# Zero Sum review > Zero-based budgeting web and iPhone app with tiered plans and optional bank sync. Source: https://budgetingapps.org/apps/zero-sum (researched 2026-10-15). Research-based review, not hands-on testing. ## Summary Zerosum is a zero-based budgeting app where users assign every dollar of income to categories, with savings goals, recurring transactions, loan tracking and reports. Plans are tiered by bank-sync level: manual, bring-your-own SimpleFIN/Lunch Flow, or managed sync. It is run as a personal project by one developer in Portugal. **Best for:** People who want a zero-based budget, may not need bank sync, and want to pay only for the sync level they use. ## Key facts - Website: https://zerosumapp.com/ - Price: $5.99/month; $30/year - Rating: 3.8/5 - Free plan: no - Free trial: 1 month of Pro free on Pro Annual; payment method required - Platforms: iOS, Web - Budgeting method: Zero-based, Expense tracking, Forecasting, Couples & families - Bank sync: Plus: own SimpleFIN or Lunch Flow account; Pro: managed Plaid (US/Canada) or Lunch Flow (elsewhere) - Mobile apps: Native iPhone app; Android, Mac and Windows are installable PWAs, not native apps. - Import: CSV, OFX, QFX, QIF; YNAB and Actual Budget imports per vendor comparison page - Multiple budgets: Yes; unlimited budgets on all plans per pricing page - Team: Solo developer (Pedro Fidalgo, Portugal), not a registered company - Privacy: Not sold or shared with advertisers, not used for AI training (terms). App Store privacy label lists financial info, coarse location, contact info, identifiers and diagnostics linked to user. ## Features - Envelope budgeting: not confirmed - Automatic bank sync: yes - Manual transaction entry: yes - 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: yes - Separate logins for shared budgets: not confirmed ## Pros - Basic tier ($30/year on the web) includes manual budgeting, goals, recurring transactions, loan tracking, analytics and file import. - Bank sync is optional: bring your own SimpleFIN or Lunch Flow account on Plus, or managed sync via Plaid (US/Canada) or Lunch Flow (elsewhere) on Pro. - CSV export, JSON budget backups and full account-data export are available on every plan. - The vendor says data is not sold, shared for third-party marketing or used to train AI models. - Public changelog documents frequent updates; Oct 2026 releases refined credit-card allocation, phone analytics, recurring schedules and shared-budget notifications. - Shared budgets include one seat on Basic, three on Plus and five on Pro. ## Cons - Very new product with a short public history; the App Store listing currently shows 30 ratings. - Terms describe it as a personal project run by one person, with no uptime or support guarantee. - Native app is iPhone-only; Android, Mac and Windows use installable web apps, which require an internet connection. - No free tier; the one-month Pro trial requires a payment method and renews at $75/year unless canceled. - iOS in-app prices are higher than website annual prices (Basic $39.99 vs. $30; Plus $59.99 vs. $50; Pro $89.99 vs. $75). - Managed bank sync is limited to Plaid in the US/Canada or Lunch Flow elsewhere. ## Our review ### Short version Zerosum is a zero-based budgeting app where users assign every dollar of income to categories, with savings goals, recurring transactions, loan tracking and reports. Plans are tiered by bank-sync level: manual, bring-your-own SimpleFIN/Lunch Flow, or managed sync. It is run as a personal project by one developer in Portugal. **Quick profile, not a full review.** Updated 2026-10-15 from the vendor site, help center, changelog, store listing and public sources. No hands-on testing: I did not sign up, start a trial or connect a bank. ### Cost - Web plans: Basic $30/year, Plus $50/year, Pro $75/year; prices are before tax. - iOS in-app annual prices: Basic $39.99, Plus $59.99, Pro $89.99. Monthly prices are $5.99, $8.99 and $12.99, respectively. - Trial: one month of Pro Annual, payment method required; renews at $75/year unless canceled before the first payment. ### What is distinct - Tiered plans price bank-sync access separately, including bring-your-own SimpleFIN/Lunch Flow sync. - Multiple tags per transaction; customizable analytics dashboards and built-in reports. - 17 color themes, with light and dark variants. - Native iPhone app; Android, Mac and Windows use installable web apps (PWA). - Auto Budget panel can fill underbudgeted categories or cover overspending. - Recent public updates include improved credit-card allocation rules (v1.10.6, Oct 5) and shared-budget notification controls and analytics/recurring-transaction refinements (v1.10.7, Oct 11). ### Not confirmed Exact founding year; Android/Google Play native app (the vendor says there is no Android app); independent review base beyond the App Store; debt payoff, bill reminders and investment tracking; multi-currency conversion (each budget has its own currency). ### Notes The website lists 16 built-in reports; the App Store description says twelve. App Store listing showed 30 ratings (5.0/5) when checked; that is a small sample. The vendor's installation guide says the PWA requires an internet connection. Ratings are set separately against a shared rubric. ## Sources - [Official product and pricing page](https://zerosumapp.com/) (retrieved 2026-10-15) - [Official changelog (v1.10.6–v1.10.7)](https://feedback.zerosumapp.com/changelog) (retrieved 2026-10-15) - [Official installation guide](https://help.zerosumapp.com/en/articles/0014458-install-zerosum) (retrieved 2026-10-15) - [Apple App Store listing and version history](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/zerosum-zero-based-budgeting/id6784319439) (retrieved 2026-10-15)