Updated 2026-02-15 · 4 min read
YNAB (You Need A Budget) costs $14.99/month or $109/year. It went from $50/year (2015) to $84/year (2021) to $99/year (2022) to $109/year (2024) — a 118% price increase. The irony of a budgeting app that keeps raising its own price is not lost on anyone. Here's how to cancel and what to use instead.
YNAB's own Rule 1 is "Give Every Dollar a Job." If you gave $109 the job of "paying for a budgeting app," you might want to fire it. Google Sheets + a free budget template does the same thing. The YNAB methodology (zero-based budgeting) is free — it's the app that costs money.
Before canceling, export your budget data: Settings → Export Budget → download the CSV. This preserves all your transaction history, categories, and budget history. Once your subscription ends, you lose access to the app and can't export later.
| Tool | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Google Sheets budget template | Free | Full customization, YNAB method without the app |
| Actual Budget | Free (open source) | Closest YNAB alternative, envelope budgeting |
| Copilot Money | $69/yr | Beautiful UI, auto bank sync (cheaper than YNAB) |
| Monarch Money | $99/yr | Couples/families, investment tracking |
| EveryDollar (Ramsey) | Free (basic) | Zero-based budgeting, manual entry |
| Your bank's built-in tools | Free | Chase, Capital One, etc. all have spending insights |
YNAB's budgeting methodology (give every dollar a job, embrace your true expenses, roll with the punches, age your money) is genuinely good. But you don't need to pay $109/year to follow it:
That's it. That's the entire YNAB methodology. The app just automates the bank sync and provides a pretty interface for these 5 steps.
When you cancel, YNAB typically offers 1-3 months free or a discounted rate. If you're on the fence, the free months give you time to export data and transition to a new tool. They also offer financial hardship pricing — email support@ynab.com and they may extend your subscription free for a few months.
YNAB is a great budgeting methodology wrapped in an increasingly expensive app. Export your data, cancel, and either use Actual Budget (free, open-source, similar interface) or a Google Sheets template. The budgeting habit is what saves money — not the app.
Upload your bank statement to JustCancel — we'll find every subscription and recurring charge so you know exactly where your money goes.
Scan Your Statement →Direct cancel link + step-by-step instructions
Want to find ALL your subscriptions at once?
Upload a bank statement and we'll detect every recurring charge in 30 seconds. Most people find 3-5 subscriptions they forgot about.
Scan My Statement — FreeNo account · No bank login · 960+ people have used JustCancel