Money Manager Ex Review (2026)
Money Manager Ex (MMEX) is a free, open-source money tracker for Windows, Mac and Linux, with an Android app and an early iPhone app. It suits people who want a straightforward desktop register with category budgets, stock tracking and an encrypted database, without ads or a subscription. There is no bank sync: you import files from your bank.
By Wealthy Pot Editorial · Facts checked October 18, 2026
Facts checked October 18, 2026 against Money Manager Ex's own pricing, help and policy pages (7 sources, listed below). We re-check prices about once a month. We do not earn a commission from Money Manager Ex.
Money Manager Ex at a glance
| Price | Free, with no ads or charges [1] |
|---|---|
| License | GPL-2.0 (desktop), GPL-3.0 (Android app) [3] |
| Latest releases | Desktop v1.9.4 (August 31, 2026); Android 5.5.13 (September 22, 2026); iOS 0.2.9 (October 17, 2026) [2] |
| Desktop | Windows (64-bit, 32-bit and portable), macOS (Universal), Linux (Flatpak) [2] |
| Phone apps | Android companion app; iPhone/iPad app, free, needs iOS 17.6 or later, still version 0.2.x [6] |
| Web app | None; the separate WebMMEX companion has not been updated since October 2024 [7] |
| Bank connections | None; import QIF and CSV files [1] |
| OFX | Import and export added in v1.9.2 (January 20, 2026) [4] |
| Budgets | Yearly and/or monthly budgets per category [1] |
| Encryption | Database encrypted with AES (moving to AES-256) [1] |
| Investments and assets | Stocks, plus fixed assets with appreciation or depreciation rates [1] |
| Currencies | Multiple currencies [1] |
What Money Manager Ex costs
| Plan | Paying monthly, 1 year | Annual plan, 1 year | 3 years (cheapest way) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | - | $0 |
Our arithmetic from the listed prices, before sales tax, assuming today's prices hold; subscriptions can renew at a different rate. All versions are free. We could not confirm whether the Android app sells optional extras, because its Google Play page did not load for us.
How Money Manager Ex works
MMEX works like a checkbook register on your computer. You create accounts (checking, credit card, cash), enter or import transactions, and give each a category and payee. Scheduled transactions enter recurring bills at future dates, and you can attach files such as receipts to transactions, accounts and assets.
Budgets are set per category for a year, a month or both, and compared with what you actually spent. A hypothetical example: you budget $500 a month for groceries. You download a QIF, CSV or OFX file from your bank, import 25 grocery charges totaling $430, and the budget shows $70 still unspent for the month.
Your data is a single encrypted database file. To use it on more than one device, MMEX lets you keep that file on a cloud storage service of your choice, rather than running its own sync service. For reports, the General Reports feature lets you write custom ones in SQL, Lua and HTML/JavaScript.
Pros
- Free on Windows, Mac, Linux and Android, with no ads
- Encrypted database file
- Imports QIF, CSV and, since January 2026, OFX
- Custom reports in SQL, Lua and HTML/JavaScript
- Active releases across desktop, Android and iOS in 2026
Cons
- No bank sync
- iPhone app is an early 0.2.x version
- No maintained web version
- Sharing between devices means managing the file on your own cloud storage
Who Money Manager Ex fits, and who should skip it
A good fit if
- You want a free desktop tracker for Windows, Mac or Linux with no ads.
- You are happy importing QIF, CSV or OFX files from your bank.
- You want stocks and fixed assets in the same file as everyday spending.
Look elsewhere if
- You want automatic bank sync: Monarch Money or Quicken Simplifi connect to US banks.
- You want full double-entry accounting or small-business invoicing: GnuCash does both.
- You want a polished phone-first app: the MMEX iPhone app is still an early 0.2 release; Goodbudget has a free plan built for phones.
Limitations to know
- There is no bank aggregator; transactions come from QIF, CSV or OFX files you download. [1]
- The iOS app is still at version 0.2.x and needs iOS 17.6 or later. [6]
- The WebMMEX web companion has not been updated since October 2024. [7]
- There is no built-in sync service; you host the database file on a cloud platform you pick. [1]
Money Manager Ex compared with alternatives
| App | Price | Free plan | Bank sync | Platforms | Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Money Manager Ex | Free | Yes | Bank file import only (QIF/CSV/OFX) | Desktop, iOS, Android | Category budgets |
| HomeBank | Free | Yes | Bank file import only (OFX/QFX/QIF/CSV) | Desktop | Category + reports |
| GnuCash | Free | Yes | OFX Direct Connect only where the bank offers it | Desktop | Double-entry + investments |
| Actual Budget | Free (self-host); hosting about $1.50/mo (PikaPods); US bank sync needs SimpleFIN ($15/yr) | Yes | Via SimpleFIN ($15/yr), US | Web, Desktop, Self-host | Envelope / zero-based, local-first |
| Quicken Classic | Deluxe $6.99/mo billed annually; Premier $8.99/mo ($7.99 first year to Nov 13, 2026); renews at then-current rates | No | Yes (bank download) | Desktop | Traditional PFM |
- Pick HomeBank if you want another free desktop tracker with strong import and auto-categorizing.
- Pick GnuCash if you need double-entry accounting or small-business features.
- Pick Actual Budget if you want envelope budgeting in a browser, with optional US bank sync.
- Pick Quicken Classic if you will pay for desktop software with automatic US bank downloads.
Security and privacy
- MMEX says its SQLite database is AES-encrypted, with the project moving to AES-256. [1]
- There is no MMEX account or server; if you put the file in cloud storage, that provider holds it. [1]
- MMEX says the software is free to download without ads or charges, and the code is open source (GPL-2.0 desktop, GPL-3.0 Android). [3]
Recent changes
| Date | What changed |
|---|---|
| Aug 31, 2026 | Desktop v1.9.4 bug-fix release (after v1.9.3 on August 7). [5] |
| Jan 20, 2026 | Desktop v1.9.2 added OFX import and export. [4] |
Money Manager Ex FAQ
Is Money Manager Ex free?
Yes. The desktop and mobile apps are open source and the project says there are no ads or charges.
Is there a Money Manager Ex app for iPhone?
Yes, a free app on the App Store linked from the project's official iOS repository. It is still an early 0.2.x version and needs iOS 17.6 or later.
Can Money Manager Ex import from my bank?
It imports QIF and CSV files, and OFX since version 1.9.2. It does not connect to banks directly.
How do I use Money Manager Ex on two computers?
Keep the database file on a cloud storage service you choose and open it from each computer. MMEX does not run its own sync service.
How we researched this review
We did not get paid or receive a free account for this page. We read Money Manager Ex's own pricing page, help center, security and privacy pages and app-store listing on October 18, 2026, quoted each fact from those pages, and link every one below. We did not run a long-term hands-on test, so we do not score the app; where a point rests on what the company says rather than something we can check, we attribute it to Money Manager Ex. Cost figures are our own arithmetic. We re-check prices and plans about once a month and log changes in the table above.
Sources
- Money Manager Ex, Homepage, checked October 18, 2026.
- Money Manager Ex, Latest downloads, checked October 18, 2026.
- Money Manager Ex, GitHub repository, checked October 18, 2026.
- Money Manager Ex, Release v1.9.2, checked October 18, 2026.
- Money Manager Ex, Releases, checked October 18, 2026.
- Apple App Store, Money Manager EX listing, checked October 18, 2026.
- Money Manager Ex, WebMMEX repository, checked October 18, 2026.
See every option in our budgeting apps comparison, and set your category targets with the free budget calculator.
This review is for general information, not financial advice. Prices and features change; check the vendor's site before you subscribe.