IFinance 4
Good value for money or a dubious investment?
£29.99 Developer Synium Software, syniumsoftware.com
Requirements OS X 10.10 or higher
iFinance 4 goes a long way toward smoothing the bumpy road that Mac users have had with personal finance management software, not least due to its ability to sync using iCloud or locally using Wi-Fi (though not both at the same time). Its iOS companion app works with iPad and iPhone, and Touch ID can be used to secure your data. On Apple Watch you can peek at your finances and add transactions.
Otherwise, both versions are nearly identical in features, including support for multiple databases, charts, reports, and budget analysis. Data in CSV, OFX, or QIF format can also be imported in either version.
Though iFinance is more powerful than Quicken 2015, and at least on par with popular rival iBank, we didn’t warm to its interface, with its overly large buttons, questionable colours, and generally unpolished look and feel. The layout of many options is unintuitive, so the app is harder to use than it should be. The exception is the Analyses tab, which offers visually rich charts and graphs.
Note that iFinance is a bargain compared to alternatives, but you’ll pay twice to get it on Mac and iOS. Syncing was mostly flawless; we had a few conflicts when the database was open in multiple locations, but these were easily resolved by manually selecting the most recent version. J. R. Bookwalter Affordable finance management, but the interface could use an overhaul to live up to the comprehensive features.
Beautiful charts and reports
iCloud or local Wi-Fi syncing
Unintuitive interface
Cost of buying for Mac and iOS