YNAB Alternative

Love YNAB's Approach?
Pay 47% Less.

Waypoint Budget gives you the same powerful zero-based budgeting, automatic bank sync, and smart insights — starting with a free tier YNAB doesn't offer.

No credit card required · 2-minute setup · Import from YNAB

The Price Difference Is Real

YNAB
$14.99/month

or $109/year

No free tier
34-day free trial
Waypoint Budget
US$7.99/month

or US$79.99/year · Free tier available

Free forever plan
7-day free trial on paid plans

Save 47% compared to YNAB

That's over $84/year back in your pocket

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

See exactly what you get with each platform

FeatureWaypointYNAB
Free tier
Zero-based budgeting
Automatic bank syncPlus/Pro
Manual transactions
Budget categories
Goal tracking
Reports & analyticsPlus/Pro
Smart Money Coach
Receipt scanning
CSV import
YNAB importN/A
Mobile appPWANative
Household budgetingPro
US bank support10,000+12,000+
Canadian bank support10,000+Limited
Dark mode
Starting priceFree$14.99/mo

Switch in Under 2 Minutes

Export from YNAB, drop your file, and Waypoint handles the rest.

What Waypoint Does Better

Features you won't find in YNAB

Smart Money Coach

Get personalized financial advice based on your actual spending. Ask questions, get insights — like a financial advisor in your pocket.

Free Forever Tier

Unlimited manual transactions, all budget categories, and smart categorization — completely free. YNAB has no free option after the trial.

Receipt Scanning

Snap a photo of any receipt and transactions are automatically extracted. Also scan bank statements for bulk import.

Privacy First

Built by a solo founder, not a corporation. Revenue comes from subscriptions — we never sell your data. Delete everything anytime.

US & Canadian Support

Works with Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Citi, Capital One, and 10,000+ institutions across the US and Canada.

Easy YNAB Import

Export your YNAB data and import it directly into Waypoint. Keep your transaction history and categories — switch in minutes.

To Be Fair to YNAB

We believe in honest comparisons

Larger community: YNAB has been around since 2004 and has a massive community with forums, subreddits, and educational content.

Native mobile apps: YNAB offers native iOS and Android apps. Waypoint uses a PWA that works like a native app but installs from your browser.

Loan tracking: YNAB has dedicated loan tracking features. Waypoint handles debt through budget categories and goal tracking.

That said, Waypoint matches or beats YNAB on the features most people actually use daily — at 47% less cost.

Common Questions from YNAB Users

Can I import my YNAB data?
Yes! You can export your YNAB transactions as CSV and import them directly into Waypoint. Your transaction history and categories come along for the ride.
Does Waypoint use zero-based budgeting like YNAB?
Yes. Like YNAB, Waypoint uses a zero-based approach where every dollar gets assigned a job. You set up budget categories, allocate your income, and track spending against those categories.
Is the free tier actually useful?
Absolutely. The free tier includes unlimited manual transactions, all budget categories, smart categorization, Money Coach (5 messages/day), and 24 months of history. Many users stay on free permanently. The main thing you miss is automatic bank sync.
How does bank sync compare to YNAB?
Both use Plaid for bank connections, supporting 10,000+ financial institutions. Waypoint Plus includes 1 bank connection and Pro includes 5. YNAB includes unlimited connections but at a much higher price point.
What is the Smart Money Coach?
Money Coach is a smart financial advisor built into Waypoint. It analyzes your actual spending patterns and gives personalized suggestions — like “you spent 30% more on dining this month” or “here's how to save $200 next month.” YNAB doesn't have this.

Ready to Switch?

Start with the free tier — no credit card, no commitment.

No credit card required · Free forever plan available · Cancel paid plans anytime

Rated 4.9/5 by users