So some time back, I left YNAB after discovering Moneywell. Moneywell is another take on the envelope budgeting system. It was more Mac like, supported downloaded transactions, reconciling, etc. All was well until Moneywell 2 came out. It just didn’t work for me anymore. The “simplification” made it difficult to get anything done. For what I needed, the new reports weren’t as good as the old reports. It was so painful for me to use that I stopped keeping track of my finances altogether for a while.
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- YNAB has replaced their desktop application with a Mint-like cloud service and in doing so undermined the very reason I felt secure with their software. All previous versions of YNAB gave me sole control over the software. I could sync through Dropbox but I was also in control of that decision.
- YNAB 4 is budget software features Cloud Sync, making it easier to stay focused on your budget and always up to date by staying in sync wherever there's an internet connection.
This is the icon for the old version:
And now for the new version:
And the hardest thing for me to look at in Moneywell 2:
I much prefer the old to the new. And that pretty much sums up the design changes. Everything went that direction and that combined with the functionality changes caused me to go from loving the software to becoming ambivalent about it.
You Need A Budget
Meanwhile, the people at YNAB have completely knocked it out of the park with YNAB 4. A gorgeous interface, iPhone App that supports cloud sync, and new reports. Take a look.
YNAB gained a lot of features and it finally has the ability to reconcile accounts. Most importantly, my wife likes it and uses it.
I have a long history with YNAB (You Need a Budget), both good and bad.
To make a long story short, I was using and loving Mvelopes, while YNAB had a lot of problems with its new release. YNAB then fixed those problems, Mvelopes went south and I switched back.
Today, I use a combination of Quicken 2011 and YNAB to manage my money, and was excited the see YNAB 4, the newest version of the software, make a premiere last month.
Do you really want my envelope budgeting speech again?
I didn’t think so. I know that you know that I love it.
The trick is to find the best way to implement envelope budgeting, and for me that’s YNAB. It’s not perfect, but it’s the best combination of visual clarity, backbone, and simplicity you’ll find today.
Notable new features
Head back to my previous YNAB reviews (links up top) for general software information. Today, I’ll look only at some of the notable improvements in YNAB 4 over the previous versions.
For example, I love the new “version” feature, which saves me the heartache of screwing up my budget and not having a simple way to get it back:
The graphics took a big improvement, with larger fonts, a cleaner interface, and bold colors. Reports, in general, are very good-looking, simple to understand, and get to the point. Here’s a sample spending report:
One big selling point for YNAB is the new Cloud Sync. I decided not to use it, since I don’t own a smartphone and already made this syncing work to the level I need by sharing the YNAB file over Google Drive.
Among some of the other changes, the increase in speed is definitely noticable–the program feels zippy and more responsive. Changing screens and entering data feels direct and immediate.
Ynab 4 Cloud Sync Software
![Sync Sync](/uploads/1/1/8/1/118114885/356817726.jpg)
Here’s a sample account I was playing around with in budget mode:
And here’s an example of the simple interface for creating a new account:
The verdict
Sugarsync
YNAB 3 was a big step up for the software a few years ago.
Version 4 is not as revolutionary, but I still think it’s worth the $40 upgrade fee I paid to get it. And if you’re not using any kind of envelope budget software at all, it’s an excellent way to get into the market.
Bonus offer for my readers
The regular cost of the program is $40 for upgrades and $60 for new users, which is well within reach.
For a limited time, save an additional $6 with my coupon code at this link:
I got my review (and personal use) copy before this deal came out, but if you use the link above, not only will you get $6, but I will as well! That means you’ll be on my awesome list and support this blog.
If you have any questions on the new YNAB version, let me know in the comments or get in touch with me!
![Synology cloud sync Synology cloud sync](/uploads/1/1/8/1/118114885/559235305.jpg)
(Post image from YNAB)