Finances vs Banktivity

Updated 14 September 2026 · Banktivity prices as advertised in September 2026

Banktivity is a long-running Mac and iOS personal finance suite with budgets, investments and envelope budgeting, sold as a tiered annual subscription. Finances is a newer Mac app focused on transaction import, categorisation and analysis with encryption on by default.

Download Finances free 30-day trial. macOS. No sign-up.

Finances vs Banktivity at a glance

Feature	Finances	Banktivity
Platform	✓ Native macOS desktop app	✓ macOS, iOS
Where your data lives	✓ On your Mac, in an encrypted SQLite database	~ Local file, optional cloud sync
Price	✓ One-time 1.x licence, or a monthly subscription	✗ From $49.99/year, tiered
Free trial	✓ 30 days, no sign-up	✓ 30 days
Bank sync	✓ Australian banks via Redbark (CDR), Up Bank direct, US banks via Plaid, AMEX	✓ Direct Access (mainly US and Canada)
File import	✓ CSV, OFX/QFX and JSON with auto-detected columns	✓ CSV, OFX, QIF, QFX
Views and charts	✓ List, bar, pie, Sankey, calendar, map, subscriptions	✓ Reports, charts
Subscription detection	✓ Automatic recurring-charge detection	~ Scheduled transactions
Auto-categorisation	✓ Bundled merchant database, optional cloud categorisation	✓ Automatic
Custom rules	✓ Match on text, amount, date or merchant	✓ Import rules
Encryption	✓ AES-256 at rest, Touch ID unlock, idle lock	~ Optional file password
Works offline	✓ Fully offline (sync and cloud categorisation are opt-in)	✓ Yes
Multi-currency	✓ Original amount and currency preserved	✓ Multi-currency
Receipts and attachments	✓ Attach receipts and files to transactions	✓ Attachments
Budgeting	✗ Not yet	✓ Envelope and traditional
Investments and net worth	✗ No	✓ Full investment tracking
Mobile app	✗ No	✓ iOS
Shared / household access	✗ Single user	~ Via cloud sync
Data export	✓ CSV export; the database is a standard SQLite file	✓ CSV, QIF
AI	✓ Open SQLite file your AI assistant can query	✗ No

✓ Yes ~ Partly or with caveats ✗ No

Where Banktivity wins

A full accounting-style suite: budgets, investments, loans, reports.
An iPhone app that syncs with the Mac.

Where Finances wins

Encrypted by default with Touch ID and idle lock.
Modern views: Sankey, calendar, map, merchants and automatic subscriptions.
Australian bank sync via the Consumer Data Right.
A one-time licence option.

Which should you choose?

Choose Banktivity if you want budgets, loans and investments handled in the classic desktop-finance style.

Choose Finances if you want a fast, modern Mac app for transactions with strong privacy defaults.

How Finances works

Finances is a native macOS app. Import CSV, OFX or JSON statements from any bank, or sync Australian accounts through Redbark (Consumer Data Right) and Up Bank directly. Transactions are categorised by a bundled merchant database and your own rules, then explored as a list, bar and pie charts, a Sankey diagram, a calendar, a map, or a subscriptions view. Everything is stored in an encrypted SQLite database on your computer, unlocked with Touch ID.

Frequently asked questions

Is Finances a replacement for Banktivity?

If you use Banktivity mainly to import statements, categorise and review spending, yes. If you rely on investment lots or envelope budgets, Banktivity still covers more.

Can I import Banktivity data into Finances?

Export transactions from Banktivity as CSV and import them into Finances.

Try Finances free for 30 days

No account, no card. Your data stays on your Mac.

Download for macOS

Other comparisons

Banktivity is a trademark of its respective owner and is not affiliated with The Finances App. Competitor details are based on public information as of September 2026 and may change; check the vendor's site for current pricing. Spotted a mistake? Let us know.