A YNAB alternative you pay for once: a budget spreadsheet you own
If you like budgeting by category but not paying every year, a spreadsheet can do most of the job. Centwren gives every category a monthly budget, compares it with what you actually spent, tracks 15 sinking funds and the amount each needs per month, and keeps net worth by month. You type or paste transactions instead of linking a bank.
Example file, September 2026: budget vs actual by group
| Group | Budget | Actual | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income | $4,500 | $4,540 | +$40 |
| Needs | $2,765 | $2,548 | under |
| Wants | $635 | $277 | under |
| Savings & debt | $800 | $700 | $100 short |
Source: The made-up example household in the Centwren example file, September tab (products/centwren/src/workbook.py; products/centwren/store/listing.json).
Centwren vs the alternatives
Published prices, each checked on the date shown; prices change, so confirm on each site.
| Product | Price | Free | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Centwren Budget Planner | $12 once | free preview PDF | live |
| YNAB | $14.99/month or $109/year | 34-day free trial | 2026-10-10 |
| Tiller | $99/year | 30-day free trial | 2026-10-10 |
Why teams pick Centwren
- $12 once vs $109 every year for YNAB.
- No bank connection to break or to trust with your login.
- Sinking funds with the monthly amount needed for each goal date, like the 'true expenses' habit budgeting apps teach.
- Honest limit: no automatic bank import and no phone app; you enter or paste transactions.
FAQ
Is Centwren zero-based budgeting like YNAB?
Not exactly. You set a monthly budget per category and see budget vs actual and money left; you can plan every dollar if you like, but it does not move money between categories for you.
Why not stay with YNAB?
If bank sync and the phone app are worth $109/year to you, stay. If you mainly want categories, monthly tracking and savings goals, Centwren does that for $12 once.
Can I import my history?
Yes: paste date, description, category and amount into the Transactions tab (1,500 rows).
Does it work in Google Sheets?
Yes. Upload the .xlsx to Google Drive and open it with Google Sheets.