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Simple Money vs Goodbudget
Goodbudget proved that manual-entry budgeting works. It skips bank connections entirely, which means no sync failures. The limitation: only envelope budgeting, no data import, and a dated interface.
What Goodbudget does well
Goodbudget proved that manual-entry budgeting works. It skips bank connections entirely, which means no sync failures. The envelope metaphor is intuitive for many users, and the couple sharing feature lets partners budget together from separate devices.
Where Goodbudget users consistently struggle
Only 10 envelopes and 2 devices on the free plan — most users outgrow it within weeks
Setup described as "onerous and cumbersome" in reviews
No data import — everything must be entered manually from scratch, including historical data
Reports are basic with no trend analysis or category breakdowns over time
The interface has not kept pace with modern apps
Feature comparison
| Feature | Simple Money | Goodbudget |
|---|---|---|
| Bank connection | Not required | Not required |
| CSV import | Yes | No |
| Budget methodologies | Envelope, 50/30/20, zero-based | Envelope only |
| Debt payoff calculators | Snowball + Avalanche | No |
| FIRE calculator | Yes | No |
| Multi-currency | Full support | Limited |
| Reporting depth | Full trends + breakdowns | Basic |
| Data encryption | AES-256 at rest | Standard |
| Annual price | EUR 79/year | USD 80/year |
| Free tier limits | 50 tx/month, 1 account | 10 envelopes, 2 devices |
| Modern UI | Yes | Dated |
| Couple sharing | Shared accounts | Native sharing |
Who should choose Goodbudget
If the envelope metaphor is central to how you budget and you want a simple, proven tool that does one thing (envelopes) well, Goodbudget remains a solid pick for that specific workflow.
Who should choose Simple Money
If you want manual-entry budgeting with modern features like CSV import, debt calculators, FIRE planning, full reporting, and a current UI, Simple Money is the natural upgrade path from Goodbudget.
Try Simple Money free
No bank connection. Full premium for 14 days, no credit card required.