Personal Finance Software like Microsoft Money

[ssadhale]

I have been looking for a really good personal finance tool that will connect to my bank and download all the transactions automatically. I tried every possible personal finance software available - Gnucash, KMyMoney, Grisbi or whatever you can imagine! But everywhere I have to add things manually which is a sheer pain in the a**. I would rather not have any tool than to manually enter everything. I dont have the time and patience to do that. The tool defeats its own purpose then. My bank already provides all sorts of charts for me for all the transactions. Microsoft Money does exactly what I want. Infact it can also connect to international stock exchanges and show me my gains in those stock markets. I am surprised why any linux based personal finance tools doesnt have that functionality. Does anyone know of any software that can do what I need? Thank you.

[celem]

Moneydance can sync with banks. It is a commercial product with versions for Linux, Windows and Apple.

[ssadhale]

I am looking for something free :)

[kevdog]

Kmymoney?

[madjr]

I am looking for something free :)

but didn't you pay for Microsoft money ?

at least you know there's Linux software that can do what you want, like moneydance, even if it's commercial.

you could try homebank (i haven't test it myself)
http://getdeb.net/app/HomeBank

if the feature isn't available you may request it here.
http://homebank.free.fr/

sometimes you don't see a feature in FOSS because no one has made a request yet and may never get that feature unless u let em know you need it.

that's why it's community based software, not just freeware.

[ssadhale]

Well I had actually gotten microsoft money as a part of a deal when I bought a dell laptop. So as such I had not paid for it. And when I parted with *******, and moved to linux - I miss some of the features in microsoft money.

[GMU_DodgyHodgy]

JGnash.

It is free and open source. It is written Java, has a user interface similar to MS Money. However it uses real double entry accounting, can import QIF/QFX files or GnuCash files, has decent reporting functionality and can be installed as a server very easily to support multiple concurrent users.

http://jgnash.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

I am a CPA who was desperately looking for a Money alternative - this fit the bill quite nicely.

[swoll1980]

gnumoney

[ssadhale]

Thanks for the info. But can it connect to my bank automatically and download all the transactions? My real concern is having to add all the transactions manually - too painful.

[timzak]

It sounds like you're limiting yourself to MS Money since you're unwilling to try anything that deviates from Money's style. In this case, you can use VirtualBox to run Windows within Ubuntu and install Money into your VM. This is actually what I've done until I find a suitable MS Money replacement.

I recently took the VM off my computer, migrated my MS Money to an old laptop with a Windows license, and use the laptop strictly for finances. This makes it slightly less convenient for me to use, thus encouraging me to to find a Linux solution even if it means getting used to a different way of doing my finances. :)

Good luck.

[undadecor]

GnuCash can connect to banks directly. Here is a how to get it working with that kind of support: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=854770

[MrMatt2532]

Mint.com is very cool. Check it out.

[brudichuk]

The only thing more frustrating that looking for and using a MSMoney alternative, is getting the "we are holding you hostage until you buy our $49.00 upgrade" message every year or so. I deeply resent software that is designed to stop working unless you are willing to re-pay them for it to continue working. Money does just that and once you have become dependent on its features it is hard to move away from it. However, since this last hi-jack event on my computer I have switched to Ubuntu and am now looking for alternatives. It seems that with a little effort one can get the automatic updates working.

[Redptc]

Gnucash works very well and can be linked to the banks.It is 'free' and after spending some time with it and adding a few 'work arounds' it counts beans very efficiently. I use it for personal finance and for a small business.

What I like most of all is the flexibilty and the way I can 'form' it to my needs. I use spreadsheets for real number crunching and I can transfer details from Gnucash when necessary.

I am very wary of transfering details to and from banks and trusting the 'numbers' provided by banks. I prefer not to take the chance so I don't really want the link to the banks!

[iheartubuntu]

Mint.com is very cool. Check it out.

Wow, you are not serious are you? Putting your personal financial records online for it to get hacked or cracked and for people to search through?

[daynah]

Wow, you are not serious are you? Putting your personal financial records online for it to get hacked or cracked and for people to search through?

I'm gonna second mint.com. And I'm very serious. I buy things online and I pop in my info there, who's to say they keep their word and don't store my information? But I'm not to trust Mint? Nope, I'm perfectly fine trusting Mint and my identify theft protection from my bank that is not voided by using any of these services, including Mint.

[ryaxnb]

I've heard GNUCash does support quicken files including quicken banking files and quicken-supporting banks

[fatality_uk]

Microsoft Money does exactly what I want.
Then I suggest using the software you paid for!

[ryaxnb]

Yes, if you want Money,, use money.
If you want software that syncs with banks and is free, GNUCash gets my recommendation.