YNAB Alternative: Handbudget — Budget by Hand
If you're searching for a YNAB alternative, here's the short version: Handbudget is an envelope budget you type into by hand, one month at a time, with no bank connection and no subscription. Everything below is a straight comparison of what YNAB costs and what people complain about, next to what Handbudget actually does.
What YNAB costs
According to YNAB's own US App Store listing, YNAB is priced at $14.99/month or $109/year. That's the US figure as listed there — if you're outside the US, check your own app store or region, because price and currency can differ and we haven't verified those separately.
What people complain about
Two complaints come up repeatedly about YNAB: price rises over time, and bank sync that's absent or unreliable outside the US — which means non-US users can end up paying a subscription price for what is, for them, a manual-entry product anyway. These are reported complaints, not something we've tested ourselves.
What Handbudget does instead
Handbudget is built for manual entry from the start — you type in your own numbers, into your own envelopes, one month at a time. There's no bank login step to fail, because there's no bank connection at all. It runs free in the browser at handbudget.pixygon.io, and every number stays on your own machine.
Who should not switch
If you want your transactions pulled in automatically from your bank, Handbudget isn't that — it has no bank sync of any kind, working or not, in any country. If that's a dealbreaker for you, this isn't your alternative.
Why type it in yourself
When you're the one entering the number, you know exactly what's in your budget and why. Nothing gets categorized or moved without you seeing it happen, because nothing happens unless you do it.
Cost and where your data sits
Handbudget is free in the browser. Your numbers are kept on your own machine — there's no subscription fee to compare against YNAB's US App Store price of $14.99/month or $109/year, because there isn't one.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good YNAB alternative for manual budgeting?
Handbudget is a YNAB alternative built specifically for manual entry — you type in every number yourself, in envelopes, one month at a time, with no bank connection required.
Is there a free YNAB alternative?
Handbudget is free in the browser at handbudget.pixygon.io. There's no subscription, unlike YNAB's US App Store price of $14.99/month or $109/year.
Does this YNAB alternative sync with my bank?
No. Handbudget has no bank login and no bank sync at all. You enter every transaction yourself, everywhere, regardless of country.
Why look for a YNAB alternative if I'm outside the US?
One recurring complaint is that YNAB's bank sync is absent or unreliable outside the US, meaning non-US users may pay a subscription price for what functions as a manual-entry tool for them anyway.
Is Handbudget a good YNAB alternative if I want automatic categorization?
No. Handbudget does not categorize transactions for you — every entry and every envelope assignment is something you do by hand.
How much does this YNAB alternative cost compared to YNAB?
Handbudget is free in the browser. YNAB's US App Store listing shows $14.99/month or $109/year — check your own app store if you're outside the US, since pricing there isn't something we've verified.