money manager ex mac dashboard
Source: MacHow2

Best Microsoft Money For Mac Alternatives of 2026 (Free & Paid)

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If you previously relied on Microsoft Money on Windows, finding a replacement on macOS can be surprisingly difficult.

Many former Microsoft Money users still want the same combination of:

  • offline financial management
  • budgeting tools
  • investment tracking
  • detailed reports
  • bank syncing
  • bill pay support
  • and the ability to import old Microsoft Money data

Although Microsoft discontinued Money years ago, there are now several excellent alternatives for Mac users ranging from modern cloud-based apps to traditional desktop software that work much more like the original Microsoft Money experience.

After testing the latest finance apps on Apple Silicon Macs, we found that some focus heavily on investments and automation, while others stay much closer to the offline, spreadsheet-style workflow that long-time Microsoft Money users often prefer.

If you want broader recommendations too, check out our guide to the best personal finance software for Mac.

Quick Recommendations

If You Want…Best Option
A free Microsoft Money replacementEmpower
The closest replacement to Microsoft MoneyMoneyspire
The best native Mac finance appBanktivity
Advanced reporting & investmentsQuicken Classic for Mac
Spreadsheet-style budgetingTiller
A free offline finance appMoney Manager Ex
Multi-currency supportMoneyWiz
Forecasting & future cashflow planningPocketSmith
Open-source accounting softwareGnuCash

Comparison Table: Microsoft Money For Mac Alternatives

SoftwarePricingMicrosoft Money Import SupportBank SyncingInvestment TrackingBest For
EmpowerFreeCSVYesYesFree investment tracking
Moneyspire$59.99 one-time purchaseQIF/CSVLimitedYesClosest replacement to MS Money
BanktivityFrom $4.99/monthQIFYesYesNative Mac experience
Quicken Classic for MacFrom $5.99/monthQIFYesYesAdvanced reporting
Tiller$79/yearCSVYesYesSpreadsheet budgeting
Money Manager ExFreeQIF/CSVNoManual onlyFree offline budgeting
MoneyWizFrom $4.99/monthCSV/QIFYesYesMulti-currency users
PocketSmithFrom $9.95/monthCSV/QIFYesYesForecasting & cashflow
GnuCashFreeQIF/OFXLimitedYesOpen-source accounting

Which Mac App Is Most Similar To Microsoft Money?

The closest overall replacement we found for Microsoft Money is Moneyspire.

It offers:

  • local/offline data storage
  • a traditional desktop finance interface
  • budgeting tools
  • account tracking
  • bill management
  • and one-time purchase pricing

For users wanting a more modern experience with better syncing and automation, Banktivity is probably the best native Mac alternative.

Power users who relied heavily on reports, investments and long-term financial tracking may prefer Quicken Classic instead.

If you simply want a free offline replacement similar to older versions of Microsoft Money, Money Manager Ex and GnuCash are both worth considering.

Here then are our full reviews of the best replacements for Microsoft Money on Mac in order of ranking.

1. Empower (Best Free Microsoft Money Alternative)

empower review - personal finance dashboard
Source: Empower

Empower is more than just a free way to manage your money – it actually advises you on how to maximize your capital and investments.

It won our award as one of the best personal finance software for Mac we’ve tried with certainly the best investment tracking of any software we’ve seen on macOS.

Empower is 100% free to use and you only get charged if you use an optional personal strategy meeting.

It also has reliable syncing with banks, credit card, credit union and other financial institutions so that it can automatically download transactions.

It can also import Microsoft Money files from Windows if they’re in CSV format.

The Investment Checkup Tool is one of the best things about Empower as it immediately identifies areas where you should diversify investments without increasing the risk.

Other useful features we really like about Empower include automatic bill reminders, stock value updates and 401K updates.

Although there’s no native Mac client, the web interface works extremely well and Empower looks like an application that’s built for macOS.

There is however an official Empower iOS app which looks great on both iPhone and iPads and gives you most of the same features as the desktop version.

If you’re looking for an alternative to MS Money on Mac that not only helps you manage finances but optimize them too, Empower is an excellent free replacement.

You can read our full review of Empower for a more in depth look.

Pricing: Free

2. Moneyspire (Closest Replacement To Microsoft Money)

moneyspire dashboard
Source: Moneyspire

Moneyspire (formerly Fortera Fresh Finance) is an extremely well put together personal finance software that has a native Mac desktop client.

Moneyspire is focused more on managing your day-to-day finances in a straightforward no-nonsense way.

One of the big attractions of Moneyspire is that it doesn’t force you to store your financial data online or in the Cloud although you can if you want to enjoy syncing with iOS devices.

Unlike personal finance software such as Quicken for Mac, it also doesn’t tie you into any annual subscriptions to keep using it although again, you can choose that model if you want.

You can also import MS Money files in CSV format into Moneyspire very easily.

The interface of Moneyspire keeps things very simple by not overwhelming you with information – it’s basic but informative with all essential financial data at your fingertips.

moneyspire checking account

Moneyspire can pay bills automatically with the Direct Connect service, generate reports, forecast balances and reconcile accounts.

moneyspire calendar
Source: Moneyspire

Note however that Direct Connect is increasingly being phased-out by banks in favor of Express Web Conect+ (EWC+) which Moneyspire does not support.

If your bank does not support Direct Connect anymore, you may still however be able to connect to your bank via Moneyspire Connect which is a free syncing tool included with Moneyspire.

It does not however support Bill Pay or transferring funds between accounts within it though.

What we like most about Moneyspire is that it feels like it puts the user first, giving you control over both the storage of your finances and the payment model you prefer. It also doesn’t complicate things unnecessarily with features you’ll probably never need.

If you specifically want a simpler register-style solution focused on balancing accounts and everyday spending, you may also want to check out our guide to the best checkbook software for Mac.

You can check out our review of Moneyspire for more.

Pricing: For a limited period too, Moneyspire 2025 is currently 40% off for $59.99 or $79.99 for Moneyspire Pro with invoicing included.

3. Banktivity (Best Native Mac Finance App)

banktivity for mac finance summary
Source: Banktivity

Banktivity (formerly iBank) is a popular personal finance application with a desktop app for macOS.

In fact Banktivity is designed exclusively for Apple devices and the only budgeting software for Mac which works across Mac, iPad, iPhone and even Apple Watch.

Banktivity can automatically download transactions from your Bank either via its own Direct Access service (although this costs extra) or by using Banktivity’s built-in browser.

Its Direct Access service supports around 10,000 banks although the reliability of this service often depends on changes your bank makes to security regarding access by third-party apps and type of account.

401K accounts for example are known to be particularly fussy about connectivity with external apps.

Banktivity can track investments, credit cards, savings accounts, mortgages and pretty much most standard types of financial interest you have.

You can attach receipts to transactions, print checks and using the Direct Access service, pay bills automatically.

You can also generate some quite detailed reports based on your net worth to see exactly where your money is going.

banktivity reports
Source: Banktivity

There’s also an iOS app which allows you to track and manage your net worth on the move and syncs with Banktivity’s cloud sync server.

We recommend trying a 30 day subscription first to ensure that everything works smoothly with your bank.

You can also check out our full review of Banktivity for a more in-depth look.

Pricing: Banktivity Bronze starts at $4.99 per month but bear in mind if a Direct Access subscription costs an extra $44.99 annually on top. There is also a Silver plan which includes investment and real estate tracking ($6.67 per month) and Gold plan ($9.33 per month) which supports international currencies and investments. You can try a free trial of Banktivity to see for yourself.

4. Quicken Classic For Mac (Best For Advanced Reporting)

quicken premier investments mac
Source: Quicken

For many years, Quicken for Mac had a rocky ride with Mac users when it was owned by Intuit but under new ownership, recent versions of Quicken on macOS have been considerable improvements.

Quicken is probably the most popular personal finance application out there for Windows users although the Mac version has always lagged behind.

Quicken 2018 finally made it somewhat comparable with the Windows version although there are various features it still lacks and it’s not exactly the same product (check out out look at Quicken For Mac vs Windows for more).

One of the biggest recent improvements to the newly branded Quicken “Classic” For Mac has been the introduction of Bill Pay so that you can automatically manage and pay bills online (this is a paid add-on in the Deluxe version but free in the Premier version).

Reporting has also been improved although it is still behind the Windows version of Quicken.

The overall interface and speed has been improved to make it look better in macOS too.

If you’re interested in learning more, you should check out our review of Quicken Classic for Mac.

Note that there are some differences between the Deluxe and Premier versions for Mac which aren’t made very clear by Quicken and you can read our analysis of Quicken Deluxe vs Premier here.

Pricing: Plans starting from $5.99/month

5. Tiller (Best Spreadsheet Alternative)

mac personal finance software - tiller
Source: Tiller

If want a spreadsheet alternative to Microsoft Money then take a look at Tiller.

Tiller is an automated spreadsheet software that automatically fills in spreadsheet budgets as you fill it in with your financial data.

If you like to use Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets to track your net worth, Tiller can automatically extract data from them and then correlate and organize them into budget spreadsheets and dashboards.

Microsoft have even recommended Tiller to those that use Money in Excel or Microsoft 365 subscribers (formerly Office 365) as a way of processing financial planning data in its apps.

The software provides a range of templates to get you started or if you’re already spreadsheet savvy, you can start from scratch.

Tiller can be used to track almost any financial data you want from your net worth to budgets.

It does take some time to setup and use, especially if you don’t use one of the templates but it’s extremely customizable compared to Microsoft Money as you can track anything in it.

Tiller can also be used to generate reports and dashboards rather than having to pour through data heavy spreadsheets.

Most recently the app has added a Spending Trends dashboard to keep a track of where your money is going with useful dashboards for annual and monthly budgets.

Like as with Microsoft Money, none of your data is stored in the Cloud with Tiller – it’s all processed in a spreadsheet on your desktop.

If like the spreadsheet approach to budgeting then Tiller is an excellent alternative to Microsoft Money for Mac.

You can also check out our full Tiller review for more.

Pricing: $6.58/month or $79 per year. You can try a 30 day free trial of Tiller.

6. Money Manager Ex (Best Free Offline Alternative)

money manager ex mac dashboard
Source: MacHow2

Money Manager Ex (MMEX) is a free, open source personal finance app that keeps your data offline.

It also has quite a dated interface which even looks and feels a bit like Microsoft Money.

However, considering it’s totally free, there’s not much to complain about apart from a lot of data entry.

Key Features are:

  • Data Control: MMEX stores all data locally on your Mac, ensuring complete user control. There is also a Windows, Linux and mobile version.
  • Expense and Account Tracking: It can manage bank accounts, record expenses, and categorize transactions with a customizable ledger-style system.
  • Budgeting Tools: You can create monthly spending plans and set category limits for better financial planning.
  • Investment Management: It also tracks stocks and securities manually, though without automatic market updates.
  • Data Import/Export: You can import Quicken QIF files, CSV, and XML formats.
  • Cost: Free and open-source with ongoing community development.

For former Microsoft Money users, MMEX offers a comprehensive and reliable alternative that focuses on user control, budgeting, and reporting.

While it lacks some automation, it provides a free solution for those seeking privacy, flexibility, and freedom from subscription fees.

Check our full Money Manager Ex review for more.

Pricing: Free

7. MoneyWiz (Best For Multi-Currency Users)

moneywiz for mac
Source: MoneyWiz

MoneyWiz is a polished finance app with particularly strong support for:

  • multiple currencies
  • international accounts
  • budgeting
  • recurring bills
  • syncing across devices

In testing, its mobile apps were among the best we tried and syncing between Apple devices worked very smoothly.

MoneyWiz also supports automatic transaction downloads and investment tracking.

The interface is more modern than traditional desktop finance apps but less similar to Microsoft Money overall.

Pricing: From $4.99/month

8. PocketSmith (Best For Forecasting)

pocketsmith for mac
Source: PocketSmith

PocketSmith stands out because of its excellent forecasting and calendar budgeting tools.

Rather than simply showing historical spending, PocketSmith focuses heavily on predicting future cash flow.

Features include:

  • calendar budgeting
  • financial forecasting
  • bank syncing
  • multi-currency support
  • investment tracking
  • scenario planning

In testing, the forecasting tools were some of the most advanced we encountered.

Pricing: From $9.95/month

9. GnuCash (Best Open-Source Accounting Option)

https://gnucash.org/

GnuCash is a free open-source accounting and finance application available for macOS, Windows and Linux.

Unlike many personal finance apps, GnuCash uses double-entry accounting principles similar to professional bookkeeping software.

Features include:

  • investment tracking
  • scheduled transactions
  • reports
  • QIF/OFX imports
  • business accounting tools

The interface feels dated compared to modern Mac apps, but it’s extremely capable considering it’s free.

Pricing: Free

Can You Import Microsoft Money Files On Mac?

Most modern Mac finance apps cannot directly open old .mny Microsoft Money database files.

The best approach is usually to:

  1. Open your data in Windows
  2. Export it as QIF or CSV
  3. Import it into your new Mac finance app

Apps that generally offer the best Microsoft Money import support include:

  • Moneyspire
  • Quicken Classic
  • Money Manager Ex
  • GnuCash

QIF exports usually preserve categories and transactions more reliably than CSV imports.

Offline vs Cloud-Based Microsoft Money Alternatives

Best Offline/Desktop-First Alternatives

If you prefer storing your financial data locally on your Mac:

  • Moneyspire
  • Money Manager Ex
  • GnuCash

These are closest to the traditional Microsoft Money experience.

Best Cloud-Based Alternatives

If you prefer automatic syncing and mobile access:

  • Empower
  • Banktivity
  • PocketSmith
  • Tiller

What Happened To Microsoft Money?

Microsoft Money was discontinued by Microsoft in 2009.

Microsoft later released a free version called Money Sunset Deluxe which removed online services and activation requirements.

However, Microsoft never released a native Mac version of Money.

Although it’s still technically possible to run Microsoft Money on a Mac using virtualization software, compatibility becomes harder with newer versions of macOS and Apple Silicon Macs.

For most users, switching to a modern Mac finance app is now the more practical solution.

Can You Run Microsoft Money on a Mac?

Yes – you can run Microsoft Money on a Mac although it requires a virtual machine and many features, such as automatic banking connections, won’t work.