How to move off Quicken and keep your data
If you are thinking about leaving Quicken, the biggest worry is usually your history: years of transactions you do not want to lose. The good news is you do not have to. Quicken can export your data to a QIF file, and TallyMint imports it. This guide walks through the move, step by step.
Before you start
A few things to know going in:
- Your existing Quicken file is not changed by exporting. You can keep Quicken installed while you try the move.
- TallyMint imports QIF (the format Quicken exports), as well as OFX/OFC and CSV.
- TallyMint is Windows-only and is a one-time $49.99 purchase with a 30-day free trial, so you can complete the whole migration during the trial before paying anything.
Step 1: Export your data from Quicken to QIF
In Quicken for Windows, use the export option to produce a QIF file (File menu, then the export or QIF export option, depending on your version). Export the accounts you want to bring over. Note that Quicken exports one account per QIF file, so export each account separately. QIF carries your transactions, including dates, payees, amounts, memos, check numbers, splits, and transfers. For the specifics of the export options, see the detailed QIF import guide.
Step 2: Install TallyMint and create your file
Download the TallyMint free trial and set it up with a master password. This password protects your data file, so choose something strong and memorable. At this point you have an empty TallyMint file ready to receive your history.
Step 3: Import the QIF
Use TallyMint's import to load your QIF file. Your transactions come in along with their splits and transfers. Each transaction's category is matched to your TallyMint categories where the names line up; anything without a match comes in uncategorized so you can sort it later. The import runs in seconds. If you want a closer look at how the mapping works, the detailed QIF import guide walks through it step by step.
Step 4: Connect your bank (optional) and set up recurring bills
Once your history is in, you can connect your accounts through SimpleFIN or OFX for ongoing sync, and enter your recurring bills and income. Setting up recurring items is what powers TallyMint's cash flow projection, so it is worth doing while you are getting set up.
Step 5: Sanity-check the numbers
Open each account and confirm the ending balance matches what Quicken showed. Spot-check a few months of transactions. Because you still have your original Quicken file, you can compare side by side until you are confident everything came across.
What changes, and what you gain
You trade an annual subscription for a one-time purchase, and your data moves from a vendor's ecosystem to a single file you own on your own PC. You keep a familiar transaction register, bank sync, budgets, and reports, and you gain a cash flow projection that shows your balance weeks ahead. The main tradeoff to be honest about: TallyMint is Windows-only today, so it is not the right move if you need Mac or web access.
Frequently asked questions
Will my splits and transfers come across?
Yes. TallyMint imports the splits on each transaction and the transfers between accounts. Where a transfer comes in as a one-sided entry, you can link it to its counterpart afterward.
Can I run Quicken and TallyMint at the same time during the trial?
Yes. Exporting a QIF does not change your Quicken file, so you can keep Quicken installed and running while you try TallyMint. The 30-day free trial is the full app, so you can complete the whole migration and compare the two side by side before you buy a license.
Do my investment accounts move over?
Yes. Investment accounts import from your QIF too. Buys, sells, reinvested dividends, and stock splits come across as cost-basis transactions that build each account's holdings, and TallyMint tracks brokerage and retirement accounts with market values, cost basis, and capital gains. Rows that QIF cannot describe in enough detail, such as cash transfers and share removals, are skipped and listed as warnings. See the investments guide for what you can do afterward.
What if I change my mind and want to go back to Quicken?
You can. TallyMint exports your entire file back to QIF (Settings, then Import / Export), including accounts, transactions, categories, and investment history, so the door swings both ways. There is no lock-in in either direction.