I recently made the leap from Quicken Desktop to Quicken’s Simplifi app. Transitioning from a traditional desktop-based tool to a sleek, web-based app has been a BIG change. While both products are under the Quicken brand, there isn’t a built-in migration path between them. This means starting fresh, which can be daunting for longtime Quicken Desktop users.
Why I Switched to Simplifi
I’ve been a loyal user of Quicken Desktop’s Deluxe version for several years. Over time, the product has seen meaningful updates, partly due to Quicken’s independence from Intuit. While these updates have added value, Quicken Desktop’s move to a subscription model (approximately $72 per year, though discounts are available) got me thinking about alternatives, however, there wasn’t a worthy alternative available, and thank goodness I didn’t go with now defunct Mint.com even though it was available back then.
The main limitation that pushed me to keep exploring was the lack of seamless sharing options in Quicken Desktop. Sharing my financial data with my spouse required clunky workarounds like cloud storage, which felt inconvenient and insecure. Simplifi solves this by allowing one additional user with a separate login, perfect for shared financial management.
Simplifi is also designed to cater to users who prefer a straightforward, mobile-friendly, and modern budgeting experience, making it an appealing option for someone ready to move beyond the traditional desktop interface.
My Simplifi Experience So Far
While I’m still in the process of migrating, here are some early impressions of Simplifi.
Budgeting vs. Spending Plan
Simplifi doesn’t support traditional budgeting as Quicken Desktop does. Instead, it offers a Spending Plan, which focuses on tracking income, bills, subscriptions, and spending. Surprisingly, I found this approach easier to manage than setting up recurring budgets in Quicken Desktop, which often required duplicate steps.
One limitation I’ve encountered is that Simplifi’s Spending Plan only works on a month-by-month basis. I wish it offered a year-long view for planning long-term expenses, a feature I hope they consider adding.
Transaction Imports: The Challenges
Migrating from Quicken Desktop to Simplifi is anything but plug-and-play. There’s no direct way to import your data, so you have to start over. Historical transactions from financial institutions often have gaps, requiring manual imports via Simplifi’s mandated CSV format. This format only accepts four fields: Date, Payee, Amount, and Tags.
Here’s what I learned while navigating this process:
- Categories vs. Tags: Simplifi only uses Tags in the import file structure although it supports Categories inside the app. To preserve categories from Quicken Desktop, merge them into the Tags column of the CSV file before importing. Then, you’ll need to manually reassign categories in Simplifi using Tags as a guide.
- File Cleanup: Quicken Desktop exports contain extra headers, footers, and unnecessary columns. These need to be removed before importing.
- Reimporting Restrictions: Simplifi doesn’t allow reimporting transactions once they’re deleted. The only workaround is to delete the entire account and start over—a frustrating limitation I discovered after an early mistake.
- Manual Adjustments: Remove transactions added as manual adjustments or reconciliations from the CSV file. Simplifi doesn’t use these concepts in the same way.
After much trial and error, I built a custom tool to convert Quicken Desktop’s CSV exports into Simplifi’s required format. It streamlines the process of cleaning and merging files, saving hours of manual work. If you’re interested, check it out here.
Cash Flow and Projected Balances
Simplifi’s Cash Flow and Projected Balances charts are visually appealing, with a cleaner UI than Quicken Desktop. However, some quirks detract from the experience:
- Chart settings reset to defaults after refreshing the page.
- All markers use the same color scheme, making it harder to identify negative cash flow or other important indicators. Adding red or other standout colors for specific cases would greatly improve usability.
The Verdict
Switching from Quicken Desktop to Simplifi requires effort and patience, especially with data migration. Simplifi’s modern interface, sharing capabilities, and Spending Plan make it a strong contender for users looking to simplify their financial tracking. However, its lack of a direct migration path and certain UI limitations leave room for improvement.
If you’re considering making the switch, be prepared to invest time upfront. For me, the long-term benefits of a streamlined, web-based tool have made the effort worthwhile.
Also, final plug, do check out my Quicken to Simplifi migration tool.