Who wrote this: the team that makes SIMPL, so read it knowing we sell one of the two apps. Every fact about EveryDollar links to where we read it, on 2026-10-19. Where EveryDollar is the better choice, we say so.
EveryDollar vs SIMPL
Bottom line: EveryDollar is free with manual entry, or $79.99 a year ($17.99 a month) for Premium with bank connections. SIMPL is $199 once, about 2.5 years of Premium. Ramsey followers happy with the free version should stay.
Stay on EveryDollar
If the free EveryDollar is enough for you, nothing beats free: stay. SIMPL is worth a look only if you'd otherwise pay for Premium every year and want more than the budget itself, like goals, debt payoff, a subscription tracker and receipts in one app.
Can it pay for itself?
SIMPL is $199 once, about $17 a month over its first year. Its Drain Guard reads your expenses (from a linked bank, an imported statement, or ones you type in), finds the charges that repeat, and adds them up by the month. Keep or Cut then walks you through them one at a time. Cancel $17 a month of charges you'd forgotten about and SIMPL has paid for itself inside the first year, before you count the EveryDollar bill you'd stop paying.
It depends on what you find and what you cancel, so we don't promise a number.
What EveryDollar is
People who like clear rules, zero-based budgeting and Dave Ramsey's approach to money. nerdwallet.com
Price: Free version with manual entry; Premium $17.99 a month or $79.99 a year, with a 14-day trial. ramseysolutions.com
Where it runs: iPhone, Android and EveryDollar.com. The free version is manual-only; Premium links banks. It cannot import files such as bank statements.
Where EveryDollar is strong
- A free version you can use as long as you want, with unlimited categories and manual tracking. ramseysolutions.com
- Household feature lets couples manage one budget while each signs in with a separate email. ramseysolutions.com
- Simple zero-based framework; its January 2026 relaunch added a margin finder, personalized plans, daily lessons and live group coaching. nerdwallet.com
- Premium bank connections use Plaid with Mastercard Connect as a fallback provider. everydollar.help.ramseysolutions.com
What reviewers say it lacks
- The free version cannot sync with your bank, so every transaction must be entered manually. nerdwallet.com
- Even on Premium you still have to place each transaction into its budget category yourself. nerdwallet.com
- NerdWallet says to skip it if you want a fully automated app, flexibility or advanced customization. nerdwallet.com
What SIMPL is
SIMPL is a budgeting and money app you buy once for $199. It is the same money engine as the Vault inside Nexa, sold on its own.
What it does
- A zero-based budget: give every dollar a job on payday, with envelopes for the irregular costs.
- Savings goals, each with its own progress, and a debt payoff plan.
- A subscription tracker (Drain Guard) that finds charges repeating every month and lets you Keep or Cut each one.
- Receipt capture with the phone camera; receipts become expenses.
- Profit and loss, balance sheet and cash flow, for anyone who also earns freelance or side income.
- Works offline, with a Spanish interface.
What it doesn't
- No investment tracking. If watching a brokerage or retirement portfolio is the job, SIMPL is the wrong tool.
- Without Cloud Sync it lives on one device. Cloud Sync is optional at $4.99 a month (the first three months are included).
- No hosted support desk: it is software you own and run yourself.
What each costs, at today's prices
EveryDollar's price as listed on ramseysolutions.com on 2026-10-19 (Premium, billed yearly). No price rises are assumed: these are today's prices multiplied by the years.
| Over | EveryDollar | SIMPL |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year | $79.99 | $199 |
| 2 years | $159.98 | $199 |
| 3 years | $239.97 | $199 |
| 5 years | $399.95 | $199 |
At $79.99 a year, SIMPL's $199 equals about 2.5 years of EveryDollar. If you'd only use a budgeting app for a year or two, EveryDollar costs less.
Who should stay on EveryDollar
Stay on EveryDollar if you follow the Ramsey Baby Steps and like a simple zero-based plan, especially if the free manual version is all you need.
Who SIMPL suits better
You pay for Premium already and plan to for years, or you want to bring in a bank download, which EveryDollar cannot import.
Moving from EveryDollar to SIMPL
Getting your data out of EveryDollar: Premium only, on EveryDollar.com: Download CSV at the bottom of the budget, one month at a time (not a whole year), choosing either the month's budget or the transactions tracked to it (group, item, type, date, merchant, account, amount, note; or planned/spent/remaining). Only tracked transactions are included; importing files is not supported. everydollar.help.ramseysolutions.com
What SIMPL can bring in:
- Bank and card transactions: CSV, OFX, QFX. In SIMPL: Bank → Import CSV.
- Any other spreadsheet of spending: CSV with a date, a description and an amount. In SIMPL: Bank → Import from YNAB / Mint / CSV.
Questions people ask before switching
Can I bring my EveryDollar data into SIMPL?
Premium only, on EveryDollar.com: Download CSV at the bottom of the budget, one month at a time (not a whole year), choosing either the month's budget or the transactions tracked to it (group, item, type, date, merchant, account, amount, note; or planned/spent/remaining). Only tracked transactions are included; importing files is not supported. SIMPL imports bank downloads (CSV, OFX or QFX) and any spreadsheet of spending with a date, a description and an amount.
Does SIMPL track investments like EveryDollar?
No. SIMPL has no investment tracking: it covers budgets, goals, debt payoff, subscriptions, receipts and money reports. If you track a portfolio, keep a tool that does.
Do I need a subscription for SIMPL?
No. SIMPL is $199 once. Cloud Sync, which keeps it on more than one device, is optional at $4.99 a month, and the first three months come with the purchase. Without it SIMPL runs on one device and works offline.
Does SIMPL need my bank login?
No. You can bring in the files your bank lets you download (CSV, OFX or QFX). SIMPL can also connect to your bank directly if you choose to.
Is EveryDollar cheaper than SIMPL?
Over one year, yes: $79.99 against $199. SIMPL costs the same as about 2.5 years of EveryDollar at today's price, and nothing after that.
$199 once. No subscription.
Get SIMPL: $199Sources
- https://www.ramseysolutions.com/money/everydollar
- https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/learn/best-budget-apps
- https://everydollar.help.ramseysolutions.com/hc/en-us/articles/360037960532-How-to-Add-a-Bank
- https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/learn/everydollar-app-review
- https://everydollar.help.ramseysolutions.com/hc/en-us/articles/360040571391-Export-Tracked-Transactions
Checked 2026-10-19. Prices change; the vendor's page is the final word.