Getting Started with Balance
Here’s how to get up and running in about 10 minutes.
1. Create Your Account
- Download Balance from the App Store, Google Play, or use the web app
- Tap Sign Up and enter your email and password
- Check your inbox and click the verification link
- Your 30-day free trial starts immediately, no credit card required
2. Connect Your Bank
- Go to the Accounts tab and tap New
- Search for your bank by name
- Enter your online banking credentials (these go directly to Plaid, not to Balance)
- Complete any verification your bank requires (security questions, codes)
- Select which accounts to link (checking, savings, credit cards, loans)
- Transactions start syncing within a few minutes
Plaid is a secure financial data service used by thousands of apps. Balance never sees or stores your banking password. See Bank Accounts for more details.
3. Create Your Budget Categories
- Go to the Budget tab
- Add income categories first (salary, freelance, etc.)
- Add expense categories for your regular spending (rent, groceries, utilities, etc.)
- Set a monthly amount for each category
- Pick an icon for each category to make them easy to spot
Watch the allocation percentage at the top of your budget. It shows what percentage of your income is allocated to expenses. Under 100% means you have money left to allocate. Over 100% means you’re budgeting more than you earn. See Budgeting for details.
4. Categorize Your Transactions
Transactions from your bank will start appearing on the Transactions tab. To categorize them:
- Quick categorize: Tap the category icon on any transaction to assign a category without opening details
- Bulk categorize: Press and hold a transaction to enter selection mode, select multiple transactions, then assign one category to all of them
- Detailed view: Tap a transaction (not the icon) to open the full detail page
See Transactions for more on splitting, filtering, and transfers.
5. Add Your Partner
Balance uses a shared credentials model. Both partners log in with the same email and password, then switch between profiles. There is no separate partner account or invite.
To add your partner:
- Go to your profile settings
- Add a new profile with your partner’s name and avatar
- Share your login credentials with your partner
- Your partner logs in and taps the profile picture on the home page to switch to their profile
Both of you can view all accounts, categorize transactions, and edit the budget. Each transaction tracks which profile categorized it. See Sharing with Your Partner for more.
What’s Next
- Set up carry-over categories for irregular expenses
- Learn about transaction filters to stay organized
- Review your account settings to hide accounts you don’t need in your daily view
- Enable biometric login on your phone