
CountAbout - Detailed Review
Finance Tools

CountAbout - Product Overview
CountAbout Overview
CountAbout is an online personal budgeting and small business accounting application that helps users manage their finances effectively. Here’s a brief overview of its primary function, target audience, and key features:
Primary Function
CountAbout is designed to track spending, manage finances, and provide a comprehensive view of your financial situation. It automatically syncs data from banking, credit card, loan accounts, and investment balances, such as 401(k)s, to keep your financial records up-to-date.
Target Audience
The target audience for CountAbout includes individuals seeking to manage their personal finances and small business owners who need a straightforward and reliable accounting solution. It is particularly appealing to those transitioning from other financial management tools like Quicken or Mint, as it allows seamless data import from these platforms.
Key Features
- Automatic Data Import: CountAbout integrates with over 12,000 banks and financial institutions to automatically import transactions, ensuring your financial data is always current.
- Customizable Budgeting: Users can set up and customize their budgets, categorize transactions, and run various reports to track their spending and stay within their financial goals.
- Investment Tracking: The application tracks investments, helping users monitor their financial progress and make informed decisions.
- Ad-Free Experience: Unlike some other financial apps, CountAbout offers an ad-free environment, enhancing the user experience.
- Dedicated Customer Support: CountAbout provides friendly, knowledgeable, and quick customer support to help users achieve their financial goals.
- Data Migration: It allows users to import historical data from Quicken and Mint, ensuring that switching to CountAbout does not result in the loss of financial history.
- Account Reconciliation: The app reconciles bank balances and ensures that all transactions are verified by the user, adding an extra layer of accuracy and control.
- Reporting Options: CountAbout offers various report types, including category, account, tag, and compound reports, which help users analyze their spending and financial health.
- Recurring Transactions: Users can track recurring transactions such as withdrawals, deposits, transfers, or split transactions, making it easier to manage regular financial activities.
Overall, CountAbout is a user-friendly, secure, and comprehensive financial management tool that helps individuals and small business owners keep a clear and accurate picture of their finances.

CountAbout - User Interface and Experience
User Interface Overview
The user interface of CountAbout is designed to be intuitive and user-friendly, making it accessible for individuals looking to manage their finances effectively.Interface Layout
CountAbout’s interface is clean and ad-free, which sets it apart from other financial management tools that often clutter their interfaces with advertisements. The layout is straightforward, with several tabs across the top, including Transactions, Budgets, Reports, Recurring, and Invoices. This organization makes it easy to find and manage different aspects of your finances.Ease of Use
Setting up and using CountAbout is relatively simple. You can automatically download transactions from many financial institutions, or you can add transactions manually if you prefer. The interface allows you to categorize these transactions, which helps in tracking your budgets for various categories. The process of setting up accounts and budgets is straightforward, and you don’t have to go through a lot of steps to get started.Customization
One of the unique features of CountAbout is its use of widgets. These widgets enable you to customize your interface with graphical or text-based elements that reflect what’s most important to you. For example, you can add a chart of your account balance to the Transactions page, providing a historical representation of your account’s balance.Financial Management Tools
The interface includes tools for budgeting, where you can set up budgets for various categories and view them annually. You can also reconcile your accounts directly from the interface, which includes viewing your balance, adjusted balance, and uncleared transactions. This makes managing your finances and keeping track of your spending quite manageable.Customer Support
CountAbout is praised for its excellent customer service. If you have questions or need help, you can easily log into your account and access the Help section, where you can review common questions or submit a support ticket. Users often comment on how quickly and thoroughly their questions are addressed, which enhances the overall user experience.Transferability
If you are transitioning from another budgeting software like Quicken or Mint, CountAbout allows you to import your historical data seamlessly. This feature is particularly helpful if you want to retain your financial history while switching to a new platform.Conclusion
In summary, CountAbout offers a clean, intuitive, and highly customizable interface that makes managing your finances easy and efficient. The ease of use, combined with excellent customer support and the ability to import data from other financial tools, makes it a compelling choice for those looking to track and manage their finances effectively.
CountAbout - Key Features and Functionality
CountAbout Overview
CountAbout is a comprehensive personal finance management tool that offers a range of features to help users manage their financial affairs efficiently. Here are the main features and how they work:Automated Transactions
CountAbout’s Premium plan allows for the automatic downloading of banking, credit card, and other financial transactions. This feature syncs your transactions directly from your financial institutions, saving you hours of manual data entry. This automation ensures your financial records are always up-to-date and accurate.Customization
The software offers a highly customizable experience. You can personalize nearly every field, function, and report to suit your needs. This includes customizing income and spend tags or categories, and the ability to add, delete, or rename tags as needed. This flexibility ensures the software adapts to your specific financial management requirements.Importing Data
CountAbout is unique in its ability to import historical data from other accounting software like Quicken or Mint. This feature makes transitioning to CountAbout much easier, especially if you have several years of financial data to transfer. This import capability helps you retain your financial history without the hassle of manual re-entry.Account Reconciliation
CountAbout reconciles your bank balance with the balance listed in the software, ensuring any discrepancies are identified and corrected. This feature provides a more accurate and comprehensive view of your personal finances compared to other personal finance apps.Budgeting and Scheduling
You can create and manage budgets, schedule payments, and track recurring payments. This includes accounting for monthly bills and generating a budget for future months, helping you make better financial decisions. The software also allows you to track remaining budget and ongoing payments.Reporting
CountAbout enables you to easily create, edit, and generate reports. You can customize reports to fit your needs, providing a clear picture of your income and spending. This feature is particularly useful for tracking financial performance over time.Multi-Device Access and Cloud Sync
The software is cloud-based, allowing you to access your financial data from any device. This ensures that your data is always synced and up-to-date across all your devices, providing universal accessibility.Security
CountAbout includes multi-factor login protection to ensure your financial data is secure. This adds an extra layer of security to prevent unauthorized access to your accounts.Investment and Bill Tracking
The software allows you to track investments, bills, and other financial obligations. You can set up notifications for upcoming payments and keep a clear record of your financial commitments.Transaction Management
CountAbout memorizes your transaction categories, so if you categorize a transaction (e.g., “Coffee” for Starbucks), the system will automatically categorize it the same way in the future. This reduces the time spent on manual categorization over time.AI Integration
While the primary features of CountAbout are not explicitly driven by AI, the automation and categorization of transactions can be seen as leveraging basic AI principles. For example, the system’s ability to memorize and automatically categorize transactions based on past behavior is a form of machine learning. However, there is no detailed information available on advanced AI-driven features within CountAbout itself.Conclusion
In summary, CountAbout is a powerful and user-friendly personal finance tool that streamlines financial management through automation, customization, and secure access to your financial data. While it may not have advanced AI-driven features, its existing functionalities make it a valuable tool for managing personal and business finances.
CountAbout - Performance and Accuracy
Performance and Accuracy of CountAbout
Connectivity and Data Syncing
CountAbout performs well in connecting to a wide range of financial institutions, with over 12,500 banks, credit cards, brokerages, and other financial accounts supported. This ensures that your financial records are kept in sync, which is a significant advantage for users who need to track multiple accounts.Automation and Ease of Use
The software automates transaction downloads and data syncing, saving users a considerable amount of time and hassle. This feature is particularly useful for managing budgets efficiently. Additionally, the user interface is user-friendly and easy to figure out, even for those who are not highly tech-savvy.Customization and Reporting
CountAbout offers a high degree of customization, allowing users to personalize their budgeting categories, user interface, and more. The reporting features are also comprehensive, enabling users to create forward-looking reports and export them for sharing. This customization and reporting capability enhance the accuracy and usefulness of the financial data.Historical Data Import
One of the standout features of CountAbout is its ability to import historical data from other personal finance apps like Quicken and Mint. This makes transitioning to CountAbout much easier, especially for users with extensive financial histories.Customer Support
The customer support provided by CountAbout is excellent. Users can reach out via email or the support ticket system and receive quick, helpful, and friendly responses. There is also a detailed FAQ section that addresses many common questions.Limitations
Despite its strengths, CountAbout has some limitations. One significant limitation is the lack of certain advanced features, such as setting up recurring transactions or creating detailed reports, although it does handle recurring and uncleared transactions to some extent.Financial Planning
CountAbout is primarily a budgeting app and does not offer extensive financial planning or investment tracking features. This might be a drawback for users looking for a more comprehensive financial management tool.Cost and Value
While CountAbout offers a reasonable pricing structure, with the Premium subscription at $39.99/year and the Basic at $9.99/year, the Basic plan lacks automatic transaction import, which can be inconvenient. However, the Premium fee is still relatively affordable and provides good value for the features offered.Areas for Improvement
CountAbout could improve by adding more features to keep up with its competitors. For example, some users might find the lack of a dedicated helpline and the need to use a support ticket system less convenient. Additionally, the app’s feature set, although improving, is still somewhat sparse compared to other financial platforms.Conclusion
In summary, CountAbout performs well in terms of connectivity, automation, customization, and customer support. However, it has some limitations, particularly in advanced feature sets and financial planning capabilities. Despite these, it remains a solid choice for individuals and businesses looking to manage their finances effectively.
CountAbout - Pricing and Plans
CountAbout Pricing Overview
CountAbout offers a clear and straightforward pricing structure, making it easy for users to choose a plan that fits their financial management needs.Plans and Pricing
CountAbout has two main plans: the Basic plan and the Premium plan.Basic Plan
- Cost: $9.99 per year.
- Features: This plan includes all the core features of CountAbout, such as:
- Manual transaction entry
- Importing files from banks (support for QIF files)
- Custom budgeting
- Tracking net worth
- Attaching receipts
- Sending invoices (with additional cost)
- Importing data from Quicken or Mint
- Multi-factor authentication
- Mobile app access on iOS and Android.
Premium Plan
- Cost: $39.99 per year.
- Features: Includes all the features of the Basic plan plus:
- Automatic data syncing from banking, credit card, and other financial accounts.
Free Trial
CountAbout offers a free trial period, which has been extended from 15 days to 45 days as of recent updates.- Duration: 45 days
- Access: Full access to the Premium plan features without requiring a credit card.
Additional Features and Add-ons
- Mobile Expense Audit: An additional $10 per year for tracking business expenses by linking receipts to your expenses.
- Invoicing: An additional $60 per year for creating and sending invoices directly to clients.
Security and Support
CountAbout emphasizes security, using third-party services like MX for connecting to financial institutions and implementing two-factor authentication. The platform also offers dedicated customer support. By choosing between the Basic and Premium plans, or taking advantage of the extended free trial, users can select the option that best suits their financial management requirements.
CountAbout - Integration and Compatibility
CountAbout Overview
CountAbout is a versatile personal finance and small business accounting application that offers strong integration and compatibility features, making it a convenient choice for managing your finances across various platforms and devices.Financial Institution Integration
CountAbout is compatible with over 12,500 US financial institutions, allowing you to connect your bank accounts, credit card accounts, loan accounts, and even investment balances such as your 401(k). This broad compatibility ensures that you can automatically sync your financial transactions, keeping your data up-to-date without the need for manual entries.Importing Data from Other Financial Software
One of the standout features of CountAbout is its ability to import historical data from other popular financial software like Quicken, Quicken for Mac, and Mint.com. This allows users to transition seamlessly from these platforms, retaining all their historical data and categories.Cross-Platform Compatibility
CountAbout is available on both iOS and Windows, making it one of the few financial management apps that syncs well between these different operating systems. You can manage your finances on your Windows laptop and access the same data on your iPhone, with all transactions and updates syncing instantly across devices via the cloud.Mobile and Web Access
The app offers both mobile and web-based versions, ensuring you can manage your finances on-the-go or from the comfort of your home. The data syncs seamlessly across all devices, providing you with access to your financial information wherever you are.Customization and Reporting
CountAbout allows for full customization of your budget categories, tags, and reports. You can create and manage budgets, set up recurring transactions, and generate detailed reports to analyze your spending trends, income, and net worth. This customization ensures that the app adapts to your specific financial needs.Additional Features
For freelancers and small business owners, CountAbout includes an invoicing feature that allows you to create, send, and manage invoices directly from the app. The app also supports customizable tags for better tracking and categorization of transactions.Conclusion
In summary, CountAbout’s strong integration with a wide range of financial institutions, its ability to import data from other financial software, and its cross-platform compatibility make it a highly versatile and user-friendly financial management tool.
CountAbout - Customer Support and Resources
CountAbout Customer Support Options
Support Initiation
To get support, users must initiate contact via email for security reasons. Once the initial contact is made, CountAbout promises a swift response and can follow up with phone communication if necessary.
Knowledge Base and Help Page
Registered users can log into their accounts and visit the Help page, which features a detailed knowledge base. This resource provides answers to common questions and guides on using the platform.
Mobile and Web App Support
CountAbout offers support through both its web-based platform and mobile apps for Android and iOS devices. While the mobile apps allow users to add, categorize, and approve transactions, as well as view account registers and widgets, more advanced functions like budgeting, creating reports, and managing subscriptions are accessible through the web browser.
Feature Requests and Feedback
Users can submit feature suggestions by logging into their CountAbout account and visiting the Help page. This feedback is used to improve and expand the platform’s features.
Additional Resources
CountAbout also provides specific tools and features that can aid in financial management. For example, the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) widget helps users track monthly expenses and potential passive income, allowing them to simulate different financial scenarios.
Community and Updates
While there is no explicit mention of a community forum, CountAbout does encourage user engagement through feature requests and feedback. The platform also continues to improve based on user suggestions, indicating an active development process.
By leveraging these support options and resources, users can effectively manage their finances with CountAbout and get the help they need when they need it.

CountAbout - Pros and Cons
Advantages of CountAbout
Ease of Use and Accessibility
CountAbout is praised for its user-friendly interface, making it easy for both tech-savvy and less tech-inclined users to manage their finances. It is accessible via web and mobile apps, ensuring you can track your finances from anywhere.
Customization
The app offers high customizability, allowing you to personalize your user interface, budgeting categories, and automated transactions. This feature saves time and makes budgeting more efficient.
Data Import and Syncing
CountAbout stands out for its ability to import historical data from Quicken or Mint, making the transition to this new platform seamless. It also syncs data from over 12,500 financial institutions, including banks, credit cards, brokerages, and more.
Comprehensive Reporting
The app provides straightforward and comprehensive reporting features. Users can create forward-looking reports, export them, and share specific areas of spending with others, such as a significant other.
Customer Support
CountAbout is known for its dedicated and responsive customer support. Users have reported quick responses to their queries, often within an hour or less.
Ad-Free Experience
Unlike some free personal finance apps, CountAbout offers an ad-free experience, enhancing the user experience and reducing distractions.
Disadvantages of CountAbout
Annual Fee
While the fees are reasonable ($9.99/year for Basic and $39.99/year for Premium), there are free alternatives available, although they may come with ads. The Premium plan, which includes automatic transaction uploads, is four times the cost of the Basic plan.
Limited Financial Planning
CountAbout is primarily a budgeting app and does not offer investment tracking or financial planning features. If you need these services, you might need to use a different tool.
Accounting Focus
Some users feel that the app is more geared towards business-oriented users or those who need detailed accounting features. If you only need basic spending tracking, there might be simpler options available.
Manual Transaction Uploads in Basic Plan
The Basic plan requires manual uploads of transactions, which can be time-consuming. Automatic transaction uploads are only available with the Premium plan.
Occasional Connectivity Issues
Some users have reported occasional issues with linking and updating investment accounts, which can require multiple attempts to resolve.
Overall, CountAbout is a solid choice for those looking for a user-friendly, customizable, and comprehensive personal finance and budgeting tool, especially for those transitioning from Quicken or Mint. However, it may not be the best fit for everyone, particularly those seeking free options or more advanced financial planning features.

CountAbout - Comparison with Competitors
When Comparing CountAbout to Other Finance Tools
When comparing CountAbout to other finance tools, particularly those with AI-driven capabilities or advanced financial management features, several key differences and similarities emerge.Unique Features of CountAbout
CountAbout stands out for its user-friendly interface and lack of advertisements, which can be a significant advantage for users seeking a distraction-free experience. Here are some of its unique features:Data Import Flexibility
CountAbout is the only online budgeting platform that can import data directly from Mint and Quicken, making it an excellent choice for users transitioning from these platforms.Automatic Transaction Downloads
It can integrate with over 12,500 financial institutions to automatically log transactions, which is a substantial convenience for users.Customizable Categories
Unlike Mint, CountAbout allows users to modify or delete preset expense categories, providing greater flexibility in budgeting.No Advertisements
This feature enhances the user experience by eliminating distractions.Comprehensive Reporting
CountAbout offers robust reporting options, including both traditional and graphical formats, and account reconciliation similar to balancing a checkbook.Alternatives and Comparisons
Mint
Mint is a popular alternative that also offers automatic transaction imports, customizable expense categories, and investment tracking. However, Mint does not allow users to modify its preset categories, and it includes advertisements. Mint provides a real-time view of your financial situation but lacks the direct import feature from Quicken and Mint that CountAbout offers.AI-Driven FP&A Tools
While CountAbout is not primarily an AI-driven tool, it’s worth comparing it to some AI-focused financial planning and analysis (FP&A) tools for a broader perspective:Vena Solutions
Vena uses AI through its “Vena Copilot” to automate data analysis and insights, particularly suited for finance teams. It offers powerful data integration and forecasting tools but is more geared towards business finance rather than personal finance.Planful
Planful features AI-powered solutions like “Planful Predict” for error detection, pattern identification, and forecasting. It is more oriented towards business finance and offers a user-friendly dashboard but lacks the personal finance focus of CountAbout.Other Personal Finance Tools
Other tools like Quicken, while not AI-driven, offer comprehensive financial management. Quicken allows for investment tracking and budgeting but does not have the same level of automatic transaction downloads or the ability to import data from as many institutions as CountAbout.Conclusion
CountAbout is a strong choice for individuals seeking a personal finance tool with extensive integration capabilities, customizable categories, and comprehensive reporting. While it may not have the AI-driven features of some business-oriented FP&A tools, its user-friendly interface and flexibility make it an excellent option for personal financial management. If you are looking for a tool with minimal distractions and the ability to import data from multiple sources, CountAbout is a solid choice. However, if you need more advanced AI-driven insights or are managing business finances, tools like Vena Solutions or Planful might be more suitable.
CountAbout - Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions about CountAbout
What is CountAbout and what does it do?
CountAbout is an online personal budgeting and small business accounting application. It helps users track their spending, manage finances, and sync data from bank accounts, credit cards, and investment balances. It offers features like budgeting tools, custom categories, investment tracking, and bill tracking to help users control their finances effectively.How much does CountAbout cost?
CountAbout offers two main pricing plans:- Basic Plan: $9.99 per year. This plan allows you to enter transactions manually and import QIF files from banks, but it does not include automatic downloading of banking and credit card transactions.
- Premium Plan: $39.99 per year. This plan includes all the features of the Basic Plan plus automatic downloading of banking, credit card, and other financial transactions.
What are the key features of CountAbout?
CountAbout includes several key features such as:- Account Reconciliation: Helps you match your transactions with your bank statements.
- Custom Categories: Allows you to categorize your transactions according to your needs.
- Automatic Transaction Download: Available in the Premium Plan, this feature syncs data from your bank accounts and credit cards.
- Investment Tracking: Keeps track of your investment balances.
- Bill Tracking: Helps you manage your bills and due dates.
- Custom Reports: Allows you to generate reports based on your financial data.
- Multi-Factor Authentication: Enhances security with multi-factor login protection.
Can I import data from other financial applications?
Yes, you can import historical data from Quicken and Simplifi into CountAbout. This makes it easier to transition from other personal finance apps and maintain your existing financial records.Does CountAbout support mobile access?
Yes, CountAbout has mobile apps for both Android and iOS, allowing you to manage your finances on the go. You can also access the application through a mobile web browser.What kind of customer support does CountAbout offer?
CountAbout provides dedicated customer support. You can contact their customer service team via email or through the contact form on their website. They also have a FAQ section that answers many common questions.Can CountAbout connect to my bank and other financial institutions?
Yes, CountAbout can connect to over 12,500 financial institutions, including banks, credit cards, brokerages, and more. This allows you to keep all your financial records in sync.Is there a free trial available for CountAbout?
Yes, CountAbout offers a free trial. You can try the Premium Plan for 15 days (or 45 days as per some sources) without any financial commitment. During the trial, you can perform many functions, although some features like setting up recurring transactions or creating reports may be limited.How secure is CountAbout?
CountAbout provides multi-factor authentication to enhance security. It also ensures a clean, ad-free experience and does not sell your data.Can I customize the user interface and budgeting categories in CountAbout?
Yes, CountAbout allows you to customize nearly every aspect of the application, including the user interface, budgeting categories, and more. This ensures a personalized experience tailored to your needs. By addressing these questions, you can get a comprehensive view of what CountAbout offers and how it can help you manage your finances effectively.
CountAbout - Conclusion and Recommendation
Final Assessment of CountAbout
CountAbout is a versatile and user-friendly online personal budgeting and small business accounting application that offers a wide range of features to help individuals and businesses manage their finances effectively.Key Features
- Account Syncing: CountAbout can automatically sync data from over 12,500 financial institutions, including bank accounts, credit cards, retirement accounts, and investment balances.
- Import Capabilities: It allows users to import historical data from Quicken and Mint, making it easy to transition from other financial management tools.
- Customization: Users can customize their dashboard, budgeting categories, and reports to suit their needs. The platform is ad-free and provides a clean interface.
- Budgeting Tools: It includes features like account reconciliation, recurring transactions, budgeting tools, and custom reports. Users can also track bills, split transactions, and attach receipts.
- Mobile App: CountAbout has mobile apps for both iOS and Android, ensuring accessibility on various devices.
- Customer Support: The service offers dedicated customer support through email and, if necessary, phone support to help users resolve any issues promptly.
Who Would Benefit Most
CountAbout is particularly beneficial for:- Individuals: Those looking for an easy-to-use budgeting tool to manage personal finances, track spending, and plan for the future. It’s ideal for anyone who wants to sync all their financial accounts in one place and create customizable budgets and reports.
- Small Business Owners: Freelancers and small business owners can use CountAbout to integrate their accounting software, automate transaction imports, and manage business expenses efficiently. The invoicing feature, though an additional cost, can save significant time.
Pricing
CountAbout offers two plans:- Basic Plan: $9.99/year, which allows manual transaction entry and some basic features.
- Premium Plan: $39.99/year, which includes automatic transaction download and import from financial institutions, as well as additional features like investment tracking and more comprehensive reporting.
Overall Recommendation
CountAbout is a solid choice for anyone seeking an affordable, easy-to-use, and feature-rich budgeting and financial management tool. Here are some key points to consider:- Ease of Use: The platform is user-friendly and does not require extensive technical knowledge to set up and use.
- Customization: The ability to customize the dashboard and reports makes it highly adaptable to individual needs.
- Cost-Effective: With pricing starting at $9.99/year, it is an affordable option for personal and small business finance management.