Can I move my YNAB data to Violet Codex?

Yes, one account at a time. Export your plan from YNAB on the web, save one CSV per account with plain-number amounts, and import each file with the column mapper. You choose categories during the review step.

Does Violet Codex connect to my bank like YNAB does?

No. Violet Codex never asks for a bank login. You import CSV statements from your bank, one account at a time, or PDF statements through Google Gemini with your own API key if you choose to turn that on.

Is there a free trial?

Yes. The full Windows app is free for 7 days with no card, and the 7 days start when you enter the key on your PC. You can also try the real interface in your browser with sample data on a screen at least 1200px wide.

Does Violet Codex have a phone app?

No. Violet Codex is a Windows 10 and 11 desktop app. There is no Mac or mobile version.

How does the cost compare with YNAB?

Violet Codex is $67 once, with free updates for every 1.x release and a 30-day money-back guarantee. YNAB lists $109 a year, so three years of YNAB at that price is $327.

YNAB alternative

Violet Codex vs YNAB

YNAB is a budgeting method with an app around it: give every dollar a job, on the web and on your phone. Violet Codex is a Windows desktop app that covers the everyday budget and the rest of the picture, from bank and card spending to investments, debts and forecasts. Your records stay encrypted on your PC, and it never connects to a bank.

The short answer

Pick YNAB if you want its budgeting method, a phone app and a budget you share across devices. Pick Violet Codex if you want your whole financial picture on your own Windows PC, with no bank login and no yearly bill.

Start free 7-day trial. No card. The 7 days start when you enter the key on your Windows PC. Try the demo or see pricing, $67 once.

At a glance

Topic	YNAB	Violet Codex
Price	$109 a year or $14.99 a month	$67 once. Free updates for every 1.x release and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Free trial	34 days, no card	7 days, no card. The days start when you enter the key on your PC.
Platforms	Web, iPhone, iPad, Android and Apple Watch. No desktop app.	Windows 10 and 11 desktop app
Where your data lives	YNAB’s cloud, in your YNAB account	An AES-256 encrypted database on your PC. No cloud account.
Bank connection	Linked accounts, or file import (CSV, OFX, QFX, QIF) without linking	None, by design. CSV import with a column mapper, plus optional PDF import through Google Gemini with your own API key.
Works offline	YNAB says it works offline. Mobile plans sync when you reconnect.	Yes, after a one-time online activation. Live prices, updates and optional AI tools use the internet.
Sharing	YNAB Together, for 2 to 6 people	Separate profiles on one PC. No shared cloud access.
What it covers	Zero-based budgeting, spending reports, targets and a net worth report. Investments are tracked by hand.	Spending, budgets, net worth, investments, crypto, debts, retirement, property and what-if forecasts

Competitor details were checked on each vendor's own site on September 24, 2026. Prices in USD before tax; plans change.

What it costs over time

At today's list prices. YNAB lists $109 a year. Violet Codex's $67 covers every 1.x release. Run your own numbers.

Choose YNAB if

You want the YNAB method, with its teaching and community.
You log spending on your phone during the day.
You share one budget with a partner on different devices.

Choose Violet Codex if

You want spending, budgets, investments, debts and net worth in one place, not only the budget.
You would rather keep your records encrypted on your own PC than in a cloud account.
You never want to give a finance app your bank login.
You prefer paying once to paying every year.

Moving over from YNAB

In YNAB on the web, export your plan. You get two CSV files, and the transactions file holds every account with an Account column.
In a spreadsheet, filter the transactions to one account, keep the column headers in the first row, write amounts as plain numbers (1234.56, not $1,234.56) and save it as a CSV.
In Violet Codex, open that account, choose Import CSV, map Date, use Payee as the description and pick Separate Columns for Outflow and Inflow. You choose categories while you review the import.
Rebuild the categories you want to keep in the Blueprint budget planner.

Want a clean start instead? Download the last few months of CSV statements from each bank and import those.

Questions

Can I move my YNAB data to Violet Codex?: Yes, one account at a time. Export your plan from YNAB on the web, save one CSV per account with plain-number amounts, and import each file with the column mapper. You choose categories during the review step.
Does Violet Codex connect to my bank like YNAB does?: No. Violet Codex never asks for a bank login. You import CSV statements from your bank, one account at a time, or PDF statements through Google Gemini with your own API key if you choose to turn that on.
Is there a free trial?: Yes. The full Windows app is free for 7 days with no card, and the 7 days start when you enter the key on your PC. You can also try the real interface in your browser with sample data on a screen at least 1200px wide.
Does Violet Codex have a phone app?: No. Violet Codex is a Windows 10 and 11 desktop app. There is no Mac or mobile version.
How does the cost compare with YNAB?: Violet Codex is $67 once, with free updates for every 1.x release and a 30-day money-back guarantee. YNAB lists $109 a year, so three years of YNAB at that price is $327.