CNET Editors' review
Buddi is a finance managing program that's poised with potential. Open-source and free, it offers a cross-platform, extensible experience wrapped up in a simple tabbed interface. As they say in the money biz, it looks great on paper.
The app can create new accounts from four credit types--cash, chequing, investment, and savings--and five debit types--credit card, liability, line of credit, loan, and prepaid account. Users can create their own account types, too, and take brief notes on an account. Strangely, the notes don't seem to surface anywhere. Under the My Budget tab, you can add transactions under different default categories such as Salary, Auto, and Misc. Expenses, or again you can create your own. To enter a new transaction, double-click on the account or budget category under which it has occurred. From there, pre-existing accounts and transaction titles have automatically been added to the drop-down menus to accelerate the new transaction creation process. Buddi generates reports and pie charts on command by income, average income, expenses, and net worth.
This is a good start in terms of features, but the execution leaves much room for improvement. There's no context menu support, no drag-and-drop support, and the forced need to jump between tabs to see how expenses and income relates to specific accounts feels antiquated compared to newer financial management programs and Web sites. While we appreciate that Buddi supports plug-ins, including ones that provide CSV and QIF import and export, there's no native account importation or synchronization. Buddi's interface doesn't facilitate an intuitive-enough workflow to cut down on the immense effort that the lack of syncing will mandate from users.
Publisher's Description
From Wyatt Olson:
Buddi is a personal finance and budgeting program, aimed at those who have little or no financial background. In making this software, I have attempted to make things as simple as possible, while still retaining enough functions to satisfy most home users. Buddi includes the ability to create a budget, record transactions, and view reports on how well you are keeping to your budget.
What's new in this version:
- Added openjdk support for Debian package
- Updated German translation (thanks to Matthias)
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All versions:
1.3 starsout of 3 votes
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Current version:
1.5 starsout of 2 votes
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My rating:
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Results 1-2 of 2
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"better programs out there by far!"
Version: Buddi 3.2.2.9
Pros
I really didn't get past the initial set up because I didn't like the interface.
Cons
Not a "buddi" at all - not even nice to look at really
Summary
I use Moneydance instead and really like it so far.
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"It's okay..."
Version: Buddi 3.2.2.9
Pros
I liked that it seemed very intuitive to enter in your data.
Cons
I didn't like the three-tab set up because I wasn't able to see how all aspects of my budget/finances relate. It was overly simplistic, meaning that I couldn't get my categories/sub-categories set up as I wanted them.
Summary
I think that this product is okay for the novice budgeter or only needs to track a few categories. However, I feel like I need a little bit more computing power to track all the things that I'd like to track as well as manage all of my finances.
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