Customer Reviews (500)

Magabar • 2025-02-11T14:55:17-07:00

I like the app but it says 0% paid even though there were payments done. Please help. Thank you

dolarbill • 2024-10-31T15:37:26-07:00

i log into my account from 2 devices. send to cloud on primary device then try to receive on secondary device. WILL NOT WORK

Huskyhair • 2024-06-23T22:21:20-07:00

This app gives you detail when you will be debt free and how much interest you will be saving. It gives you optional pay off plans and the corresponding debt free dates and the interest saved. Seeing all the information, gets you motivated to be debt free! It gives you a debt report summary with all debts and payments to make. I recommend this app!

Summary of Key Insights

  • The "Debt Free - Pay Off your Debt" app receives a mixed reception. While many users find it helpful for organizing and tracking debt, a significant number report bugs, lack of updates, and poor customer support. The app's core functionality of calculating debt payoff strategies is appreciated, but its dated UI and unreliable syncing are major drawbacks. The overall sentiment is moderately positive, but the app's technical issues and lack of recent maintenance are concerning.
  • Key Strengths: Ease of use, clear visualization of debt, helpful for implementing debt snowball method.
  • Key Weaknesses: Bugs (syncing issues, incorrect calculations, crashing), outdated UI, poor customer support, lack of updates, inaccurate due date handling.
  • Overall Sentiment: Moderately Positive
  • Quantitative Metrics:
    • Overall Rating: Approximated at 4.1 stars based on review distribution.
    • Score Distribution: 1-star (9.8%), 2-star (6.8%), 3-star (8.4%), 4-star (15.2%), 5-star (59.8%)

Data & Methodology Overview

  • Data Sample Size: 500 reviews
  • Time Frame: Reviews span several years, with some dating back to the early 2010s and others being more recent. This makes some features mentioned as "missing" or "outdated" no longer relevant.
  • Analysis Methods: A combination of sentiment analysis (classifying reviews as positive, negative, or neutral), keyword extraction (identifying frequently mentioned terms and issues), and thematic analysis (grouping reviews based on recurring themes like bugs, features, and usability).

Key User Pain Points

  • Syncing Issues: Many users report problems syncing data between devices, rendering the cloud sync feature unreliable. This is a recurring and significant issue.
  • Inaccurate Calculations/Bugs: Several users have reported inaccurate calculations of interest, payment amounts, and payoff dates. Some mention the app crashing or freezing. Some users report the app doesn't accurately track payments made.
  • Outdated UI: A common complaint is the app's outdated user interface, with users describing it as clunky, basic, and visually unappealing.
  • Poor Customer Support: A significant number of users mention a lack of response from customer support when encountering issues or requesting help.
  • Due Date/Payment Tracking Problems: The app doesn't handle due dates and payment tracking accurately, especially for early payments or debts without minimum payments. The app often continues to plan payments for the current month even after a payment has been recorded.
  • Import/Export Issues: Some users report difficulty importing or exporting data.
  • Password Recovery Issues: Lack of a "forgot password" feature, coupled with unresponsive customer support, locks users out of their data.

Frequently Requested Features

  • Bi-weekly/Weekly Payment Options: Users want the ability to calculate payoff dates based on more frequent payment schedules than monthly.
  • Automatic Account Linking: Several users request the ability to automatically link to bank and credit card accounts for real-time balance updates.
  • Budgeting Features: Some users want integrated budgeting tools to help determine how much extra money is available for debt repayment.
  • Improved Reporting: Users desire more detailed and customizable reports, including historical debt data, total debt paid off over time, and individual debt reports.
  • Modernized UI: A significant number of users request a refreshed and more modern user interface.
  • Face ID/Touch ID Support: Users want biometric authentication for added security and convenience.
  • Ability to Manually Input Interest Charges: Users want to be able to manually input the interest charges rather than have the app calculate it.

Strengths and Positive Aspects

  • Ease of Use: Many users praise the app's simplicity and ease of use, particularly for beginners.
  • Debt Snowball Method Support: The app's support for the debt snowball method is a major draw for users following that strategy.
  • Clear Visualization: Users appreciate the app's visual representations of debt, such as progress bars and charts, which help them stay motivated.
  • Multiple Payoff Strategies: The app offers different payoff strategies (lowest balance, highest interest, etc.), allowing users to compare and choose the best approach.
  • Offline Functionality: Many users appreciate that the app does not require linking to bank accounts and works offline.
  • Motivational: Many users are motivated to pay down debt by seeing their progress.

Prioritized Action Recommendations

  • High Priority:

    • Fix Syncing Issues: Address the unreliable syncing feature to ensure data is consistently synchronized across devices.
    • Address Calculation Errors: Investigate and fix inaccurate calculations of interest, payment amounts, and payoff dates.
    • Improve Customer Support: Provide timely and helpful responses to user inquiries and bug reports. Implement a "forgot password" feature.
    • Update UI: Modernize the user interface to improve the app's visual appeal and usability.
    • Fix Payment Tracking: Ensure the app accurately tracks payments, especially early payments and debts without minimum payments.

  • Medium Priority:

    • Implement Bi-weekly/Weekly Payment Options: Add support for more frequent payment schedules.
    • Enhance Reporting: Provide more detailed and customizable reports.
    • Add Face ID/Touch ID Support: Implement biometric authentication.
    • Improve Due Date Handling: Ensure due dates and payments are accurately tracked and rolled over to the next month.

  • Low Priority:

    • Explore Optional Account Linking: Consider adding optional automatic account linking for users who desire real-time balance updates, while maintaining the option for manual entry.
    • Integrate Budgeting Features: Add basic budgeting tools to help users determine how much extra money is available for debt repayment.

Opportunities for Startup Ideas

  • Debt Management App with Robust Syncing and Customer Support: Focus on creating a debt management app with reliable syncing, responsive customer support, and accurate calculations.
  • Visually Appealing Debt Tracker: Develop a debt tracking app with a modern and engaging user interface.
  • Bi-weekly Payment Calculator App: Create a standalone app or feature within a larger financial app that specifically focuses on calculating debt payoff dates based on bi-weekly or weekly payments.
  • AI-Powered Debt Management Coach: Develop an app that uses AI to provide personalized debt management advice and strategies based on user data.

Trends and Observations

  • Recurring Bug Reports: The persistence of bug reports over several years suggests that the developers have not been actively maintaining the app.
  • Desire for Simplicity vs. Automation: While some users want automatic account linking, others appreciate the app's simplicity and manual data entry.
  • Emphasis on Motivation: Users repeatedly mention the app's motivational aspects, highlighting the importance of visual progress and clear goals.
  • Dated Technology: Mentions of compatibility with older iOS versions suggest the app's codebase may be outdated.

Conclusion

The "Debt Free - Pay Off your Debt" app has the potential to be a valuable tool for managing and eliminating debt. However, its technical issues, outdated UI, and poor customer support are significant drawbacks. Addressing these issues should be the top priority for the developers. If the developers are no longer actively maintaining the app, there is an opportunity for a new entrant to create a more reliable and user-friendly debt management solution. The app needs a major overhaul and significant bug fixes to remain competitive.

Original App Link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/debt-free-pay-off-your-debt/id407366192?uo=2