We’ve reviewed a number of personal finance apps in recent months, especially since the launch of iOS 7. One complaint I’ve heard is that many of the new app designs look too cartoonish or childlike.
Spendbook – Personal Finance Tracker is a comprehensive budgeting app that doesn’t look like a candy shop. Instead of a white background with pastel colors, you’ll be tracking your spending with a dark themed app that won’t make you feel like you are looking at a coloring book…
The app features a basic account recorder where users input expenses and income on a daily basis. Your available balance is displayed in large, bold numbers at the top of the screen with the month’s expense and income totals right below. At the bottom half of the screen, you’ll be able to see individual items that you’ve added to your tracker.
Each expense is first categorized by a specific icon. Categories include food, transport, housing, entertainment, and more. After selecting an icon, users enter the amount, select the date that the money was added or removed, and add any relevant notes to the item, like “for lunch at Biba.”
You can also view your income and expenses on a simple-to-read chart, which shows information on a week-to-week basis. Track where you are spending the most to see if you are able to cut costs anywhere. You can view your expenses and your income on separate charts.
You can set up multiple accounts to keep track of finances coming and going in different places. I have a friend who keeps a separate account for house repairs and regularly has to check both balances to see if one is getting low and needs additional funds. Multiple tracking in one app is ideal for people who have separate accounts.
What really makes this app shine is that it looks different from a lot of personal finance apps that have hit the market lately. The menu screen features that iconic blur look that we are all starting to love. The main screen background shows a shadowed picture of a mountain range that blurs into the background whenever you call up the calendar and expense tracker. The category icons are either salmon colored or light blue. There isn’t a bunch of candy colored dots to deal with (just as a note, I like the bright themes, too).
Spendbook – Personal Finance Tracker is available for $1.99. Download it in the App Store today.
What do you think of the dark themed look in Spendbook? Do you prefer it to the light themed apps?