In August 2016, Intuit announced it intended to sell Quicken, along with QuickBase and Demandforce, in order to refocus on cloud-based systems. According to a press release, Intuit intends to “strengthen the ecosystem and align with two strategic goals: to be the operating system behind small business success, and to do the nations’ taxes in the US and Canada.” Quicken is purely a desktop-based system, inherently limiting its growth and making it difficult to maintain for the existing base. As the “ecosystem” moves toward cloud-based and subscription-based services, Intuit will pour more resources into their QuickBooks and TurboTax products that compete in that realm.
If you are a Quicken user, it is time to start looking at your transition options in the event a buyer is not found and the line is eventually discontinued. Take the time to export your information to another format so that it can be imported into a new program. It is a reasonably safe bet that any new program will accept imports from Microsoft Excel, but if you are a true worrywart, have it available in several formats. Start doing your research now into alternative programs. That way, when the Quicken situation eventually resolves itself, you will have an option for comparison.
We’re pleased to be considered at top 6 Quicken alternative by AdvisoryHQ, and encourage you to read their article as they have highlighted some of the considerations for selection and ranking.
CountAbout Review by AdvisoryHQ
CountAbout is a top Quicken alternative to consider. In fact, it is the best personal finance software for users who want to effortlessly switch from Quicken software to another Quicken competitor.
A relatively new Quicken competitor, CountAbout has a great marketing strategy. It is the only Quicken alternative that allows for a seamless mergerof pre-existing Quicken data to CountAbout’s accounting software.
Key Factors That Enabled This Software to Rank Amongst Top Quicken Alternatives
Listed below are a collection of key factors that enabled us to include this in our list of best alternatives to Quicken.
Import from Quicken & Mint
CountAbout provides a huge advantage over other Quicken alternatives, since it allows users to import data from Quicken or Mint.com. This includes any pre-existing categories, accounts, and transactions.
For current users looking for Quicken competitors, CountAbout is a powerful Quicken alternative to consider. With the ability to transfer existing data, this is one of the best alternatives to Quicken to consider for easy, smooth integration.
This ability comes from its Cloud-based application. Not only is data safely and efficiently transferred from existing personal finance tools, but CountAbout users also benefit from constant updates and syncing on all devices.
Free Trial
When looking for a Quicken alternative, pricing will inevitably come into play. The best alternatives to Quicken should allow for initial exploration, and CountAbout does just that.
Users can sign up for a 15-day free trial to determine if this Quicken competitor is amongst the best alternatives to Quicken. At the end of the trial, users will be prompted to sign up for a subscription service.
Subscription Plans
CountAbout offers Basic or Premium subscription services. At $9.99/year, the Basic plan is the most affordable option, though it does not come with automatic download of financial transactions from over 12,500 financial institutions. Automatic downloading is including with the Premium service at $39.99/year.
Compared to Quicken pricing, the Premium CountAbout subscription comes with all the necessary features at a fraction of the price. For those who want a fully functional Quicken competitor at affordable rates, CountAbout is a great Quicken alternative to consider.
As a personal financial planning software, CountAbout comes with a wealth of valuable features. Some of these include:
- Reporting for category & tag activity
- Category & tag customization
- Budgeting tools
- Android & iOS apps
- Graphs for income & spending
With its ease of use, analytical tools, and zero advertisements, it’s no wonder that CountAbout is quickly becoming one of the most popular Quicken alternatives.