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  • Strategist
  • Spender
  • Saver
  • Scrambler

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Priceless Tay
Find My Money Type

Savings comparison

Chime vs YNAB

Updated

ChimeBanking app
YNAB logoYNABBudgeting app

Priceless Tay may earn a commission from some links on this page, and that never changes how we compare apps.

Full disclosure: Taylor Price, who runs Priceless Tay, owns Fifecta, so keep that in mind as you read this comparison.

Short answer

Chime is a banking app and YNAB is a budgeting app. Chime says its savings account has no fees, and you need an active Chime Checking Account to open one, while YNAB costs $14.99 a month, or $109 a year paid annually, plus tax where applicable. We checked both on Oct 24, 2026, and the official sources differ on 3 of the 9 rows in the table below.

Chime vs YNAB at a glance

Chime is a banking app and YNAB is a budgeting app. This page puts what each company's official pages and app store listings say side by side, with the date we checked every fact. The sources differ on 3 of the 9 rows in the table below.

Price and fees

Chime says its savings account has no fees, and you need an active Chime Checking Account to open one. YNAB costs $14.99 a month, or $109 a year paid annually, plus tax where applicable. We checked both on Oct 24, 2026.

Free trial

YNAB offers a 34-day free trial, and you don't need a credit card when you sign up directly with YNAB. We haven't verified this for Chime yet, so check the official site for Chime before you decide. We checked YNAB on Oct 24, 2026.

APY or rate

Chime lists 1.00% APY for standard members, 3.00% APY for Chime Plus and 4.00% APY for Chime Prime, in rates effective Oct 6, 2026. Chime says the rate is variable. Chime says there is no minimum balance, but you need $0.01 in savings to earn interest. The higher rates depend on Chime Plus or Chime Prime status, which ties to qualifying direct deposits. We haven't verified this for YNAB yet, so check the official site for YNAB before you decide. We checked Chime on Oct 24, 2026.

Opening and balance minimums

Chime says its savings account has no minimum balance requirement. We haven't verified this for YNAB yet, so check the official site for YNAB before you decide. We checked Chime on Oct 24, 2026.

Protection

Chime is not a bank. Banking services come from The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC, and pass-through deposit insurance applies only when certain conditions are met. We haven't verified this for YNAB yet, so check the official site for YNAB before you decide. We checked Chime on Oct 24, 2026.

Bank syncing

YNAB lets you connect your accounts and import transactions. We haven't verified this for Chime yet, so check the official site for Chime before you decide. We checked YNAB on Oct 24, 2026.

Features

Both Chime and YNAB list goals. YNAB lists shared budgets, which the sources we checked don't confirm for Chime. We checked both on Oct 24, 2026.

App store rating

Chime has 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store from 1,629,130 ratings. YNAB has 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store from 61,968 ratings. We checked both on Oct 24, 2026. Store ratings are a dated snapshot from each listing, not our score.

Chime and YNAB, side by side

Rows marked “Differs” are where the two official sources say different things, and 3 rows do here.

Swipe the table sideways to see both apps.

Chime compared with YNAB. Each cell shows the date it was checked and links to its source.
FieldChimeBanking appChime is a financial technology company, not a bank, that offers checking and savings accounts through partner banks.Visit Chime's siteYNAB logoYNABBudgeting appYNAB is a paid budgeting app built around the YNAB Method, where you give every dollar a job before you spend it.Visit YNAB's site
Price and feesDiffersChime says its savings account has no fees, and you need an active Chime Checking Account to open one.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: help.chime.com/what-is-the-chime-savings-account-f189355cYNAB costs $14.99 a month, or $109 a year paid annually, plus tax where applicable.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: ynab.com/pricing
Free trialNot verified yet.YNAB offers a 34-day free trial, and you don't need a credit card when you sign up directly with YNAB.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: ynab.com/pricing
APY or rateChime lists 1.00% APY for standard members, 3.00% APY for Chime Plus and 4.00% APY for Chime Prime, in rates effective Oct 6, 2026. The rate is variable.Chime says there is no minimum balance, but you need $0.01 in savings to earn interest. The higher rates depend on Chime Plus or Chime Prime status, which ties to qualifying direct deposits.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: help.chime.com/what-is-annual-percentage-yield-apy-dfafd381Not verified yet.
Opening and balance minimumsChime says its savings account has no minimum balance requirement.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: help.chime.com/what-is-the-chime-savings-account-f189355cNot verified yet.
ProtectionChime is not a bank. Banking services come from The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC, and pass-through deposit insurance applies only when certain conditions are met.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: help.chime.com/what-is-the-chime-savings-account-f189355cNot verified yet.
PlatformsNot verified yet.Not verified yet.
Bank syncingNot verified yet.Yes. YNAB lets you connect your accounts and import transactions.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: ynab.com/pricing
FeaturesDiffers
  • Yes: Goals
As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: help.chime.com/what-are-chime-savings-goals-4aef8222
  • Yes: Goals
  • Yes: Shared budgets
As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: ynab.com/pricing
App store ratingDiffersChime has 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store from 1,629,130 ratings.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: App Store listingYNAB has 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store from 61,968 ratings.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: App Store listing

App store ratings are a dated snapshot from each store listing, not our score. “Not verified yet” means we don't have a current official source for that line. Spotted a change? Tell us if something changed.

What the apps look like

Chime

  • Chime App Store screenshot 1 of 4, as of Oct 24, 2026
  • Chime App Store screenshot 2 of 4, as of Oct 24, 2026
  • Chime App Store screenshot 3 of 4, as of Oct 24, 2026
  • Chime App Store screenshot 4 of 4, as of Oct 24, 2026
Screenshots: Chime on the App Store, as of Oct 24, 2026.

YNAB

  • YNAB App Store screenshot 1 of 4, as of Oct 24, 2026
  • YNAB App Store screenshot 2 of 4, as of Oct 24, 2026
  • YNAB App Store screenshot 3 of 4, as of Oct 24, 2026
  • YNAB App Store screenshot 4 of 4, as of Oct 24, 2026
Screenshots: YNAB on the App Store, as of Oct 24, 2026.

Which fits your Money Type?

There are four Money Types: Strategist, Spender, Saver and Scrambler. Each card matches one type to what the sources say about these two apps.

  • Strategist

    Neither app's sources confirm a feature we match to this type yet, so the quiz is the better place to start.

    First fix: Save the Raise.

  • Spender

    Both Chime and YNAB list goals. A goal gives a Spender a reason to pause before buying, which is the Sleep on It fix.

    First fix: Sleep on It.

  • Saver

    Chime lists an APY on deposits. That fits a Saver, whose first fix is putting saved money to work.

    First fix: Put It to Work.

  • Scrambler

    YNAB lists bank syncing. Seeing every account in one place helps a Scrambler pay bills first.

    First fix: Bills First.

Not sure which one you are? Take the free Money Types quiz. It takes about two minutes.

Full disclosure: Taylor Price, who runs Priceless Tay, owns Fifecta, so keep that in mind as you read this comparison.

Another option: Fifecta

If neither Chime nor YNAB feels right, here is one more option to look at. Fifecta gives every paycheck a plan with FUNDS, and it starts from your Money Type, so the plan matches how you already handle money.

Try Fifecta free

What real users say

These are other people's opinions, not Priceless Tay's. We quote public reviews and posts word for word, link each one and show its date, but we haven't checked the claims in them. A post counts toward a theme when it uses one of that theme's keywords, so a mention can be praise or a complaint.

What Chime users say

Based on 500 App Store reviews, 7 Reddit posts, 1 YouTube video and 2 Hacker News posts dated May 2026 to Oct 2026, read Oct 2026. We collected the Reddit and YouTube data with Apify, a scraping service, on Oct 24, 2026.

  • Of the 510 reviews, posts and videos we read, 83 mention deposits, transfers or getting paid.
  • Of the 510 reviews, posts and videos we read, 45 mention how easy or hard the app is to use.
  • Of the 510 reviews, posts and videos we read, 40 mention customer service or support.

Positive

“It’s the best banking app out there in my opinion. You can get paid two days earlier than your paycheck...”
App Store reviewer on the App Store, . See the App Store reviews. Apple doesn't give single reviews their own link, so this opens the app's reviews.

Critical

“Worst customer service and dispute resolution it takes over 3 months so they can tell you your dispute was denied...”
App Store reviewer on the App Store, . See the App Store reviews. Apple doesn't give single reviews their own link, so this opens the app's reviews.

Mixed

“I've had chime for 3 years and for the most part it's been a great experience.”
u/dnyte270 in r/chimefinancial on Reddit, . Read it on Reddit.
Where these come from

What YNAB users say

Based on 500 App Store reviews, 35 Reddit posts, 2 YouTube videos and 25 Hacker News posts dated Nov 2025 to Oct 2026, read Oct 2026. We collected the Reddit and YouTube data with Apify, a scraping service, on Oct 24, 2026.

  • Of the 562 reviews, posts and videos we read, 134 mention how easy or hard the app is to use.
  • Of the 562 reviews, posts and videos we read, 103 mention the price, fees or the subscription.
  • Of the 562 reviews, posts and videos we read, 90 mention debt, money stress or feeling in control.

Positive

“There is admittedly a learning curve, but once you learn how YNAB works it is life changing. I finally have ownership over my finances.”
App Store reviewer on the App Store, . See the App Store reviews. Apple doesn't give single reviews their own link, so this opens the app's reviews.

Critical

“I was using YNAB for like 10 years but I got tired of it never syncing properly with Plaid and my bank...”
u/trambalambo in r/FPandA on Reddit, . Read it on Reddit.

Critical

“Yeah, I'll probably switch to Actual at some point in the next couple of years as a result of the price change.”
mpyne on Hacker News, . Read it on Hacker News.
Where these come from

FAQ

How much does Chime cost?

Chime says its savings account has no fees, and you need an active Chime Checking Account to open one. We checked this on Oct 24, 2026.

How much does YNAB cost?

YNAB costs $14.99 a month, or $109 a year paid annually, plus tax where applicable. We checked this on Oct 24, 2026.

What APY does Chime list?

Chime lists 1.00% APY for standard members, 3.00% APY for Chime Plus and 4.00% APY for Chime Prime, in rates effective Oct 6, 2026. Chime says the rate is variable. Chime says there is no minimum balance, but you need $0.01 in savings to earn interest. The higher rates depend on Chime Plus or Chime Prime status, which ties to qualifying direct deposits. We checked this on Oct 24, 2026.

Does YNAB have a free trial?

YNAB offers a 34-day free trial, and you don't need a credit card when you sign up directly with YNAB. We checked this on Oct 24, 2026.

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Keep comparing

Full disclosure: Taylor Price, who runs Priceless Tay, owns Fifecta, so keep that in mind as you read this comparison.

Want a plan built on your Money Type?

Fifecta gives every paycheck a plan with FUNDS, so you know where each dollar goes.

Try Fifecta free
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Sources and dates

This is education, not financial advice.