FAQ
Quick answers, with links to the full articles where there’s more to know. Tap a question to open it, or filter by topic.
FreeIs it really free?
Yes. Amppfy is free, and there are no ads in the apps or the web app. Disclosed partner offers in our articles on amppfy.com help pay for it. Your data is never sold, and nothing on a page ever changes your number.
FreeDo the iPhone and Android apps show ads?
No. The iPhone and Android apps and the web app are all ad-free. Disclosed partner offers in our articles on amppfy.com are what help keep Amppfy free, and they never change your number.
Manual entryDo I have to link my bank?
No. Amppfy runs on the balances you type in — about 30 seconds per account at the weekly check-in.
Manual entryIsn't manual entry a lot of work?
It's balances, not transactions. Most people update everything in under a minute during the ten-minute weekly check-in. You're not sorting every transaction — you're confirming four or five numbers.
Manual entryDoes Amppfy track my spending by category?
The Budget page reads the plan you already entered — income, bills, subscriptions and goals — and shows where the month's money goes and how much you've moved to goals, month by month. Enter them once; Budget does the arithmetic. See Budget.
Manual entryMy income is irregular. Does this still work?
Yes. Enter the paychecks you're reasonably sure about and leave out the ones you aren't — the number stays conservative on purpose. See Paydays and income schedules.
Manual entryWhere did Skip go in setup?
Setup has no Skip. Continue opens as soon as a step has what the number needs: an account, a payday, your bills before payday (or the No bills before payday box), and a cushion. The receipt strip at the top jumps you back to any step, and everything can be changed later. See Set up your household.
The numberHow is the number calculated?
Your cash today, minus bills due before your next payday, minus the savings your goals set aside, minus your safety cushion. The receipt sits under the number on Today, and the status scale says how much room is left. See How the number is calculated.
The numberWhy did my number change?
A payday passed, a balance was updated, a bill's turn came, or a goal was paused or resumed — every change traces to one of the four lines. See Why did my number change?
The numberWhat if the number comes back small — or negative?
Then it told you something true, days earlier than your bank would have. A tight number is not a verdict; it is a heads-up with time still attached. The status scale says how much room is left, Now to payday shows which bill causes the dip, and you can pause a goal or move a due date. See The status scale.
The numberWhat if I'm already carrying credit card debt?
Most people we talk to are, and Amppfy doesn't have an opinion about it. Add your minimum payments as bills and they get counted before the number appears — so what's left is genuinely spendable. See Add and manage bills.
The numberCan Amppfy cancel a subscription for me?
No, the provider does that. Cancel with them, then on the Subscriptions tab of Bills tap Cancel it (or answer Still using these? the same way). Its cost comes off your bills line and the money goes back into your Safe-to-Spend™ number. See Subscriptions and cancelling one.
The numberDoes the payday nudge move my money?
No. When a paycheck lands, a card on Today proposes an amount for each goal; you move it at your bank, then tap Move money now and Amppfy records the move. See The payday nudge and streaks.
The numberWhy is Everything else on Budget different from Safe-to-Spend™?
Everything else is a share of the month's plan: income minus bills, subscriptions and savings for the whole month, shown in grey on Budget. Safe-to-Spend™ is cash: what is in your accounts today, minus what is due before your next payday, planned savings and your cushion. One describes the month; the other tells you what is safe to spend right now, and Budget shows that number too, under the four rows. See Budget.
The numberWhat does comfortable, tight, or dips into cushion mean?
It is the status scale under your number. Amppfy looks at the lowest point your cash reaches before payday: above your cushion with room to spare is comfortable, above it by less than a quarter of your number is tight, and under it is dips into cushion. See The status scale.
The numberA bill is different this month. Do I have to edit the bill?
No. Open the bill from a dated row, at the check-in, on Bills, or on the calendar, and use Different amount this time, Not due this time, or Already paid. Only that occurrence changes; the bill keeps its usual amount for next time. See Change a bill this time.
PartnersWhat does my partner see?
They create their own login from your invite link or QR code, and they see what you choose to share. Shared accounts and bills are visible to both of you; anything private stays private. See Shared vs. private.
PartnersWhat if my partner won't use another app?
They get one job: a ten-minute check-in you do together each week. No homework, no audit — just the same clear number you see.
PartnersI'm not part of a couple. Is this still for me?
Yes. Everything works the same with one login — the number, the bills, the goals, the check-in. The partner features are there if you ever want them, and out of the way if you don't.
PrivacyIs my information safe?
Your login supports optional two-step verification, Amppfy runs on the balances you enter, and every screen only shows what you put in yourself.
PrivacyCan I delete everything?
Yes — one button deletes your account and every record in it, with a 14-day window in case you change your mind. See Delete your account.
PrivacyWhy do I get a six-digit code when I sign up?
The code confirms that the email address is yours. Type it into the six boxes where you signed up, or tap the link in the same email; either finishes the job. The code screen offers Resend after 30 seconds and Change email. Password resets and two-step verification by email use the same six boxes. See Create your account.
Apps & webDo I need an iPhone?
No. The iPhone and Android apps are the easiest way to keep your number in your pocket, but Amppfy also works in any browser at app.amppfy.com — same account, same number, same math. See The apps.
Apps & webIs there an Android app?
Yes. Amppfy is free on Google Play: the same app and the same account as on iPhone and on the web. Install it, sign in, and your household is already there. See Get the app and sign in.
Apps & webDo my phone and the web stay in sync?
Yes, within a moment, in both directions. See Use the app and the web together.
Apps & webDo I get heads-ups on the web?
By email. When push is off or you have no phone app, the same heads-ups arrive in your inbox. Turn them on and choose which kinds under Account → Heads-ups. See Heads-ups (notifications).
Apps & webWhy is the app light when my phone is in dark mode?
By design. Amppfy is light on every screen, every sheet, and the widget, whatever your appearance setting, so the number and its colors read the same everywhere.
Apps & webWhat does the widget show?
Your Safe-to-Spend™ number inside a ring that is the status scale bent into a circle, the status word, and until Fri, Oct 9 · 2 days · $1,013 a day under it. The medium size adds your next three bills, on iPhone and Android; on iPhone, the Lock Screen version hides the number while the phone is locked. See The widget.
Weekly check-inWhy did my check-in reminder arrive by email?
In the app, Amppfy asks once for permission to send the check-in reminder as a notification, on the screen where you pick your check-in day. If you tapped Not now, or notifications are off for Amppfy in your phone's Settings, the same reminder comes by email, at the day and time you chose. Turn notifications on under Account → Heads-ups, or for Amppfy in your phone's Settings, and the reminder moves to your phone.
Bills & incomeDo I enter a monthly bill once, or every month?
Once. A bill set to Monthly lands every month on its own; the line under Repeats shows the next three dates. Enter a separate bill only when it is really a separate charge. If you add a bill with a name you already use, Amppfy points at the existing one before saving a second.
FreeCan I support Amppfy with a tip?
Yes, in the iPhone and Android apps: More → Account → Support Amppfy. Three amounts, $5, $10 and $20, paid through Apple or Google Play. It is optional and unlocks nothing; the app stays free for everyone. Tips, and what they pay for.