Balance is built for couples to manage money together. Instead of separate accounts with limited visibility, Balance uses a shared credentials model: one account, one login, two profiles.
Is this sharing model right for us?
Balance is a fit when both of you want the same household plan and are comfortable sharing full access. Either partner can maintain the budget, and both can see what is happening.
Personal-spending categories can give each of you money to use without discussing every purchase. They are still visible to both partners. Profiles do not create private categories, hidden accounts, or separate partner logins. If you need those controls, choose a tool that provides them.
Decide together what you want to share before connecting accounts. Using a shared budgeting app does not require you to change who legally owns your bank accounts.
Build your first budget or check trial and subscription details .
How It Works
Both partners log in with the same email and password. There is no separate partner account, no invite link, and no second subscription. You share one Balance account and switch between profiles to indicate who’s doing what.
This means both partners have full access to:
- All connected bank accounts and transactions
- The shared budget and all categories
- All transaction history and categorization
Does my partner need their own account? No. Your partner uses your same login credentials and switches to their own profile. One account covers both of you.
Adding a Partner Profile
- Go to your profile settings
- Add a new profile
- Enter your partner’s name and choose an avatar
- Share your login credentials (email and password) with your partner
Your partner can now log in on their own device using the same credentials.
Switching Profiles
Tap your profile picture on the home page to open the profile switcher. Select which profile you want to act as. This is how Balance knows who is categorizing transactions.
Switch profiles whenever you hand off budgeting duties or when your partner sits down to categorize their own purchases.
Who Categorized What
Every transaction tracks which profile last categorized it. Both partners can see this information. This makes it easy to know who has been staying on top of things and to avoid duplicate work.
Tips
- Both profiles see the same data. There are no hidden accounts or private categories.
- Either profile can edit the budget, categorize transactions, and manage accounts.
- If you change your password, make sure your partner gets the updated credentials.
- For more on managing your profile and password, see Settings .