Tired of budget apps that want $10/month or $99/year? Here are apps that work without any subscription.
The Subscription Problem
Popular budget apps have gotten expensive:
- ❌ YNAB: $99/year ($8.25/month)
- ❌ Monarch: $99/year ($8.25/month)
- ❌ Copilot: $120/year ($10/month)
- ❌ Simplifi: $48/year ($4/month)
That's $50-120/year just to track your spending. Ironic for an app meant to help you save money.
Best Free Apps Without Subscription
1. Pocket Clear
💚 Free Forever Features
- ✅ Unlimited expense tracking
- ✅ Full reporting & charts
- ✅ All categories
- ✅ Offline mode
- ✅ No ads
Optional: $0.99/month Pro for cloud backup — but not required.
2. Goodbudget
- ✅ Free tier with 20 envelopes
- ✅ Envelope budgeting method
- ⚠️ Limited to 1 device on free
3. Every Dollar (Free)
- ✅ Zero-based budgeting for free
- ✅ Dave Ramsey's method
- ⚠️ Bank sync requires paid version
4. Money Manager
- ✅ Comprehensive free version
- ⚠️ Contains ads
- ⚠️ Pro is one-time purchase
Why No Subscription?
Subscriptions add up. If you're trying to budget, adding another recurring cost defeats the purpose.
- $99/year = ₹8,250/year in India
- $99/year = A month of groceries for many
- $99/year over 5 years = $495
A free app with optional upgrade makes more sense.
What About "Free Trials"?
These are NOT free apps:
- ❌ YNAB — 34-day trial, then subscription
- ❌ Monarch — 7-day trial, then subscription
- ❌ Copilot — Trial, then subscription
A free trial is just deferred payment. You'll pay eventually.
The Pocket Clear Approach
We believe expense tracking should be free. That's why:
- 📝 Core tracking is completely free
- 📊 Reports and insights are free
- 🔒 Privacy-first (no bank linking)
- 🚫 No ads in the free version
Pro exists for people who want cloud backup and budgets, but you never have to pay to use the app.
Track Expenses — No Subscription Required
Free forever. No credit card. No trial.