Switching Between Profiles
Balance makes it easy to switch between profiles so each person can view the budget from their own perspective. This guide shows you how to navigate between profiles.
How to Switch Profiles
Quick Switch
Step 1: Tap your profile icon
Tap your profile icon in the top left corner (shown in screenshot above).
Step 2: Profile selection modal opens
A modal opens showing all available profiles. You can see the current active profile (highlighted) and other profiles you can switch to.
Step 3: Select a profile
Tap the profile you want to switch to. The view instantly changes and the modal closes.
Takes 2 seconds!
What Changes When You Switch
Updates immediately:
- Profile name displayed (top of screen)
- Profile avatar shown
- “Viewing as [Name]” indication
Stays the same:
- All data (budget, transactions, categories)
- Everything is shared
What “Switching” Means
Shared Data
All profiles see the SAME:
- Budget categories and amounts
- All transactions
- Bank connections
- Historical data
- Progress tracking
Nothing is hidden between profiles.
Personal View
What’s different per profile:
- Who’s currently logged in/viewing
- Whose name shows at top
- Profile picture displayed
That’s it! It’s mainly for identification, not separation of data.
When to Switch Profiles
Each Person Uses Their Profile
Best practice:
- You use your profile
- Partner uses their profile
- Each person switches to themselves
Why:
- Clear accountability
- Track who made changes
- Personal ownership
Checking Partner’s View
Occasionally switch to see:
- How it looks from their perspective
- Verify they see same data
- Troubleshoot if they report issues
Single Device Shared
If sharing one device:
- Switch profiles before categorizing
- Each person uses their own view
- Switch back when done
Profile Selector
Accessing Profile List
Multiple ways to access:
Method 1: Tap profile icon
- Top left on dashboard (shown in screenshot above)
- Shows your current profile
- Tap to open modal with profile list
Method 2: Settings > Profiles
- Navigate to User Profile page (shown in screenshot)
- Tap “Manage Profiles” option
- Full profile management interface
- Can add/edit/delete profiles
Method 3: Profile page
- Navigate to Profile tab
- See current profile card at top
- Tap profile card to open selection modal
Profile List Display
Shows all profiles:
- Profile names
- Profile avatars
- Current profile highlighted
- Add Profile button (at bottom)
Tap any profile to switch instantly.
Current Profile Indicator
How to Know Which Profile You’re Using
Visual indicators:
1. Profile icon/avatar
- Top of screen
- Shows current profile’s picture
2. Profile name
- Displayed with avatar
- Your name or partner’s name
3. Settings page
- Shows “Active Profile: [Name]”
Always visible - you’ll know which profile is active.
Switching on Different Devices
Each Person, Own Device
Ideal setup:
- You on your phone → logged in as you
- Partner on their phone → logged in as them
- Both see same data
- No manual switching needed
Real-time sync between devices!
One Device, Multiple Users
Sharing one device:
- Person A switches to their profile
- Uses the app
- Switches back or logs out
- Person B switches to their profile
- Uses the app
Works, but less convenient than separate devices.
What Doesn’t Change
Shared Budget
All profiles share:
- Same income total
- Same expense categories
- Same budget amounts
- Same allocation percentage
Budget is household-wide, not per-person.
Shared Transactions
All transactions visible to all:
- Your transactions
- Partner’s transactions
- All bank transactions
- All manual entries
Complete transparency.
Shared Bank Connections
Connected accounts:
- Same accounts for everyone
- All profiles see all accounts
- No “my accounts” vs “their accounts”
Household accounts, not individual.
Personal vs. Shared Categories
Option: Personal Spending Categories
Some couples create:
- “Personal Spending - You”: $200
- “Personal Spending - Partner”: $200
Track separately but both see both categories.
Switching profiles doesn’t filter - both see both categories.
Option: Shared Categories Only
All categories shared:
- Groceries (both contribute)
- Rent (both pay)
- Dining Out (both use)
No distinction by person.
Best Practices
1. Each Person Uses Their Own Profile
You:
- Log in as yourself
- Categorize your transactions
- Make budget changes as yourself
Partner:
- Logs in as themselves
- Categorizes their transactions
- Makes changes as themselves
Why: Clear accountability and ownership.
2. Don’t Constantly Switch
Switching isn’t necessary for:
- Viewing budget (everyone sees same thing)
- Checking transactions (all visible)
- Monitoring progress (shared data)
Only switch to:
- Log in as correct person
- Verify partner’s view
- Troubleshoot issues
3. Use Separate Devices
Much easier:
- Each person on own phone
- No manual switching
- Always your profile
- Real-time sync
Invest in two devices if possible!
4. Communicate Changes
Even though everyone sees changes:
- Tell partner before big changes
- Discuss budget adjustments
- Coordinate major edits
Transparency + communication = harmony.
Troubleshooting
“Can’t switch profiles”
Check:
- Multiple profiles created?
- Tap profile icon opens modal?
- Internet connected?
- Try closing and reopening app
“Partner profile not showing”
Check:
- Profile was created and saved?
- Pull to refresh
- Close and reopen app
- Check in profile management
“Switched but looks the same”
This is normal!
- All data is shared
- Only profile name/avatar changes
- Budget looks identical
- That’s how it should work
“Changes I make show for partner?”
Yes!
- All changes sync instantly
- Both profiles see same data
- Real-time updates
- This is intentional
Next Steps
- Managing Profile Details - Edit profile information
- Understanding Primary Profile - Learn about account owner role
- Shared Budgeting for Couples - Budget together effectively
- Creating Multiple Profiles - Add more profiles
Questions? Contact our support team - we’re here to help!