YNAB alternatives in Europe: the 2026 comparison
YNAB remains the benchmark for zero-based budgeting, but from Europe it bills in US dollars, keeps one currency per budget and connects banks in 18 European countries. Here are the alternatives for Europe and the UK, compared on what matters when you leave YNAB.
What YNAB does well, and what gets in the way in Europe
Before you leave, decide what you want to keep.
YNAB made zero-based budgeting popular: every amount you receive is assigned to a purpose before you spend it. The app is mature: web, iPhone, Android and Apple Watch, with a bank connection in 18 European countries, including the UK (via Plaid).
Leaving YNAB is rarely about the method. It is about fit.
From Europe, three things get in the way. YNAB bills in US dollars on its website ($14.99 a month or $109 a year, plus tax), so your bank may add currency fees; on the UK App Store, its subscriptions are listed at £12.99 and £99. One budget holds one currency, which is awkward if you earn or spend in two. And its bank connection covers 18 European countries: not Greece, Hungary, Romania, Croatia, Slovakia, Slovenia or Luxembourg, among others.
Six criteria for choosing
What really matters when you come from YNAB.
Bank connection in your country. Check the exact country list, and whether it is included or costs extra.
Price in your currency. A price in pounds or euros avoids currency fees; a free plan or a trial lets you test.
Several currencies. If you earn, spend or travel across borders, check that one budget accepts them.
The method. Zero-based or envelopes, to keep YNAB's logic rather than simple expense tracking.
YNAB import. Keeping your history saves you from starting on a blank page.
Your language. If you share the budget with someone, an interface in both your languages helps.
YNAB and its alternatives, side by side
YNAB as the benchmark, then six alternatives. Facts checked on 23 and 24 September 2026.
| App | Method | Price | Bank connection in Europe | YNAB import | Currencies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YNABBenchmark (US) | Zero-based | $14.99/mo or $109/yr on the website (USD, plus tax); 34-day trial | Yes: 18 countries, including the UK (Plaid) | Export: CSV and API | One per budget |
| iBudgetAllARJB Studio (FR) | Zero-based, physical and virtual envelopes | 32-day trial with no card, then £6.99/mo or £59.99/yr (UK), €7.99/mo or €67.99/yr (eurozone) | Your choice: 29 countries (not the UK), or manual entry | Yes, native | Yes, 100 currencies |
| Actual BudgetOpen source | Envelopes, zero-based | Free; a server to host for sync (about $2/mo) | Experimental (Enable Banking, to set up) | Yes (JSON file) | One per budget |
| Lunch MoneyCanada | Category budgets with rollover; zero-based with manual setup | $10 or €10/mo, or $60 to $150/yr (you choose); 30-day trial | Yes: 17 EU countries (Plaid), not the UK | CSV only | Yes, 160+ currencies |
| PocketSmithNew Zealand | Calendar budgets and forecasting, not zero-based | Free plan without bank feeds; paid from $9.99/mo billed yearly (£14.95/mo in the UK) | Yes: UK and EU (Salt Edge); one country on the entry plan | Yes (dedicated; decimal-comma exports need converting) | Yes, converted to your main currency |
| Toshl FinanceSlovenia and US | Category budgets with rollover, not zero-based | Free (2 accounts, 2 budgets); bank sync plan $4.99/mo or $39.99/yr | Yes: 30 EEA countries, the UK and Switzerland (Salt Edge), paid plan | No (CSV, OFX, QIF) | Yes, 200+ currencies |
| GoodbudgetUS | Envelopes | Free (20 envelopes, 1 account); $10/mo or $80/yr | No (US banks only) | No (transactions only) | One at a time |
Features and prices recorded on 23 and 24 September 2026 from official websites, help centers and App Store / Google Play listings. Prices vary by country and store, and change over time. Sources: YNAB, Actual Budget, Lunch Money, PocketSmith, Toshl, Goodbudget.
Which one to choose, depending on you
None is perfect: who each one suits best, and its main limitation.
iBudgetAll ARJB Studio
Best for YNAB's zero-based method with real envelopes, several currencies in one budget, a price in pounds or euros, and your YNAB history imported. Bank connection in 29 European countries, 12 of which YNAB doesn't cover.
Limitation no web or desktop version yet; no bank connection in the UK or Switzerland.
Actual Budget
Best for a free, open-source tool that is the closest to YNAB, if you can host a small server.
Limitation no official mobile app, European bank connection still experimental, one currency per budget.
Lunch Money
Best for multi-currency households and web-first users, with bank feeds in 17 EU countries.
Limitation not zero-based out of the box, no UK bank feeds, English only; you sign up on the web.
PocketSmith
Best for forecasting and bank feeds across the UK and the EU, with several currencies.
Limitation not zero-based by its own description; billed in US dollars outside the UK; the entry plan connects banks from one country only.
Toshl Finance
Best for bank feeds almost everywhere in Europe, including the UK and Switzerland, with many currencies, at a low price.
Limitation not zero-based; the iPhone app has not been updated since December 2024; no YNAB import.
Goodbudget
Best for classic envelopes on a free plan.
Limitation no bank feeds outside the US, no YNAB import, one currency at a time.
Wallet by BudgetBakers (Czech Republic) also connects many European banks, but it tracks spending with limits rather than budgeting every amount. For simpler envelope apps, see our envelope budgeting app comparison.
Leaving YNAB without starting over
Export, import, check.
On YNAB's website, the export gives you two files: your transactions and your plan. iBudgetAll reads them directly: accounts, starting balances, transactions, transfers and categories, which you then turn into envelopes.
Actual Budget imports YNAB from a JSON file, and PocketSmith has its own YNAB importer (if your YNAB currency uses a decimal comma, the export must be converted first). Lunch Money imports your transactions by CSV (category groups are not carried over), and Goodbudget imports transactions only. Step by step for iBudgetAll: Leaving YNAB without starting from scratch.
Frequently asked questions
Does YNAB work in Europe?
What is the best free YNAB alternative?
Can I import my YNAB budget into another app?
Which YNAB alternatives handle several currencies?
Which alternative connects to European banks?
iBudgetAll or YNAB?
Try zero-based budgeting in your language
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