and iphone..

i use checkbook before but it seems like something is missing

 

[Zman1021]

Give iBank a try at http://www.iggsoftware.com/ibank/index.php. I had been a Quicken user for years on PC and looked hard for a non Intuit product for my finances once I switched to a MAC in 2008. iBank has worked well for me for both checking and investments.

HZ

 

[walshlink]

While not an app, I think MINT is awesome!

 

[thatdrewguy]

does iBank direct download from online bank websites and can you incorporate personal investment funds as well?

Did you ever find an answer to this question and what software did you end up using? I'm also looking for a new mac finance application to replace quicken on the PC.

 

[cerote]

iBank lets you connect to banks, credit, and investments to direct download statements.

I use it to balance my totals to my bank account daily with a push of a button.

 

[barrief]

iBank lets you connect to banks, credit, and investments to direct download statements.

I use it to balance my totals to my bank account daily with a push of a button.

iBank also has iBank Mobile at the app store for use with the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch if you like to keep track on the go.

 

[Koll]

Tried loads, Jumsoft Money for me.

 

[blue22]

please share any insights...

Does anyone have experience using GnuCash??? If so, what are the pros & cons of using this particular application?

 

[ScottNWDW]

I've been using Quicken Essentials for the Mac and I am quite pleased with that. I read a lot of bad reviews about Quicken Essentials, but decided to get it after trying iBank, PocketMoney and a few others. Being familiar with Quicken, I decided to buy that and I really do like it. It may not have all the features that my Quicken 2010 Premiere did on the PC, but I don't need all those extra features. Quicken handles all my finances just great.

 

[iMerik]

Choices

I'm looking at the following software solutions, in about this order:

• MS Money Plus Sunset/Free w/ Parallels
• Moneydance 2011 (20% Discount)
• iBank4
• MoneyWell
• SEEFinance
• Quicken Essentials
• Money3
• Fortora Fresh Finance
• GnuCash

I haven't settled on one yet, but I will most likely try the free trial with Moneydance 2012. I'm thinking it will be that, iBank, or MoneyWell... assuming I don't continue using MS Money as I switch from PC to Mac.

 

[thepominlaw]

Tried loads, Jumsoft Money for me.

Me too, tried iBank but it have never managed to get it to download from Barclays

 

[mjs42]

Does anyone have experience using GnuCash??? If so, what are the pros & cons of using this particular application?

Pros:
- Double entry bookkeeping (some may see this tedium as a con)
- Stable and accurate bookkeeping
- Register entry is easy without a lot of pointer movement (keyboard centric)
- Account flexibility
- Runs on Mac/Windows/Linux, although as of today there is a bug on Lion
- Online banking
- Free

Cons:
- Non-native Mac app
- Primitive reports
- Report language is Scheme -- not very modern
- No native export of transaction data into any format (e.g., QIF, CSV)

I currently use GnuCash on a Linux machine and have been reasonably happy with it. However, I don't look forward to migrating to another piece of software since GnuCash does not export in a standard format. But the reporting capabilities do not meet my needs.

I have looked at the alternatives I have seen elsewhere on this list and each one of them has their own fatal flaws. I'm not sure that any have swayed me away from GnuCash. I suspect that many of them use GnuCash -- or at least the concepts -- as the foundation of their bookkeeping code.

I hope this helps...

Tried loads, Jumsoft Money for me.

I was reading on their support forums that they do not support more than two digits for recording the number of shares. Have you found this to be true?