# Allocated review > One-time-purchase Mac app for envelope-style budgeting with data kept in a local file Source: https://budgetingapps.org/apps/allocated (researched 2026-10-13). Research-based review, not hands-on testing. ## Summary Allocated is a macOS-only budgeting app that uses envelope-style category budgeting, a guided start-of-month and end-of-month routine, and CSV bank import. Data is stored in a single JSON file on the user's Mac with rolling backups, with no account or cloud server. It is sold for a one-time fee after a 30-day trial, is distributed as a direct download through Gumroad, and is built by a single anonymous developer. **Best for:** Mac users on a regular paycheck who want a subscription-free, offline envelope budget and are fine importing bank CSVs by hand ## Key facts - Website: https://allocatedapp.com/ - Price: No subscription; one-time $59 ($39 for students and medical trainees, by emailed proof); No subscription; one-time $59; lifetime: $59 - Rating: 2.6/5 - Free plan: no - Free trial: 30-day free trial from first launch, no credit card - Platforms: Desktop - Budgeting method: Envelope, Zero-based, Expense tracking - Bank sync: Not offered per site; CSV import only - Mobile apps: No; macOS app only (macOS 11 Big Sur or later, Apple Silicon or Intel, per the Gumroad page) - Import: CSV import with auto-detection for about 15 named US banks, a generic detector and manual column mapping. The vendor also lists a CSV export of spending by category and date range. - Multiple budgets: Not confirmed - Team: Single anonymous developer (a medical resident, per the site) - Privacy: Financial data stays in a local JSON file on the user's Mac; no account. Per the vendor, only the license key and a machine identifier are sent to its servers (for license checks), plus any debug query the user sends. ## Features - Envelope budgeting: yes - Automatic bank sync: not confirmed - Manual transaction entry: not confirmed - Goal tracking: yes - Debt payoff tools: not confirmed - Investment tracking: not confirmed - Bill reminders: not confirmed - Reports & charts: yes - Multi-currency: not confirmed - Shared / household budgets: not confirmed - Separate logins for shared budgets: not confirmed ## Pros - One-time $59 price with free updates stated on the vendor site; no subscription or tiers - Data lives in a single local JSON file with automatic rolling backups; no account needed - CSV import auto-detects formats from about 15 named US banks and learns categorization rules - Guided monthly start and end-of-month workflows plus savings goal folders and net worth tracking - Vendor states a 14-day no-questions refund window and a plain-language privacy note naming the only data sent to its servers - Spending-by-category CSV export for any date range, per the vendor ## Cons - macOS only (macOS 11 or later); no Windows, web, iOS or Android version listed - No bank sync mentioned; transactions come in via CSV import or manual entry - Developer is anonymous and a solo effort, with no public changelog, release history or version number found - Support and student discounts are handled by personal email only; no help center, FAQ or privacy page found as separate pages - Direct download through a third-party storefront; no App Store listing, so no public ratings or version history to check - No independent reviews found; every claim here comes from the vendor's own pages - License checks send a key and a machine identifier to the vendor, so the app is not fully offline-only (financial data is not sent, per the vendor) ## Our review ### Short version Allocated is a macOS-only budgeting app that uses envelope-style category budgeting, a guided start-of-month and end-of-month routine, and CSV bank import. Data is stored in a single JSON file on your Mac with rolling backups, with no account or cloud server. It is sold for a one-time fee after a 30-day trial and is built by a single anonymous developer. **Research-based profile, not hands-on testing.** Refreshed on 2026-10-06 from the vendor's home page and its Gumroad product page. I did not sign up, start the trial or connect a bank. ### Cost - One-time $59, with free updates stated by the vendor and no tiers. - $39 for current students and medical trainees, by emailing proof to the developer. - 30-day free trial from first launch, no credit card; the Gumroad page also states a 14-day refund window. - The BudgetingApps.org comparison table has shown a 3-day trial for this app. The vendor's own pages say 30 days, which is what this listing uses. ### What it does - Envelope-style budgeting: assign income to categories, move money between them, cover overspending at month end. - Savings goal folders with progress bars, plus net worth tracking for cash, investments and liabilities. - CSV import that auto-detects layouts from about 15 named US banks, with a generic detector and manual column mapping; categorization rules are learned after the first import. - A guided workflow for starting and closing each month, a setup wizard and inline tips for beginners. - CSV export of spending by category over a date range. ### What is distinct The angle is a keyboard-friendly, local-only Mac app with a guided monthly routine, aimed at people on a fixed paycheck, with one price and no subscription. The vendor's pitch leans on avoiding subscriptions rather than copying one specific product's design. ### Privacy and data The data file sits at a documented path in Application Support, and the vendor suggests backing it up with Time Machine or a synced folder. The vendor says the only things sent to its servers are the license key and a machine identifier for validation, plus any debug query you choose to send. There is no separate privacy policy page that I could find, and no independent audit. ### Not confirmed Founding year; version number or last release date (no changelog found); whether manual transaction entry, multi-currency, bill reminders, debt payoff or shared budgets are supported; whether multiple budgets are possible; independent reviews; any public roadmap. ### Who it suits Mac users on a regular paycheck who want a one-time purchase, an offline envelope budget and a guided monthly routine, and who are fine importing bank CSVs by hand. It will not suit anyone who needs bank sync, a phone app, other operating systems or a team behind the product. ### Notes Student/trainee price $39. Ratings are set separately against a shared rubric. ## Sources - [Vendor home page (features, pricing, developer note)](https://allocatedapp.com/) (retrieved 2026-10-13) - [Gumroad product page (system requirements, refunds, privacy, install)](https://allocatedapp.gumroad.com/l/fzqas) (retrieved 2026-10-13)