Spot a suspicious charge the day it posts
Connect your bank read-only and BudgeFlow texts you when a charge looks unusual: far larger than normal, charged twice, or from a merchant you have never paid. Then you check it with your bank.
The patterns that usually mean something is wrong
Each alert comes with the merchant and the amount, so you can tell at a glance whether it was you.
An unusually large charge
A charge far above what this merchant normally takes from you. The pattern behind both a mistake and a card you did not use.
A double charge
The same merchant charging the same amount twice close together, which is usually a genuine double charge worth disputing.
A merchant you have never paid
The first time a merchant appears on your account, so an unfamiliar name does not slip past in a long list.
A bank fee
Every fee your bank charges you, so you see it the day it happens rather than at the end of the month.
A subscription price change
A subscription you already pay for that renewed at a different price.
A low balance
An account dropping below the figure you set, while you can still act before an overdraft.
What this does not do
Worth knowing before you rely on it.
- It does not block or freeze anything. BudgeFlow cannot decline a payment or lock a card. That is your bank's job.
- It is not instant. Alerts follow your bank's own reporting, so there can be a delay between the purchase and the alert. Keep your bank's card alerts on for the fastest warning.
- It cannot tell fraud from a legitimate charge. It flags what is unusual for you. You decide whether it was you.
- It cannot move money. The connection is read-only, and BudgeFlow never sees your bank password.
Five steps, about five minutes
Most of the time is signing in with your bank.
Step 1: Be on Pro or Max
Bank connections are part of Pro and Max. Upgrade from Settings, then Billing, if you are on Basic.
Step 2: Connect your bank
Open Settings, then Bank, and choose Connect a bank. You sign in with your bank through Plaid. The connection is read-only.
Step 3: Turn on alerts
On the Alerts tab, switch on text alerts, pick SMS or WhatsApp, and confirm your phone number. Your consent is recorded with it. Skip this step to see alerts in the app only.
Step 4: Choose what you hear about
Mute any alert you do not want, set a daily limit, and choose quiet hours. New alert types are on by default, so mute the ones that are noise for you.
Step 5: Act through your bank
When an alert looks wrong, check it with your bank straight away. Lock the card or dispute the charge there.
Text alerts are opt-in and can be switched off or muted at any time.
Questions people ask
Know about it the day it posts
Connect your bank, turn on alerts, and let BudgeFlow point out the charges worth a second look.