Finances vs PocketSmith

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

PocketSmith is a New Zealand-built web app focused on calendar forecasting, with bank feeds for Australia, New Zealand and many other countries. Finances is a local-first Mac app for the same region that keeps your data on your computer.

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

Finances vs PocketSmith at a glance

Feature	Finances	PocketSmith
Platform	✓ Native macOS desktop app	✓ Web, iOS, Android
Where your data lives	✓ On your Mac, in an encrypted SQLite database	✗ PocketSmith's cloud
Price	✓ One-time 1.x licence, or a monthly subscription	✗ Free tier; Foundation $9.99/month; Flourish $16.66/month; Fortune $26.66/month
Free trial	✓ 30 days, no sign-up	✓ Free tier
Bank sync	✓ Australian banks via Redbark (CDR), Up Bank direct, US banks via Plaid, AMEX	✓ Australia, NZ, UK, US and more
File import	✓ CSV, OFX/QFX and JSON with auto-detected columns	✓ CSV, OFX, QIF
Views and charts	✓ List, bar, pie, Sankey, calendar, map, subscriptions	✓ Calendar, forecasts, dashboards
Subscription detection	✓ Automatic recurring-charge detection	~ Repeating transactions
Auto-categorisation	✓ Bundled merchant database, optional cloud categorisation	✓ Category rules
Custom rules	✓ Match on text, amount, date or merchant	✓ Categorisation rules
Encryption	✓ AES-256 at rest, Touch ID unlock, idle lock	~ Encrypted on their servers
Works offline	✓ Fully offline (sync and cloud categorisation are opt-in)	✗ Needs an internet connection
Multi-currency	✓ Original amount and currency preserved	✓ Multi-currency
Receipts and attachments	✓ Attach receipts and files to transactions	✓ Attachments
Budgeting	✗ Not yet	✓ Budgets and forecasting
Investments and net worth	✗ No	~ Balances and net worth
Mobile app	✗ No	✓ iOS and Android
Shared / household access	✗ Single user	~ Multiple logins on higher plans
Data export	✓ CSV export; the database is a standard SQLite file	✓ CSV and API
AI	✓ Open SQLite file your AI assistant can query	✗ No

✓ Yes ~ Partly or with caveats ✗ No

Where PocketSmith wins

Long-range cash-flow forecasting on a calendar.
Bank feeds in many countries.
A free plan for manual use.

Where Finances wins

Your data stays on your Mac, encrypted, instead of a cloud account.
A native desktop app with instant search and keyboard navigation.
Sankey and map views, automatic subscription detection.
One-time licence instead of tiered subscriptions.

Which should you choose?

Choose PocketSmith if you want to forecast future balances and share with an accountant.

Choose Finances if you want the fastest, most private way to understand past spending on a Mac.

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

Both apps support Australian banks. What is the difference?

PocketSmith stores your feeds and history on its servers. Finances syncs through Redbark or Up Bank directly into an encrypted database on your Mac.

Does Finances have a calendar view?

Yes. Finances shows transactions by month, week or day, grouped by category, merchant or tag. It shows what happened rather than forecasting the future.

Try Finances free for 30 days

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

Download for macOS

Other comparisons

PocketSmith 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.