GoodBudget

Short version

Goodbudget uses virtual envelopes: assign available money to categories, then record spending against those amounts. It syncs across web, iPhone and Android and supports household budget sharing; people sharing one household use a common login rather than separate member accounts.

Research-based profile, not hands-on testing. Compiled from public vendor documentation, store pages and public discussion; no signup, trial or bank connection was used.

Cost

• Free: 10 regular envelopes plus 10 additional envelopes (20 total), 1 account, 2 devices and 1 year of history.
• Plus: $8/month or $70/year; unlimited envelopes and accounts, 5 devices, 7 years of history and email support.
• Premium: $10/month or $80/year on the vendor pricing page. It adds automatic bank sync for US banks only; the other listed limits match Plus.
• The vendor page lists these plans and prices; storefront offers can vary by region.

What is distinct

• A classic envelope workflow with manual entry, plus optional bank imports on Premium.
• Debt tracking is included on all plans; debt accounts are tracked separately from linked bank-sync account types.
• Shared household budgets sync across supported devices, although sharing instructions use one common household login.

Bank sync and imports

Goodbudget's pricing page lists automatic bank sync as a Premium feature for US banks only. The vendor's help article identifies Plaid as the connection provider; pending transactions were announced for Premium in March 2026. Loans and investment accounts are not listed as supported bank-sync types. Google Play describes QFX/OFX statement imports and CSV downloads on the web, though current limits for those features were not confirmed here.

Privacy and reliability

The privacy policy, last revised November 7, 2024, says personal data is not sold or rented, data is secured using 256-bit SSL, deletion requests are completed within 30 days, logs/backups within 12 months, and data is stored in the US. These are vendor statements, not an independent security audit. In August 2026, staff reported display, balance and backup issues after a maintenance release; they announced backup fixes, while the public thread also discussed balance and reconciliation concerns.

Mobile and recent activity

Goodbudget lists web, iPhone and Android versions. Apple’s listing shows iOS version 5.5 released October 16, 2026, with display and iOS 27 compatibility fixes. Google Play lists an August 6, 2026 update. The vendor changelog currently stops at March 9, 2026, so it does not include those later store releases.

Who it suits

Households comfortable with a hands-on envelope routine, especially those who value shared budgets and can work within the free limits or pay for US bank sync. It is a weaker fit if you need separate household logins, non-US bank links, linked loans/investments or dependable imports of older transactions.

Not confirmed

Current resolution of all balance/reconciliation issues reported in August 2026; supported bank coverage for a particular institution; full current import/export limits.

Bottom line

A well-established envelope approach with a useful free tier and optional US bank sync on Premium, but a shared household login is required and store release cadence differs from the vendor changelog. The recent vendor-acknowledged data-display incident is important context. This is a document-based profile, not a months-long hands-on review.

Ratings are set separately against a shared rubric.