Tefteri is a privacy-first iPhone finance app from Athens with a free tier and a one-time €29.99 lifetime option. YNAB is a cloud-synced, cross-platform budgeting app built around zero-based budgeting and bank-account integration, billed at $14.99/month or $109/year. They solve the same problem with very different philosophies.
| Feature | Tefteri | YNAB | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free + Pro (€2.49/mo, €14.99/yr, or €29.99 lifetime) | $14.99/mo or $109/yr (no lifetime) | Tefteri |
| Free tier | Yes — full tracking, 2 budgets, dashboard, search | No free tier | Tefteri |
| Lifetime option | €29.99 one-time, yours forever | Not offered | Tefteri |
| Free trial | Free tier acts as an unlimited trial of the core app | 34-day free trial, then paid | Tefteri |
| Platforms | iPhone (iPad and Mac via iCloud sync coming) | Web, iOS, Android, Apple Watch | YNAB |
| Bank syncing | No — manual entry by design | Direct connection or import in US, UK, Canada | YNAB |
| Manual entry | 3-tap entry flow optimized for speed | Supported, but workflow centers on bank import | Tefteri |
| Methodology | Flexible category tracking, no methodology imposed | Zero-based budgeting (Give Every Dollar a Job, Four Rules) | Tie |
| Learning curve | Minutes — open and start logging | Hours — workshops and reading recommended | Tefteri |
| Privacy model | On-device, synced via Apple iCloud (CloudKit) | Cloud-only on YNAB servers (encrypted) | Tefteri |
| Data ownership | Your data stays in your iCloud account | Stored on YNAB infrastructure; export available | Tefteri |
| Multi-currency | EUR-first, single primary currency | Single currency per budget; no native multi-currency | Tie |
| Categories | 8 tailored: Properties, Payroll, Interest, Housing, Vehicles, Personal, Subscriptions, Taxes | Fully custom categories you build yourself | Tie |
| Recurring entries | Monthly templates free; advanced intervals with Pro | Scheduled transactions supported | Tie |
| Reports | Dashboard free; full reports and analytics with Pro | Reports, Reflect, Net Worth, Spending Breakdown | YNAB |
| Budgets | 2 free; unlimited with Pro plus rollover | Unlimited categories within one zero-based plan | Tie |
| Goals and savings | Savings goals with pace tracking (Pro) | Targets attached to each category | Tie |
| Subscription tracking | 33+ auto-detected brands | Manual category tracking | Tefteri |
| Family / sharing | Single-user via iCloud | Shared budgets across users | YNAB |
| Receipt photos | Yes (Pro) | Not a built-in feature | Tefteri |
| Export (PDF / CSV) | PDF and CSV export (Pro) | CSV export | Tefteri |
| Bilingual EN / EL | Full Greek and English | English only | Tefteri |
| Geographic focus | Built for Greece (categories, terminology, holidays) | US-centric, with UK and Canada bank support | Tefteri |
Free with optional Pro from €2.49/mo, or €29.99 lifetime.
$14.99/month or $109/year. No free tier. 34-day trial.
Yes, for people who want manual entry, privacy, and a one-time price. Tefteri does not enforce zero-based budgeting and does not connect to bank accounts. If those two traits define YNAB for you, Tefteri is a deliberate alternative rather than a clone.
If you commit to the methodology and use the bank sync daily, many users find $109 a year pays for itself. If you are a casual tracker, an iPhone-first user, or you live outside the US, UK, or Canada, you are paying for power you may never use.
Tefteri does not offer a one-click YNAB importer today. You can export YNAB data as CSV and use it as a reference while you start fresh in Tefteri. Most users find a clean start helps reset their categories anyway.
No. Tefteri uses flexible category tracking with budgets, savings goals, and recurring entries. You can apply YNAB-style envelope thinking inside Tefteri if you want to, but the app does not require it.
By design. Bank aggregators require sharing credentials with a third party and store transaction history off your device. Tefteri keeps your data on-device with iCloud sync, which is why manual entry is the default.
YNAB. Shared budgets across users on multiple platforms is a core YNAB strength. Tefteri is a single-user app today, syncing across your own Apple devices via iCloud.
Both work. YNAB has a well-known method for handling irregular income through its Four Rules. Tefteri offers a Payroll category, recurring entries, savings goals, and tax tracking that fits Greek freelancers (αυτοαπασχολούμενοι) without requiring a methodology to learn.
Yes. YNAB cancels via your billing account and stops at the renewal date. Tefteri Pro cancels through Apple's Subscriptions in Settings. The Tefteri lifetime tier is a one-time purchase with nothing to cancel.
Pick YNAB if you want a strict zero-based budgeting methodology, automatic bank syncing in the US/UK/Canada, a deep educational ecosystem, and shared budgets across devices and family members. Pick Tefteri if you want privacy by default, manual control over what you log, an iPhone app that respects your time, and a price that does not renew every month forever. Both apps are competent. The right choice depends on whether you want a coach (YNAB) or a clean ledger (Tefteri).
No subscription required. Free to download, with optional Pro from €2.49/mo or €29.99 lifetime.
