Last verified: April 2026. Pricing and features may have changed since.
Steady vs Sorted — App vs Government Tool for NZ Finances
Sorted and Steady serve New Zealanders' financial wellbeing, but in fundamentally different ways. Sorted is a government-funded educational resource. Steady is a personal finance app that connects to your bank accounts. They're not really competitors — they're complementary.
Use Steady for…
- Daily money management with automatic bank sync
- AI-powered insights about your actual spending
- Tracking investments, KiwiSaver, and net worth
- Budgets, goals, and gamified motivation
Use Sorted for…
- Understanding financial concepts and education
- KiwiSaver fund comparison and selection
- Mortgage and retirement calculators
- Free, government-backed financial guidance
Feature-by-feature comparison
| Feature | Steady | Sorted |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Personal finance app | Educational website |
| NZ bank sync | Yes — via Akahu | No |
| Transaction tracking | Yes — automatic | No |
| Budget tracking | Yes | Budget planner (manual) |
| AI assistant | Yes | No |
| Financial calculators | Basic | Yes — comprehensive |
| KiwiSaver comparison | Balance tracking | Yes — fund finder tool |
| Mortgage calculators | No | Yes — detailed |
| Retirement planning | No | Yes — extensive |
| Investment tracking | Yes — real-time | No |
| Net worth tracking | Yes | No |
| Gamification | Yes — XP, gems, streaks | No |
| Educational content | AI-powered tips | Yes — guides, courses |
| Cost | Free / $12.99 NZD per month | Free (government-funded) |
| Run by | Steady (NZ startup) | Te Ara Ahunga Ora (CFFC) |
What is Sorted, exactly?
Sorted (sorted.org.nz) is run by Te Ara Ahunga Ora, formerly known as the Commission for Financial Capability (CFFC). It's a government-funded initiative to improve financial literacy across New Zealand. The website offers excellent calculators for mortgages, KiwiSaver, retirement, and budgeting, plus educational guides on topics from buying your first home to managing debt. It's completely free because it's funded by New Zealand taxpayers.
Education vs daily management
The fundamental difference is this: Sorted helps you learn about money. Steady helps you manage your actual money. Sorted's budget planner asks you to manually enter your income and expenses to create a plan. Steady connects to your bank accounts and automatically shows you where your money is actually going — no manual entry needed. You might use Sorted's mortgage calculator to understand what you can afford, then use Steady to track your saving progress towards that deposit.
Where Sorted excels
Sorted's calculators are genuinely excellent. Their KiwiSaver fund finder helps you compare providers and fees. Their retirement calculator models different scenarios based on your age, income, and savings rate. Their mortgage calculator factors in NZ-specific considerations. These tools are well-maintained, regularly updated, and trusted by financial advisers across the country. Steady doesn't try to replicate these — there's no point rebuilding what the government does well for free.
Where Steady adds value
Sorted can tell you that you should track your spending. Steady actually tracks it for you. By connecting to your NZ bank accounts, Steady automatically categorises transactions, detects recurring bills, monitors your investments and KiwiSaver balance, and calculates your net worth. The AI assistant can answer questions about your personal financial data in real time. Gamification with XP, gems, and streaks keeps you engaged with your finances beyond the initial setup.
Better together
We genuinely recommend using both. Start with Sorted to build your financial knowledge — understand KiwiSaver, learn about budgeting principles, use their calculators to set goals. Then use Steady as your daily finance companion to put that knowledge into practice with automatic tracking, AI insights, and the motivation to keep improving your financial habits. Education and action together are more powerful than either alone.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sorted NZ a budgeting app?
Sorted is not a budgeting app in the traditional sense. It's a financial education website run by Te Ara Ahunga Ora (the Commission for Financial Capability), funded by the New Zealand government. It offers calculators, guides, and tools to help New Zealanders understand their finances — but it doesn't connect to your bank accounts or track your actual spending.
Can I use Sorted and Steady together?
Absolutely — they complement each other well. Use Sorted's educational resources and calculators to learn about financial concepts like KiwiSaver, mortgages, and retirement planning. Then use Steady as your daily finance app to track spending, manage budgets, and get AI-powered insights based on your actual bank data.
Does Sorted connect to NZ bank accounts?
No. Sorted is a web-based educational platform with calculators and guides. It doesn't connect to bank accounts, sync transactions, or track your actual spending. For automatic bank sync and transaction tracking, you need a personal finance app like Steady, which connects to NZ banks via Akahu.
Is Sorted or Steady better for managing my money in NZ?
They serve different purposes. Sorted is better for financial education — understanding KiwiSaver options, learning about mortgages, and using calculators to plan ahead. Steady is better for daily money management — tracking your actual spending, budgeting, getting AI insights on your finances, and monitoring investments. Ideally, use both.
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