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Quicken 2016 Canadian Edition Review

Quicken has come out with a new version of Quicken (Quicken 2016), which has many great new features. I’d love to be able to write that, but there is no way I can. As usual the 2016 version (in Canada) is similar to Quicken 2015 in its complete lack of new features (in the Canadian edition).

If you look at the US Edition and all of its fantastic new features (including a version that runs on the Mac!) you’d think things are going great, however in the Canadian edition, you get:

  • Nothing new. Some bug fixes, but no new functionality (that I can see).
quicken 2016 review
Quicken 2016

If you look closely at the “About” entry in the “Quicken 2016” that I paid about $100 for, you see:

Release R 2 (25.2.8)
Canadian Edition
© 2015 Intuit Canada ULC

Excuse me? It is not even copyrighted for this year? Suggests to me, this is a simple bug fix release, and not even a “new” version. When I downloaded it (however), the name given was:

Quicken Home & Business 2016 – Download

In fact, Intuit Canada, seems to have nothing to do with Quicken Canadian edition, you have to go to the Quicken.com/Canada web site to find information out about it.

Why did I buy this? My Quicken 2015 wouldn’t actually work anymore, so I figured I’d try the new version and that does seem to have fixed my issues, except I still can’t download investment information without it crashing. If you read the Quicken web site, you can see they are encouraging folks to keep upgrading your system:

In an ongoing effort to provide reliable high-quality products and services, Intuit periodically retires (also known as “sunsets or discontinues”) older versions of Quicken, thereby discontinuing online services and live technical phone and email support for these versions….. Sunsetting older versions of Quicken allows us to focus resources on enhancing our products and providing support for more current versions, which are used by the vast majority of Quicken customers.

Review of Quicken 2016 Canadian Edition

If your Quicken 2015 (Canadian Edition) is working just fine, then give Quicken 2016 a pass. Maybe something better will show up next year? Note there is no link to where you can buy this product. I do not suggest you buy it, wait and see what Quicken will do about this product.

I will continue to use the software, but that is because I have no other option. I am doing this even though I am mostly running in a Mac environment.

Final Note

There is a new version Quicken 2017 that seems to be heading in the right direction, and you should try that one out.

Feel Free to Comment

  1. I’ve been running Quicken Cash Manager 2016 (Canadian version) since 2018. The laptop I have it installed on is running slowly, so I purchased a new laptop. In preparation for the new laptop, I have found located my Quicken 2013 installation file, but unfortunately I cannot find the upgrade installation file to 2016. Quicken the company wants me to buy into their yearly subscription. I don’t want to, because 2016 does what I need it to do, unfortunately, I feel I’m stuck. Any ideas for anybody would be helpful.

  2. I am currently using Quicken Cash Manager version R7 build 25,1,7.9 on Lenovo PC running windows 7. As everyone knows windows 7 support will be with drawn in Jan 2020. My PC repair service rep tells me that i should look to replacing my PC with a newer model released with Windows 10 and transfer my files. My concern is with Quicken Cash Manager 2016. When I purchased it back in 2016 I downloaded the software from Intuit. The download version was shows a version 25.1.1.5. . My question is can I install my older download version and upgrade it to the latest version R7 Build 25.1.7.9 when Quicken abandoned the product. I dont want to go to the subscription product as i dont want all the functionality. If I can install it again and upgrade it do I need to have a product key and where would I find it.

      1. Thanks. I have decided to upgrade my PC hard drive and then upgrade to windows 10. I only use my PC for applications that aren’t available on Mac such as Turbo Tax and Cash Manager. I hope to be able to run everything on my Mac some day soon.

  3. Jennifer, I can answer your question quite concisely having tried dozens of financial softwares over the years and working as a developer. Suprisingly, there are no other options for Quicken. If there were, I would have moved along time ago. They all look good .. until you get into the weeds. If you just want a rudimentary tracking capability with limited functionality, then perhaps. i.e. Mint But most of us need more than that. Much more than that. Tax tracking, ROC, capital gains reports, bank account downloads, etc. As for developing something in Excel or other, there is lots that can be done, but still it will be limited in functionality. You can easily get quotes, getting banking info is a bit trickier. Excel really is NOT a good choice for something like this that keeps historical data. This is what database programs are for.

  4. As a result of Quicken reversing its decision to make your data read-only when any subscription expires, instead, they will now hijack about 25% of your screen real-estate for advertising. Quicken has determined that this is the price to pay if you let your subscription expire!

    This is one of the things that has come to light as more and more users that chose to let the subscription expire are seeing. If you dislike this business decision, you can add your VOTE to “Quicken Inc should eliminate or at least minimize the LARGE Advertising space used when a subscription expires” here:
    https://getsatisfaction.com/quickencommunity/topics/qwin-2017-ca-qwin-qmac-2018-quicken-inc-should-eliminate-or-at-least-minimize-the-large-advertising-space-used-when

    First, click on the link above to go there, then click VOTE at the top of THAT page, so your vote will count.

    Your VOTES matter!

    You may also want to contact Quicken Support to express your concerns at
    https://www.quicken.com/contact-support

  5. Hello, anyone have a copy of Canadian Quicken 2016 Home and Business install media they can offer or sell? Currently on Quicken 2015 Home and Business (recently expired for transaction downloads).

    I am looking to hold out the remaining few months and see if the subscription model pricing changes, or i get around to migrating to an alternative.

    Much Thanks,

  6. Hey folks, Intuit sold the Quicken product to H.I.G. Capital located in Miami, back in 2015/2016. This is likely why Quicken Canada is now the poor relative, getting only minimal attention. Hopefully they will support us Canadians better with the 2018 version.

  7. wait and see what Quicken will do about this product…

    Quicken has now moved to an annual subscription model in Canada starting in 2017. (They’ve also confirmed that they’ll move to this model in the US, probably with the 2018 edition.)

    While people are objecting to what’s an obvious cash grab, paying as much for one year as they used to pay every three years, there’s even more disturbing news buried in Quicken’s FAQ, https://www.quicken.com/support/quicken-canada-order-questions

    “What happens to the program when access to Quicken Connected Services ends?
    You’ll no longer have access to connected services, like the ability to download banking transactions or investment quotes, mobile access, or premium care. While you can continue to access your data and run reports, you’ll no longer be able to download transactions, OR ADD MANUAL TRANSACTIONS.”

    The last part that I capped is new. Previously customers could continue to use the product indefinitely by doing manual transactions. Now their use of the product is being held for ransom. This change is already drawing negative attention in various user communities, including Quicken’s own support community:

    • Quicken, https://getsatisfaction.com/quickencommunity/topics/quicken-inc-should-reverse-its-decision-to-change-to-a-subscription-that-makes-the-users-data-read-only-if-they

    • Financial Wisdom Forum, http://www.financialwisdomforum.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=119927

    • Bogleheads.org, https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=210143

    • Canadian Money Forum, http://canadianmoneyforum.com/showthread.php/108313-Quicken-2017-and-their-new-subscription-model-avoid-or-proceed-with-caution

    So it seems if you’re using Q2015, keep on using it until at least 2018 when transaction downloads and stock quotes stop working. Use this notice period to look for alternatives or resign yourself to do manual updates indefinitely. Avoid upgrading to Q2017 because in 2018 it will stop working to add transactions manually. Worse, you may not be able to use your Q2017 data files with earlier releases because there’s a file conversion process with each new version that’s not usually backwards compatible.

    Do not resign yourself to letting your data files be held hostage to Quicken. Express your concerns at the forums linked above, especially the Quicken Support Community that is monitored by Quicken staffers.

  8. Frankly, we should all come together and start a class action lawsuit against Intuit so it could not anymore just update the year on the package and give the impression that their app has been reworked.

  9. Hi all,

    Fellow Canadian that’s pretty much in the same boat as everyone else on here.

    For those of you who have or will switch to Excel.. are you saying you’ll develop your own, or are there some kind of plugins / scripts / functions that give a head start in setting up Excel as a Personal Finance tool?

  10. I have used quicken Canadian version to track/manage investments for years….also for downloading bank accounts and credit cards. Get frustrated ever ytime they force me to buy a new version which never seem to include any improvements that I could/would use or they cut me off from downloads. Plus now I can’t seem to find in stores and I prefer to have the cd than downloading. Do you know of any other software for investment mgmt. How hard is it to develop one’s own system and reports in excel.. Guess I would lose the history in reports.

    1. Depends on if you are running on a PC or a Mac. If you are on a Mac, you have no options other than GNUCash, maybe Mint or Quickbooks? On a PC, plenty of choices, but at the end of it all, there is Excel, which all banks seem to support (CSV format, comma separated format).

  11. looking for advice from old timer Quicken users (Canadian)
    my use of the sortware is VERY basic.
    However, data dates from the last century on.
    I have to upgrade my Mac ..
    Sure enough Sierra on the new Macpro does NOT recognise my old Quicken … 2006 !
    Don’t laugh. Has worked for me. Still works but other software does not hence my need to change machine.
    Told 2016 version “might” transfer my data (ony on-computer accounts and reports and categories .. nothing going on coming on-line to banks etc.
    Solution ?

  12. Greetings BCM

    I used to be a hard core Quicken junkie (at least 20 years, maybe more…my memory is not what it used to be).

    A couple of years ago I switched to Excel and have not looked back. No more “sunset” versions, no more unexplained bugs and more resources to help me when I get stuck.

    I wish I had done this 20 years ago!

    1. I think you are right, and Excel allows you to create a Myriad of reports and graphs. I suspect I am going to end up doing the following:

      1) Snapshot my current financial status
      2) Start on Excel
      3) Store the working S/S on Google Drive, OneDrive, iCloud or something similar

      This allows me to work wherever I want, whenever I want.

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