CountAbout Review (2022):  Budget App That Imports from Quicken and Mint

April 5, 2022

Build Family Wealth and Happiness.

Fill out this form to receive our free 39-page Family Wealth and Happiness guidebook. You'll also receive periodic updates from me to help you take your family to the next level.

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links or links from our advertisers where we earn a commission, direct payment or products. Opinions are the author's alone, and this content has not been provided by, reviewed, approved or endorsed by any advertiser. Information shared on this site is for entertainment purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice.

Are you looking to build a better budget? Maybe you've decided that it's time to improve your finances or maybe you want to create a solid financial plan for your small business. You won't want to miss our CountAbout review because this budgeting tool works for individuals, families, and small businesses!

Let's learn more about CountAbout to see if it's the right budget tool for you.

What is CountAbout?

CountAbout is a financial planning tool that helps you build a budget to hit your money goals. This budgeting tool syncs to your bank accounts to help you monitor your spending and your budget in real-time. 

You can also explore different budget features, customize your transactions, and use widgets to help you track your progress.

CountAbout works anywhere you have internet! There’s no need to download any software. Instead, you can access the CountAbout platform through their site. It’s safe and secure, so you can use CountAbout anywhere you can connect online. 

What does CountAbout do?

CountAbout imports your spending and pulls in other account balances and information. You can then put together a spending plan to meet your needs.

Taking the plunge into entrepreneurship? CountAbout allows users to set up budgets for their small businesses as well.

If you’re worried that CountAbout won’t work with your bank, fret not. CountAbout works with over 12,000 different financial institutions. That means it can pull data from virtually anywhere to compile a comprehensive financial snapshot right at your fingertips.

CountAbout Review: Our Favorite Features

With so many finance apps and software available, you’re probably wondering why CountAbout stands out. Check out our favorite CountAbout features:

Easily Import Data into CountAbout 

No CountAbout review would be complete without talking about what makes them truly unique. CountAbout allows you to import data from Quicken and Mint. No other web-based personal finance software does that!

This is particularly helpful if you’re looking to try something new but don’t want to sacrifice your history. 

Once you import your data, you are ready to go. You can use CountAbout to track your running balances and begin categorizing. Use standard categorization or create custom options. Either way, you’ll be working in a streamlined interface that’s free from ads. 

CountAbout Customer Service

When you have questions, you want answers. It seems so simple, but not all personal finance software makes finding answers easy. 

CountAbout users love their customer service. It's true! You'd be hard-pressed to find criticism about their customer service online. There's a reason for that!

With a few clicks, you can log into your account and navigate to their Help section. From there, you can review common questions or submit a support ticket specific to your situation. Users frequently comment that they can't believe how quickly and thoroughly their questions are addressed. That's what we like to hear!

There is another unique help feature worth spotlighting in our CountAbout review: the suggestions screen. Other users can post suggestions for improving CountAbout, and CountAbout allows you to vote for suggestions you like or add your own ideas. 

CountAbout FIRE Widget

Are you interested in financial independence or FIRE? Many people in the personal finance community have big plans. They want to pay down student loans, become mortgage free, or maybe even retire early. 

One thing many people point out about FIRE—that’s financial independence retire early movement—is that it’s difficult to know when you have enough saved and what kind of spending you’ll be able to do in early retirement. 

CountAbout features a FIRE widget to help with your future planning. The widget tracks your monthly expenses. It also looks for passive income you might later be able to tap and charts that. 

You can use the widget to then see how much passive income you can tap from your investments while protecting your portfolio balance. Once your passive income amount exceeds your expenses, you’ll know you’ve reached FIRE. 

Using the CountAbout Mobile App

Though you can access CountAbout anywhere you have internet, many people prefer to use phone apps to track their finances. You’re in luck with CountAbout. The app is available for both iOS and Android phones.

Don’t expect the same experience as what you get from the CountAbout site. Instead, you’ll get a streamlined and intuitive version. 

You can use the CountAbout mobile apps to categorize and approve transactions while you’re on the go. You also have the option to include flags or tags. The mobile app even allows you to include attachments. Additionally, you can access some of the widgets and other budget management tools. 

You won't find every CountAbout feature on the mobile app, though. You won’t be able to set up recurring transactions. You can’t split your transactions either. 

Still, some users go so far as to prefer the mobile CountAbout app to the web-based version because it offers such a sleek user experience.

CountAbout Review: Areas for Improvement

There's a lot to love about CountAbout, but there are also some areas for improvement.

One of the biggest criticisms of CountAbout was that it didn't do enough to keep up with its counterparts. Many financial platforms like Personal Capital give users access to a variety of tools–and some even grant this access for free.

CountAbout's offerings were a bit sparse until recently. Their FIRE widget definitely shows that they are receptive to suggestions and are continually looking to improve their customer's experience with the tool. We expect that as CountAbout's customer base grows so will the different features on the platform.

Another aspect of CountAbout that's worth noting is the fact that there isn't a dedicated helpline. CountAbout will reach out to you quickly and thoughtfully, but you can't initiate the phone call. Instead, you have to use their support ticket system.

There's something else worth mentioning. It's not a flaw per se, but it is something that some money nerds might find off-putting. CountAbout is a paid service, and that means that some people might not give the tool the consideration it deserves.

Still, the cost of the Basic subscription (more on that below!) is in line with many competitors and costs significantly less than some budgeting tools, such as YNAB.

CountAbout Costs 

CountAbout isn’t free. Since it was designed as a Quicken alternative, its cost is comparable. 

CountAbout serves up two annual options—Basic and Premium. Basic costs $9.99/year and Premium clocks in just shy of $40 at $39.99/year.

Are you wondering if Premium CountAbout is worth it? 

If you are looking for convenience, then the extra cost might be worth it for you. Why? Premium unlocks automatic transaction downloads! 

CountAbout Basic vs Premium

We know you're serious about keeping your coins. So if you're going to shell out for a subscription, you want to know whether or not it's worth it. Let's take a deeper dive into the two levels of CountAbout.

CountAbout Basic is a solid choice for many users. You get access to many features, but you don't get those automatic downloads. That means that you'll have to import transactions from banks and credit card companies. This doesn't have to be a deal-breaker, though. Some people actually prefer it because it forces you to be more aware of all of your money movements.

The Premium feature is worth the upcharge for customers who want to keep it simple. Never worry about missing a charge again thanks to their automatic downloading. If you're going to spend all this time building a budget, you want it to be accurate. The Premium plan can help with that.

Whether you choose Basic or Premium, the subscription model protects your privacy and keeps the platform ad-free. 

If you aren’t sure if CountAbout is for you, consider taking advantage of their free trial. CountAbout recently extended their free trial from 15 days to 45! 

CountAbout Review: Competitors

Two obvious CountAbout competitors are Quicken and Mint. After all, Quicken was the financial tool that inspired the CountAbout creators to get to work.

Quicken stands out from CountAbout in terms of name recognition. Every generation is familiar with this original financial tool. Of course, the CountAbout mobile app really makes it a fresh alternative. Still, for loyalists who want to stick with what they know, Quicken is solid.

Mint brings the competition to CountAbout in another regard. It's free! When it comes to managing your money more effectively, some people find themselves in situations where free is all that can afford…or it's all they want to pay!

Mint does run on ads, though. As a result, many users complain of a cluttered user experience.

In addition to Quicken and Mint, there are plenty of other CountAbout competitors. You Need a Budget–or YNAB for short!–has a whole legion of dedicated followers. This is a paid subscription-based service like CountAbout. Where it shines is the robust educational support that it offers. These resources are specific to the app and also general financial topics designed to make YNAB users feel more comfortable and in control of their money.

The truth is you could read about CountAbout competitors for days. There are so many different financial tools available. Check out our favorite budgeting apps, and then take one for a test drive. You're sure to find a tool to meet your needs.

Final Thoughts On Our CountAbout Review

If you're looking for a financial tool that is safe and streamlined, CountAbout could be the solution for you. One thing that really sets CountAbout apart in a sea of budgeting solutions is the fact that users can make CountAbout work for their personal finances, their small business, or both!

Start your free CountAbout trial and see how CountAbout can put you in control of your financial future. Build a better budget and learn more about your progress toward financial independence with CountAbout.


Did our CountAbout review convince you to give the tool a try? What's your favorite budgeting method?

Please let us know in the comments below!


Andy Hill

Andy Hill, AFC® is the award-winning family finance coach behind Marriage Kids and Money - a platform dedicated to helping families build wealth and happiness. With millions of podcast downloads and video views, Andy’s message of family financial empowerment has resonated with listeners, readers and viewers across the world. When he's not "talking money", Andy enjoys being a Soccer Dad, singing karaoke with his wife and relaxing on his hammock.

One Comment

  • I am unable to open a new support ticket at CountAbout. I’ve tried using Edge, Firefox, Chrome, Brave browsers. Have you heard of this issue?

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top