Personal Finance for the Mac: Options?


I need your help.

When I spent my days using a Gateway computer and Windows XP, I used Microsoft Money to do my bills. It wasn’t pretty, but it got the job done, plus it had a few features that I really liked. Seeing my cash flow forecast is really nice to have, and paying my bills in one program as opposed to going to my bank’s website and doing the job there. So when it came time to move to a Mac, I bought Parallels and installed XP on my iMac for the sole reason of using it to pay my bills. As of right now, that’s the only reason I have to use Windows at any point during the day.

Then came the news that Microsoft was discontinuing Money, and stopping service effective January 2011. That puts me in a little bit of a pickle. I have to find an option for taking care of my personal bills, but I don’t see anything yet that really fits all of my requirements.

Here’s what I’m looking for:

  • Cash flow forecasting
  • Online bill pay built into the program
  • Synchronization with my banks
  • OSX Version so I can get rid of Windows for good
  • If possible, an iPhone app to go with it

I’ve looked at Quicken Essentials (pictured above) and it looks like it offers none of the features I want. There are rumors of a new version of Quicken for Mac to be released later this year, but those rumors have been around since 2008. I’d like to get into something by the end of the summer if possible, but I’m open to suggestions. If you’ve got one, two, or maybe even three, drop a note in the comments.


Kokou Adzo

Kokou Adzo is a stalwart in the tech journalism community, has been chronicling the ever-evolving world of Apple products and innovations for over a decade. As a Senior Author at Apple Gazette, Kokou combines a deep passion for technology with an innate ability to translate complex tech jargon into relatable insights for everyday users.

8 Comments

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  1. I switched from MoneyDance to MoneyWell a couple years back. Although I really loved MoneyDance when I primarily ran Linux, MoneyWell has a more Mac-like look and feel to it. Also, I assumed that MoneyWell would have an iPhone version out more quickly than MoneyDance might (although to date neither has released an iPhone app).

    That said, MoneyWell does not support in application bill payment, so they do not have all features that you are hoping for.

  2. iBank. I weened myself off of Quicken when they hadn’t come out with a new release for almost two years. Love it.

  3. I haven’t come across any equivalent Mac based personal finance products.

    As such, I decided to use Money (by Jumsoft). It doesn’t have all of the features you list, but it’s a simple to use program that synchs with my iPhone (a big plus).

    The other alternative would be to try Mint (mint.com) as I’ve heard good things about it. I took a look at the Quicken products for the Mac and all I can say is … I wouldn’t.

    Hans.

  4. I picked up iBank from IGG Software a few years back in some software bundle and have been pretty happy with it. Looking at your list of functionality you would like, it does all of those except for Bill Pay. There is a mobile version for the iPhone that gets great reviews too.

  5. Let me give a second vote for Mint. I’m still a little suspicious, but it does do a decent job.

    I really haven’t seen anything for Mac quite worth the money.

  6. Think yourself lucky that you have the option of Quicken under Windows. Due to lack of international support, I’m having to use Quicken 2002 under Crossover which seems to work fine. Of the MAC applications, Moneywell is the only one that could import my Quicken accounts 100% correctly, but it still doesn’t do enough to cause me to switch over from Quicken yet.

  7. I was struggling to find a solution to the same problem. I tried them all and ended up going with Squirrel, which syncs easily with my iPhone. It doesn’t offer syncing with bank accounts, but it does the whole cash flow forecasting thing which I rely on, and found hard to find elsewhere. It’s still being developed too.

  8. I picked up iBank from IGG Software a few years back in some software bundle and have been pretty happy with it. Looking at your list of functionality you would like, it does all of those except for Bill Pay. There is a mobile version for the iPhone that gets great reviews too.