A YNAB alternative you buy once and keep on your own device

YNAB is a proven zero-based budgeting method with optional bank sync, free workshops and sharing for up to six people, for $109 a year. Imago is for people who want a clear budget without the subscription or the cloud: $49 once, no account, and every transaction stays on your device. Instead of connecting your bank, you import the CSV files your bank already offers.

Imago vs YNAB at a glance

	Imago	YNAB
Price	$49 once, updates included	$14.99 a month or $109 a year (USD, plus tax)
Free trial	7 days of the full app, no card, no account, no email	34 days, no credit card when you sign up on ynab.com
Account	None	Required (email sign-up)
Where your data lives	On your device only (browser storage). Nothing is uploaded; there is no Imago server holding your data.	YNAB's cloud (built on Heroku), encrypted in transit and at rest
Bank login	Never. No bank login and no data aggregator.	Optional. Direct Import connects through MX or Plaid.
Getting transactions in	Import CSV files from any bank. Imago remembers each bank's format, skips duplicates and sorts transactions with rules it learns from you.	Bank sync, manual entry, or file import (CSV, OFX, QFX, QIF) on the web app and iPad
Platforms	Any modern browser. Installs on iPhone, iPad, Android, Mac, Windows and Linux.	Web, iPhone, iPad, Android and Apple Watch. No downloadable desktop app.
Works offline	Yes, fully, after the first load	Yes. A device left offline too long reloads its data from YNAB.
Budgeting style	Category budgets, with rollover you can turn on per category	Zero-based: give every dollar a job. Money left in a category carries into next month.
Devices and sharing	No automatic sync. Move your data between devices with export and import.	Syncs across your devices. One subscription covers up to six people.
Export	JSON backup and CSV export, anytime	Plan and transactions as CSV or TSV, from the web app
Currencies	Multiple currencies, with exchange rates you set yourself	One currency per plan

YNAB details are taken from YNAB's own website and help pages, checked 15 September 2026. Prices and features change, so check the sources below before deciding.

When YNAB is the better choice

You want transactions to arrive from your bank automatically.
You want a structured budgeting method with free workshops to learn it.
You share one budget, live, with a partner or family on several phones.

When Imago is the better choice

You'd rather not pay every year for a budgeting app.
You don't want any company, or a bank-data aggregator, holding a copy of your finances.
You're happy to download a CSV from your bank once or twice a month.
You budget offline, or in more than one currency.

Switching from YNAB to Imago

Start the free 7-day trial at app.imago.money. There's no account to create.
Download CSV files from your bank for the months you want to see. Imago remembers each format after the first import.
If you want your YNAB history too, export your transactions from YNAB's web app. YNAB's file uses separate Outflow and Inflow columns; tell Imago that during import. Check the categories after importing.
Set this month's budgets, then keep YNAB until you're sure. Your Imago data stays on your device either way.

Try Imago free for 7 days

No card, no account, no email. Everything you enter stays on your device, and buying a license keeps it exactly where you left off.

Open Imago

Questions people ask

Is Imago cheaper than YNAB?

Over time, yes. YNAB lists $109 a year or $14.99 a month (ynab.com/pricing, checked 15 September 2026). Imago is $49 once, with updates included. At today's listed prices, three years of YNAB costs $327.

Does Imago connect to my bank like YNAB?

No, and that's deliberate. Imago never asks for bank logins and never uses an aggregator. You import the CSV files your bank already offers, and Imago sorts them. If automatic bank sync matters most to you, YNAB is the better fit.

Does Imago use the YNAB method?

No. Imago uses category budgets with optional rollover. You can plan every dollar if you like, but Imago doesn't enforce a particular method.

Can I use Imago on more than one device?

Yes, it installs on phones and computers. Data lives on each device for privacy, so you move it with a one-click export and import. There is no automatic sync.

Sources

Checked 15 September 2026. Imago details come from this site's user guide and support page.

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