Licensing
Big Picture Money uses a perpetual license model. You buy the software once and keep it forever. Optional Connected Services add hosted features like Plaid bank sync and multi-device sync when that add-on ships.
What you get
| Promise | Detail |
|---|---|
| Buy once. Own it forever. | No subscription is required to keep using the software you purchased |
| License never expires | Your edition remains usable indefinitely |
| Updates for your edition year | Every purchase includes all updates released for that calendar year |
| Your data stays yours | Fully accessible regardless of upgrade or Connected Services subscription |
| Offline after activation | One-time online activation; no periodic license checks |
Big Picture Money (perpetual license)
Choose one of two purchase options on the pricing page:
| License | Price | Sharing |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | $49 one-time | Anonymous usage sharing and categorization contribution off until you opt in |
| Contributor License | $39 one-time (Save $10 as a Contributor) | Usage sharing, categorization contribution, and normalize samples stay on and cannot be turned off — still fully anonymous |
Both options:
- Work completely offline after activation
- Require no account to use the software
- Allow optional third-party services (such as SimpleFIN) connected directly by you
- Include a 60-day money-back guarantee (there is no time-limited trial)
See Purchase Big Picture Money, Contributor License and your data, Manage telemetry and privacy, and Crowd contribution privacy.
Connected Services (optional subscription — coming soon)
- $79/year optional add-on on top of your Big Picture Money license — not a separate software purchase
- Adds Big Picture-hosted services: managed bank sync (Plaid), encrypted cloud backup, multi-device sync, managed AI access, and the mobile companion
- No committed release date yet — features are planned; see pricing for current status
- Cancel any time: the desktop app and all local data continue to work without Connected Services
- Same 60-day money-back guarantee as the software license and future add-ons
Yearly edition upgrades
Optional upgrade to a newer yearly edition when you choose:
| Upgrade | Price |
|---|---|
| Standard | $35 |
| Contributor | $25 |
You may stay on your purchased edition forever. The in-app upgrade purchase experience is planned separately; until it ships, see Upgrade your license for current steps and prices.
Activation
After purchase you receive a license file (license.bp) by email (and installers on the checkout success page). Import the license in the app and complete an online activation for each data file you use. After that file is activated on this computer, later unlocks of the same file do not need another online license check.
With a Contributor License, About and license UI show Contributor License.
See Onboarding for how licensing fits the first-run sequence, and:
Connected Services subscribe steps will ship with that add-on; until then see pricing.
Devices
Each license supports up to 5 active devices. Manage activations on the website My Devices page. See Manage your devices.