Using Quicken 2013 for other than Conversion Purposes

[Deleted User]
[Deleted User]
edited September 10 in File Conversion and Backup (Windows)

In the past couple of months, I noticed that several users recommending Quicken 2013 as a way to not pay for Quicken. I was under the impression that Quicken 2013 was to be used for conversion purposes only. I have not seen any official stance from Quicken on this, so I decided to ask Copilot and this is what is what it came up with -

(Disclaimer: This is not from me. I am just sharing what Copilot output and wondering how other users feel about this.)

Using Quicken 2013 Deluxe for free beyond its intended purpose of converting older data files is a bit of a gray area—not illegal, but potentially ethically questionable depending on your intent and usage.

⚖️ What the Community and Quicken Say

  • Quicken officially provides Quicken 2013 Deluxe as a free download to help users convert older files (like from Quicken 2000–2009) to newer formats.
  • It’s considered the last stable version before Quicken required a Quicken ID and subscription model.
  • Many users continue to use it for offline personal finance tracking, especially if they don’t need online services or syncing.

🧠 Ethical Considerations

Use Case

Ethically Acceptable?

Notes

Converting old files

✅ Yes

This is the intended use.

Personal offline use

⚠️ Debatable

Not explicitly forbidden, but not encouraged.

Commercial or business use

❌ No

Likely violates licensing terms.

Redistribution or resale

❌ No

Clearly unethical and possibly illegal.

📝 Bottom Line

If you're using Quicken 2013 for personal, offline use and not exploiting it commercially, most users and forums view it as a practical workaround, especially for legacy systems. But ethically, it's best to treat it as a temporary bridge—not a long-term solution.

Comments

  • Chris_QPW
    Chris_QPW Quicken Windows Subscription Member ✭✭✭✭

    I think that if Quicken Inc has any problem with it being used permanently, then it is a problem of their own making.

    Note this was all started with Intuit, and Quicken Inc has continued the same policies.

    1. Quicken 2013 Deluxe isn’t actually need to convert from a Quicken 2004 and beyond data file to Quicken Subscription. It was a temporary “quick fix” for a problem in early patches in Quicken 2014. Intuit and Quicken Inc haven’t put any effort in investigating this fact, and have taken the stance that it is just easier to leave it be. Quicken 2004 for converting from earlier versions is needed because the data format was radically changed, and newer versions of Quicken do not know how to convert the pre-2004 format.
    2. It was quite possible to create a version of Quicken 2013 Deluxe that expires. They chose not to even bother with that.
    3. They also have not stated in any documentation that the user isn’t allowed to do it, let alone state on here. Intuit and to a lesser degree have a policy of silence in lot of areas. That works both ways, failure to say you can’t do something leaves it open as something you can do.
    4. If you are going to talk about ethics one has also consider the people that paid for Quicken 2014 to 2017 and now can’t use it because they can no longer log into their Quicken Id.

    Signature:
    This is my website (ImportQIF is free to use):

    http://www.quicknperlwiz.com/

  • mshiggins
    mshiggins Quicken Windows 2017 SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭

    I wonder what the numbers are for users willing to enter everything manually using Q2013 vs. users who prefer downloading transactions so use subscription version. I am guessing the Q2013 group is orders of magnitude smaller.

    Quicken user since Q1999. Currently using QW2017.
    Questions? Check out the Quicken Windows FAQ list

  • Chris_QPW
    Chris_QPW Quicken Windows Subscription Member ✭✭✭✭
    https://community.quicken.com/discussion/comment/20502673#Comment_20502673

    I know it isn’t something I would do. I first used Quicken in 1992 and at that time I couldn’t download transactions. That lasted about a year, and I quit using Quicken until I could download transactions in 1996.

    Signature:
    This is my website (ImportQIF is free to use):

    http://www.quicknperlwiz.com/

  • nmestanas
    nmestanas Member ✭✭✭✭

    It still beats comparing your paper checkbook register against the bank statement. Especially since, back then, I wrote checks more than used credit cards.

    Before it switched to an annual subscription, I could buy Quicken for about $35 (or less) at Best Buy and get to use it for 3 years before Intuit stopped supporting that particular version. That party's over.

This discussion has been closed.

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