Quicken was traditionally known as one of the best personal finance software options for desktop users. However, the Mac version had traditionally lacked the features found in the PC version, and that was disappointing to many users. While last year's version was a big improvement, it still wasn't there for everyone.
After using Quicken for Mac 2019 for several weeks, we're happy to see that Quicken has continued the improvements over prior years. It's not as robust as we'd like to see yet, but it's definitely been moving in the right direction.
So, how did Quicken for Mac 2019 do? Honestly, it's an incremental improvement over 2018. But we like the direction it's going, and if you can get a great deal on pricing (which you typically can on Amazon or when they have a sale), it could be worth it.
Quick Summary
- Incremental improvements over 2018 version
- A great mobile app with seemless sync across platforms
- Price is still a concern, but if you can find a great deal, go for it
Quicken For Mac 2019 Details | |
|---|---|
Product Name | Quicken For Mac 2019 |
Price | $34.99 - $74.99 per year |
Platform | Mac, iPhone |
Promotions | |
Review Video
Key Features Of Quicken For Mac 2019
Quicken For Mac continues to build on the many traditional features that Quicken users expect. As always, it comes with great spending tracking (compared to other online options like Mint and Personal Capital), it has investment tracking, and budgeting.
For 2019, they have improved the usability of the platform, but the navigation is still a little challenging. Even after using Quicken for about a week, I still find it hard to get to different reports. It's not intuitive.
They also improved the web interface for Quicken. If you don't want to use the desktop software, and prefer a web version (like what you get with Mint), you can have that now. But I prefer the app over the web version.
Here's what the home screen looks like:
Instead of being under reporting, most of the things you'll care about are actually available by clicking on the "Acccount" sidebar - for example, your income and spending isn't viewable under "Reports", but it's actually visible under "Banking".
Here's an example:
Here's another example. One silly thing that's missing is having income and expenses together on one page. I think there is a report you can run, but there's no easy to access dashboard that compares your income to your expenses (except in the mobile app, which is odd).
Quicken for Mac dramatically improved their investment tracking for 2018, but this is one area that didn't continue to improve into 2019.
There are still issues here. When I imported my accounts, some positions transferred the cost basis, while others didn't. Not a huge deal, but very odd. Also, it's still missing key reports that I valued in the Windows version - most notably the asset allocation and ability to play with your allocation in the program.
See the investment screen here:
Also, Quicken touts that you can now see investment performance, but it consistently showed "N/A" for every account. My guess is that Quicken calculates this in the program, versus using historical data. That is a good thing in that you get a real snapshot of your performance, but a bad thing in that you need the Quicken app to consistently update to make it happen.
Here's what the screen looks like:
If you check the comments below, you can find other frustrating experiences with the investing tracking in Quicken for Mac. It has so much potential, but it's just not there yet.
Quicken 2019 Mobile App
The Quicken 2019 for Mac mobile app is probably my favorite feature that has been improved. This app has existed since the last few versions, but I found it glitchy years ago and gave up on it. For this review, I started using it again, and it's actually a bit more user friendly than the desktop version.
Here's the home screen of the mobile app:
As you can see, you get your account balances and recent transactions right at the top of the page. You can link this with Quicken's new credit card, and easily categorize your transactions on the go. It then seamlessly syncs with the desktop version.
One of the features I love on the mobile app, which is missing in the desktop version, is easily being able to see your income and expenses against each other.
Here's what that looks like:
I don't know why this can't just be included on the main page. There's also something funky up with the net income over time graph... maybe a glitch?
Quicken For Mac 2019 Pricing
The pricing for Quicken For Mac 2019 continues to be a focus point for most users. Quicken changed their pricing model last year to a subscription-based model, instead of a one-time fee. I see this as both good and bad.
It's bad, because many Quicken users kept their software for years, and never upgraded. For users, this was fine - because you could avoid bad rollouts like Quicken for Mac 2017. However, to continue to receive updates and banking information, you had to update every few years anyway or Quicken would cut you off.
It's good, because my hope is with more recurring revenue, Quicken can continue to improve their software and ensure banking connectivity.
Quicken For Mac 2019 has three price points this year. I think 90% of users would benefit simply using the Deluxe version, which is $49.99/yr at full price.
Here's what the pricing looks like:
Starter | Deluxe | Premier | |
|---|---|---|---|
Best For: | Basic budgeting, no investments | Users with investments and loan tracking | Users who want BillPay or Premium Support |
Price: | $34.99/yr | $49.99/yr | $74.99/yr |
It's hard to say if Premier is worth the huge additional price. I think Deluxe is the best value, for the added features of investment and loan tracking. But I've never used BillPay, and I highly recommend that most people don't use a service like BillPay because not only does Quicken charge more, but many banks charge for the service as well.
Note: For Windows, there is also a Home and Business version. However, we think most consumers with a small business would benefit more from using a tool like Quickbooks, versus using Quicken Home and Business.
Special Promotional Pricing
As you probably already know, Quicken is notorious for running promotional pricing all the time. Recently, they were offering 40% off their prices - which I think is a fair price for the product.
I would have a hard time paying $49.99 per year for Deluxe, but paying $29.99 per year makes much more sense - especially considering that I would typically upgrade every 2-3 years, this aligns much better with the pricing I'd expect.
However, in our search for deals, we found that Amazon.com is offering a 14-month subscription of the Deluxe version for $38.49 (which is 30% off full price). Given the $49.99 price is $4.17 per month, Amazon's deal is $2.75 per month. Still not as good as Quicken's own sale, but the second best deal we've found.
Quicken World Mastercard
Another interesting product/feature that Quicken launched this year is the Quicken World Mastercard. The Quicken credit card provides real-time transaction notifications in the Quicken mobile app, and offers integration with Quicken for Mac desktop.
This card also gives you a free year of Quicken Deluxe when you spend at least $500 in the first 90 days. If you already have a subscription, you'll get a 1 year extension.
The card offers 2x rewards points on all your qualified spending, and has no annual fees.
Given that this card is really about integration with Quicken, we're surprised that you don't get Quicken free every year as long as you spend at least $500 per year. Otherwise, all the rewards are on par or below the other top rewards credit cards out there.
Pros And Cons Of Quicken For Mac 2019
As you can see, there are some definite improvements in Quicken for Mac 2018 versus the prior year. However, it's still not perfect and it still has a lot less features than you'll find in the Windows version.
Pros:
Cons:
Final Verdict
The final verdict is that we're giving Quicken for Mac 2019 four stars. As I've been using it more and more, I'm actually liking it more than many of the free online money management tools out there. This is especially true since the mobile app has become much more useful.
However, for those that want desktop software, AND if you can get it at a discounted price, Quicken for Mac is a much better piece of software than before.
Have you tried Quicken for Mac 2019? What are your thoughts?
Quicken For Mac 2019
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Product Cost - 60
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Ease Of Use - 83
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Tools And Features - 90
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Customer Serivce - 85
Summary
Quicken For Mac 2019 has continued to improve on what’s been working and has an even better mobile app experience.
Edgar Perez says
Here is the real problem though. Say you use it for 10 years. At 50 a year it is it is a 500 software that is still subpar with no promise of getting better. That is the problem with all subscription based software. This is an over promise sure to under deliver situation.
Robert Farrington says
You’re totally right on that long term value – that’s why I’m not sure at full price. However, at $29.99, now we’re talking $300 over 10 years – which is on par with what Quicken users have been paying for the last 10-15 years anyway with required upgrades.
You have to remember, Quicken pays to have access to that bank connectivity. I’ve heard it costs about $1 per account per year for a service like Quicken. When you think that the average user probably has 5-10 accounts linked, their ongoing data expense alone is $5-10 per each user. It makes sense that on that cost alone they can’t offer bank connectivity forever at a single one time fee.
Michelle says
I am online exploring the new Quicken for Mac 2018 to see if it might entice me to move back from Banktivity. In reading the price info, I see that the reduced cost is only for the first year. So we must consider the full price for the 9 years after the first discounted year and that definitely increases the cost and shifts the value. And Quicken can raise the price as well. I would prefer being abale to choose to update myself.
Robert Farrington says
While I agree with you, remember that all of these programs stop supporting updates and bank connections after a period of time. The reason is – it costs them money. Every bank connection you make costs them about $1/yr. It’s impossible for them to sustain that forever into the future and remain profitable (and pay people to keep the software updated).
That’s why I do like the Amazon deal I linked to – and if you can get an extended license if they have a sale (like 2 years).
Marion McMillan says
I’m concerned about the inability to track “Transfers” to loan accounts in the Budgeting function. Our family was setting up a budget that involved 13 loans including 11 student loans that have to be paid for out of our checking accounts every month. This obligation is a substantial portion of our family budget, yet cannot be tracked with the latest version of the Quicken Deluxe for the Mac platform. Many other users in the Users Forum complain about this deficiency and Quicken promises that they are aware of it and plan to make changes. Is this a fatal flaw for families that need to budget loan payments, or are you aware of a workaround that will address this problem
Robert Farrington says
So I’m confused. Is it because when you setup the loan, it only counts the interest as the expense and not the full amount (since part of it was a transfer)?
What I’ve found to work is renaming the split (I had to do this in prior versions of Quicken as well, and early versions with Credit Card Payments even) – “Student Loan Payment”. You could even get specific by loan type.
It looks like this:
Then, when you go into your spending and budgeting, you can see it here – just look at the line for both Student Loan Payment and Loans (which is interest and I could also rename):
Betty Knutson says
But creating an expense category to track the reduction of principle gives you no ability to track the declining balance of the loan – unless I am misinterpreting what you are saying here.
Robert Farrington says
It still does track the declining balance because you’re putting the transfer in that “transfer” column. Check it out – the image above shows what to do.
csvercl says
i’m still using Quicken 2006 and won’t upgrade until the new versions provides all the functions and features i’m used to! (i tried QE and sent it back) FYI you can “vote” on having features/functions added to Quicken for Mac here: https://getsatisfaction.com/quickencommunity/topics/list-of-requests-for-report-related-features-in-quicken-for-mac
Larry Johnson says
I took the plunge for the Mac version after using Quicken for Windows for years – last version 2015. When I tried to import my 2015 Windows qdata file, I got an error saying the Quicken 2003 file was too old to import. Customer service said transactions entered in older versions of Quicken won’t convert to Mac even though the file itself came from Q 2015. Without historical data, the software is useless to me. I’m disgusted.
Neil Midkiff says
I have been using Quicken Mac 2007 for all this time because my stock data has multiple lots with different purchase dates. I bought the 2018 edition because they claimed it will handle multiple lots — and it does, though the import had a few glitches which I was able to work around. But I’m sorry I spent the time doing that, as the 2018 version is severely crippled. It won’t even let you print or export a simple “portfolio value report”: about the most basic function I can imagine; all you can do is look at it onscreen. Custom reports are all about transactions, not current holdings and values. It claims to generate exportable files for transfer to Q Mac 2007 and for Q Windows, but neither of them worked. So your data goes in, but you can’t get it out, which doesn’t satisfy their “data guarantee.” I discovered this a few days after the 30-day money back period, but was able (after hours unsuccessfully trying to reach a chat agent, and half an hour of phone hold) to get them to refund my purchase price, but I’ll never get back the time I spent fixing the data importing or trying to make it do what it ought to do. I would advise everyone to avoid this product.
Bob Y says
Report is Quicken 2018 Delux for the Mac. Far inferior to Quicken 2007 for the Mac, which I have used for years and was happy with. My biggest gripe (in addition to having to shell out $44/yr) is that there is no way to do a report or graph for your Asset Allocation, nor to give assets custom labels for assets for asset allocation (like inflation protection stocks, etc.) . Programing Asset Allocation graphs would be trivial; they should be pressured to do this or we should all boycott it.
Robert Farrington says
I completely agree about having the asset allocation tool – I found it to be one of their most useful investing tools, along with the ability to see what was required to rebalance your portfolio.
Jc says
I feel like such a novice in this area, but here goes: I’ve used Quicken on a PC for years. I don’t connect to the bank online; I just want a checkbook register, really, and I do like seeing categories for spending. Now I’ve purchased a MacBook Air. What app or software will do what I need in the simplest way? I tried creating an excel spreadsheet, but miss the Quicken register. I haven’t tried any other Apple apps for this purpose. Suggestions?
Robert Farrington says
Why don’t you connect to your bank?
You might find some of these Alternatives To Quicken For Mac to be helpful.
MCM says
Quicken Mac 2018 is a glorious flaming waste of time if you want a semblance of tracking investments. I have been using Quicken Mac since 2004. I have diligently been forced into upgrading purely because mac has improved with time and no longer can run older versions of Quicken. I am now on the 3rd round of customer service calls. (I installed Mac 2018 this morning.) I am an expert Quicken user and know my way around my mac. Importing my data file was a breeze. Thanks for that. My issue – when I sell shares of a security, it doesn’t update in the portfolio or cash. Three rounds of customer service and I am now asked to enter a transaction to sell shares. And a transaction to remove shares. And a transaction to add a ghost “placeholder.” And if its a full moon maybe your shares will actually appear correctly. The other option is to go into your account and delete every possible transaction relating to the security you just sold. Compliance and data integrity nightmare. The graphics are fun and pretty just don’t actually use the data generated. Back to the drawing board quicken. $50 annual fee? Thats laughable!
Robert Farrington says
Thanks for sharing. Investment tracking has been my biggest pet peeve as well, and as you point out, clearly not there yet. I think it’s the biggest reason to even consider an alternative to the free apps.
Joda says
is there a way to determine if one’s bank is supported for direct connect without buying the software first?
Robert Farrington says
It used to be on their support page but I can’t find it any longer. YOu might call them.
Brian says
I have been using Quicken 2007 for 11 years. I pay my bills with Quicken, and reconcile my checkbook by downloading bank transactions with Quicken. I believe that at one time, I paid my bank a monthly fee for this privilege, but as far as I can tell, I pay nothing now. How is Quicken 2018 different in this regard?
Once upon a time, I reconciled my credit cards by downloading transactions from my credit card companies. I stopped doing that some time ago, but should I wish to start up again, does Quicken 2018 support that, and is there a charge for that?
I would just continue to use Quicken 2007, but I am concerned about the upcoming abandonment of 32 bit applications by Apple.
Robert Farrington says
You can connect your credit cards in Quicken 2018 and it will download your transactions.
Robert J Simoneau says
I purchased Quicken 2018, and I am glad a own Parallels, as Quicken 2018 for mac does not come close to the windows versions I have used for years. I am looking at alternatives, as Quicken for PC is my only use for VM’s. I had purchased the Mac version two years in a row, hoping it would someday match the PC version. Fortunately this purchase allowed you to download Mac or PC version, so I did not waste Money like in the previous years.
Simon says
Quicken 2019 has a dreadful user interface. GONE is the ability to run simple reports for this year, last year, date-to-date, etc. with any ease, if at all. GONE is the simple accounts window that you are used to. GONE is the empty register line at the bottom of your account window waiting for you to fill in the newest transaction (you have to use a “+” “New Transaction” clumsy interface now). I could go on.
The people who revamped this app appear to have done ZERO research with real world users. The investment firm who bought Quicken? They’re doing nothing good here. I am one of thousands or millions stuck in Quicken 2007 and LIKE the interfaces in that version.
Why can’t Quicken LISTEN to all the people screaming how unhappy they are with this product? I could care less about the online features. It’s just not there yet and I would never use it anyway. I have my stuff in the cloud, it’s fine. I use Quicken on a desktop or laptop so the phone app is of no use for me. It’s fine to build that in for those who like it. But you have to perfect, as best as you can, the actual application first and foremost. Quicken has become bloated and unintuitive over the last few versions. They’ve lost sight of the original idea and purpose. This is simple bookkeeping. And simpler, is BETTER, when it comes to accounting software. Graphs, charts, and icons are fine, but can we please have the ability to turn them off. I don’t want to look at all the clutter constantly.
Give me an accounts window (without the unnecessary folders for cash, cc, investments), individual account windows when I open them, keep the legacy register format that has been used for many decades (it just plain works and makes sense, newest on the bottom, empty one at bottom ready to be filled in), a way to run reports the way it’s done in 2007 (again, simple, makes sense, easy to get what you want out of it). STOP the incessant altering and revamping. It does not work as well for the end users.
And H.I.G. Capital, sell this software to someone who gets it and will rework with some thoughtful acumen and intelligence. Forget the subscription plan too. It’s insulting. People upgrade as needed every couple years or so without be forced into it. Subscription methods set a bad tone between the company and it’s users. Allow users the respect to upgrade when they choose rather than strong-arming them into it from the get go.
Emily Cooper says
I’m still waiting for the ability to adjust the font size on the Mac. Does 2019 allow this?
The current one is very tiny and I’m nearsighted!
Robert Farrington says
I’ve never known an app to change font size. That would be awesome – this program doesn’t change font size, but I know you can use features like Zoom on the Mac accessibility options which may help.
Barbara says
I have read all the above comments, and I especially agree with Simon, who commented on December 1, 2018. In addition to everything he said, my particular pet peeve is that when I run a report, I can no longer click on an entry and get details or underlying information about that entry like I used to be able to do in Q2007.