The actual quicken 2016 will not run on the ios operating system that an ipad uses. If you purchase and run it on a mac though you can share some of the information to an ipad using the quicken mobile app which comes free with the mac software. But it is in no way a complete program by itself.

Quicken / Intuit Invented more than 30 years ago when most people were still using pencil and paper to track their finances - Quicken is fighting to remain relevant in a world awash with free money-tracking smartphone apps, more than capable bank Web sites and financial overview Web sites like Mint.com. It's a bit of an anachronism - a software program that runs on desktop computers and costs $40 or more. But for people who really need to know where their money is - with more than one account - it's still the best game in town. Quicken is a Lamborghini in a world where most people are happy using a skateboard to monitor their money. Quicken is still important - and could be even more important depending on what's next. In other words - Quicken 2016 is a placeholder.

It's Quicken 2017 that will really matter. Quicken 2016 will be yet another update dedicated users of Quicken - of which there have been millions over its years - will appreciate for the behind-the-scenes bug fixes. Most Quicken users, typically people who monitor their money and investments like hawks - will likely get around to upgrading eventually.

But if you haven't tried Quicken before - there's nothing in the 2016 version to convince you to start now. The question is can Quicken be turned into software that is again a must-buy. It's doable, but requires the software to be reinvented as much as the PC itself - the device on which Quicken flourished - has. The diminishing role of Quicken is partly by design as the software became a tiny part of a giant financial software company, Intuit (INTU). Intuit, which turned into a multi-billion corporation on the success of Quicken, is giving up the fight trying to sell Quicken to consumers.

Intuit is shifting its focus to online financial services and tax preparation and has put Quicken up for sale. Intuit is betting on its Mint.com cloud-based service and apps - which are free to use - but make money in part by pitching credit cards and other services to users. A buyer for Quicken hasn't been announced yet. It's easy to write off Quicken as a dead product of a bygone age of desktop software. But that would be a mistake. Quicken stands at the crossroads of a new age of technology - where it could play a vital role.

While Quicken 2016 isn't exactly going to win over converts, it's what happens with the software next that matters. The product continues to fill a gap for investors and anyone interested in managing their own money to a great level of control - without hiring human help. For investors and savers looking for control over their finances that gives them the tools to be their own financial advisor - or at least educate themselves - Quicken even after years of neglect remains an unrivaled tool. Quicken still has the edge on its rivals in terms of: * Privacy and security. Unlike Web-based tools, all your financial information are stored on your own hard drive (not on the service providers'). That means you don't have to worry about the service getting hacked and your data being compromised - or if the service will just close one day leaving your data hostage. Most online services require you to share your usernames and passwords of your banks and brokerages - which is generally something that should cause you pause.

Mint.com has never been hacked and touts its security. But even major banks' Web sites have been compromised, so it's safe to think that security is a real concern. Some banks are starting to push back - seeing the greater security risks. Also, since you pay for Quicken, it's your software not a guised vehicle that pitches you products. Boot disk for mac os x download. * Power and control.