How to update from Quicken for Mac 16.2.4 (2007) to OS Catalina

Question

I currently use Quicken for Mac 2007 (16.2.4) on OS Mojave. I would like to update to OS Catalina and need advice on how to successfully do this. I only use Quicken for a checking account and input manually. I don't need to download from any financial institutions, do budgets, or anything else. Thanks for the help!

jacobs · Accepted Answer

To run on Catalina, you will need to get the modern Quicken Mac. The easiest path for this is to buy a one-year subscription (which runs about $40 on Amazon typically). Quicken Mac (aka Quicken 2020) will import your Quicken 2007 data file. You will have somewhat of a learning curve for the new program and user interface, but for most people, the conversion is pretty straightforward.

After a year, you will have decision of either renewing your subscription or continuing to use Quicken without a subscription -- which you can do, for manual data entry, but you lose roughly the right 20% of your screen for an obnoxious renewal message Quicken has elected to display to anyone who doesn't renew; it's workable, just annoying.

Quicken Anja · Accepted Answer

EDIT: Sorry, I didn't see @jacobs response to you before posting my response. To answer your 2nd question though-- Yes, you will need to install and convert to the new program first before installing OS Catalina.

Hello @tkadell,

Thank you for reaching out to the Community with your question.

If you are using Quicken 2007-- please, do not upgrade your Mac OS to Catalina yet. Being that Quicken 2007 is an unsupported version and no longer releases any new update releases, and therefore, is not compatible with OS Catalina. Doing so will cause you to no longer be able to access your data file.

Please, click here for further information on this matter.
If you plan to run Catalina, you will need to upgrade to the latest Quicken 2020 program and convert your 2007 file to the new program.

Let me know if you have any questions!

-Quicken Anja

jacobs · Accepted Answer

Actually, @Quicken Anja, I disagree about needing to install and convert to Quicken Mac before installing Catalina. One can certainly upgrade to Quicken Catalina, then install Quicken Mac, and then have Quicken Mac import and convert your Quicken 2007 data file. You just won't be able to run Quicken 2007 once your Mac is running Catalina.

And that's probably why it would be desirable to install Quicken Mac while you're still on Mojave. That will allow you to run Quicken 2007 and Quicken Mac simultaneously, which is often helpful in comparing account balances and holdings, reports that don't get carried over in the migration, etc. Once you're sure your data is in good shape in Quicken Mac and you know what you're doing with it, and you're sure you're 100% done with Quicken 2007 forever, then do your upgrade to Catalina.

Quicken Anja · Accepted Answer

@jacobs Yes, I agree with you.

You can still convert the file even after installing Mac OS Catalina.

Just for clarification-- we just simply recommend installing the latest program beforehand. The reason being-- if anything were to go wrong during the first initial conversion process, that would then result in having to go back into Quicken 2007 to save a new backup file and then use that new backup file to start over and redo the conversion process.

Sorry, my mistake! I should have added that in my previous response.

-Quicken Anja

jacobs · Accepted Answer

Since you say you don't track investments or loans or use bill pay payment features, then Starter Edition likely meets your needs. BUT... with Starter Edition, you must renew your membership when it expires in order to continue using Quicken. With Quicken Deluxe, if you choose not to pay to continue your membership, you can continue using Quicken for manual entry, with the downside that Quicken grabs the right 20% of your screen for a permanent message about the benefits of renewing. With Starter Edition, you cannot enter anything into Quicken; you can only look up existing data.

So if you think you'll pay annually for an ongoing subscription, Starter Edition would probably meet your needs. If you think you might not pay annually, and could deal with the renewal message stealing some of your screen space, then spending a few extra dollars for Deluxe would be your choice. On Amazon currently, Deluxe costs $40 and Starter Edition costs $35, so I'd recommend spending the extra $5 for the added flexibility of Deluxe.

Quicken Anja · Accepted Answer

@tkadell, that would depend on your needs from Quicken. If you only track banking accounts such as checking, savings, credit cards, then Starter is fine. However, if you intend to track any loan accounts, assets, investments, budgets (12-month view), etc. then we'd recommend Deluxe or Premier.

On Quicken for Mac, the only difference between Deluxe and Premier is that you will be provided a different number to contact Quicken Phone Support that you call for Premium Support-- which means that by calling the Premium Support number (rather than the general Quicken Support phone number), it bumps you the front of the "wait-line" and will allow you to be served first. This is beneficial to Premier customers that do not want to wait on hold for long periods of time should we be experiencing high call volumes at the time you decide to contact Quicken Support. Additionally, if you intend to use Quicken Bill Manager, you will not be charged a monthly $9.95 fee in order to use the service.

Click here to view a detailed list of the differences in features for each subscription.

NOTE: You will need to scroll down on the page to view the features for each subscription type.

-Quicken Anja