A YNAB alternative for big-picture household planning
Straight answer first: Beyond Payday does not do envelope or zero-based budgeting, and it does not track transactions. It is about the big picture: your income, your bills, what is left each month, your net worth, and, on Pro, when you could retire.
YNAB and Beyond Payday, side by side
The YNAB column says only what YNAB says on its own website and help center, with a link to each source. The Beyond Payday column describes how Beyond Payday works today.
Facts verified Sep 25, 2026 from each company’s own website (or an archived copy of it); features change — check the provider for current details.
The approach
YNAB
- YNAB’s blog describes zero-based budgeting as assigning all of your money to budget categories for expenses, debt payments and savings, and calls its own method a fundamental part of that approach.
Source: YNAB blog: What Is Zero-Based Budgeting? (opens in a new tab), verified Sep 25, 2026 - YNAB’s method page asks you to decide what each amount of money you get is for, and to make a flexible plan for spending it.
Source: The YNAB Method (opens in a new tab), verified Sep 25, 2026
Beyond Payday
Beyond Payday does not do envelope or zero-based budgeting. It is about the big picture: your income, your bills, what is left each month, your net worth, and retirement.
Linking bank accounts
YNAB
- YNAB says linking your bank accounts (Direct Import) is optional, and that it works with third-party import providers when you do.
Source: YNAB help: How Direct Import Works (opens in a new tab), verified Sep 25, 2026 - YNAB says direct import currently supports select US, Canadian, UK and EU banks, with file-based import for other regions.
Source: YNAB pricing page (opens in a new tab), verified Sep 25, 2026
Beyond Payday
Beyond Payday does not link to banks or cards, so it never asks for a bank login. Nothing comes in on its own; you keep the numbers current.
Entering things yourself
YNAB
- YNAB’s help center describes adding transactions by hand, and file-based import in the web app.
Source: YNAB help: Adding Transactions Without Direct Import (opens in a new tab), verified Sep 25, 2026
Beyond Payday
Everything is entered by you: type in income, bills, assets and debts, or import bills, assets and debts from a CSV, TSV or XLSX file. There are no transactions to import or categorize. You track recurring income and bills plus account balances, and it shows what is left each month.
Retirement accounts
YNAB
- YNAB’s help center suggests adding a 401k, IRA or other investment account as an unlinked Asset account to track it.
Source: YNAB help: Tracking Investment Accounts (opens in a new tab), verified Sep 25, 2026
Beyond Payday
Retirement accounts such as a 401(k) or IRA are asset types you enter and update yourself, on every plan.
Sharing with family
YNAB
- YNAB Together lets up to six members in total share one subscription, each with their own login. In the U.S., members must be 13 or older.
Source: YNAB help: YNAB Together (opens in a new tab), verified Sep 25, 2026
Beyond Payday
One account covers the household: an owner, a spouse and children, with per-feature permissions for each person. Members 13 and older can have their own login. One subscription covers everyone.
Apps
YNAB
- YNAB lists apps for the web, iPhone, Android, iPad and Apple Watch.
Source: YNAB app lineup (opens in a new tab), verified Sep 25, 2026
Beyond Payday
A web app you can install on your phone or computer from the browser (a PWA). For app-store versions, check the stores for current availability.
Getting your data out
YNAB
- YNAB’s help center explains how to export your plan and transaction history from the web app as two CSV files.
Source: YNAB help: Exporting Plan Data (opens in a new tab), verified Sep 25, 2026
Beyond Payday
The household owner or spouse can export everything as a .zip with a JSON copy and CSV files, on every plan, including Free.
When YNAB may be the better choice
Beyond Payday is not for everyone. YNAB may suit you more if:
- You want zero-based budgeting, where all of your money is assigned to budget categories.Source: YNAB blog: What Is Zero-Based Budgeting? (opens in a new tab), verified Sep 25, 2026
- You want to link your bank accounts so transactions come in on their own (YNAB calls this Direct Import).Source: YNAB help: How Direct Import Works (opens in a new tab), verified Sep 25, 2026
- You want to add and track individual transactions.Source: YNAB help: Adding Transactions Without Direct Import (opens in a new tab), verified Sep 25, 2026
- You want an Apple Watch app.Source: YNAB app lineup (opens in a new tab), verified Sep 25, 2026
- You live outside the US and bank in Canada, the UK or the EU. Beyond Payday is for US households only.Source: YNAB pricing page (opens in a new tab), verified Sep 25, 2026
How switching works
Start with what you have
A spreadsheet, a recent statement, or a list of your bills and account balances. What moves over is your recurring bills and your balances. Individual transactions do not, because Beyond Payday does not track them.
Import bills, assets and debts, or type them in
Upload a CSV, TSV or XLSX file on the Import data page, match its columns to Beyond Payday’s fields, and choose which rows to save. Or type each item in by hand.
How spreadsheet import worksAdd your income
Income is entered by hand, including deductions like 401(k) and health insurance. You can also scan a paystub photo: it fills in an income entry that you then review. The Free plan includes 3 scans in total; Pro and the trial are unlimited.
Take your data with you any time
The household owner or spouse can export everything as a .zip with a JSON copy and CSV files, on every plan, including Free.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Beyond Payday do zero-based or envelope budgeting?
- No. Beyond Payday does not assign all of your money to budget categories or track envelopes. It shows your income, your bills split into needs and wants, what is left each month, your net worth, and, on Pro, a retirement plan.
- Can I bring my YNAB data over?
- Partly. Beyond Payday imports bills, assets and debts from a CSV, TSV or XLSX file, so a spreadsheet of your recurring bills and account balances works well. YNAB’s help center describes exporting your plan and transactions as CSV files, but transaction history does not carry over, because Beyond Payday does not track individual transactions.Source: YNAB help: Exporting Plan Data (opens in a new tab), verified Sep 25, 2026
- Does Beyond Payday link to my bank?
- No. It never asks for a bank login. You type your numbers in or import them from a spreadsheet, and you keep them current.
- Is there a free plan?
- Yes. The Free plan covers the dashboard, income, bills, assets, debts, net worth, goals, the Scenario Tester, import and export. Pro adds retirement planning, business tracking and Beth, the AI assistant. New accounts start with a 30-day Pro trial with no card needed, and keep the Free plan afterward unless they subscribe.
- Can my partner and kids use it too?
- Yes. One account covers the household: an owner, a spouse and children, with per-feature permissions for each person. One subscription covers everyone.
- Can I use it outside the US?
- Not yet. Beyond Payday is built for US households only: amounts are in US dollars, and taxes and Social Security rules are US-only.
Facts verified Sep 25, 2026 from each company’s own website (or an archived copy of it); features change — check the provider for current details.
Current details from each provider: ynab.com (opens in a new tab).
YNAB is a trademark of its owner. Beyond Payday has no affiliation with or endorsement from it.
Beyond Payday is a planning tool, not a financial advisor. Its figures are estimates based on what you enter, not guarantees.
See your whole picture on one page
Income, bills, what is left each month, net worth and, on Pro, retirement. No bank login.
30 days of Pro free — no card; keep the Free plan after unless you subscribe ($9/mo). After 30 days you keep the Free plan — no charge, no card.