Today I’m writing with some big news: this fall we are switching to a new pricing model. This new model will coincide with the release of Banktivity 8 for Mac, iPhone and iPad. We call this new model a “subscription that doesn’t suck” because, while you will be asked to pay annually, if you choose to cancel: the app continues to work and provide value, and we never hold your data hostage. For the rest of this blog post I dive into why we are changing pricing models, and I cover some of the details of our new subscription.
One important note before I dive into the details: over the coming weeks I plan to release a couple more blog posts covering the new features coming to Banktivity 8 for macOS, iOS and iPadOS. It’s been a long road to get here, and I’m excited to finally be sharing what we’ve been working so diligently on!
Why change pricing models?
There are two main reasons for switching to our subscription model. First, we want to work on things that make you, our customer, happy. Second, a lot has changed since we first started offering connected services. What used to be cheap, or even free, has now become quite costly.
Happy customers
We hear a lot from our customers, and that’s great. We hear that you want enhancements to existing features to make the application easier to use, faster releases of bug fixes, new features and OS compatibility updates, and you want all of our applications to work together. We want all of those too and our new subscription model helps us get there.
More updates, more frequently
Going years between big releases isn’t really good for customers or us. We want to release features as they are ready, not accumulate a bunch so that we can then declare a big new release and charge for it. With subscription we can just release features as they are implemented – this is a win for everyone.
One purchase, all of our apps
If you go out and buy all of our apps today, you will be faced with two required purchases (Mac and iPad), one free download (iPhone), and one optional subscription for Direct Access — which works across all devices. In addition to this being confusing, it never feels good to have to buy so much to go “all in” on personal finance software. We want customers to manage their finances at their convenience and we’ve developed three great apps (Banktivity for Mac, iPhone and iPad) to help them do that. But it’s confusing to have to buy two different apps and one subscription and understand how it all works. With our subscription you pay and get access to (and support for) all of our apps, including all upgrades with new features, enhancements, and fixes.
Online services
Back in the old days, there were many online services that were free and we were able to piggy back on these. For example, Yahoo’s stock quote service used to be free, disk space was often free and so on. But times have changed. Yahoo doesn’t even have a stock quote API for developers anymore. Really, across the board there has been an increasing monetization of data. Additionally, services which we’ve maintained for years, like our cloud sync server, are more expensive to operate now because of increased security threats. When it comes to managing financial data, you don’t want a company that has a “set and forget” mentality. We take security and privacy seriously, even if it demands more resources from us. By switching to our subscription model we can ensure that our customers are paying for — and receiving — active support and security for our online services.
What happens if I cancel?
IMPORTANT UPDATE as of October 16, 2024: Please read this article about how are subscription has changed with the introduction of monthly pricing.
We understand that some customers might wince at the sound of subscriptions. We get that! Many companies today take a very unpalatable stance on data access. For example, if you subscribe to Adobe’s Creative Suite and you stop paying their subscription, you can’t even open your existing Photoshop files. Hitting closer to home, if you subscribe to YNAB, but decide to not pay your subscription, you can’t access your budget or data. We think this is an odious practice: they are effectively holding your data hostage – ransom payment required!
Our approach is fundamentally different than many of the subscriptions out there. With our subscription, we don’t hold your data hostage. If you decide to cancel (hey we get it, it happens, no hard feelings!) you can continue to use Banktivity in basic mode. That is you can still add accounts and transactions, manage your budget, create and edit reports and so on. Other premium features, mostly the ones that connect to our online services, will stop working. This means with a cancelled/expired subscription, Direct Access, stock quote download and such will stop working. Similarly, our technical support will only be available to people with active subscriptions. However, our online support articles will remain available to everyone.
Common Questions
How much does it cost?
Our customers span a broad range when it comes to where they are on their financial journey. Some of our younger customers have only recently gotten to the point in their lives where they have finances to track at all, and may just be beginning to build an emergency fund — while some customers are managing millions of dollars across a diverse array of accounts and currencies. Given our customers’ diversity, we knew a one-size-fits-all pricing wouldn’t work for our subscription.
We will be offering three different pricing tiers to better accommodate our customers’ needs.
Our lowest priced tier is called Bronze and will cost $49.99 USD a year (that’s a little more than $4 a month). It includes everything you need to get started with managing your finances including Direct Access connectivity, cloud sync, budgeting and more.
The next tier up is Silver and includes everything in Bronze plus support for tracking investments, mortgages and loans, real estate and more. Silver also includes support for downloading stock quotes and home prices (US homes only). Our Silver tier is $69.99 USD a year (or less than $6 a month).
Gold is our premium tier. It includes everything in Bronze and Silver plus support for setting up and tracking accounts in different currencies and check printing. The gold tier also allows you to download currency exchange rates. The gold tier is $99.99 USD a year (or a little over $8 a month).
Compared to what some of our competitors offer, we think our new subscription is a great value.
Is there a free trial?
Yes! You can try the new Banktivity 8 apps for free for 30 days. After 30 days, your credit card will be billed based on the selected tier (bronze, silver or gold). During your trial you can switch tiers as much as you’d like to help you decide which is the right feature set for your financial tracking needs.
What happens if I’m a paying Direct Access subscriber and I want to move to Banktivity 8?
We allow customers to convert their remaining Direct Access time to the new system. This way our customers that want to move to our new subscription don’t have to leave unused time on our old system.
Can I subscribe through Apple’s App Store?
Yes, you will be able to subscribe through Apple’s ecosystem or buy from us. If you download Banktivity for Mac from our website, then the purchase will be through us. If you sign up through one of our apps downloaded from the App Store, then you’ll be signing up through Apple. You will still get the same great support no matter which channel you choose!
What if I want to stay on Banktivity 6 or Banktivity 7?
You can continue to stay on your current version of Banktivity if it is working for you. Nothing about them is changing now, but they will no longer be developed and support will eventually be phased out.
Will Banktivity 8 work offline?
Yes. While an internet connection is required to purchase and use some of our online services, all non-Internet based features fully work, even if you are offline.
Conclusions
We didn’t arrive at these changes overnight. For years we’ve been thinking about ways to deliver more updates to customers in less time. Further, we need a better way to pay for the online services our customers expect us to develop and maintain, in a world where those services incur continuous ongoing costs. Last, we wanted to do all of this while still offering a tremendous value to customers with the right spirit.
If you are a current Direct Access subscriber we think switching to subscription with Banktivity 8 makes a lot of sense. For as little as $5 more a year you get all three Banktivity apps, the new features coming to Banktivity 8, and access to future features as we continue to improve and enhance Banktivity across Mac, iPhone and iPad.
We love our customers, without you, we wouldn’t be where we are today. Further, we want to be around for many more years to come. So, please accept a heartfelt THANK YOU for your support over the years and we look forward to building the best finance apps for you and your family for many years to come.
I’m looking forward to talking about some of the user-facing features coming in Banktivity 8 for Mac, iPhone and iPad in the coming weeks!
Sincerely,
Ian Gillespie, President
- Banktivity 9.5 and Monthly Subscriptions - October 18, 2024
- Coming soon: Banktivity 9.5 - July 19, 2024
- Continuing Investments in Direct Access - February 26, 2024
I finally paid attention to all of this even though it was announced in July. I just downloaded Banktivity 8, all went smoothly, have gone with the Silver level, and could not be happier. It all just makes perfect sense to me, and I’m glad for it. I use Banktivity across three of my home Macs, an iPhone and an iPad. Also really appreciate how easily it was to receive credit for the remaining portion of my Direct Access. Consider me a very happy and loyal IGG customer.
Glad to hear it Stuart!
I am in Australia and I currently –
* Sync between my devices (iMac, MacBook and iPhone).
* I download data from my bank (OFX file format)
* I manually update stocks.
What is the minimum subscription service I require and can I subscribe once and still retain the above?
You would want to subscribe at Silver (for investment account support). Then if you don’t download stock prices, a year later you could renew at Bronze to keep the cloud sync active.
Please note, we will be launching end of day Australia stock quote downloads in the coming weeks (or thereabouts).
Will Banktivity 8 support Canadian stock quotes and mutual fund pricing? Currently use version 7 – have some support for Cdn stock pricing. Thx
Banktivity supports getting end of day prices from the Toronto Exchange. We are looking into expanding to CAD mutual funds, but don’t have a concrete path forward yet.
Love Banktivity. Used for years.
I cannot see clearly on the Apple app site the duration of the subscription (when it is renewed).
Have I missed it?
Thanks.
The subscriptions are for 1 year.
I have been a U.S. customer since iBank, currently on version 7.x, and my needs are very basic. No Direct Access (not even sure what that is), I manually enter all transactions, use one device (Mac running Catalina). I don’t track investments, don’t use budgeting, don’t download data from my bank, and don’t use multiple currencies. The only thing I use that you seem to call an advanced feature is printing checks. I consider that very basic functionality.
I am retired and on a fixed income. The idea of paying $100 even once so I can continue to print checks seems outrageous to me and is not something I can afford. And if I can’t continue to print checks that is a deal breaker for me. I don’t need more features, and I don’t mind signing my checks manually.
Am I stuck with using version 7 until you stop supporting it? That idea makes me quite nervous and will lead me to start looking for alternatives.
I too have been using since iBank. Start with iBank 3 back in 2014. I simply enter transactions on my iPhone and sync to my Mac Mini. I use no other features. With this new subscription service I to am “stuck with using version 7 until you stop supporting it”.
Thanks for being a long time customer! We need to keep the lights on so I hope that you’ll see the value in paying us for keeping our services and development going full steam ahead. That being said, you can keep using 7 until we shut down the services it uses.
Ian, suggestion here. You can “Keep The Lights On” by developing new customer focused products instead of taking a rehash of an existing product and charging an annual fee for it. You are just attempting to justify the obvious … that this is merely a way to generate revenue without investing in new product R&D. There is literally not one thing that your subscription offers me that I don’t have now, EXCEPT the “ability” to upload to your cloud, of which I have absolutely no idea how secure that is. I do have Dropbox, which (contrary to your CS claims, does work perfectly), I KNOW is secure. And, no offense intended, but I really don’t think you guys “get it”. Also, I don’t know about you, but I’m not comfortable having MY data strewn across multiple “clouds” – it is disorganized and it is dangerous and companies such as yours are only exacerbating what is shaping up to be a monumental mess. So, no, this doesn’t not suck (double negative intended). Bye,
Ok, so you don’t like the features we added. If we had rolled these into a new version that was NOT subscription, it sounds like you wouldn’t have upgraded anyway because you don’t like the new customer focused features.
I’ve stated this a few times, but I say it again in case it was missed:
If you want the new features, but you do not want support or any of our “connected services” – you can subscribe for a year and then not renew. You’ll continue to get updates. Since you would no longer be costing us money (no support contacts, not using our services) then you don’t need to keep paying us.
If you choose to use our Cloud Sync your data is encrypted at rest with a key only you know. I don’t know the ins and outs of DropBox security, but I do remember this: https://www.wired.com/2016/08/hack-brief-four-year-old-dropbox-hack-exposed-68-million-peoples-data/
I’ll be migrating elsewhere as well when v. 7 stops working. Had direct access with version 4, didn’t work great with UK banks and stock account support was very limited. I was happy to pay for upgrades and I get that for people using checks and direct access subscription model works.
Not for me!
Ian,
I, too, have been using your software since it was called iBank. While I understand that everything is getting more expensive and businesses need to charge more. I don’t understand why you included a very basic functions like check printing in the top tier. Seems to me that’s something that would be included across the board. I don’t use the other premium functions because they’ve never worked well for me. I download transaction but not through direct access. And the ability to download transactions is another very basic function.
I hope that you will reconsider the tier structure after you get more feedback from your customer base over time. I believe that, like me, most of your current customers want to continue supporting you because this program is specifically for Mac users. That said, I like having the ability to perform basic functions like printing checks and downloading transactions for my checking, savings and credit cards which I all I do with Banktivity.
Hi Jeanine, thanks for writing. Check printing is one of those features that is fairly high engineer resource when we go to work on it, improve it and maintain it. Yet, not many of our customers actually use it, so it is essentially this “premium” like feature. However, if you buy the Gold tier just once, the check printing feature will be unlocked forever. That means you can renew at a lower tier after the first year, but keep printing checks. I hope you will consider this path.
Hello Ian,
The question for version 7 hostages is WHEN will you shut down the services it (V7) uses?? Can you share your Version 7 Sunset date with us?
We, your iBank based customers indeed helped you keep the lights on for many years, and hearing you have to subscribe at least once and then cancel to keep having free upgrades in a manual upkeep doesn’t seem that you will be able to keep the lights on for more than a few years if the customer base follows with your 1 year subscription advice…
When we have a sunset date we will be sure to announce it. We believe there is a large core number of customers that feel the annual price is worth it to get technical support and our connected services.
I am in a similar situation as Harry. Since way back in the iBank days all I have done is print checks and do year-end reports. I prefer to store my data on my own machine with a Time Machine backup. Actually, the thought of printing my signature on checks makes me very wary. I would rather sign them myself. If someone else gets to the computer I don’t need them them writing themselves a nice fat check.
Since a lot of your support costs seem to revolve around internet access to various services, and I don’t use them, I would sign up for a Bronze subscription in a heartbeat if it included check printing. Or even if you made check printing an a la carte addition to the bronze package. I would easily pay an additional $10 for check printing added to Bronze.
Hi Dave, I appreciate the feedback! I think you best bet would be to subscribe gold for one year, then renew down at the bronze tier. The checking printing features will remain “unlocked” forever.
While I do not have a problem paying for good software, Banktivity is good software, I do take issue with the pricing model. Looking at my records I first paid $29.99, then $34.99, last year $44.99 and now $69.99 to keep comparable needed features. The percent increase has been almost doubling each year (starting at 17% and ending in a 57%) and at this rate I’ll be paying at least $140 for next year. Furthermore, claiming a subscription that doesn’t suck model when the bronze version is a way watered down version and is more expensive than the cost of a fuller featured version released last year seems grossly inaccurate. This is probably the base of the numerous problems. Maybe the pricing made sense for new users but really is a slap in the face to existing users.
I think I will join the group of wait and see when I can no longer use the product. Hopefully, someone decides to treat existing users with a little more respect. I won’t hold my breath and so I will also start the hunt for an alternative.
Paul, our existing Direct Access subscribers can transfer their remaining time to the new subscription. Also, please note that with the subscription you get access to all three of our apps, not just the Mac version.
Again, as stated good software and for a new user the subscription may not be hard to swallow but I am not a new user. I, like others, have been using since iBank days and your in the rough patch of dealing with that transition with us. For me the trend line is not maintainable. The $69.99 price point is at the top of where I am willing to spend on financial software even if it is for 3 apps. Next year it can be a new even higher price point or features being shuffled around and I am forced into higher bracket. This is a good point to find something that works for me. I appreciate y’all need to do what you need to do but the market also needs to do what it needs to do. Loyalty can only be pushed so far.
I agree, I have been a longtime user and have been supporting the company through upgrades, but this seems to be a big jump in payment to pay EACH YEAR. I don’t use any extra features and am disappointed the fees are changing.
This is why we don’t force you to pay each year. If you don’t want to use our connected services, you don’t need to keep paying.
Ian says “Please note, we will be launching end of day Australia stock quote downloads in the coming weeks (or thereabouts).”
You do that, and I’ll sign up for the subscription
So I’ve subscribed on the trial version. For those of us in the UK I have to say that V8 does not feel very much different to V7. Direct access doesn’t seem to work properly with many UK institutions (which is why I never paid for it before) and the securities update equally struggles with unit trusts etc (requiring manual update). It’s a lot to pay for ensuring cloud sync and euro accounts continue
I totally agree. I have been a user since 2014. What I need from the UK perspective (now that Direct Access just isn’t supported for UK/Eu institutions) is just the Cloud Sync feature to be able to use the software on the Mac and iPhone/iPad. I’ve never used and am highly unlikely to use any US-based technical support. To lose that when that support or compatibility with new Mac OS disappears would be a problem. Having a tier lower than Bronze which retained OS compatibility and Cloud Sync would be a level I’d be happy to pay for but paying annually for Bronze is too costly.
I heard that v8 is a memory hog. How much RAM does v8 use while resident?
The amount of memory it uses will depend on the size of your data file.
After reading this long thread, I think that a very reasonable proposal would be to introduce a new tier: Iron for 25 USD per year where you just get Cloud Sync. I have been using Banktivity since when it was called iBank. Dear Ian, please listen to your customers.
So we just launched, there has been a flurry of activity that I expect will continue for a while. This is new to us and new to our customers. We will be reviewing what works and what doesn’t seem to be working.
I do want to point this out though: even if you don’t use Direct Access the bronze tier gives you three apps (three!), Mac, iPhone and iPad and supports development on all three of those apps. And it gives you access to technical support.
We are in a new territory here and we will be evaluating what works and what doesn’t so I do appreciate your feedback.
The problem for many people is that they just want the basic app with Cloud Sync. I know you say there are three apps but really there are two- Mac and IOS. I bought Bank (originally) and subsequent upgrades because it offered me a basic accounting programme that would sync with my IOS. Now it seems that you are moving the goalposts by insisting that if I want this to continue I have to pay a subscription.
I have no problem with a subscription service but do resent paying for an app which then effectively shuts me out without a prescription. I think that Ian’s original suggestion of a lower tier of say $25pa for this basic service would be a reasonable compromise.
Hi Laurence, thanks for the comments. You can buy the app once and it will keep working and you’ll get updates for free. We aren’t going to shut you out of the app if you pay and then don’t renew.
If you want to use the connected services (like Cloud Sync) and get access to our tech support, those are both things that have ongoing costs. Thus, those items require an active subscription to cover our ongoing costs. The bronze tier is $4.16 a month (billed annually at $49.99). Is that worth it to have your finances stay in sync on each device and continually be getting updates with new features and fixes for three apps? We think it is a great value.
Hi,
Are you saying that if I sign up for GOLD tier for 12 months then downgrade to BRONZE level, then i will be getting updates (on GOLD level) and stay in sync for all three apps?
Thanks.
Yes, this is correct. When you pay for a tier, you unlock all of the non-connected services at the tier forever. Whatever active tier you are on decides which connected services you get (you also get tech support with an active subscription). So you could subscribe to gold to unlock support for tracking accounts across multiple currencies. Then a year later if you renew at bronze, you’ll keep getting cloud sync, and direct access, but you no longer will get automatic downloading of currency exchanges rates (as this is a connected feature only available to active gold subscribers). You’ll get all updates for free, even those that effect how the app handles multi-currencies.
+1
I lower tired option for those of us that use basic features and cloudsync would be perfect. This is what I thought to myself when I first read about the new subscription model. I would pay $25 a year for the “Iron” tier, but would probably remain on Bantivity7 for as long as possible otherwise. -John (long time iBank then Banktivity user”
Using 7.5. My computer OS is 10.15. From what I am reading I will not be able to upgrade to 8 since my computer Os is no compatible. So I am stuck with 7. Will I lose syncing with the cloud? Maybe I should return to Quicken since you don’t support older systems. I am disappointed and am feeling abandon since I have been using Banktivity since it first was deployed. Don’t want to buy a new computer for $1500 so I can run 50.00 software
The new Banktivity does work with macOS 10.15 Catalina! I don’t think you are stuck.
I have been a Banktivity (currently Version 6.3.4) user for several years. It has been a great tool! I primarily use it as a check register for two bank accounts since my wife doesn’t always tell me that she wrote a check. I enter my bank account information manually. I don’t need to use the connected services (I let my financial advisor keep me up-to-date with my investments). My desktop Mac is a mid-2011 model running High Sierra and my phone and tablet are Androids, so the ability to use multiple devices isn’t important to me. With that said, unless my Mac crashes, I want to continue using Banktivity but I’m not interested in buying a new desktop Mac just to run Banktivity 8. From what you have explained, older versions of Banktivity — 6 and 7 –will continue to function but at some point will not be supported. Can I assume then, unless there are bugs in my Version 6, I can still use it? I realize I might be a Luddite but “if it isn’t broke, why fix it?”
Hi Roger, thanks for writing. You can continue to use Banktivity 6 for as long as you want 🙂 That being said, it is no longer being developed so if you upgrade your OS without upgrading v6, you could run into compatibility issues. If you stay on the old OS and keep using v6 without any connected services, I’d expect that to keep working “indefinitely.”
I have been with you since iBank. I have V7 now and have been satisfied, but will have to subscribe at the Silver level to keep what I need. But instead of updating with a new version each year, you are locking me in to a contract if you will at a price comparable to the last update EVERY YEAR. The kicker is stock price updates. That is why I left Quicken for MAC. I don’t need apps for all my devices. I do all my finances in one place, on my MAC. Looks like there should be a difference in price if I don’t want the other apps.
Thanks for being a long time customer Gary, it means a lot to us. You could buy once and not renew and enter security prices by hand after a year. I know this probably sounds less than ideal. So I think this leads to the question, how much is it worth it to you to not have to enter in stock prices. Is it worth 5.83 a month? That is the cost of silver spread out over a 12 months. We think this will be worth it for a lot of people. If we are right, we get to keep our lights on and forge ahead doing our best to make the best native finance apps for Mac and iOS. If we are wrong, I guess we go back to the drawing board. Thank you for considering upgrading to the new app.
My iMac is now 10 years old and still doing what I want it to – however, I’m now restricted to MacOS 10.13.6 High Sierra as a result. Will your V8 still work on this version of MacOS? I too am a long-standing customer from the early iBank days having migrated from Quicken.
Hi Eric, thanks for being a long time customer! Unfortunately, the new version will only run on macOS Catalina and higher.
It does indeed. Thank you. And thank you for sticking with me.
As an overseas user with multiple foreign currency accounts, I would need to subscribe to Gold?
Yeah, that is correct – accounts in multiple currencies need gold.
I’ve looked through some of your other replies on this topic…you suggest subscribing to Gold then stopping to retain the multiple currency function – as I dont need / use many of the other Gold functions, so I fail to see how this offers any value. A really terrible change which is a shame since Ive been using Banktivity for the last 10 years. I’ll be looking for alternatives
Please can you say more about your plans to restore Direct Access to UK customers. The latest info on your web site appears to date back to July 2019. Have you in fact given up on us now? I have been told repeatedly that you are working on this and have waited patiently, but it’s near make or break time for me now, and I’m sure a lot of others this side of the pond. Thanks!
This blog post has the most up to date info: https://www.iggsoftware.com/blog/2020/08/services-roadmap
Short answer is, we believe we have a path forward, but it won’t be soon 🙁
Question @Ian
If I have an account in a foreign currency (base currency is GBP, account in Euro) what happens to that account if I choose a subscription tier that doesn’t include multi-currency?
Any chance of an answer please?
I believe you will have access to it, but you won’t be a able to add additional accounts in different currencies. I’d recommend subscribing to gold and then renew at a lower level in a year.
With the subscription, will customer service improve–more hours, remote access for diagnosis, actual talking? It would save time if I could demonstrate a problem in real time. I find that talking rather than typing makes this process more efficient.
Also, am I correct in assuming that with the basic tier, loans will still be calculated, you just can’t download the information?
We aren’t making any changes to support now, but with paying customers only accessing it, I expect wait times during the busy season will go down.
If you have loan accounts and subscribe at Bronze, you’ll see them in your document and you’ll be able to edit them. You won’t be able to download info and you won’t be able to add a new one unless you subscribe at Silver at least one time. I hope this helps!
I’m a little confused. I have version 7 running on a 10 year old iMac without Direct Access. Yet somehow it has been automatically updating the values of all of my 401-K investments. I’ve been thinking of moving my Banktivity data over to my newest iMac so that I can remain current on OS releases. If I switch to version 8, will I lose the automatic updating of my investments if I don’t subscribe to some level? Would bronze get me back to where I am now, or would I have to go to Silver to keep my investments current?
Hi Martin. If you decide to switch to the new Banktivity (v8) you would want to go with silver to keep having your 401k investments stay up to date. We hope you’ll come with us on this journey and support us in making the best finance app for Mac and iOS!
Hi Ian
I’ve been a happy user since 2012, and understand the need for change, but regret that pricing doesn’t consider international users (outside USA).
Living in Switzerland, I can literally only use cloud sync (direct access, local stock updates, don’t work here, checks are not used over here etc).
Why should foreign users be expected to pay the same as users in fully supported countries (e.g. USA), for a degraded service/fewer working features?
Create a bundle for users in non-supported countries – give them access to features they actually can use – cloud sync, and maybe exchange rates, for a different(lower) price.
I don’t think anyone reasonable should have an issue to paying to make it worth your while but don’t make them feel they are forced to buy stuff that they can’t use, its even worse that being locked in to something that you can actually use….
Multiple currency is a very complex feature to support, so it goes in the gold tier. We want to keep supporting it and improve it over time, but we can’t do that if it isn’t funded properly. We tried to make the subscription flexible for cases like this. Yes, first you have to pay for the gold tier to “unlock” the multi-currency features through and through, but you only have to pay that once. Then if you just need cloud sync going forward, subscribe at bronze…all of your multi-currency stuff will keep working (except for the downloading of ex. rates).
Also, we should be bringing end of day Swiss Exchange stock prices to the silver and gold tiers soon.
Where should i see the credit for existing direct access subscription being applied? the free trial signup in the app doesn’t show it.
File > Subscription > View My Subscription
Will the subscription price include working downloads from Vanguard? Currently my accounts are not updating, even during non-market hours which was apparently the bug/issue.
Yes, Vanguard works with the new version via OFX (Direct Download) or Direct Access ?
I like others started back in the iBank days. Now I am retired no longer a homeowner and my finances are actually simpler. I just track income from 4 regular and a few irregular sources and my accounts at my credit union and a variable annuity at another entity and some credit cards that I pay off monthly. I update all by hand not by downloading. I use some of the reporting features at tax time but do not track stock or stock prices etc.. I use icloud sync so I can use Banktivity 7 on my iMac or my macbook pro or my wifes macbook pro. I do not use it on my iPhone and do not have an iPad. I have a 2019 iMac and run macOS Catalina version 10.15.7. I currently have Banktivity version 7.5.3(87). If I subscribe will the new subscription version be able to be installed and easily allow me to access my current banktivity files on my iMac and sync between it and my two Macbook Pros (I only use my wifes as a back up so in reality only use it on my iMac primary and my Macbook Pro.). If your new product is not a good fit for my simpler bookkeeping needs do you have a simpler product or can you recommend one?
Thanks for the comments. The new version will continue to allow you to keep your finances in sync across multiple Macs.
Ian..
iBank 4 & now Banktivity 7 user since 2011…even once promoted your software in a letter to MacFormat (which was published!)
But the move to a subscription – only model will drive me away!
And I understand that, in order to continue printing cheques, I have to make an initial subscription to the Gold Level.
You might reconsider your evaluation of whoever in your development team dreamed that up.
I have deleted all Adobe products & others that moved to this subscription model…..and am not alone.
As a big fan of your product, can I request that you re-visit your policy & consider the customer who only wants a basic banking app with no need to calculate investments, budgets, online banking etc.
If not, as I move on, I wish to thank you sincerely for providing me with 9 years of simply grand record-keeping of my banking needs.
To unlock check printing, you need to subscribe at the gold tier at least once. Then it will be unlocked forever, even if you downgrade and renew at a lower tier. This is because adding new features, like printing signatures on checks and maintaining it costs us quite a bit, but not many people print checks anymore. (Many people don’t even write checks anymore.)
I have used iBank, now Banktivity, since 2008. I don’t use any connectivity features at all. I don’t print checks. I only enter checking account, retirement account, credit card account information manually, essentially as a glorified spreadsheet. I don’t see any reason to pay $100 a year (!!!) for this. But is that the only way I can receive the current secure version of the program???
Hi Jill, thanks for being a long time customer!
If you don’t think you’ll need technical support from us and you don’t use our connected services, you can subscribe for the first year and then just not renew – you’ll keep getting updates free. This page has more info about what happens if you subscribe and then choose to not renew: https://www.banktivity.com/upgrading.php
I’m a customer since iBank 3. Currently using Banktivity 7. Of course you need to move to a subscription model to sustain a revenue stream for support and development purposes. Of course most of your happy customers would support your move – IF your pricing/function matrix was appropriate to them. A lot of the angry comments and defensive replies simply reflect the fact that basic functions, as defined by your competitors’ products as well as your previous products, have been omitted from the basic offering leaving existing customers forced to pay for functions that simply do not work in their countries. So, sync and multi-currency into Bronze, Direct connection to banks into Silver, Investment tracking into Gold. Then we all pay for what we CAN use outside of the USA rather that what you THINK we can use. Time to own up to some US-centric pricing mistakes that are not appropriate elsewhere in the world.
Hi Graeme, I remember you. Thanks for being a long time customer! I appreciate your feedback. This is our first time going down this road and we are listening to customer feedback. The one thing I don’t think is taken into your equation, but it was taken into ours, is that supporting multi-currency takes significantly more development resources and it is only used by a very small fraction of our users. We didn’t want to pull this feature, but we do feel like customers need to pay more if they want it.
Once we get Direct Access type connections working in the UK/EU I hope our value proposition will work better for you. Please remember too, the app keeps working if you decide to not renew at all. See here for more details: http://www.banktivity.com/upgrading.php
I too am a customer since iBank and have paid for several upgrades. I do not use any of the online tools. Recently my daughter purchased the software upon my recommendation, but she doesn’t use the online services either. Please consider adding a more basic option for those of us who do not use online services so that we can continue to receive updates at a reasonable price.
Hi Janet, thanks for the comment. If you do not use any of our online services and you do not need technical support, you can subscribe once, and then not renew. You’ll continue to keep updates, free.
I need to get something clear here based on what I have been reading. Will I need to start “renting” your software at $49+/year and purchasing direct access at $45? So lowest level yearly cost will now be $95 yearly? If this is the case there appears to be a very serious issue I need to resolve quickly.
I have been a customer for many years, and don’t want to leave. But $100 yearly for your software is just over the top. Please tell me that I have misunderstood something here.
Hi, thanks for the comments. No, you do not need to buy Direct Access on top of an annual subscription. Direct Access is included in all of the tiers. You can find additional info about our tiers and new subscription here: https://www.banktivity.com/pricing
I upgraded to the new Banktivity app from Banktivity 7 on my desktop mac. When I downloaded the app for my iPad and used my Banktivity login, it tried to sign me up for a new subscription through the Apple ecosystem. Am I going to be charged twice? What am I doing wrong?
Hi, your subscription is tied to your Banktivity ID. So if you log in with a Banktivity ID that already has a subscription, the app won’t ask you to subscribe (regardless if you are on Mac or iOS). On Mac you can go to File > Subscription > View My Subscription to check on the status of your subscription. I hope this helps!
I recently changed from Quicken to Banktivity. In the last 2 years I’ve basically upgraded 3 times because there is very little backward compatibility with Mac OS. Each upgrade had minimal noticeable improvements with the same bugs still there. Direct Access is so unreliable I quit using it as it constantly deletes transactions it thinks are duplicates and makes my bank balance completely wrong.. You commonly post about buying a year and not renewing if you don’t need or use the online services. You also boast of the price including iOS apps. I justify keeping the service because I like the iPhone app and only go to desk top for features not supported in iOS. Will the iOS ever be stand alone? After subscription ends everything in iOS blows up if you don’t continue. It’s also questionable for ongoing desktop compatibility. It’s seems Quicken is better and cheaper.
You need a basic plan for sync with desktop or make iOS stand alone.
Hi Bryan, thanks for the comments. We working on more feature parity between the Mac version and the iOS version. The new Banktivity 8 is a big step in that direction, but obviously there are still things to move to iOS. So it’s fair to say that feature parity is the direction we are heading, but it will take time.
will V8 work with UK stocks and shares? currently using V7 and have been using Banktivity since iBank days when you did support UK stocks and shares. since earlier this year we’ve not been able to access the downloads of shares such as BT.plc. Will V8 resolve this – it is a deal breaker for me as i need to be able to track my investments swell as my accounts.
Hi Dave, thanks posting. While we will be rolling out support for additional downloading end of day prices from various international exchanges before the end of the year, I would expect you to be able to get prices for BP now. Please try using this ticker, BP-LN.
its BT i need and BT-LN doesn’t download stock prices. may be the deal breaker then 🙁
I have been using Banktivity for over 12 years, Long time and very happy. There is something satisfying to hit that update button and check for updates…. however, I don’t see an “update” button on Banktivity 8.0.2 (31). Is there a different way you are going to do updates?
Love my Banktivity 8 Bronze because all I need is the perfect checkbook register!
“First, we want to work on things that make you, our customer, happy.”
How was the conclusion drawn that subscription models make customer happy?
Title of post as subscriptions that don’t suck, and thinking that a change in the subscription model will make customers happy? Not keeping information hostage is a meaningful alternative yet a subscription is a subscription and does not make users happy. I prefer to pay one price and be done w/it.
The fractured app development was a known problem from day one, w/the various apps as if they were independently developed and barely integrated. iPhone app also missed an opportunity by not offer an option for ‘companion’ app so you are not carrying around you financial life all day, but instead entering transactions on the go that get merged w/the database later.
Still pining for the days when the register was magical as a single row.
Hope IGG at least offers a forum for community support for those not in a subscription plan before something surfaces on its own in credit.
Hi Pr, thanks for being a long time customer.
If you want to “pay once and be done with it” you can do that with our subscription. You’ll keep getting updates even. Of course, the connected services will stop working after a year and you won’t get tech support after a year either, as both of these are ongoing costs for us.
Thanks for updating my trial subscription to let me access my account.
It would help if we could file an indication that something is bad by email instead of waiting for a long time to report an issue that requires time to fix.
I guess my comment didn’t pass moderation? Here it is again…
Interesting title, “A subscription that doesn’t suck.” But for whom doesn’t it suck? I’m sure it doesn’t for you, but for me (a user since early iBank, after having to ditch Quicken for obvious reasons), it does suck. I just found out about the “exciting new update” by accident, when I discovered OSX (that my institution offers as a perk) stopped working. I just spent the last 2 hours trying to troubleshoot and sent in a support ticket. Joke’s on me, huh…I love wasting 2 hours to discover it’s not working because of “exciting,” new expensive software that comes with an annual hit that will surely go up every year.
I probably wouldn’t mind paying for the lowest tier to have Direct Access, but that’s all I need. I don’t care about having an app for 3 devices…I use one. AND, I’m using OS 10.14. That sucks too, as I don’t want to upgrade to 10.15 due to other software issues.
Some commenters here suggested a basic tier for one app…sounds like something you might consider. $25 for Direct Access and one app is much more appealing, with a lot less “suck.”
Thanks for being a long time customer! Sounds like you are a good candidate for the bronze tier. We have additional information here about our tiers and upgrading: http://www.banktivity.com/upgrading.php
Compatibility …
Last night was my first attempt to use the Ipad version and see how it syncs.
I have two files – one for all the US accounts (of which only one is doing right direct access) and another file for all the other accounts. The file for the “other” accounts (imported ok to Banktivity8) fails to “load” in the iPad version with an error (I did try several times). The US accounts file finishes loading on the iPad and all the accounts are there but… all balances are 0
and there are no transactions. Overall a promising start but not a product yet.
For issues like these it is much better to contact our technical support, http://www.iggsoftware.com/support
It’s hard to do tech support via blog comments.
I do not use online services. However, if I want to open my local file, I still need to provide a Banktivity ID. What happens if I don’t have an Internet connection or your server is down. How do I get access to my data then?
We cache info about your subscription so you can work offline.
Thanks. I’ll give it a try. I don’t like subscriptions but i love Banktivity … 😉
I have been Using iBank – Banktivity since 2015. and am very happy with the app. I live in Paris, France and all my accounts are in Euros and a couple in £ Sterling.. I don’t use ANY of your online services nor the cloud. I regularly manually copy my Banktivity data file to my 3 macs.
Today I use Banktivity 7 on my 3 Macs.
1) Macbook Air (2013) using Catalina and I will upgrade to Big Sur and Banktivity 8 depending on your reply.
2) IMAC 27″ (2017) using Mojave – I have not upgraded to Catalina due to serious iTunes migration problems (serious issues with the artwork that is documented elsewhere on the web).
3) iMac 21″ (2011) using High Sierra.
I have 2 questions.
1) If I upgrade to Banktivity 8 can I continue using Banktivity 7 on my NON Catalina / Big Sur using the datafile from Banktivity 8.
2) Will I be able to continue using my Euro and £ accounts with the Bronze service or must I buy the Gold service?
Thanks, David
Hi David,
Thanks for writing. I’ll try to answer your questions.
1. Banktivity 8 files are NOT backward compatible with Banktivity 7 files. I think given this, you’ll be best staying on 7 or upgrading all computers to Catalina or higher.
2. To unlock full multi-currency support you’d need to be buy gold at least once. To use the automatic exchange rate downloading, you’d need to stay in the gold tier, otherwise you can enter ex rates manually.
I read a good 100+ of the replies on this post to get familiar with the changes and to see replies to questions.
I’ve been with you guys since iBank 4.x and have enjoyed upgrading each year as I wanted updated software, mostly due to macOS upgrades. Banktivity 7.5.3 is working great on Catalina, but I have a question about ver 7.x running on macOS Big Sur. Have you tested it? I understand there might be compatibility issues, but curious how it runs as is. And anyone else seeing this post that is running Big Sur with Bankitivity 7.x to add your feedback of how things are running.
I, along with many others that have posted, manually enter bank and credit card/loan transactions, use just one Mac with a local file and understand the new model going forward to support the software. So there is consideration of doing the subscription model, but in the interim, it would be nice to know that ver 7 will work on macOS Big Sur until I decide to model up.
Word on the street is that works OK, but it definitely is not supported by us on Big Sur. The new Banktivity 8 has an updated interface to look and run great on Big Sur.
Thanks for the reply Ian.
Could you not just make a basic version available, for people like me that do not use any cloud, direct access or stocks etc, so that we can just manually input our incomings and outgoings?
I would happily pay £34.99 as a one off for the a basic package as would a lot of others that want to just keep track of their day to day finances.
Hi Martyn, if you don’t need any of our connected features or tech support you can pay for the subscription once, and then just not renew. The app will keep functioning and you’ll updates for free.
That’s what I will probably do, but I am a bit disgruntled as I just upgraded from 5 to 7 in May when I got my got my new MacBook and only use the software once a month to manage my finances, any chance of an upgrade discount?
To; Ian Gillespie-
I purchased Banktivity 5 (02/16) from the previous iBank; I’m not sure when I started with iBank, but I chose it because at that time it was recommended for the Mac I was using, AND it was the most straightforward system I could find. Originally, I chose iBank from a disappointment, as a long time user, with Quicken. I am very disappointed that you are no longer going to support Banktivity 7, and I assume that means there will not be “live chat” or upgrades for Banktivity ?
I have macOS Mohave (version 10.;14.6, and have no plans to purchase a new Mac (Catalina) in order to buy the latest “Banktivity”. I don’t use most of the added features of Banktivity 7 and don’t bank on line at all-so I don’t need more bells and whistles. My experience is that whenever there are “upgrades” -one loses some useful feature to gain some new thing(s), but usually not a replacement for what was dropped.
I’m truly disappointed and wish that you could have honored long term loyal customers-perhaps, if necessary, with an additional reasonable annual fee. I regret that it seems I’ll need to look for another money management plan of some sort. I really like the directness of Banktivity 7. I’m 93 1/2 and have continued to learn with the times, but regrettably this is just more than I have time, interest, or money to put into.
Sincerely,
Barbara B.
Hi Barbara, thank you for writing and I’m humbled that you use Banktivity. If you don’t want to upgrade your Mac to Catalina, I recommend staying on Banktivity 7 for the time being.
We won’t be upgrading Banktivity 7 anymore, but we will continue to help our customers with it for a while still. I don’t know what kind of Mac you have, but if you are on Mojave you might be able to upgrade it to Catalina.
I don’t believe we took any functionality out of Banktivity 8 that was in Banktivity 7 (there are still a few features in iOS we need to get implemented).
This is a real bummer, especially for someone who manages accounts manually. The world is subscription modeling us to death.
Is there a discount code at least for those who have been with Banktivity since V 5?
Please see this page, http://www.banktivity.com/upgrading.php the subscription is pretty flexible, especially for those that don’t need tech support and just want to manage everything manually.
I’ve been using Banktivity since it was iBank and love it. I have to take care of my mother’s finances as well as my husband’s and mine. I use the basics. I don’t use the Direct Access. I have 4 questions. 1.) If I cancel my subscription will I get updates? 2.) Will my accounts continue to sync over my Mac, iPhone & iPad if I cancel subscription? 3.) If I don’t subscribe .how long will I be able to use version 7? 4.) Will I be able to continue doing reports such as tax reports?
Hi. Thanks for the nice words. I’ll try to answer your questions:
1) If you pay for a year, but then cancel and do not renew again, yes, you’ll continue to get updates
2) No. Maintaining our sync server costs us money, thus this is a feature that requires an active subscription (at any tier0
3) At some point we will phase out the connected services that v7 uses, but we don’t have a date planned for when we will do that.
4) All the basic features like reporting, editing, etc. will continue to work if you subscribe for at least one year
Thank you for your answers. I guess I am stuck between a rock and a hard place. I really need the sync feature as I enter credit card charges when I am out and about. It seems as though everything is going to an annual fee, subscription, etc.
We are really trying to plot a course that is sustainable for our business. We are a small business doing the best we can; we’d love your support! A bronze subscription ends up being about $4.16/month. I know not everyone will subscribe, but we really hope the value is there for you (and the majority of our customers). I’ll also mention, you also get all three apps for that price, Banktivity for Mac, iPhone and iPad.
Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!
Well, I guess you win and I will unhappily have to do a subscription. Opened Banktivity 7 on my Mac today. Appearance is different and all the balances are overlapped with the account name. Was hoping to wait until the first of the year as I have a lot going on right now. Understand no updating to 7, but I see no reason that this had to happen! ?
I have egg on my face and apologize. All I had to do was extend the width of the sidebar. Sorry for the criticism.
Have to say, this is really a hot mess and there is really some confusing messaging going on here. Like several other I use some features that (to me) seem basic and I’ve had access to for years now require a more expensive path. I import all my account info from QXF downloads, no direct bank linking in app. I don’t need or want Banktivity on my phone/ipad or multiple computers. I track my stocks and loans and generate reports. I don’t use cloud syncing. Best I can figure out I need the Silver to upgrade to 8? So my upgrade cost goes up about $20 to keep features I already have (and get some new stuff that will be useful, maybe?). But after I get 8, silver I keep all my features and when the next subscription time comes I can downgrade to Bronze and keep my features? So why do I have to pay a roughly one time higher fee?
Look, I have no problem paying for quality software, and generally iBank/Banktivity has been solid, so I’ve paid for every nearly every update since 3.0 (except 5 because of a performance issue). I appreciate that you are not going the Adobe route, that was one of the biggest money grabs in software history. However, please don’t say that your subscription model doesn’t “suck”, subscriptions always suck. The best is when devs give the option for subscription vs some form of perpetual license. Some users will absolutely benefit from an all encompassing subscription, if they use all of the features. Most of us don’t use all of the features, but the ones we use are important to us and updating when WE need to is valuable.
Now I’m off to re-read this mess and figure out if I’m doing the trial to test the new features, then figure out which price model is right for me to just keep doing my banking, and if I do update then figure out when to cancel my subscription in the future so I can get back to the lower price point and not pay as much for a developer that had to come up with a convoluted pricing system. I think that’s how Banktivity works now.
(sigh)
Hi Peter, sorry if the options are confusing. We’ve done our best to build in some flexibility with the subscription. That certainly made it more complex. We will continue to try and improve our website and messaging to make it more clear. If you don’t need technical support and don’t need any of our connected services (like stock downloads) then you can subscribe at the appropriate tier and then just don’t renew. You’ll keep getting updates and the app will keep working. The idea behind this is, you’ve paid us once, you don’t cost us money (no tech support and no use of connected services), so you can keep using our app and getting updates.
Thanks, I get that I have options, and honestly, appreciate that component. But I’ll say it again, subscriptions still suck no matter how you try to spin it. Like I said, I do need stock quotes, so that single aspect pushes me up a tier no matter what. Still that’s a $20 jump over the $49 I would have happily paid to keep access to one feature I need and already have. I would have even accepted a change in the upgrade price to cover the new costs for stock quotes. If I stick with v7 I keep that for free? If I don’t want or need anything else added to the software it’s not much of an incentive to upgrade. Again, giving access to the iOS apps now forces me to pay for development of something I have no interest in. It serves your needs, not mine.
I will also repeat, I have no problem paying for value added upgrades, at my schedule, not the developers, that’s what subscriptions take a way. I think like others, I’ll probably hold out until I’m “forced” to shift to the new model.
I’m probably the king of all Luddites on this thread. Still using iBank v5.6.12 on El Capitan OS 10.11 with data going back to 2010. I was able to configure Direct Connect for banking data downloads, and never saw the need to pay for Direct Access. I want to upgrade my hardware, (it’s getting very long in the tooth) so naturally will have to upgrade to Banktivity 8 and don’t mind paying for it. But what I can’t figure out is will I lose Direct Connect? It was not easy to configure, had to jump through hoops with PNC Bank, but once it worked it has been rock solid, and am not sold on the value of a Direct Access subscription when Direct Connect still works.
Thoguhts?
Hi James,
Direct Connect also works in Banktivity 8, so if that is working for, you should be able to stick with those same connections.
Hi Ian,
I was initially very against the new pricing model (been upgrading to every version + Direct Access since forever). However, reading through this thread I may want to reconsider my position. Could you help me understand what is the best thing to do for my use case?
I want to use Direct Access for both US and Canadian banks and to sync stock prices for my investments. I do not need to sync currency rates though or print checks.
For my initial year do I need to subscribe to Gold or Silver to unlock being able to set up bank accounts in multiple currencies? It seems I should be able to get away with just silver since I don’t need any of the connected features of Gold. But it is unclear whether the software will let me operate with accounts in different currencies.
For subsequent years do I need Silver or Bronze? My understanding is I’ll need Silver if I need stocks to be in sync. Otherwise, I can downgrade to Bronze.
Thanks for the help.
Sorry, I just read the details at the bottom of https://www.banktivity.com/upgrading.php. Seems like I need to buy Gold to unlock multi-currency support. Then I can downgrade to Silver, otherwise, I lose both Direct Access for my brokerage accounts and stock price syncing.
When you do plan on shutting down Banktivity 7 syncing?
No date planned yet.
Thank you for your response Ian – It means a lot that you take the time to personally answer all these comments. That says a lot about you and your company.
I hope the shut down is a long way off because I love Banktivity 7 and although I can understand why you are switching to the subscription model, I personally don’t like subscriptions for software as it makes me feel like I am renting it vs. owning it. I understand that once you stop subscribing you can still use the software but I use my iPhone to enter most of my transactions so the sync feature is big for me.
I hope you consider offering a sync only option (at a lower cost) down the road because that is really all that is holding me back from upgrading. I’m not interested in Direct Access or any of the other features.
I have had version 6 as I had trouble with 7 when it appeared. I was told recently that If I wanted the Catalina O.S I would need 7. I now have Catalina and have had trouble accessing my transactions. On chat, I was told that 7 is no longer supported and that I would have to have 8. I have read some of the questions and it seems to me that Banktivity 7 should work with Catalina (which had been suggested if I wanted 7)
Hi Wayne, We aren’t selling Banktivity 7 anymore, that is why our tech support rep recommended going with Banktivity 8. I hope this helps!
I have purchased and used iBank and now Banktivity since 2011 and truly like the product. I recently downloaded and paid the Bronze subscription for Version 8. I use Banktivity strictly for checkbook management and do not require the various premium features. I understand if I cancel, I will be able to continue updating Version 8. Is it possible then to simply purchase the next Banktivity upgrade, I assume Version 9, and then again cancel the subscription? I am happy purchase the new versions but simply do not need the subscription add ons.
Hi Fred, yeah, you can pay once and not renew and you’ll even get version 9 when it comes out, but without an active subscription you don’t get tech support or any of the connected services (basically the things that continue to cost us money internally.)
Thanks for your reply, which I do appreciate!