NO mention of Quicken 8.0 anywhere on the site
I recently launched Quicken Classic for Mac, and was shown an upgrade dialog - indicating that version 8.0 is now available. However, there is ZERO indication of such a version listed on the Release Notes page:
Shouldn't the support site for Quicken know what version is the latest release? It feels like there may be a security compromise, if I'm being offer a software download which the Quicken company doesn't seem to know about.
ALSO: When asking your virtual assistant for more details (since I was unable to reach a support agent), it actively misleads users into believing this version is much older and obsolete. Specifically, it indicates "Quicken Classic version 8.0 is an older version of the software, released many years ago." … and: "Quicken support primarily focuses on the latest versions of the software. Versions like Quicken 2021, 2022, 2023, etc., are the ones you will find ample information about"
When asking customers to trust Quicken with our critical personal financial data, we need to be able to believe that all details regarding that software are verified and secure. Having so many mistakes from Quicken, makes me question whether I wish to continue to trust this company with such data.
I'd like to see the team chastised for making a software update available with ZERO supporting documentation regarding it. A software release should never make it out the door, without all associated details (e.g. version history logs, support pages, etc.) being updated prior to such an update.
In addition, I would like to ask that the virtual assistant be completely disabled and/or reworked to no longer give actively INCORRECT information, making users question the ability of the company to ensure their data is protected.
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8.0 is on the web page that you gave the URL for. It isn't uncommon for the release to get out to people before the release notes page is updated.
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You might have gotten a better answer if you had asked the chat bot about "Quicken Classic for Mac 8.0" rather than just Quicken Classic 8.0 - the answer you got would have been appropriate for the Windows/DOS version of Quicken since v8 of that was released back in the 90's.
On the other hand, maybe not. When I asked the bot to tell me about the new features in Quicken Classic for Mac 8.0, it asked me to clarify the question. I went through a few iterations of that, using the specific language it told me to ask, and I just kept getting different variations on that answer.
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@CyborgOne There is indeed an announcement of the release of Quicken Mac 8.0 here in the community forum:
The update notice you received was inside the Quicken program, so you shouldn't need to question whether it is legitimate, as you would rightly do if you had just done a Google search. If you have any doubts about some possible malware, you can dismiss the dialog box, then in Quicken pull down the Quicken menu to Check for Updates. The information in the new release pop-up dialog box is typically the same information which is in the Release Notes.
The Release Notes web page typically lags a few days behind — I think because when they do a staged release of a new version, they wait a day or two to confirm there are no major problems which pop up. But I see the 8.0 release notes are now on the Release Notes page:
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As for the "virtual assistant", I think almost every company is experimenting with AI software, with varying degrees of success. If you look at the Quick Assist tool you tried, it states: "Powered by ChatGPT. Quicken Inc. is not responsible for the content of this answer." I think expecting an AI tool to be up-to-date with information about a new software release which is only a day or two old is likely to have unpredictable or incorrect results. The longer a release is out, the more likely an AI engine will be able to provide more accurate information. I don't know if there's anything Quicken can do to improve this, because it's not under their control.
I tried typing your question directly into ChatGPT…
Your Question (with one word changed): "Why do i see zero information about Quicken Classic version 8.0 anywhere on the Quicken support page? Is this an actual product update, or a falsified release?" The reply was similar to the one you saw:
"It seems unusual to find "Quicken Classic version 8.0" mentioned, as Quicken’s official product naming and updates tend to be more consistent with the year-based versioning (like Quicken 2022, Quicken 2023, etc.) or the subscription-based offerings like Quicken Deluxe, Premier, and so on.
There could be a couple of possibilities for why you're not seeing this on the official Quicken support page:
1. Non-Official Release or Alias: It's possible that "Quicken Classic 8.0" might refer to a user-created term or alias, not an official Quicken release. People sometimes informally use names like "Classic" to refer to older versions of the software (e.g., versions prior to Quicken's shift to subscription-based models). It could also be a misnomer.
2. Incorrect or Misleading Information: There may be a possibility that the information you're seeing is from an unofficial or misleading source, so it's always a good idea to double-check with Quicken's official channels like their customer support or website for any updates or releases.
3. Outdated Version: If this is an old release from years ago (perhaps from the mid-2000s), it might have been discontinued or phased out over time, which is why it's not prominently listed anymore. Quicken has undergone significant changes, especially since they moved to subscription-based services after Quicken 2017."
Since your question didn't mention Mac, I also tried asking ChatGPT a more straightforward question: "Has Quicken released version 8.0 of Quicken Classic for Mac?". The response was similar, and wrong…
No, Quicken has not released a version 8.0 of "Quicken Classic" for Mac. Quicken's official releases for Mac have followed a different naming convention, usually tied to the year of release (e.g., Quicken 2022 for Mac, Quicken 2023 for Mac), and the term "Classic" has not been used for any recent Quicken versions, especially in the context of version numbers.
Here's what we do know about Quicken for Mac:
1. Quicken for Mac has seen multiple updates since its reworked 2017 version, but it uses a year-based naming system, and the most recent version as of 2023 would be Quicken 2023 for Mac.
2. Quicken Classic could refer to older versions of Quicken for Mac (pre-2017), when Quicken used a more traditional, standalone version model, but those have long since been replaced with the subscription-based versions Quicken offers today.
3. Quicken for Mac version 8.x is not an official release number within the current product line, and if you're seeing "Quicken Classic 8.0" mentioned somewhere, it could either be a misunderstanding, a reference to an old version (possibly even pre-2010), or something from an unofficial source.
If you're still seeing references to a "Quicken Classic 8.0" version and you're concerned it might be a legitimate update, I'd recommend contacting Quicken's official customer support directly to verify this. It's always safest to download updates and software directly from Quicken's official website or app stores to avoid running into potential issues with fake or misleading versions.
Would you like more help finding details on the most recent version of Quicken for Mac?
Well, point #1 is wrong, point #2 is wrong, and point #3 is wrong. At least it gave a good suggestion to contact Quicken Support to verify the update. And since it asked if I wanted more information about the ltest version I decided to pursue it. so I followed up with this question: "Yes, can you provide information about the most recent version of Quicken for Mac". ChatGPT's reply indicated it still didn't know about the 8.0 release, and had a lot of other out-of-date and incorrect information:
Certainly! As of January 2025, the most recent version of Quicken for Mac is Quicken 2024 for Mac. Here’s some key information about this version and the features that are typically included:
Quicken hasn't used the product year numbering scheme for four years now, so this is a pretty incorrect answer.
Quicken for Mac has undergone significant improvements over the years, particularly since Quicken shifted to a subscription model in 2017. The 2024 version continues this trend, offering a streamlined experience with updated features, bug fixes, and enhancements.
Okay, that's mostly accurate. It went on to list "Key Features of Quicken 2024 for Mac", some of which ws generic and reasonably accurate, and some of which was pretty flawed. Such as…
Cash Flow & Budgeting:
1. The cash flow forecasting feature has been enhanced, helping users see upcoming income and expenses.
2. The budgeting tool continues to evolve, with more detailed and flexible budgeting options for tracking various financial goals.
Ummm, no. There haven't been any changes to Quicken Mac budgeting for a number of years. Some major feature requests have been promised for the year ahead.
Investment Tracking:
1. Quicken 2024 offers advanced investment tracking tools, including real-time price tracking, detailed performance reports, and tax-related calculations, making it easier to manage your investments and portfolio.
Mostly correct, although Quicken's investment price quotes are not, and have never been, "real-time".
Improved Reports & Graphs:
1. The reporting features in Quicken have been overhauled, allowing for better customization and more detailed reports, including investment performance reports, cash flow reports, and tax-related reports.
I don't know when in the past it might be comparing to, but reports in Quicken Mac have not been "overhauled" in recent years. And there are no investment performance reports (although you can get such information on the Portfolio screen).
Mobile App Sync:
Quicken 2024 syncs seamlessly with the Quicken mobile app…
Well, the company wants you to believe that, but the reality is that it's far from seamless and can be error-prone.
Compatibility: macOS Version Requirements: Quicken 2024 for Mac typically requires macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or later.
"Typically requires"? It either does or doesn't require as specific macOS. And Catalina hasn't been supported since version 7.4 back in 2023.
How to Get Quicken 2024 for Mac: You can download or purchase Quicken 2024 directly from Quicken’s official website. Alternatively, Quicken is available through popular app stores such as the Mac App Store, where you can install it directly on your Mac and manage your subscription.
Nope, this is way out of date; Quicken Mac hasn't been available on the Mac App Store for many years.
What I'm trying to illustrate is that AI tools can be very useful in some cases, and can also be flat-out wrong in others. I had previously tried the Quicken Quick Assist AI tool for a couple tricky questions and found it gave surprisingly good answers in some cases and incorrect answers in others. Quicken could remove the tool, but it likely is helpful to some users with some questions. I don't think these type of tools are going away, and they'll get better over time. But they likely won't ever be great with "breaking news", like a just-released update.
Quicken Mac Subscription • Quicken user since 19931 -
Great insights; thanks very much, all. I'm glad that the documentation has finally caught up with the actual release details, so everything is (once again) in sync.
My point about the lack of any mention of a Mac version 8.0 on the support page(s) - i.e. release notes, version history, automated responses, etc. - even after such an update was made generally available, was: Having such documentation follow the actual release after some indeterminate amount of time, is a incredibly poor practice to be followed. If anything, the reverse order would be better: Document what's coming up in the new release early, so that when users see that it is actually available to them, they have some context regarding what to expect. I'm glad to hear that a Community announcement regarding this release was made available (thx for the pointer!), but that simply further highlights the inexplicable issue of why the official release notes page wasn't also updated to contain this same information, at the same time.
And, agreed: While some AI-generated content certainly can be helpful in some cases, most experiences I've had, leave a lot to be desired. The caveat which the support site provides regarding "Powered by ChatGPT. Quicken Inc. is not responsible for the content of this answer." is far too much of a cop-out, IMHO: If such details were found on the open web, fine; but when the Quicken support page itself offers to provide such answers to users, but Quicken then says they are not responsible for those answers, then … why use it in the first place? Can such information ever be trusted to be correct? "Hey, we want to offload our support needs to a bot to save money, but are NOT going to actually verify that the answers it provides are actually useful or trustworthy for anyone. Caveat Utilitor!"
In talking to Quicken Support staff directly about this, they provided yet another caveat that most such details are in regard to the Windows release, as it's more popular. So, the key takeaway is that it seems that Mac users should just fully expect to be treated as second-class citizens, as usual. Ok, great; got it… :-/
</rant>
Anyway, jacobs once again wins the award for going above and beyond, with the incredibly-thorough response and additional verification, related testing, and supplemental info. My concerns with Quicken support notwithstanding, I did want to say "thanks" to ALL the great users here in the community for being willing to investigate further, and help provide the additional insights.
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@CyborgOne One quick additional comment…
You suggested, sarcastically, that Quicken could have a disclaimer that “we want to offload our support needs to a bot to save money, but are NOT going to actually verify that the answers it provides are actually useful or trustworthy for anyone.”
My comment is that they added this tool without decreasing their other existing forms of support. They did not withdraw or shorten the hours of their phone and chat support. Whatever they are paying ChatGPT for this service is an added cost, not a cost savings; it’s an attempt to offer users another source of support information.
Whether it is a useful source of information is a legitimate question. I don’t know what metrics and insight they get from ChatGPT about how often it’s used and how well it is answering user questions. If their phone support people get a lot of calls from people who have tried the virtual assistant and gotten incomplete or inaccurate information, I would hope they are monitoring such comments to their human support agents in order to decide whether the virtual assistant is worth keeping or not.
As for Mac users being treated as second-class citizens, with regard to this chatbot, I’ll disagree. Is it any worse than doing a search on the Community Forum website? Or a general Google search? I don’t think so. I use Google searches a lot, and I’ve found that when I include “Mac” in my searches, I get mostly search results about Quicken Mac. I’ve seen about the same In my limited testing of ChatGPT. As is often the case with search tools, carefully phrasing the search helps achieve better results.
But I don’t see how Quicken is shortchanging Mac users with regard to the virtual assistant. If Quicken had built its own AI tool, and controlled exactly what information it did and didn’t ingest, I might agree. But ChatGPT has scoured the web for information, and since there are more Quicken Windows users than Quicken Mac users, it seems logical there is simply more on the Internet about Quicken Windows. And it may turn out that because these different products don’t have different enough names, that ChatGPT doesn’t provide accurate enough information.
Quicken Mac Subscription • Quicken user since 19930
