Quicken 2018 for Mac Launches With Online Bill Management, New Subscription Service

[MacRumors]

Quicken today announced the launch of the 2018 version of its popular finance and budgeting software for the PC and Mac.

Quicken 2018 introduces access to online bills from more than 11,000 companies, all of which are integrated into a streamlined bill and payment dashboard. The bill management center is designed to let Quicken users manage all of their bills in one place, with features like downloading PDFs of each bill.

The software also includes expanded investment capabilities with more specific lot tracking and a more customizable portfolio view, along with new loan tracking features that include "what-if" loan analysis.

"We are always listening to customer feedback and the 2018 releases of Quicken reflect the balance of new features and refinements to existing capabilities that we know our users want," said Eric Dunn, chief executive officer of Quicken. "With our latest products, Mac offerings are more robust, our interfaces are more intuitive, and our new membership program ensures that customers always have the latest and greatest Quicken without the pain of manually upgrading."

Quicken 2018 for Mac offers Mac users access to Quicken Starter, Quicken Deluxe, and Quicken Premier for the first time, allowing Mac users to choose the best Quicken software to meet their financial needs. Previously, these separate versions of Quicken were limited to Windows users.

The software offers different features depending on version, with Deluxe and Premier offering features for creating budgets, creating multiple savings goals, and tracking loans and investments. Premier offers investment evaluations, tax reports, and automatic updates to estimated home value.

With this change also comes a shift to a subscription-based service. Instead of purchasing upgrades each year, Quicken customers will automatically receive the latest version of Quicken as long as a membership is maintained, with one and two-year memberships available.

All of the 2018 versions of Quicken will include 5GB of cloud storage for Quicken backups provided through Dropbox.

Quicken 2018 Starter is priced at $34.99 for a one-year membership and $49.99 for a two-year membership, while Quicken Deluxe is priced at $49.99 for one years and $79.99 for two years.

Quicken Premier, the highest tier software available for Macs, is priced at $74.99 for a one-year membership and $119.99 for a two-year membership.

Article Link: Quicken 2018 for Mac Launches With Online Bill Management, New Subscription Service

 

[jblagden]

I think this continual push towards software subscriptions will only push people further from proprietary software and closer to open-source software.

 

[Jax44]

Is it finally fully compatible with Windows versions/Accountants ?.

 

[jblagden]

Is it finally fully compatible with Windows versions/Accountants ?.

That's an excellent question, one for which I unfortunately do not have an answer. I have never understood why Quicken doesn't use the same version on both operating systems. Two programs which are from the same company and serve identical functions should be able to use the same formats.

 

[Jax44]

That's an excellent question, one for which I unfortunately do not have an answer. I have never understood why Quicken doesn't use the same version on both operating systems. Two programs which are from the same company and serve identical functions should be able to use the same formats.

Yep.
This is why my wife has always needed a Windows laptop.

 

[nt5672]

With Quicken's lock in and lack of export tools, there is no way I would ever get my data back into Quicken. This is a company that has proven, for Apple users at least, that they are all marketing and taking your money, but not much in the way of delivery. Function always lags behind or fails to work. Long periods without updates. And now, don't pay the annual fee and you will no longer be able to access your data. Not for me.

 

[moabal]

I think this continual push towards software subscriptions will only push people further from proprietary software and closer to open-source software.

I agree completely. However, it totally makes sense why more paid software are subscriptions rather than one time fees. For the developer, it is recurring revenue which is stable and it gives an incentive to keep updating it (new features, security, etc.). Also, it helps combat piracy.

Subscription models only really work with widely used software. I remember when I got sick of paying 1Password money every time they released a new app. Yes I am paying more for the subscription. Despite this I have the comfort of knowing that the developer will keep updating the application. This is important for something that is managing all my passwords.

Despite this, there will be more free options. Obviously people can use Mint or Personal Capital. As a Financial Advisor, I know there are also some in-house solutions that are coming out for people to aggregate all their financial accounts as well.

 

[Jax44]

Ok, misread by me!.
My wife uses Quickbooks for her business, this is Quicken.

 

[jblagden]

I agree completely. However, it totally makes sense why more paid software are subscriptions rather than one time fees. For the developer, it is recurring revenue which is stable and it gives an incentive to keep updating it (new features, security, etc.). Also, it helps combat piracy.

Subscription models only really work with widely used software. I remember when I got sick of paying 1Password money every time they released a new app. Yes I am paying more for the subscription. Despite this I have the comfort of knowing that the developer will keep updating the application. This is important for something that is managing all my passwords.

Despite this, there will be more free options. Obviously people can use Mint or Personal Capital. As a Financial Advisor, I know there are also some in-house solutions that are coming out for people to aggregate all their financial accounts as well.

I agree that the subscription model is better for the developer. But whether or not the developer really needs to be able to get additional revenue by employing such a strategy is an entirely different matter. Big companies like Microsoft and Adobe don't really need to do that because they're already making a ton of money. Now, a lone developer like Marco Arment, sure - he's just one guy who makes a few apps which aren't all that popular (I think).

 

[cerote]

Stop. Please just stop.

 

[KazKam]

Dammit, another ******* subscription. I was waiting for Quicken 2018 to upgrade my Quicken 2015.

Looks like I'll be on 2015 for quite a while or switching to a different ledger.

I hope this subscription trend/experiment of the past few years fails soon. Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I refuse to rent music or software.

 

[moabal]

I agree that the subscription model is better for the developer. But whether or not the developer really needs to be able to get additional revenue by employing such a strategy. Big companies like Microsoft and Adobe don't really need to do that because they're already making a ton of money. Now, a lone developer like Marco Arment, sure - he's just one guy who makes a few apps which aren't all that popular (I think).

Also keep in mind that there are no "big" releases anymore. People will end up keeping old version of software that can be vulnerable. For example, if someone bought Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac as a standalone purchase, they are not updating it. There aren't going to be huge differences in software going forward.

 

[cerote]

Guess no upgrade for me for a little while. I don’t want subscription. Just started using them over iBank last year guess I’ll be on the hunt again for new one over the next year.

 

[furi0usbee]

Ironic... an app to track all your wasteful subscription spending.... noice. When I see the word subscription, I immediately begin to look elsewhere. With all the subscription backlash, there is bank to be made for devs who create good software that many of us simply want to pay once for, and not forever, regardless of all the bad updates or loss of features an app may experience along the way.

 

[jblagden]

Also keep in mind that there are no "big" releases anymore. People will end up keeping old version of software that can be vulnerable. For example, if someone bought Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac as a standalone purchase, they are not updating it. There aren't going to be huge differences in software going forward.

That's not 100% true. It's not like they make a big release of a program and just never update it. They usually update it for a few years. It took until this year for Microsoft to finally drop support for MS Office 2007. Until now, it has been receiving updates, including security updates.

 

[pat500000]

I think this continual push towards software subscriptions will only push people further from proprietary software and closer to open-source software.

I agree. This might lead to open-source or crack version.

 

[wlow3]

Quicken was already effectively subscription based software in that if one did not update on the third year of ownership they would cut you off from being able to download data. I think a lot of people waited till the third year to update. Now this moves it to every two years, but at least you also get the interim year update. If you’re savvy enough to find a promotional offer, it might not be too much of a hit.

 

[BaldiMac]

With Quicken's lock in and lack of export tools, there is no way I would ever get my data back into Quicken. This is a company that has proven, for Apple users at least, that they are all marketing and taking your money, but not much in the way of delivery. Function always lags behind or fails to work. Long periods without updates.

FWIW, Quicken is a new company. They just spun off from Intuit. Hopefully, this new subscription model and focus on home finance will them to invest more into improving the product.

That said, this subscription will more than triple my annual cost since I don't upgrade every year. And retail boxes were often very cheap.

And now, don't pay the annual fee and you will no longer be able to access your data. Not for me.

That's not true. You just lose access to all online functions such as downloads and bill pay. You will still be able to view and manually edit your data without a subscription.

 

[thisisnotmyname]

Quicken is a horrible product but they’ve been able to ride off the fact they’re the only game in town with seamless integration to all the major banks, lenders, investment companies. I haven’t looked in a couple years though, is there now someone else with full integration (and doesn’t take your logins into their cloud) and actually produces a well designed/maintained product with helpful support? If that exists I’d make the switch in a heartbeat.

 

[rtrueman]

Remember folks, this is a new company and not Intuit. I don't like the subscription model either, but I found that I'm updating Quicken every year anyway (my choice and YMMV). I've found the new Mac product to be very good, albeit with some disparity with the Windows version. It was good enough for me to move from Parallels/Quicken for Windows to Quicken Mac a couple years ago and I've not looked back. I believe there is/was a trial and I'd recommend taking another look.

Rob

 

[lenard]

Don't know why they call it a subscription, because you pay for the new version and after a year if you don't want the new version then you just cancel. No monthly payments as in a real subscription model. But if you don't cancel they will auto charge you for the following year or two....

 

[jblagden]

Don't know why they call it a subscription, because you pay for the new version and after a year if you don't want the new version then you just cancel. No monthly payments as in a real subscription model. But if you don't cancel they will auto charge you for the following year or two....

Most people don't buy the new version every year. Most folks stick with the same version for years. Saves a lot of money using the same version for years.

 

[DrKarl]

Is it finally fully compatible with Windows versions/Accountants ?.

Quicken Mac and Quicken Windows data files are still totally different and are not cross-platform.

Quicken Mac has import/export options to allow it to import Quicken Windows data files (convert to Mac) and to export back to Quicken Windows (or transactions to CSV). Conversion is not something to be done frequently. Don't know if there is 100% data retention on a round-trip.

Accountants? There is no Accountant version of Quicken. That would be QuickBooks, an Intuit product (which also uses incompatible data formats for the Mac and Windows versions). If you mean sending your Quicken data file to an accountant for them to work with for a personal tax return...then the export to Quicken Windows format would probably be the way to go (assuming the accountant is on Windows, since all major professional tax prep software is on that platform).

 

[riverfreak]

I think this continual push towards software subscriptions will only push people further from proprietary software and closer to open-source software.

If only there was an open source option for Quickbooks, and one that accountants were familiar with. Is there?
[doublepost=1508773403][/doublepost]

Ok, misread by me!.
My wife uses Quickbooks for her business, this is Quicken.

Ha. Me too.

I actually thought Quicken was dead. I looked into the Quicken essentials thing years ago because I wanted something cross device with a web entry option. I found it sorely lacking at the time, just like Quickbooks Online is now. Then I discovered See Finance. It doesn’t offer a web interface but the database plays well on Dropbox. I haven’t looked back since.
[doublepost=1508773500][/doublepost]

Dammit, another ******* subscription. I was waiting for Quicken 2018 to upgrade my Quicken 2015.

Looks like I'll be on 2015 for quite a while or switching to a different ledger.

I hope this subscription trend/experiment of the past few years fails soon. Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I refuse to rent music or software.

Try See Finance. Has some quirks but I have been using it stably now for something like 10 years, after using Quicken for twenty years prior.

 

[DrKarl]

With Quicken's lock in and lack of export tools,

Export is very limited, but does exist: the attached shows the Quicken 2017 Mac export options. Can export/convert to Quicken Windows (yeah, same company)... or can at least export register transactions (all or selected, and optionally scheduled ones as well) to a text CSV file that other software might be able to import. The Quicken Windows QXF file exported (vs a binary QW file) can be imported by some competitor's products I think?