Why people switch from YNAB to Cadence
A fraction of the price. From $2.49 CAD / $1.99 USD per month versus roughly $12.98 CAD / $9.08 USD for YNAB.
No method to memorise. Flexible budgeting with rollover - budget precisely or loosely, without a rigid system.
True multi-currency. Hold CAD and USD together, rather than one currency per budget.
More than budgeting. Net worth, goals, bills, reporting and insights are all included.
Privacy-first. An independent Canadian app that never sells your data or trains AI on it.
Sync optional. Connect your banks or track by hand - every feature works either way.
Cadence vs YNAB
| Cadence | YNAB | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $2.49/m | ~$12.98/m |
| Available in Canada & USA | Yes | Yes |
| iOS (Beta), Android (Beta) & Web apps | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-currency support | Yes | One per budget |
| TFSA, RRSP, FHSA tracking | Yes | Yes |
| AI training on your data | No | Yes |
| Official MCP integration | Yes | No |
| Passkey sign-in (all devices) | Yes | No |
| Works without bank syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Bank syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Budget & transaction tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Net worth tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Financial goals | Yes | Yes |
| Reporting | Yes | Yes |
| Insights & suggestions | Yes | No |
| Automations | Yes | No |
Competitor prices are approximate conversions. Pricing reflects annual plans billed yearly. Based on publicly available data as of March 2026.
How Cadence Compares
| Cadence | YNAB | Monarch | Copilot | Dollarwise | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $2.49/m | ~$12.98/m | ~$11.90/m | ~$11.33/m | ~$14.29/m |
| Available in Canada & USA | Yes | Yes | Yes | No (US only) | No (US only) |
| iOS (Beta), Android (Beta) & Web apps | Yes | Yes | Yes | No Android | No |
| Multi-currency support | Yes | One per budget | No | No | No |
| TFSA, RRSP, FHSA tracking | Yes | Yes | Limited | N/A | N/A |
| AI training on your data | No | Yes | No | Unclear | Unclear |
| Official MCP integration | Yes | No | Beta | Beta | No |
| Passkey sign-in (all devices) | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Works without bank syncing | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Bank syncing | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Budget & transaction tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Net worth tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Financial goals | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Reporting | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Insights & suggestions | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Automations | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Cadence
Starting price$2.49/m
Available in Canada & USAYes
iOS (Beta), Android (Beta) & Web appsYes
Multi-currency supportYes
TFSA, RRSP, FHSA trackingYes
AI training on your dataNo
Official MCP integrationYes
Passkey sign-in (all devices)Yes
Works without bank syncingYes
Bank syncingYes
Budget & transaction trackingYes
Net worth trackingYes
Financial goalsYes
ReportingYes
Insights & suggestionsYes
AutomationsYes
YNAB
Starting price~$12.98/m
Available in Canada & USAYes
iOS (Beta), Android (Beta) & Web appsYes
Multi-currency supportOne per budget
TFSA, RRSP, FHSA trackingYes
AI training on your dataYes
Official MCP integrationNo
Passkey sign-in (all devices)No
Works without bank syncingYes
Bank syncingYes
Budget & transaction trackingYes
Net worth trackingYes
Financial goalsYes
ReportingYes
Insights & suggestionsNo
AutomationsNo
Monarch
Starting price~$11.90/m
Available in Canada & USAYes
iOS (Beta), Android (Beta) & Web appsYes
Multi-currency supportNo
TFSA, RRSP, FHSA trackingLimited
AI training on your dataNo
Official MCP integrationBeta
Passkey sign-in (all devices)No
Works without bank syncingYes
Bank syncingYes
Budget & transaction trackingYes
Net worth trackingYes
Financial goalsYes
ReportingYes
Insights & suggestionsYes
AutomationsYes
Copilot
Starting price~$11.33/m
Available in Canada & USANo (US only)
iOS (Beta), Android (Beta) & Web appsNo Android
Multi-currency supportNo
TFSA, RRSP, FHSA trackingN/A
AI training on your dataUnclear
Official MCP integrationBeta
Passkey sign-in (all devices)No
Works without bank syncingNo
Bank syncingYes
Budget & transaction trackingYes
Net worth trackingYes
Financial goalsYes
ReportingYes
Insights & suggestionsYes
AutomationsYes
Dollarwise
Starting price~$14.29/m
Available in Canada & USANo (US only)
iOS (Beta), Android (Beta) & Web appsNo
Multi-currency supportNo
TFSA, RRSP, FHSA trackingN/A
AI training on your dataUnclear
Official MCP integrationNo
Passkey sign-in (all devices)No
Works without bank syncingNo
Bank syncingYes
Budget & transaction trackingYes
Net worth trackingNo
Financial goalsYes
ReportingNo
Insights & suggestionsYes
AutomationsNo
Fully Featured Plans - Just Pick Syncing
Frequently asked questions
What is the best YNAB alternative?
Cadence is a great YNAB alternative for people who want flexible budgeting without a strict method - and net worth, goals, bills and reporting in the same app. It works across Canada and the USA on iOS, Android and web.
Is Cadence cheaper than YNAB?
Yes, significantly. Cadence plans start at $2.49 CAD / $1.99 USD per month, compared with roughly $12.98 CAD / $9.08 USD per month for YNAB (annual billing).
Do I have to learn the YNAB method to use Cadence?
No. Cadence gives you flexible budgets, including rollover, without requiring a strict zero-based system. You can budget as loosely or as precisely as you like.
Does Cadence handle multiple currencies better than YNAB?
For many people, yes. YNAB uses a single currency per budget, while Cadence supports CAD and USD together and lets you choose your preferred display currency.
Can I switch from YNAB to Cadence?
Yes. You can import transactions from a CSV export, or connect your banks directly on the Cadence+ and Premium plans, and pick up where you left off.