Quicken Alternatives

CaldwellYSR · Aug 4, 2011

Are there any open source alternatives to Quicken that work in Lion? I know iBank is the best alternative and I would love to get it but I'm a broke college student. I've tried GnuCash, jGnash, HomeBank, and Grisbi and they all fail in OS X Lion. This is the first time the open source community has failed me. I'm sure all of those will work just fine when the developers recode whatever they have to recode for Lion but who knows when that will be. So does anyone know of some alternatives that work?

RavingMac · Aug 4, 2011

CaldwellYSR said:
Are there any open source alternatives to Quicken that work in Lion? I know iBank is the best alternative and I would love to get it but I'm a broke college student. I've tried GnuCash, jGnash, HomeBank, and Grisbi and they all fail in OS X Lion. This is the first time the open source community has failed me. I'm sure all of those will work just fine when the developers recode whatever they have to recode for Lion but who knows when that will be. So does anyone know of some alternatives that work?

My 2cents worth (I tend to make this same argument everytime the subject comes up, so ignore this if you have heard it before).

IMO looking for Quicken alternatives is akin to looking for Buggy Whip replacements . . . unless you are a business and need the accounting support, what does Quicken (or any replacement) do for you that you really need done?
I say this as a long time Quicken user, after that MoneyDance (but for the last 5 years I am clean--having gone cold turkey on the Money Mgt software).

The generally accepted truism is that if you have money or use money (applies to all of us) then you have to manage it (reasonable enough) ergo a Money Management Software package makes sense (this last part I disagree with). Quicken is a soloution. Do you really have a problem it solves?

I will end my rant with the following summary of what Quicken (and its alternative) do for you (or at least what I have had argued to me that it does):

1) Simplify on-line Banking -- Really? I use on-line banking and have for years. Its hard to see anything simpler than going to your bank's website and using their system.
2) Keep track of transactions -- This made sense many years ago when my transactions were mainly paper, a lot of them sent through the mail, and the update I got from my bank was monthly (also through the mail).
Today, when 90% plus of my (and I suspect your) transactions are electronic, and I can access in almost real time the status of them, I have found no value in this, maybe just me.
3) Balance my account -- Why? The bank automatically balances my account. I can see all of the transactions and if there is a dispute I'm going to have to document and talk to a real person anyway, and I guarantee they are not going to take Quicken's word in the argument.
4) Budget -- hard to beat Excel (or Numbers, or any other spreadsheet for this task)
5) Preparation and documentation for filing your Taxes -- Do you really do this? If so you probably need an Accountant, and he has his own software.

Anyway, I'm done. Thanks for reading (or ignoring) whichever is appropriate.

EDIT: If you happen to have read this before the edit, I realize I made some typos that were confusing. My apologies.

CaldwellYSR · Aug 4, 2011

You make a pretty strong point. I've never used Quicken or any other money management thing I was just looking for one to try out and see if it was something I liked (another reason iBank isn't an option).

DavidHH · Aug 4, 2011

Razormac said:
My 2cents worth (I tend to make this same argument everytime the subject comes up, so ignore this if you have heard it before).

IMO looking for Quicken alternatives is akin to looking for Buggy Whip replacements . . . unless you are a business and need the accounting support, what does Quicken (or any replacement) do for you that you really need done?
I say this as a long time Quicken user, after that MoneyDance (but for the last 5 years I am clean--having gone cold turkey on the Money Mgt software).

The generally accepted truism is that if you have money or use money (applies to all of us) then you have to manage it (reasonable enough) ergo a Money Management Software package makes sense (this last part I disagree with). Quicken is a soloution. Do you really have a problem it solves?

I will end my rant with the following summary of what Quicken (and its alternative) do for you (or at least what I have had argued to me that it does):

1) Simplify on-line Banking -- Really? I use on-line banking and have for years. Its hard to see anything simpler than going to your bank's website and using their system.
2) Keep track of transactions -- This made sense many years ago when my transactions were mainly paper, a lot of them sent through the mail, and the update I got from my bank was monthly (also through the mail).
Today, when 90% plus of my (and I suspect your) transactions are electronic, and I can access in almost real time the status of them, I have found no value in this, maybe just me.
3) Balance my account -- Why? The bank automatically balances my account. I can see all of the transactions and if there is a dispute I'm going to have to document and talk to a real person anyway, and I guarantee they are not going to take Quicken's word in the argument.
4) Budget -- hard to beat Excel (or Numbers, or any other spreadsheet for this task)
5) Preparation and documentation for filing your Taxes -- Do you really do this? If so you probably need an Accountant, and he has his own software.

Anyway, I'm done. Thanks for reading (or ignoring) whichever is appropriate.

EDIT: If you happen to have read this before the edit, I realize I made some typos that were confusing. My apologies.

Great points that I agree with whole heartdly. I too have gone Cold Turkey and stopped using Money Management Software for a number of years now.
An additional point that I would like to add is that if you are still enclined to to do Budgetting, my bank also now offers as part of their "On-Line" banking "Finance Tracking" which essentially "Budget Tracking". It allows categories and alerts for over spending etc. So essentially the bank now has everything you need with additional software.

Hope these thoughts help your decision making.

DavidH

chscag · Aug 4, 2011

Great post from member Razormac. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I avoid anything Intuit like the Bubonic Plague. I won't even use their free version of TurboTax. ;P

As Razormac stated, most banks nowadays provide convenient on line banking and financial management. No need for anything else.

To Razormac: Can't give you good Rep because it looks like "Your cup runneth over". Anyway, just wanted you to know.

RavingMac · Aug 4, 2011

chscag said:
Great post from member Razormac. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I avoid anything Intuit like the Bubonic Plague. I won't even use their free version of TurboTax. ;P

As Razormac stated, most banks nowadays provide convenient on line banking and financial management. No need for anything else.

To Razormac: Can't give you good Rep because it looks like "Your cup runneth over". Anyway, just wanted you to know.

Thanks!

bobtomay · Aug 4, 2011

I also gave up all that software. Think the last I used was MS Money back around '02-'03 maybe and used QuickBooks Pro with my small business until I sold it in '98.

Noticed a couple of days ago, I still have that copy of Money sitting in my closet if anyone is interested in it.
Probably have the old QBP for Win98 sitting in there too.

chas_m · Aug 5, 2011

I'm unqualified to comment on money management software because the only money management I do is that I MANAGE to spend all my MONEY every month!

I have heard from friends that iBank has been an acceptable Quicken substitute for them.

Quicken Alternatives

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