The zero-based budgeting app
that costs less than a night out
Give every dollar a job with CountAbout: the zero-based budgeting app that starts at $19.99/year. Assign income to categories, track your progress all year, and see exactly where your money goes. No resets, no guessing.
Every dollar gets a job before you spend it
Zero-based budgeting means you assign every dollar of income to a specific category (rent, groceries, savings, debt payoff) until your budget balances to zero. It’s the most effective method for people who want total control over where their money goes.
CountAbout makes zero-based budgeting simple: connect your accounts, set up your categories, and allocate your income. As transactions download and get auto-categorized, you see exactly how your spending compares to your plan, in real time.
6 reasons people choose CountAbout
Assign every dollar
Build your zero-based budget from scratch or let CountAbout auto-populate based on your spending history. Allocate income across unlimited custom categories until every dollar has a purpose.
Your budget has a memory
Unlike apps that reset monthly, CountAbout tracks your cumulative progress all year. Underspend on dining in January? That discipline still counts in March. Every dollar you save stays saved.
Categorize once, never again
CountAbout remembers every description/category pairing you make. Custom rules handle the rest. Three layers of smart auto-categorization mean less manual sorting over time.
See what’s coming before it hits
The Projected Register Balance shows your account balance on any future date based on scheduled transactions. Plan ahead with confidence. Most budgeting apps can’t do this.
$54.99/year, not $109
YNAB popularized zero-based budgeting at $109/year. CountAbout gives you the same approach plus features YNAB doesn’t have: Projected Register Balance, Quicken import, Schedule C & E, for half the price.
Three data aggregators
CountAbout connects through MX, Plaid, and Yodlee: three independent aggregators for maximum bank coverage. If your bank doesn’t work on one service, it likely works on another.
Zero-based budgeting apps compared
See how CountAbout stacks up against other apps that support zero-based budgeting.
| Feature | CountAbout | YNAB | EveryDollar | Goodbudget |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Price (with bank sync) | $54.99 | $109 | $179.99 (Ramsey+) | $70 |
| Basic Plan (no sync) | $19.99/yr | N/A | Free (limited) | Free (limited) |
| Free Trial | 45 days | 34 days | 14 days | 30 days |
| Zero-Based Budgeting | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ (envelope) |
| Year-to-Date Budget Tracking | ✓ | Monthly resets | ✗ | ✗ |
| Auto-Populate from History | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Smart Auto-Categorization | ✓ (3-layer) | Partial | ✗ | ✗ |
| Projected Register Balance | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Import from Quicken/Simplifi | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Multiple Data Aggregators | ✓ (3) | 1 | 1 | ✗ |
| Schedule C & E Tracking | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Receipt Attachments | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Net Worth Tracking | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| FIRE Planning Widget | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Free for Active Military | ✓ | ✓ (1 year) | ✗ | ✗ |
Zero-based budgeting with CountAbout
How does zero-based budgeting work in CountAbout?
Create your budget categories, then allocate your monthly income across them until every dollar is assigned. As transactions download and get categorized, CountAbout shows you how your actual spending compares to your plan. You can start from scratch or auto-populate categories based on your spending history.
Is CountAbout better than YNAB for zero-based budgeting?
Both apps support zero-based budgeting, but CountAbout costs $54.99/year vs YNAB’s $109. CountAbout also includes features YNAB doesn’t offer: Projected Register Balance, Quicken/Simplifi import, Schedule C & E tracking, FIRE planning, and year-to-date budget tracking that doesn’t reset monthly.
Can I also use category-based budgeting?
Yes. CountAbout supports both zero-based and category-based budgeting. You can set spending limits by category, track year-to-date progress, or combine approaches. Switch methods anytime without losing your data.
What does “your budget has a memory” mean?
Most budgeting apps reset at the end of each month. CountAbout tracks your cumulative over- and under-spending all year with a year-to-date view. If you underspend in one month, that progress carries forward. Your discipline is never lost.
Is there a free zero-based budgeting app?
CountAbout offers a 45-day free trial of all features, the longest in the category. After the trial, the Basic plan starts at $19.99/year. Active military members receive a permanent free Basic plan.
Try CountAbout free
for 45 days
Zero-based budgeting, smart auto-categorization, and year-round progress tracking. See why people are switching to CountAbout.
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