Resources
A budget app that never links to your bank
Many people want to see where their money goes but do not want to hand an app the way into their bank accounts. Home Budget Analytics is built for them: it has no bank connection at all and works only from statement files you choose to upload. That choice has a cost, and it is better to see it plainly before you decide.
What you give up
The main thing you give up is live sync. New transactions do not appear by themselves overnight. To bring the app up to date, you download a statement from your bank and upload it, which takes a few minutes. If you like opening an app and seeing yesterday's coffee already categorized, that routine will feel like a step back.
You also do the downloading yourself, and the format your bank offers matters. CSV, OFX/QFX and CAMT.053 work for any bank, while PDF and Excel are read only for a few. The [formats overview](/bank-formats) shows what to expect.
What you keep
Because the app never talks to your bank, several things simply do not exist.
- No credentials. You never type a bank login, card number or PIN into the app, so there is nothing of that kind to leak from it.
- No standing access. There is no connection that stays open between the app and your accounts, and the app cannot move money or change anything at your bank.
- Control of what goes in. You decide which accounts, which months and which files are uploaded, and you can leave an account out entirely.
- Files that do not pile up. By default the original file is deleted right after a successful import and only the extracted transactions stay. If you want to keep originals, there is a setting for it.
- A page that says it plainly. The [security page](/security) lists what the app does and does not do, including what it does not claim.
The two mechanisms side by side
| Bank-linked app | Statement upload | |
|---|---|---|
| How data arrives | A connection to your bank, often through a third-party connection service, pulls transactions in. | You download a file from your bank and upload it. |
| How current it is | Can update daily without your involvement. | As current as your last upload. |
| What the app can see | Whatever the connection is authorized to read, for as long as it stays active. | Only the transactions in the files you give it. |
| Upkeep | Connections may need to be re-authorized from time to time. | Nothing to renew; you upload when you want an update. |
| Where it breaks | A bank that is not supported or a connection that fails. | A file format the app cannot read. |
Who should choose which
If you want real-time balances and alerts, a bank-linked app is the right tool, and nothing here argues otherwise. If you review your finances once a week or once a month, or you simply prefer that no outside service holds a link to your accounts, a statement-based approach gives you the same categories, budgets, subscription detection and savings goals without the standing connection.
A middle path is common: use your bank's own app for day-to-day balances, and Home Budget Analytics for the monthly picture.
Common questions
How often do I need to upload?
As often as you want fresh numbers. Many people upload monthly. Re-importing a file that overlaps an earlier one is safe, because duplicates are detected and skipped.
Does the app ever see my bank password?
No. It never asks for it and has no place to enter it. All it receives is the statement file you upload.
What stays in my account after the file is deleted?
The transactions extracted from the file, along with your categories, budgets and goals. Only the original statement file is removed by default. If you prefer to keep originals, turn that on in Settings.
If I stop using it, is there anything to disconnect?
No connection exists, so there is nothing to revoke at your bank. To have your account and data deleted, send a request through the contact form; there is no self-service delete button yet.
Track your money without opening a door to your bank
Upload a statement, review the categories and see the result - 14 days free, no card required.
Start your free trial