A budget with a plan built in. Or a budget built your way.
EveryDollar is Ramsey Solutions' zero-based budget app, with a genuinely usable free tier and a big community behind it. Oakfold is a free desktop app with debt payoff, goals and budgets in one place.
If you follow Ramsey's Baby Steps and want an app built around them, EveryDollar is the natural choice. If you want debt payoff your way (avalanche, snowball or a custom order) for free, and your data on your computer, Oakfold fits better.
| Oakfold | EveryDollar | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free for all budgeting. Core is $4.99 a month for Oak, your household and sync | Free, or Premium at $17.99 a month or $79.99 a year |
| Free option | Free for good, with every budgeting tool. No trial to run out | Yes, with entry by hand. 14-day Premium trial for new users |
| Where it runs | Desktop app for Windows and Mac. No phone app yet | Web, iPhone and Android |
| Bank connection | None, by design. Enter transactions yourself, or scan a statement (PDF, CSV or photo) | Premium only; Free is entry by hand |
| Where your data lives | On your computer. Cloud backup and sync are optional, with Core | Ramsey's cloud |
| How you budget | Category and subcategory budgets, 50/30/20 or your own split, fixed and variable | Zero-based, built around Ramsey's Baby Steps |
| AI assistant | Ask Oak, with Core: chat, voice and screen share, 150,000 credits a month | None in the app (Ramsey offers a separate AI tool) |
| Budgeting with a partner | With Core, up to 4 people, each with a profile and PIN, on up to 5 computers | A household feature with separate logins for couples |
| If you stop paying | Everything you entered keeps working on Free | Free keeps working; Premium features end |
Facts about EveryDollar from its own site, checked November 10, 2026. Prices and plans change, so check before you decide.
What EveryDollar does well
- A free plan you can really budget with.
- A very simple zero-based setup that new budgeters pick up fast.
- Strong teaching and community through Ramsey's programs.
Why people choose Oakfold
- Debt payoff your way: avalanche, snowball or your own order, with a payoff date. Free.
- Savings goals with dates, funded from your accounts.
- Your data stays on your computer, not in a cloud service.
- Budget by any method, not one philosophy.
Pick the one that fits how you budget
Pick EveryDollar if
- You follow Dave Ramsey's Baby Steps and want an app that matches.
- You want to budget on your phone.
- You want bank sync and are happy to pay Premium for it.
Pick Oakfold if
- You want to choose your own debt strategy, avalanche included.
- You want goals, debt and your budget connected, free.
- You prefer working on a computer with a big screen.
The cost, plainly
What each costs over three years, at the prices listed today.
Oakfold and EveryDollar, answered
Are both free?
Yes. EveryDollar's free tier lets you budget by hand; Premium adds bank sync. Oakfold's free tier includes every budgeting tool, including debt payoff plans, goals and statement scanning.
Can Oakfold do the debt snowball?
Yes, and avalanche (highest rate first) or your own order too. Add any extra you can spare and the debt-free date and total interest update on the spot.
Does Oakfold follow the Baby Steps?
No. Oakfold doesn't prescribe a philosophy. If the Baby Steps are your plan, EveryDollar is built around them.
More comparisons
- Oakfold vs YNABZero-based budgeting, two ways
- Oakfold vs MonarchLinked accounts, or a budget you write
- Oakfold vs CopilotAn Apple app, or a desktop app
- Oakfold vs Rocket MoneySubscriptions found, or a plan written
Try it on your own month. It's free.
Every budgeting tool is free for good, with no trial to run out and no card to enter.