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Quicken for Mac Alternative

lugesm

lugesm

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 7, 2007
572
9
I found other information on Quicken alternatives, but none of the responses address my particular question.
Looking for a little help.

I tried Quicken for Mac 2015. It is a dog compared to Quicken for PC 2015. I am running Parallels and Windows 7 for the sole purpose of using Quicken for PC 2015.

That is a waste of computer resources, as my needs are really simple. I only need a check register and (most importantly) the ability to run reports as Quicken-PC does. I have to say Quicken-PC is excellent for this feature.

Question: Does anyone know of a good MAC alternative that is well designed to run checking account records and to generate useful reports therefrom?

Sincerely appreciate any suggestions.
 
lugesm said:
I found other information on Quicken alternatives, but none of the responses address my particular question.
Looking for a little help.

I tried Quicken for Mac 2015. It is a dog compared to Quicken for PC 2015. I am running Parallels and Windows 7 for the sole purpose of using Quicken for PC 2015.

That is a waste of computer resources, as my needs are really simple. I only need a check register and (most importantly) the ability to run reports as Quicken-PC does. I have to say Quicken-PC is excellent for this feature.

Question: Does anyone know of a good MAC alternative that is well designed to run checking account records and to generate useful reports therefrom?

Sincerely appreciate any suggestions.
Click to expand...
MoneyDance
 
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lugesm said:
Does MoneyDance import Quicken-PC files?
Click to expand...
Yes and no. I also used Quicken for PC using Parallels before moving to MD. I think the trick is, you have to get the QIF file from the PC side to the Mac side. (I am pretty sure there is migration information at the MD help website.) That said, I do remember having enough issues doing it that I just started fresh with MD.

They have a free trial but it's limited to 100 manually entered transactions. Enough to give you a feel for the UI and functions. They also have a 90-day money back guarantee.

I used Quicken for many years and I am not sure you will find any transition painless. Maintain both Quicken and whatever you choose for a new app for a while until you are sure.

Here is a link for importing QIF files into MD: http://help.infinitekind.com/kb/imp...transfer-my-data-from-quicken-into-moneydance
 
lugesm said:
Does MoneyDance import Quicken-PC files?
Click to expand...

FWIW, I moved from Quicken to Moneydance when I switched from Windows. I tried several different program trials, including iBank and SEE Finance. The reason I chose Moneydance was because it imported my Quicken files with the least errors. Notice I did not say error-free, because it wasn't, but it was the best at that time.
 
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I'm still using Quicken Essentials for Mac v1.7.4 on Yosemite 10.10.2. I imported my old Quicken for Mac when it was no longer supported... Lion I think. My data file goes back to July 2002. I use it to track checking, savings, IRA, credit cards, mortgage, and car payment accounts, and I carefully categorize each transaction. The builtin budget and scheduling tools help me stay up to date and the bills paid on time. There's a few tracking tricks I've figured out but it works for my needs and does it very well. Category and accounting reports are fairly straight forward to set up too. I built a 1040 tax report that I print at the end of the year. One click and print, boom, taxes done... just copy the numbers to the 1040 and file.
 
I've tried several also, and none work as well for me as Mint.com. It lacks some features, but the ability to have your finances with you wherever you are (via Internet and mobile app) makes up for it. And pretty much any bank hooks up with it.
 
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lugesm said:
Question: Does anyone know of a good MAC alternative that is well designed to run checking account records and to generate useful reports therefrom?
Click to expand...

YES: It is called Quicken for Mac 2007 and it is available from Intuit for $15!

Intuit, after years of otherwise abusing the Mac user base, is now misleading them with the release of "Quicken 2015 for Mac" which is an update of the generally loathed "Quicken Essentials for Mac" and is NOT an update of Quicken 2007!

I have used Quicken on the Mac platform since the mid-90s and I continue to do so with Quicken 2007. It works on OS X Snow Leopard, Lion, Mt. Lion, Maverick and Yosemite.

Use the chat feature online to purchase Quicken for Mac: Quicken 2007 for Lion: Shopping and Buying: Buying Quicken on this page:

http://www.quicken.com/contact-us

Once you install it, use their Check for Updates feature to update to the latest version, which as of this date is 16.2.3.

[updated 11/18/2015 - to correct the Intuit link and version number]
 
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I'm fed up with iBank and looking to make a change. Thinking of either going to Quicken for Mac or Quicken for PC.

Reasons I do not like iBank:
  • The bill pay feature is awful. You should just be able to add entries to the register and select pay online and choose one of the configured payees. The wizard takes tons of steps and doesn't make it easy to pick from a setup payee.
  • The budget configuration is terrible. It takes forever to go through the wizard to make simple additions and changes.
  • The reconcile is not intuitive and despite 12 months of trying, I find it very tedius.
  • And the auto transaction import classification just doesn't work. I pay $100 to the same person every single week and it gets it incorrect every single week. No matter how many times I correct it.
 
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bjdraw said:
I'm fed up with iBank and looking to make a change. Thinking of either going to Quicken for Mac or Quicken for PC.

Reasons I do not like iBank:
  • The bill pay feature is awful.
Click to expand...
Reason I do not like Quicken for Mac:
  • The bill pay feature is non-existent.
I gave up on Intuit for the Mac platform. We use the PC versions of Quicken and Quickbooks in a Parallels VM - it's the best solution for a Mac user wanting to use Quicken, sad to write. :(
 
Quicken for Windows, unfortunately. I'd love to get rid of everything Intuit, but I've not found a substitute for Quicken.
 
I came to the same conclusion and broke down and went back to Quicken for Windows. Running it on a PC I have via RDP, but might try crossover as I have no other use for a VM.
 
Have a bit of sympathy for those of us in the UK! Intuit dumped us years ago then Microsoft decided to discontinue Money, which I used after Intuit quit the UK. I always thought Quicken was superior to Money but I had little choice but to change. I currently run Money via Parallels as I've not seen a Mac app that comes anywhere near it. This is despite my version of Money dating back to 2005. Being unsupported I have to tediously update the price of every sure I own and manually enter every bank transaction.

I'm always amazed at how few people want to keep track of their finances. A guess a simple spreadsheet is fine for the basics but once you start adding stocks and shares into the equation a decent app is really well worth the money.
 
MichaelLAX said:
YES: It is called Quicken for Mac 2007 and it is available from Intuit for $15!

Intuit, after years of otherwise abusing the Mac user base, is now misleading them with the release of "Quicken 2015 for Mac" which is an update of the generally loathed "Quicken Essentials for Mac" and is NOT an update of Quicken 2007!

I have used Quicken on the Mac platform since the mid-90s and I continue to do so with Quicken 2007. It works on OS X Snow Leopard, Lion, Mt. Lion, Maverick and Yosemite.

Use the chat feature online to purchase Quicken for Mac: Quicken 2007 for Lion: Shopping and Buying: Buying Quicken on this page:

https://quicken.custhelp.com/app/contact/plvl1/win

Once you install it, use their Check for Updates feature to update to the latest version, which as of this date is 16.2.2.
Click to expand...

As I posted in the post I just quoted above, I continue to use Quicken for Mac 2007.

I am not a big fan of sharing any financial information with any large company, especially Intuit -- look at the hacks into Target, Anthem and the Uber driver database (which includes drivers license information)!

Hence I prefer to go online to each merchant and pay my monthly bill myself and then at the end of each month download a QIF file from for my monthly credit cards. I try to use my credit cards exclusively for bill payment and then pay off the card 100% each month. That way I am protected by the credit card fraud laws of the United States.

Good luck!
 
MichaelLAX said:
As I posted in the post I just quoted above, I continue to use Quicken for Mac 2007.

I am not a big fan of sharing any financial information with any large company, especially Intuit -- look at the hacks into Target, Anthem and the Uber driver database (which includes drivers license information)!

Hence I prefer to go online to each merchant and pay my monthly bill myself and then at the end of each month download a QIF file from for my monthly credit cards. I try to use my credit cards exclusively for bill payment and then pay off the card 100% each month. That way I am protected by the credit card fraud laws of the United States.

Good luck!
Click to expand...

Yes I have to agree with Mike. I have tried every Mac money App that I could find and none of them do a checkbook register and bank reconciliation as well (if at all) as Quicken 2007. Of course that's all I use it for so i can only speak to that aspect of it. Can't understand how they messed up the new version so bad.
 
It is as if Intuit purposely wants to alienate the Mac market!

I am just thankful that Quicken for Mac 2007 continues to import my QIF files and give me my fundamental home accounting needs that I have been using since the mid-90s!
 
MichaelLAX said:
It is as if Intuit purposely wants to alienate the Mac market!

I am just thankful that Quicken for Mac 2007 continues to import my QIF files and give me my fundamental home accounting needs that I have been using since the mid-90s!
Click to expand...

I'm using Quicken for Mac 2015 on my Macs. Quicken Essentials for Mac, which had a more adult accounting look too it, just lost its ability to download so now it's just Quicken 2015.

Quicken Essentials was easier to use even though 2015 has some useful improvements. Like the Office for Mac preview Quicken 2015 has that open "Mac look" which I find not so attractive.

For serious work I use Quicken for Windows. It's a real accounting-quality money manager. Intuit seems to think that the Mac platform is for dippy, arty-farty types who but computers for status and absolute ease of use. As such, just like some of Apple's latest new Macs, Quicken 2015 for Mac is pretty much Amateur Hour at best.
 
I just upgraded my quicken from a very old version, and the latest version doesn't support amortization. I lend money and would like to keep track of the interests and principles separately. The old quicken calculated these for me, but the latest version of quicken does not. Anyone have any advice? I'm willing to move away from quicken if someone has a better offering. Thanks!
 
ramaiguy said:
I just upgraded my quicken from a very old version, and the latest version doesn't support amortization. I lend money and would like to keep track of the interests and principles separately. The old quicken calculated these for me, but the latest version of quicken does not. Anyone have any advice? I'm willing to move away from quicken if someone has a better offering. Thanks!
Click to expand...
I use Quicken in a Windows VM - the Mac version pretty much blows, and has blown chunks all over the wall for years.

Now that Intuit is selling Quicken, maybe the new owner will pay attention to the Mac platform - but I'm not going to hold my breath over this...
 
Pyrotechnic said:
Glad I read all these posts. Im still struggling to find what I need. Quicken was looking my favourite until now ;)
Click to expand...
ramaiguy said:
I just upgraded my quicken from a very old version, and the latest version doesn't support amortization. I lend money and would like to keep track of the interests and principles separately. The old quicken calculated these for me, but the latest version of quicken does not. Anyone have any advice? I'm willing to move away from quicken if someone has a better offering. Thanks!
Click to expand...
I asked which versions you are using, and you did not reply. Now others are readying your misinformation and making incorrect conclusions based upon it.

Quicken 2015 for Mac is a misleading update of the generally loathed Quicken Essentials for Mac.

Quicken 2007 for Mac, which works in Snow Leopard through Yosemite (and probably in El Capitan) and is available for $15 from Intuit, supports amortizations:

[click on image to enlarge]
 

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Quicken is no use for us in the UK. Apparently I can't even change the date to DDMMYY. Theres is also no way of trying the software before I buy, although I can't imagine getting a refund would be as quick as the purchase.

The hunt continues.
 
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