Quicken Essentials, Perhaps Not so Essential

[Jeff Campbell]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://theappleblog.com/2010/02/25/quicken-essentials-for-mac/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+TheAppleBlog+(TheAppleBlog)' target='_blank'>http://theappleblog.com/2010/02/25/...+(TheAppleBlog)</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"I spent the last week or so playing with a copy of the new Quicken Essentials for Mac from Intuit and I can make this review really short for you. If you're a die-hard Quicken user, you will hate (I mean really loathe and despise) the new Quicken Essentials product. If you are new to Personal Finance Management (PFM) software, then you will probably really like Quicken Essentials but still feel a little confused about why you have to pay $60 $69 for it."</em></p><p><em><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/at/auto/1267299506.usr105634.jpg" /></em></p><p>I'm not a diehard Quicken user and I hate this too. I've toyed with several finance programs to keep track of my checkbook register, and hated that I had to go back to Quicken to get what I needed. Recently though I found a program called <a href="http://moneydance.com/" target="_blank">Moneydance</a> so I'm giving that a try. I'll let you know how it all goes. What I am searching for is a program that is on my desktop, that also has an iPhone app that syncs so I can enter stuff on the fly and know that when I open up the desktop version, it matches what is on my iPhone. That isn't too much to ask is it? Moneydance is supposed to come out with an iPhone app soon so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. What do you use to keep your finances in order?&nbsp;</p>

[markan]

Moneydance for the iPhone is in closed beta at the moment. Of course because of the way the Apple store works closed beta is the only sort you can realistically have...

Oh and I'm a Moneydance user. It's not perfect, but unlike Quicken and Money it is supported for UK customers! I have tried a few of th alternatives as well but Mioneydance is the only one that managed to keep me using it.

[doogald]

I've been using Moneydance since I switched from Windows. I really like it. I agree that it's not perfect, but it's more than good enough, and it's cross-platform to boot (unlike Quicken, which is definitely not.)

Quicken 2007 is a terrible app, and while this Essentials looks better, it's missing enough to leave me uninterested.

[Tim Williamson]

I was forced to switch to Quicken 2010 when Microsoft discontinued support for Money. Since switching to Quicken, I am constantly complaining about one thing or another. The interface is cluttered, inconsistent, and just a pain to use. Money just seemed to have a cleaner interface and did a great job of matching my transactions with my bank statements. I might have to check out Moneydance sometime.

[ctmagnus]

I used to use Quicken years ago. Then I decided that it was too much work to use - too many UI inconsistincies, menu items being anywhere but where you expect them to be, etc. so I decided I'd try Money. But by then it wasn't available in Canada anymore. I managed to get a copy of the then-current version but soon realized that my data was available only on my computer. So I went with Wesabe.

If Mint.com becomes available in Canada, I'll likely switch again.

[markan]

If Mint.com becomes available in Canada, I'll likely switch again.

Had looked at Mint for UK use as well. Of course now that Intuit are buying them I am not so sure - I haven't really forgiven Intuit and Microsoft for abandoning UK customers.

[encece]

I used to LOOOOOOOVE Microsoft Money when I used Windows.
Specifically, I loved the ability to electronically pay my bills directly from the program.

Is there a mac program that does the same thing? In the US that is!