Last verified 29 September 2026 against ynab.com/pricing. Prices change, so check the date before you rely on a figure.
YNAB (You Need A Budget) costs $14.99 a month or $109 a year (about $9.08 a month), plus tax where applicable. There is a 34-day free trial with no credit card required. It is a good budgeting app built on a sound method, and it is also a subscription, so what it costs depends on how long you keep it. This page adds it up.
YNAB’s price today
| Annual plan | $109 a year (about $9.08 a month) |
| Monthly plan | $14.99 a month |
| Free trial | 34 days, no credit card when you sign up directly with YNAB |
| Students | A free 365-day trial through YNAB’s College Program, with proof of enrolment |
| Currency | US dollars. YNAB says exchange rates are not reflected in the price |
The pricing page offers two ways to pay for the same app, not two tiers: monthly or annual.
What it adds up to
| Over | Annual plan | Monthly plan |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year | $109 | $179.88 |
| 3 years | $327 | $539.64 |
| 5 years | $545 | $899.40 |
| 10 years | $1,090 | $1,798.80 |
The annual plan saves $70.88 a year against paying monthly. Totals are before tax and assume the price stays where it is, which it may not: YNAB has raised its subscription price more than once. YNAB does not publish a price history and third-party trackers disagree on the dates, so we don’t quote figures we can’t source.
If you share a subscription
YNAB Together lets the person who subscribes invite up to five others, each with their own login, for the price of one subscription (YNAB support). Split on the annual plan, that is:
| People sharing | Each pays per year |
|---|---|
| 2 | $54.50 |
| 3 | $36.33 |
| 6 | $18.17 |
For a couple who budget together, that changes the maths a lot, and it is one of the reasons YNAB can still be the right answer.
Ways to pay less
- Choose annual billing. It is the same app for $70.88 a year less.
- Use the student offer if you are enrolled in college.
- Share the subscription with YNAB Together if you budget with other people.
- Compare alternatives. Some cost less than YNAB and some are free or one-time purchases. We compare seven, with prices checked against each vendor’s own site, in 7 YNAB alternatives after the price increase.
How five years compares
| App | Five-year cost | Model |
|---|---|---|
| YNAB | $545 | Subscription |
| Monarch | $499.95 | Subscription |
| Copilot | $475 | Subscription |
| Goodbudget Premium | $400 | Subscription (free plan available) |
| EveryDollar Premium | $399.95 | Subscription (free plan available) |
| Buckets | $64 | One-time purchase |
| Zeroed | $19.99 | One-time purchase (founder price until 14 February 2027, then $39.99) |
| Actual Budget | $0 | Free, open source |
Prices are from each vendor’s site on 29 September 2026; the full comparison has the sources and the trade-offs. Disclosure: we make Zeroed.
What you get for the money
YNAB is built on zero-based (envelope) budgeting, where every dollar is given a job. It connects to select US, Canadian, UK and EU banks for direct import and accepts file imports elsewhere, and it runs on the web, iPhone and Android. Your budget lives on YNAB’s servers, which is what makes sync and sharing work, and it is also why the app is a subscription. Zeroed and other local-first apps make the opposite trade: your data stays on your device, and you import statements instead of linking your bank.
Neither is wrong. If you would rather own the tool than rent it, read why we don’t do subscriptions or our honest Zeroed vs YNAB comparison, which includes the reasons you might still pick YNAB.
Frequently asked questions
How much does YNAB cost per month? $14.99 on the monthly plan, or about $9.08 a month if you pay $109 for the year.
Does YNAB have a free plan? YNAB’s pricing page offers a 34-day free trial with no credit card, not a free plan. Students can get a free 365-day trial through the College Program.
Is YNAB cheaper if you pay annually? Yes. $109 a year against $179.88 for twelve monthly payments, a saving of $70.88.
Can two people share one YNAB subscription? Yes, through YNAB Together: one subscription covers up to six people, each with their own login.
How much will YNAB cost over five years? $545 on the annual plan and $899.40 on the monthly plan, at today’s prices and before tax.
What is the cheapest alternative to YNAB? Actual Budget is free and open source. The cheapest paid options are one-time purchases: Buckets at $64 and Zeroed at $19.99 (founder price, then $39.99). See the full comparison.
Try Zeroed free for 34 days. No card, no account, pay once if you keep it.
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